the B&K theatres ("10,000 turned away daily") that Balaban was in charge of, include such titles as: "Syncopation Week"; a Washington's Birthday tribute with a full-stage depiction of "Washington Crossing the Delaware"; "Opera Versus Jazz"; "Anniversary Show" with dance bands on stage for the first time, featuring Ted Lewis, Roy Bargy, Ted Fiorita (sic; generally known as Fio Rito), Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians, Paul Whiteman and John Philip Sousa (the latter two had never played motion picture houses before, according to Balaban, and "had to be paid well to do four daily shows, with five on Saturdays and Sundays"); "Short Versions of Opera"; "Tableaux of Operettas"; singing novelty "Great Lovers", in which lovers in history, like Romeo and Juliet and Abelard and Heloise, serenaded one other; a Sunday noontime "Symphonic Hour" conducted by Nat Finston with opera stars Tito Schipa, Emanuel List, and Gladys Swarthout; featured organists including Jesse Crawford, Milton Charles and Henry Keats; "Jazz Nights" at the Central Park (with Victor Young as first violinist); and "Midnight Shows" on New Year's Eve, presenting Fannie Brice, Van and Schenck, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Belle Baker, Blossom Seeley and Bennie Fields, Sophie Tucker, Ted Lewis and others. A Feb. 14, 1924 review in Variety said that a B&K presentation titled "Going Up" "graduated the Chicago Theatre stage shows from a mere prologue to a full-blooded presentation." Master of ceremonies Balaban is attributed with playing an important role in the development of the dance band business in the 1920s, "as one of the early Chicago entrepreneurs who ... created the venues in which the bands played and helped shape both bands and their establishments into key entertainment attractions. A.J. Balaban showcased his movie-theatre pit orchestras by putting them on stage. In doing so, he made stars out of nearly anonymous pit bandleaders." Early in 1925, Balaban traveled to San Francisco's Granada Theatre to see orchestra conductor Paul Ash and was impressed with the bandleader's relationship with the audience—"the conductor as Master of Ceremonies." Despite the offer of less money, Balaban convinced Ash to come to Chicago. According to Balaban, "Paul was the first and greatest of all M.C.'s", giving Ginger Rogers, Ruth Etting, Joe Penner, Martha Raye ("then Martha Reed"), Amos and Andy ("then known as 'Sam' and 'Henry'") great starts and/or showcases. Alumni of Ash's orchestra include Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and Red Norvo. "At one performance, Will Rogers sprang over the