Dwight harkins biography
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Owned and operated by Dwight Harkins, it was his third theater in Tempe.
"The theater is the last remaining single-screen motion picture auditorium in the Valley of the Sun. It opened as the College Theater in 1940, named for its close proximity to Arizona State University, then Arizona State Teachers College. He was just 18 years old.
In 1940, at age 25, Red built his dream movie house, the College Theatre, known today as the Valley Art Theater in Tempe.
J. David Sloan who had been touring with Willie Nelson in Nashville moved to Phoenix to leave the music business and get into construction when he was lured away to Mr. Lucky’s to eventually lead the ROGUES band for over 30 years.
This nightspot became a local legend featuring concerts with all the big name acts of the day in country music.
The Friday night fish fry was open to families with children and a talent contest would feature area children and aspiring singers. He never made it past Tempe, Arizona. By 2004 times and musical tastes had changed and Mr. Lucky’s closed its doors after a nearly 40 year run as one of the most popular country nightspots in the USA !
The College Theater was full of fantastic new innovations like glow-in-the-dark carpeting, headphones for the hearing impaired and electronically controlled drinking fountains. One of those talent contest winners, Jordin Sparks would go on to win AMERICAN IDOL on network television in 2007.
In the 80’s members of the ROGUES band would produce albums and tour with newcomer LYLE LOVETT helping to launch his career.
In 1972 she moved to Cave Creek where she still lives today. Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Marty Robbins, Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney and many others also played the club. The largest privately owned Theater chain in the country. It set a new standard for theatres and established a Harkins’ tradition of employing the latest technology to constantly improve the movie-going experience.
In the 1950’s, he helped revolutionize the broadcast industry by inventing FM multiplex radio and launching the first radio station to transmit mutitrack sound.
Red Harkins also invented the FM multiplex radio and ran Phoenix’s second television station, Channel 12. A successful expansion of Harkins' theater operations, the building is importantly associated with Depression-era business in Tempe." (Tempe Preservation, Mill Ave Tour)
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Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall Of Fame
Dee Dee Wood’s love for dance began in high school after she took a ballet class.
Her career as a dancer began in the 1950’s in Broadway shows including, “Guys and Dolls”, “Can, Can”, “Destry Rides again” and “Lil’ Abner”.
Dee Dee and her husband, Mark Breaux, choreographed the classic films “Mary Poppins”, “Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang” and “The Sound of Music”.
Dee Dee went on to choreograph “Beaches” with Bette Midler, super bowl shows, numerous TV shows and the ceremonies of the ’84 L.A.
Olympics.
She won an Emmy for the 100th anniversary of the Statue Of Liberty celebration.
She has worked with some of the biggest stars in show business including: Julie Andrews, Bing Crosby, Billy Crystal, Cher, Michael Jackson, Robin
Williams, Danny Thomas, Carol Burnett, George Burns, Dolly Parton, Tina Turner and many more. When the state of Arizona vetoed the idea of casino’s Mr.
Lucky’s reverted to a nightclub featuring country music upstairs and rock and roll teen acts in the basement !
A country band called VIRG WARNER & THE ROGUES would begin packing in music fans and dancers to the huge Mr. Lucky’s dancefloor and the west side club became a hit with the locals. In its heyday, the College Theatre used cutting edge technology, including glow-in-the-dark carpeting, headphones for the hearing impaired, and even electronically controlled drinking fountains.
Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall Of Fame
Dwight “Red’ Harkins left his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio in 1931, and set out for Hollywood on a Harley Davidson.
He was determined to seek his fortune in Hollywood by landing a role in the exciting world of talking pictures.
After a brief stop in Flagstaff, he arrived in Tempe, broke but full of dreams.
It was her work with Dick Van Dyke that was the highlight of her career
and she was responsible for Mr. Van Dyke and his family moving to Arizona where he filmed the second season of his television show.
In 1998 she received a life time achievement award at the American Choreographers award ceremonies.
Though she is now semi-retired, she still finds the time to help her local community with her expertise by directing musical productions for the Desert Foothills Theater and she is the official
spokesperson for the “Celebration of Dance”, Arizona’s contribution to the National Dance Week.
In 1960, Dee Dee passed through Cave Creek, Arizona and began her love affair with the desert .
(bio by Jim West)
In 1933, he built the State Theater located on Fifth Street, just blocks away from the Valley Theater.The College Theatre is unique because it is the only single-screen motion picture auditorium left in the Valley.
When he was just 25 years old, Dwight “Red” Harkins founded Harkins Theatres and built the College Theatre in 1940 at the tail-end of the Great Depression. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Harkins was bound for Hollywood, with dreams of becoming an actor.
The theater reminds Tempe of the successful entertainment industry of the Depression-era.