senior Braxton Beacham died in 1924 after a long illness, and Roberta Holland Beacham died soon after in 1926. Their estate and real property were left to their children, Norma K. Hughes, Roberta Augusta Rogers, Braxton Beacham Jr., and his wife Roberta Branch Beacham. Florida and Orlando were on what was referred to by vaudeville performers as "The Straw Hat Circuit." The Beacham Theatre was included on the Alexander Pantages, Orpheum, and Keith-Albee vaudeville performance circuits (later combined as the Keith-Albee-Orpheum circuit). Manager Harry Vincent started several promotions at the Beacham Theatre in the summer months of the mid-1920s that included Bank Night, Amateur Night, and Country Store Night, which was supported by dozens of local merchants. An advertisement for the Beacham in 1925 says, "Don't talk about the hot weather. Beat the heat in a Beacham seat. 'Kum Keep Kumfy Kool at the Beacham' is known to many and you won't enjoy yourself until you too get into the line that leads to comfort." Frank Bell served as manager of the theater with organist Herman Siewart and Ken Guernsey leading the community sing-along at open forum meetings that were held for several months during the winter on Sunday afternoons. The Beacham's "exploitation director" Frank H. Burns often designed and created large elaborate standing displays that decorated the facade and lobby of the theater to advertise new film features. The iconic displays that Burns created for the Beacham Theatre were sometimes complete with coordinated costumes for the employees. In 1928 Vitaphone and Movietone "talkie" equipment debuted during the city's first "Progress Week" during the last week of August. "The queen of the vamps," actress Theda Bara, was in appearance at the Beacham as students from Orlando High School sneaked into the balcony via the fire escape. Sound was provided by two gramophone discs that accompanied each film. Both phonographs were played simultaneously in case the needle skipped during a film. Output could be easily switched so that the film's sound could remain in synchronicity with the picture. William Booth succeeded Frank Bell as manager of the Beacham after Bell was transferred in 1928. The city's "Sunday closing law" was repealed by voters in 1929 by a majority of only 59 votes. Movie theaters and other businesses in Orlando were then permitted to operate seven days a week. All of Orlando's theaters, including the Beacham, celebrated by showing free films until