Keith-Albee-Orpheum
| Company type | Corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Vaudeville, Cinema |
| Founded | January 28, 1928 in Delaware, United States |
| Founder | Benjamin Franklin Keith, Edward Franklin Albee II, Martin Beck |
| Fate | Majority share sold to Radio Corporation of America (RCA); merged into RKO Pictures |
Area served | United States, Canada |
| Products | Vaudeville performances, Motion pictures exhibition |
Number of employees | 15000 (vaudeville artists) (1928) |
The Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation was a proprietor of a network of vaudeville and cinema venues, established through the consolidation of assets owned by Benjamin Franklin Keith, Edward Franklin Albee II, and Martin Beck's Orpheum Circuit.
History
The corporation was officially registered in Delaware on January 28, 1928. It secured ownership stakes in several entities including B.F. Keith Corporation, Orpheum Circuit, Inc., Vaudeville Collection Agency, B.F. Keith-Albee Vaudeville Exchange, and Greater New York Corporation. This enterprise managed more than 700 theaters throughout the United States and Canada, collectively accommodating around 1.5 million patrons. The company engaged nearly 15,000 vaudeville artists.
In May 1928, control of the company shifted to Joseph P. Kennedy, who later sold his majority share in October to the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). This transaction, when combined with Film Booking Offices of America (FBO), resulted in the formation of the prominent film studio Radio Keith Orpheum (RKO Pictures).
After RKO's inception, the former KAO venues transitioned to primarily showcase motion pictures, relegating vaudeville acts to brief performances during feature screenings.
Theaters
- Keith-Albee Theatre, located in Huntington, West Virginia
- Keith-Albee Theater, situated in Washington, D.C.
- Keith-Albee Theatre in Flushing, Queens
- RKO Albee Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio