The new Strand Theatre was built for $175,000 in 1915 on the lot occupied by the original Isis Theatre and the original Strand Theatre likley on a ten-year lease. It launched on September 4, 1915. During its run, it would be known as the Fox Strand as William Fox played his top films there.
It was closed briefly at the end of its first lease for remodeling and reopened on September 18, 1925 as the “new” State Theatre with “Hell’s Highroad”. The theatre lasted into the TV age by not to widescreen closing in 1952. The Colorado National Bank acquired the building at demolished it for a bank in 1952.
September 29, 1909 grand opening ad in photos. In the store show era, this nickelodeon was in a row with the Theatorium and La Pictoral. It closed twice with two relaunches in 1910.
The Ballinger Company architectural sketch circa 1926 as its conceptual name, the Leverington Theatre (the crossroad street with Ridge though replaced with the Roxy during construction) in photos.
The original Dania Theatre opened January 28, 1926 with architectural plans by John M. Peterman and constructed by Tubbs & Austin for the Wallerstein Theatre Circuit . The $50,000 theater was destroyed by a hurricane in September that same year and featured in newsreel footage.
The original Dania Theatre was rebuilt on the same spot by the same folks and reopened in 1927 on a new five-year lease. The theatre closed in 1932 at the end of its lease and not renewed due to economic conditions. The Dania was reopened in 1935 on a lease from April 1935 to December of 1939 by Darnia Amusement Co. headed by Lee Carrow closing soon thereafter. It reopened in 1936 on a three-day a week operating schedule by E.J. Sparks Circuit. Sparks closed the theater at the end of 1937. Darnia Amusement came back in 1938 to rekindle the theater and Sparks sued as the lessee later reopening the theater to the end of its lease on December 31, 1939.
Sparks decided to build a new Darnia Theatre (this entry) which is the one at 56 North Federal Highway architected by Roy A. Benjamin. It opened January 14, 1940. In 1946, the theatre was altered to add retail spaces and the back of the theatre seating area became storage reducing seat count. On April 10, 1956, a storm destroyed the front entrance of the building the same day that the Darnia Drive-In Theatre blew down. The front end was rebuilt still connecting to the auditorium. It became a long-running antique store into the 21st Century. The auditorium at last report was still intact with original elements.
Address listed as 834 North Sixth Street though advertised at North Sixth & Locust Street. Closed July 9, 1955 with “Abbott & Costello Meet the Keystone Cops” with the equipment removed and floor leveled in 1958.
Cinemark announced the closure of the property ending a 20-year lease as of March 30, 2017 with the last features playing: Beauty & the Beast, Kong: Skull Island, Logan, The Belko Experiment, Lego: Batman, and what they will say at the last show, “Get Out.” Two problems in continuing operations were that 1) when the Six Flags Mall was being torn down around it, two separate fire incidents didn’t exactly inspire confidence and 2) when the final plans were revealed for the former mall location, it was as industrial complex which isn’t a good match for a theater. The theatre encouraged guests to travel to their theaters south-ward in Grand Prairie or northward in Hurst.
Launched as the Crystal Theatre in 1907, the theatre closed briefly in October of 1918 for a refurbishing. It reopened as the Rialto Theatre on November 4, 1918 with “Crashing Through.” Ads conclude December 9, 1926 with Buck Jones' “Buckaroo Kid.”
Loew’s didn’t close the Crescent Theater. It was part of the Martin Theatre Circuit from 1981 until Martin closed it on August 26, 1982 as a sub-run discount double-feature house with the awesome “Kung Fu Zombie” playing with “Chinese Connection.” It remained vacant until demolished in 1994 and was demo’d. Also, for what it’s worth, the Princess didn’t move in 1949. It closed on January 2, 1950 in it its old location. It reopened the Princess with its grand opening on March 22, 1951 with “When You’re Smiling” and “Snow Dog. (Of course, the guessy dates and incorrect info is probably fine, too, if it makes for a better story.)
The $100,000 St. Helen’s Theatre opened on May 12, 1924 with “The Sporting Youth”. It had a $15,000 Kimball pipe organ and Kenneth Laughlin as the organist. Irwin H. Hill and Ernest Thornton Mock of Hill & Mock of Tacoma were the architects. March 12, 1954 was the final day of operation for the St. Helen’s. It had fulfilled a 30-year lease and with competition from television, a decision of non-renewal was made and the venue was converted for other retail purposes.
Max and Louis Graf opened the twin theaters of the Aztec and Egyptian in 1925 thinking that having two smaller first-run theatres might be better than going all in on a single palace. They soon added the similarly-themed Pompeii Theatre as the start of their theatre circuit. All were architected by Oliver M. Rousseau and Arthur Rousseau of the Rousseau & Rousseau architectural firm.
But within months, the Grafs struggled and they closed their theaters. The business model was in the wrong era and Max Graf would continue his successful movie production career and Louis Graf would go into movie theater management. The Egyptian and Pompeii theaters would continue operation under new operators and immediately became sub-run grind houses. The Aztec would be partially dismantled though would reopen as a grindhouse much later.
The Pompeii Theatre was architected by Oliver M. Rousseau and Arthur Rousseau of Rousseau & Rousseau architectural firm in 1925 for Max and Louis Graf. The Grafs went out of the exhibition business in a matter of months but the theater carried on under new management.
Opened as the short-lived Aztec Theatre in 1925, the twin sister Egyptian Theatre. The architects were Oliver M. Rousseau and Arthur Rousseau of Rousseau & Rousseau architectural firm.
This early silent-era theatre was boarded up when it went out of business in 1913. Charles A. Smith of Kansas City was the architect who updated the theatre for its reopening in 1925 as the New Central. In 1950, it became the Eastown Theatre. It transformed to the Eastown Ballroom by decade’s end before being damaged in a fire on January 28, 1959.
Cherryvale’s big silent-era entertainment venues were its 19th Century Cherryvale Opera House for live entertainment and its photoplay houses, the Lyric Theatre (1908), the Gem Theatre (1908), and the 300-seat Star Theatre (1909) at 215 West Main. The Union Traction Company ran an interurban electric rail line between Parsons and Independence to Coffeyville and down to Nowata, Oklahoma. That line apparently brought business to these Cherryvale entertainment locations when it established a stop on Main Street in 1910 in downtown C'vale.
The Vale Theatre had started as the Star Theatre which as noted was launched in 1909, the town’s first venue designed expressly as a photoplay house. During World War I, on Feb. 21 1918, the Star was updated to remain competitive and became the Liberty Theatre – a common name for WWI era theaters.
As the 1920s were ending, Samuel A. Davidson purchased the Liberty knowing the town could likely support just one film venue in the transition to sound. The Liberty became that theater with the former Lyric turned Royal Theatre closing in 1929. R.O. Lee took on the Liberty changing it to the Lee Theatre.
Harry Musgrave opened the Ritz Theatre in the 1930s on south Neosho Street but it burned down in March of 1938 after very limited operation. The Lee Theatre was taken on by the Glen W. Dickenson Circuit. R.O. Lee stayed on for several years but when he left the managerial position during Dickenson’s run, the Lee changed to its final name of the Vale Theatre in the 1940s. A ceremonial final run of the interurban took place June 17, 1947. The Vale would also later vanish ending Cherryvale’s movie exhibition era.
This is the Nova 8 Cinemas that closed September 5, 2005. It opened August 1, 1986 as the $1 million, 2,160 seat Carmike 8 with Haunted Honeymoon, Pirates, Vamp, Maximum Overdrive, Northing in Common, Friday the 13th IV, and Howard the Duck. Carmike moved on in 2002.
Nova Cinemas took on the venue reopening July 26, 2002 as the Nova 8 Cinemas. It closed September 5, 2005. It then became the True Word of Life Church before becoming home to Sys-Con.
September 18, 1915 grand opening ad for the Hamilton Theatre.
The new Strand Theatre was built for $175,000 in 1915 on the lot occupied by the original Isis Theatre and the original Strand Theatre likley on a ten-year lease. It launched on September 4, 1915. During its run, it would be known as the Fox Strand as William Fox played his top films there.
It was closed briefly at the end of its first lease for remodeling and reopened on September 18, 1925 as the “new” State Theatre with “Hell’s Highroad”. The theatre lasted into the TV age by not to widescreen closing in 1952. The Colorado National Bank acquired the building at demolished it for a bank in 1952.
Art Adamson and Associates opened the Parkrose as a 635-seat theater in 1946. It was remodeled down to a 500-seat house turning art cinema in 1955.
Closed on March 31, 2017
September 29, 1909 grand opening ad in photos. In the store show era, this nickelodeon was in a row with the Theatorium and La Pictoral. It closed twice with two relaunches in 1910.
The Ballinger Company architectural sketch circa 1926 as its conceptual name, the Leverington Theatre (the crossroad street with Ridge though replaced with the Roxy during construction) in photos.
The original Dania Theatre opened January 28, 1926 with architectural plans by John M. Peterman and constructed by Tubbs & Austin for the Wallerstein Theatre Circuit . The $50,000 theater was destroyed by a hurricane in September that same year and featured in newsreel footage.
The original Dania Theatre was rebuilt on the same spot by the same folks and reopened in 1927 on a new five-year lease. The theatre closed in 1932 at the end of its lease and not renewed due to economic conditions. The Dania was reopened in 1935 on a lease from April 1935 to December of 1939 by Darnia Amusement Co. headed by Lee Carrow closing soon thereafter. It reopened in 1936 on a three-day a week operating schedule by E.J. Sparks Circuit. Sparks closed the theater at the end of 1937. Darnia Amusement came back in 1938 to rekindle the theater and Sparks sued as the lessee later reopening the theater to the end of its lease on December 31, 1939.
Sparks decided to build a new Darnia Theatre (this entry) which is the one at 56 North Federal Highway architected by Roy A. Benjamin. It opened January 14, 1940. In 1946, the theatre was altered to add retail spaces and the back of the theatre seating area became storage reducing seat count. On April 10, 1956, a storm destroyed the front entrance of the building the same day that the Darnia Drive-In Theatre blew down. The front end was rebuilt still connecting to the auditorium. It became a long-running antique store into the 21st Century. The auditorium at last report was still intact with original elements.
Bad day for the Princess Theatre and S.S. Kresge dime store as fire strikes on February 25, 1925. “Playthings of Desire” was the feature.
Signed architectural plans of C.C. and E.A. Weber of Canton, Ohio in photos.
Address listed as 834 North Sixth Street though advertised at North Sixth & Locust Street. Closed July 9, 1955 with “Abbott & Costello Meet the Keystone Cops” with the equipment removed and floor leveled in 1958.
Cinemark announced the closure of the property ending a 20-year lease as of March 30, 2017 with the last features playing: Beauty & the Beast, Kong: Skull Island, Logan, The Belko Experiment, Lego: Batman, and what they will say at the last show, “Get Out.” Two problems in continuing operations were that 1) when the Six Flags Mall was being torn down around it, two separate fire incidents didn’t exactly inspire confidence and 2) when the final plans were revealed for the former mall location, it was as industrial complex which isn’t a good match for a theater. The theatre encouraged guests to travel to their theaters south-ward in Grand Prairie or northward in Hurst.
Grand opening shots of the Fitzpatrick & McElroy Circuit’s Harvey Theatre on June 19, 1924 are in photos. The architect was Paul T. Haagen.
James Yeaman was the architect of this silent-era African American theater. It opened in February of 1912. Cedar Street became Charlotte Street.
Launched as the Crystal Theatre in 1907, the theatre closed briefly in October of 1918 for a refurbishing. It reopened as the Rialto Theatre on November 4, 1918 with “Crashing Through.” Ads conclude December 9, 1926 with Buck Jones' “Buckaroo Kid.”
Loew’s didn’t close the Crescent Theater. It was part of the Martin Theatre Circuit from 1981 until Martin closed it on August 26, 1982 as a sub-run discount double-feature house with the awesome “Kung Fu Zombie” playing with “Chinese Connection.” It remained vacant until demolished in 1994 and was demo’d. Also, for what it’s worth, the Princess didn’t move in 1949. It closed on January 2, 1950 in it its old location. It reopened the Princess with its grand opening on March 22, 1951 with “When You’re Smiling” and “Snow Dog. (Of course, the guessy dates and incorrect info is probably fine, too, if it makes for a better story.)
Lucille Ball appeared live on the stage of the Liberty Theatre in “Wet and Dry” and entertained further singing between acts.
The $100,000 St. Helen’s Theatre opened on May 12, 1924 with “The Sporting Youth”. It had a $15,000 Kimball pipe organ and Kenneth Laughlin as the organist. Irwin H. Hill and Ernest Thornton Mock of Hill & Mock of Tacoma were the architects. March 12, 1954 was the final day of operation for the St. Helen’s. It had fulfilled a 30-year lease and with competition from television, a decision of non-renewal was made and the venue was converted for other retail purposes.
Max and Louis Graf opened the twin theaters of the Aztec and Egyptian in 1925 thinking that having two smaller first-run theatres might be better than going all in on a single palace. They soon added the similarly-themed Pompeii Theatre as the start of their theatre circuit. All were architected by Oliver M. Rousseau and Arthur Rousseau of the Rousseau & Rousseau architectural firm.
But within months, the Grafs struggled and they closed their theaters. The business model was in the wrong era and Max Graf would continue his successful movie production career and Louis Graf would go into movie theater management. The Egyptian and Pompeii theaters would continue operation under new operators and immediately became sub-run grind houses. The Aztec would be partially dismantled though would reopen as a grindhouse much later.
The Pompeii Theatre was architected by Oliver M. Rousseau and Arthur Rousseau of Rousseau & Rousseau architectural firm in 1925 for Max and Louis Graf. The Grafs went out of the exhibition business in a matter of months but the theater carried on under new management.
Opened as the short-lived Aztec Theatre in 1925, the twin sister Egyptian Theatre. The architects were Oliver M. Rousseau and Arthur Rousseau of Rousseau & Rousseau architectural firm.
This early silent-era theatre was boarded up when it went out of business in 1913. Charles A. Smith of Kansas City was the architect who updated the theatre for its reopening in 1925 as the New Central. In 1950, it became the Eastown Theatre. It transformed to the Eastown Ballroom by decade’s end before being damaged in a fire on January 28, 1959.
Cherryvale’s big silent-era entertainment venues were its 19th Century Cherryvale Opera House for live entertainment and its photoplay houses, the Lyric Theatre (1908), the Gem Theatre (1908), and the 300-seat Star Theatre (1909) at 215 West Main. The Union Traction Company ran an interurban electric rail line between Parsons and Independence to Coffeyville and down to Nowata, Oklahoma. That line apparently brought business to these Cherryvale entertainment locations when it established a stop on Main Street in 1910 in downtown C'vale.
The Vale Theatre had started as the Star Theatre which as noted was launched in 1909, the town’s first venue designed expressly as a photoplay house. During World War I, on Feb. 21 1918, the Star was updated to remain competitive and became the Liberty Theatre – a common name for WWI era theaters.
As the 1920s were ending, Samuel A. Davidson purchased the Liberty knowing the town could likely support just one film venue in the transition to sound. The Liberty became that theater with the former Lyric turned Royal Theatre closing in 1929. R.O. Lee took on the Liberty changing it to the Lee Theatre.
Harry Musgrave opened the Ritz Theatre in the 1930s on south Neosho Street but it burned down in March of 1938 after very limited operation. The Lee Theatre was taken on by the Glen W. Dickenson Circuit. R.O. Lee stayed on for several years but when he left the managerial position during Dickenson’s run, the Lee changed to its final name of the Vale Theatre in the 1940s. A ceremonial final run of the interurban took place June 17, 1947. The Vale would also later vanish ending Cherryvale’s movie exhibition era.
This is the Nova 8 Cinemas that closed September 5, 2005. It opened August 1, 1986 as the $1 million, 2,160 seat Carmike 8 with Haunted Honeymoon, Pirates, Vamp, Maximum Overdrive, Northing in Common, Friday the 13th IV, and Howard the Duck. Carmike moved on in 2002.
Nova Cinemas took on the venue reopening July 26, 2002 as the Nova 8 Cinemas. It closed September 5, 2005. It then became the True Word of Life Church before becoming home to Sys-Con.
Designed by Nancy McLelland in 1929.
Technically, it’s “Poor Richard’s” Pub and Cinema