March 12, 1927 grand opening ad for the Crown Theatre in photos with the opening film of “The Ace of Cards.‘” The theatre appears to have closed after the July 19, 1953 showing of “Flat Top” and “The Blazing Forest” along with six bonus cartoons.
The Grand Theatre opened on November 10, 1910. Ads are discontinued after the March 18, 1928 showing of “Torrent.” The Grand appears to have opened and closed as a silent movie house.
Opened as the Chief Drive-In on April 29, 1953 with “All Ashore.” Mrs. Cle Barton sold the theatre following the 1975 season with new operators Mr. and Mrs. Davy Picolet relaunching on May 7, 1976 as the Ritz Drive-In Theatre with “Hearts of the West” and “Westworld”. It closed on September 25, 1983 as the Ritz Drive-In Theatre at the end of a thirty year lease and didn’t reopen the following season. 82 mph winds destroyed the vacant theatre in 1986.
Opened as the Stella Opera House in 1916. Changed from the Stella Opera House to the Stella Theatre inn 1918 when motion pictures became the most prevalent type of entertainment there. It became the Ritz Theatre on September 21, 1936. It remained the Ritz Theatre to closing in 1999 for films and 2000 for events.
Grand opening ad from April 22, 1942 with “Blues in the Nite” in photos. The Holly Theatre was housed in the former American Legion building. R.J. Jones bought the hall, converting it to the Holly Theatre and ran it from 1942 to November of 1995. Jones had hoped to find a new operator quickly but that didn’t happen.
This location opened as the Carlisle Opera House in 1898. Movies were first shown there in 1908 and became so popular that the interior was redesigned to better project films. In February of 1925, it rebranded as the remodeled Strand Theatre which operated until 1959. In 1961, the auditorium of the theatre was demolished. The rest of the building was transformed into the Strand Theatre Building apartments which was lost to arson, as noted above, on August 29, 1972. The building’s remains were razed soon thereafter.
Mayor Eddie Henderson opened the Hilltop Drive-In Theatre in Marysville on August 22, 1950 with a soft launch and the film, “The Homestretch.” The official opening was August 25, 1950 with the film, “Albuquerque.” The theatre closed in September 27, 1981. In 1982, the screen was demolished.
The only references to this location are very consistent references as the East Davenport Turner Hall from 1890s each year to 2001 when its refurbished and becomes the Village Hall briefly and then the Village Theatre. There’s no reference to its movie theatre days as the Rex or E. Davenport Theatre.
The grand opening of the Uptown Theatre on May 13, 1930 with “The Love Parade”.
Moline architect Tevis C. Freeman was the architect who helped the Coronet Theatre’s remodel under James Stopulous that occurred between the Beatles' “Help” in 1965 and the theater’s historic run of “Sound of Music.” The Quad Cities longest-running film was “Sound of Music” running 73 weeks from November 10, 1965 to April 11, 1967. When “Dr. Zhivago” replaced “Sound of Music,” it played 25 weeks.
The final day of operation for the Coronet was June 26, 1984 as the city began a crack down on porn. The final show was “Too Much Too Soon” with Nikki Noel appearing live on stage. The theatre was razed for a mini-mall that was never developed.
The Casino Theatre launched December 31, 1913 as an A.H. Blank Theatre pre-Paramount days. On December 20, 1921, fire gutted the building ending its run as a theatre. The building was retrofitted for a Smith Cafeteria which opened in April of 1922.
The 250-seat Crystal Theatre launched in September of 1911 in a converted retail building. The theatre has 2 Powers projectors and a 9x12 Mirrored curtain. Thea theatre appears to have fulfilled a 10-year lease closing in August of 1921. The theatre’s contents were sold in December of 1921 with the floor leveled and retrofitted as a tire sales shop.
The Davenport Theatre opened in 1912 and almost went down in a fire in its first month of operation. Fire at a nearby barn led to panic in the theatre which was undamaged. The Davenport would add sound to transition into the sound era but ran out of gas in 1934. It would became a Bingo hall known as Line-O in October of 1934. When the Bingo Hall closed, the floor was leveled and the building was used for other purposes.
The Garden Theatre launched September 22, 1915 as a new build theatre playing “Helene of the North.” Clausen & Kruse were the architects and the Mandel Brothers of Chicago handled the interior decoration. The theatre would add sound followed by a refurbishing in 1930.
The Garden Theatre closed for the summer on March 31, 1953 with plans to come back exclusively as a 3D theatre in the Fall. That never transpired. In July of 1954, the theater seats were removed and the floor leveled to become two different retail locations, one of which was a Posner’s retail store.
The Princess Theatre opened here by J.A. Hughes on September 11, 1911. On March 29, 1913, the theatre added a $5,000 pipe organ and became the Lyric Theatre. In 1918, the theatre was expanded and modernized becoming the Liberty Theatre on December 5, 1918. The Monroe Circuit added the theatre and changed to the Rialto Theatre.
Under new ownership, the Rialto returned to its Liberty Theatre nameplate beginning on December 5, 1924. In 1931, the theatre became a live burlesque house showing exploitation films and second-run films. The theatre closed in November of 1943. The floor was leveled at that time and the building became a cleaner and carpet center. On March 17, 1956, the building was gutted by a major fire.
Grand opening ad for the Mirror Theatre on April 15, 1911 is photos. The theatre appears to have closed May 12, 1934 with subsequent articles discussing tax delinquency with the operators. In February of 1936, the floor is leveled and the building is gutted for future retail purposes.
The Ross Bros. Circuit opened the Star Theatre in April of 1909. The theatre had a long run under J.H. Pabst converting to sound pictures. The Star became an adult cinema in 1946 and in 1947 became a subrun double-feature house called the Era Theatre closing just weeks into its rebranding. In September of 1947, it was gutted and retrofitted for retail purposes.
The Victor was created by Albert Petersen who had an orchestra at Turner Grand Opera House. He seems to have no connection to Victor Animatograph or Alexander F. Victor. The theatre appears to be named after Mr. Petersen’s son, Victor. So likely no.
The Home Theatre launched with Joe Brown in charge in September of 1913. The building had been home to palm reader/astrologer/clairvoyant Professor F.L. Levitch. The Home Theatre reopened February 2, 1919 under new management as the Jewel Theatre. Ads are discontinued in 1920. The address becomes an automotive repair facility, the Universal Garage by 1921. Several automotive shops move in followed by its conversion to a hardware store.
The Palm Theatre was opened in a converted retail operation with a soft launch on January 21, 1911 showing Edison Moving Pictures. Its grand opening to the public was two days later with “County Fair” and “For the Love of an Enemy.” The end of the line appears to be April 30, 1915. It is reconverted to retail as the Davenport Nursery Store opening later that year.
The Elite Theatre launched on August 6, 1904 in a converted retail spot by the Shirley Amusement Group. at 322 Brady. The theatre announces a move in the summer of 1906 possibly due to ventilation issues using tent shows after closing its Brady location until moving to its new location.
On September 2, 1906, the theatre moved to this location of 309-311 W. 2d Street ceasing its short-term practice of tent shows. According to another CT member, the theatre has a brief name change to the Tokio Theatre during 1907. It closes for a brief remodel (and apparent name change).
On December 27, 1907, the theatre gets new seating and reopens as the Elite Theatre. The Elite Theatre appears to have gone out of business after showings on March 30, 1915. The spot is converted to retail and becomes a Piggly Wiggly grocery store.
The original Victor Theatre opened March 1, 1913 at 1406 Harrison Street between 14th and 15th Street which was across from the Uptown/Coronet. Local showman Julius Geertz rand the operation along with the Zenith/Sunset, the Pariser Garden Theatre, and the Olympic. The Victor closed in 1930 apparently not making the transition to sound.
The 428 Harrison location referenced in the entry can be tracked as the Imperial Cafe that burned down in 1914 and was replaced by a one-story retail building that was home to a long-running plumbing company. The local paper has no reference to it being a theater.
This entry opened as the Elite Theatre on August 6, 1904 by F.A. Sater showing motion pictures. H.A. Sodini who ran a circuit of vaudeville houses under the Unique Theatre nameplate changed took over the Elite renaming it the Unique Theatre on May 1, 1905 adding some live acts.
On April 15, 1911, the theatre was under new management and became the Majestic Theatre. In 1914, the theatre was sold and reverted to the Unique Theatre. On January 5, 1915, the theatre returned to its Majestic Theatre nameplate under new management. In January of 1916, it continued as the Unique Theatre. By May of 1916, the theatre became the new Strand Theatre.
The building was put up for lease when the Strand closed in March of 1917 when the Strand closed. It was converted for retail purposes becoming a phonograph and sewing machine store in May of 1917.
March 12, 1927 grand opening ad for the Crown Theatre in photos with the opening film of “The Ace of Cards.‘” The theatre appears to have closed after the July 19, 1953 showing of “Flat Top” and “The Blazing Forest” along with six bonus cartoons.
The Grand Theatre opened on November 10, 1910. Ads are discontinued after the March 18, 1928 showing of “Torrent.” The Grand appears to have opened and closed as a silent movie house.
Opened as the Chief Drive-In on April 29, 1953 with “All Ashore.” Mrs. Cle Barton sold the theatre following the 1975 season with new operators Mr. and Mrs. Davy Picolet relaunching on May 7, 1976 as the Ritz Drive-In Theatre with “Hearts of the West” and “Westworld”. It closed on September 25, 1983 as the Ritz Drive-In Theatre at the end of a thirty year lease and didn’t reopen the following season. 82 mph winds destroyed the vacant theatre in 1986.
Opened as the Stella Opera House in 1916. Changed from the Stella Opera House to the Stella Theatre inn 1918 when motion pictures became the most prevalent type of entertainment there. It became the Ritz Theatre on September 21, 1936. It remained the Ritz Theatre to closing in 1999 for films and 2000 for events.
Grand opening ad from April 22, 1942 with “Blues in the Nite” in photos. The Holly Theatre was housed in the former American Legion building. R.J. Jones bought the hall, converting it to the Holly Theatre and ran it from 1942 to November of 1995. Jones had hoped to find a new operator quickly but that didn’t happen.
June 15, 1949 grand opening ad showing “Northwest Stampede”
This location opened as the Carlisle Opera House in 1898. Movies were first shown there in 1908 and became so popular that the interior was redesigned to better project films. In February of 1925, it rebranded as the remodeled Strand Theatre which operated until 1959. In 1961, the auditorium of the theatre was demolished. The rest of the building was transformed into the Strand Theatre Building apartments which was lost to arson, as noted above, on August 29, 1972. The building’s remains were razed soon thereafter.
Mayor Eddie Henderson opened the Hilltop Drive-In Theatre in Marysville on August 22, 1950 with a soft launch and the film, “The Homestretch.” The official opening was August 25, 1950 with the film, “Albuquerque.” The theatre closed in September 27, 1981. In 1982, the screen was demolished.
The only references to this location are very consistent references as the East Davenport Turner Hall from 1890s each year to 2001 when its refurbished and becomes the Village Hall briefly and then the Village Theatre. There’s no reference to its movie theatre days as the Rex or E. Davenport Theatre.
The grand opening of the Uptown Theatre on May 13, 1930 with “The Love Parade”.
Moline architect Tevis C. Freeman was the architect who helped the Coronet Theatre’s remodel under James Stopulous that occurred between the Beatles' “Help” in 1965 and the theater’s historic run of “Sound of Music.” The Quad Cities longest-running film was “Sound of Music” running 73 weeks from November 10, 1965 to April 11, 1967. When “Dr. Zhivago” replaced “Sound of Music,” it played 25 weeks.
The final day of operation for the Coronet was June 26, 1984 as the city began a crack down on porn. The final show was “Too Much Too Soon” with Nikki Noel appearing live on stage. The theatre was razed for a mini-mall that was never developed.
The Casino Theatre launched December 31, 1913 as an A.H. Blank Theatre pre-Paramount days. On December 20, 1921, fire gutted the building ending its run as a theatre. The building was retrofitted for a Smith Cafeteria which opened in April of 1922.
The 250-seat Crystal Theatre launched in September of 1911 in a converted retail building. The theatre has 2 Powers projectors and a 9x12 Mirrored curtain. Thea theatre appears to have fulfilled a 10-year lease closing in August of 1921. The theatre’s contents were sold in December of 1921 with the floor leveled and retrofitted as a tire sales shop.
The Davenport Theatre opened in 1912 and almost went down in a fire in its first month of operation. Fire at a nearby barn led to panic in the theatre which was undamaged. The Davenport would add sound to transition into the sound era but ran out of gas in 1934. It would became a Bingo hall known as Line-O in October of 1934. When the Bingo Hall closed, the floor was leveled and the building was used for other purposes.
The Garden Theatre launched September 22, 1915 as a new build theatre playing “Helene of the North.” Clausen & Kruse were the architects and the Mandel Brothers of Chicago handled the interior decoration. The theatre would add sound followed by a refurbishing in 1930.
The Garden Theatre closed for the summer on March 31, 1953 with plans to come back exclusively as a 3D theatre in the Fall. That never transpired. In July of 1954, the theater seats were removed and the floor leveled to become two different retail locations, one of which was a Posner’s retail store.
The Princess Theatre opened here by J.A. Hughes on September 11, 1911. On March 29, 1913, the theatre added a $5,000 pipe organ and became the Lyric Theatre. In 1918, the theatre was expanded and modernized becoming the Liberty Theatre on December 5, 1918. The Monroe Circuit added the theatre and changed to the Rialto Theatre.
Under new ownership, the Rialto returned to its Liberty Theatre nameplate beginning on December 5, 1924. In 1931, the theatre became a live burlesque house showing exploitation films and second-run films. The theatre closed in November of 1943. The floor was leveled at that time and the building became a cleaner and carpet center. On March 17, 1956, the building was gutted by a major fire.
Grand opening ad for the Mirror Theatre on April 15, 1911 is photos. The theatre appears to have closed May 12, 1934 with subsequent articles discussing tax delinquency with the operators. In February of 1936, the floor is leveled and the building is gutted for future retail purposes.
The Ross Bros. Circuit opened the Star Theatre in April of 1909. The theatre had a long run under J.H. Pabst converting to sound pictures. The Star became an adult cinema in 1946 and in 1947 became a subrun double-feature house called the Era Theatre closing just weeks into its rebranding. In September of 1947, it was gutted and retrofitted for retail purposes.
The Victor was created by Albert Petersen who had an orchestra at Turner Grand Opera House. He seems to have no connection to Victor Animatograph or Alexander F. Victor. The theatre appears to be named after Mr. Petersen’s son, Victor. So likely no.
Opened as the Turner Grand Opera House on May 17, 1888. Architects were Clausen & Burrows. It closed in December of 1945.
The Home Theatre launched with Joe Brown in charge in September of 1913. The building had been home to palm reader/astrologer/clairvoyant Professor F.L. Levitch. The Home Theatre reopened February 2, 1919 under new management as the Jewel Theatre. Ads are discontinued in 1920. The address becomes an automotive repair facility, the Universal Garage by 1921. Several automotive shops move in followed by its conversion to a hardware store.
The Palm Theatre was opened in a converted retail operation with a soft launch on January 21, 1911 showing Edison Moving Pictures. Its grand opening to the public was two days later with “County Fair” and “For the Love of an Enemy.” The end of the line appears to be April 30, 1915. It is reconverted to retail as the Davenport Nursery Store opening later that year.
The Elite Theatre launched on August 6, 1904 in a converted retail spot by the Shirley Amusement Group. at 322 Brady. The theatre announces a move in the summer of 1906 possibly due to ventilation issues using tent shows after closing its Brady location until moving to its new location.
On September 2, 1906, the theatre moved to this location of 309-311 W. 2d Street ceasing its short-term practice of tent shows. According to another CT member, the theatre has a brief name change to the Tokio Theatre during 1907. It closes for a brief remodel (and apparent name change).
On December 27, 1907, the theatre gets new seating and reopens as the Elite Theatre. The Elite Theatre appears to have gone out of business after showings on March 30, 1915. The spot is converted to retail and becomes a Piggly Wiggly grocery store.
The original Victor Theatre opened March 1, 1913 at 1406 Harrison Street between 14th and 15th Street which was across from the Uptown/Coronet. Local showman Julius Geertz rand the operation along with the Zenith/Sunset, the Pariser Garden Theatre, and the Olympic. The Victor closed in 1930 apparently not making the transition to sound.
The 428 Harrison location referenced in the entry can be tracked as the Imperial Cafe that burned down in 1914 and was replaced by a one-story retail building that was home to a long-running plumbing company. The local paper has no reference to it being a theater.
The Heffen family launched the Olympia Theatre in 1915. The silent operation decided it couldn’t make the transition to sound era closing around 1930.
This entry opened as the Elite Theatre on August 6, 1904 by F.A. Sater showing motion pictures. H.A. Sodini who ran a circuit of vaudeville houses under the Unique Theatre nameplate changed took over the Elite renaming it the Unique Theatre on May 1, 1905 adding some live acts.
On April 15, 1911, the theatre was under new management and became the Majestic Theatre. In 1914, the theatre was sold and reverted to the Unique Theatre. On January 5, 1915, the theatre returned to its Majestic Theatre nameplate under new management. In January of 1916, it continued as the Unique Theatre. By May of 1916, the theatre became the new Strand Theatre.
The building was put up for lease when the Strand closed in March of 1917 when the Strand closed. It was converted for retail purposes becoming a phonograph and sewing machine store in May of 1917.