Architect was John Edmund Kelley of Boston. Opened October 12, 1928 with Wings. The theatre, silent at opening, was equipped with Vitaphone and Movietone sound within four months. The final movies listed were in 1962. The venue ended its entertainment life as the Silhouette Ballroom with dancing and live music in 1967. Demolished in 1969 as part of an urban development plan to provide additional parking.
Opened in April 1, 1929 with DeForest Phonofilm sound and Robert Morton Unit Organ. The theater closed abruptly just after opening. New operators were in place reopening October 10, 1929. The competing Plymouth Theatre took over the Metropolitan in 1930. The last show appears to be “Blow Up” on June 6, 1967 with demolition ten years later in 1977.
Launched in 1950 as the Alum Rock Drive-In. In June of 1960, it was sold to El Rancho Drive-In which spent $450,000 to add the second screen and giving the theatre a tropical theme created by designer Gail Santocono who also did the La Habra Theatre. Manley cafeteria, Midway playground equipment and a mini-train were among the other improvements for the April 1, 1961 rebooted Tropicaire Twin-Vue Drive-In Theatre.
Working backwards, the former Dixie Theatre was demolished in July of 1932. The Dixie has suffered a projection booth fire on January 10, 1929 and appeared to not re-open. The main operator was David Bernbaum who had opened a turn of the century nickelodeon in New York City and helped form the Robb & Rowley Circuit in Dallas. The first operator of the Dixie – which most peg opening in 1910 – was under William McIlheran and transferring to Bernbaum within two years.
Addressing the also known as: 1) The Theatorium’s address might have been more likely in the 300 block of Elm where the Bush Temple Theatre took over having its grand opening on October 18, 1908. 2) While the Wonderland could have been the opening name of this location for a period, the Dallas Photoplay House (aka “The Dallas”) at the corner – 1301 Elm – is a much more likely home to that store-show era theater.
My best guess is that this was the Dixie Theatre at opening through its closing with the Theatrorium at 307/9 Elm and the Wonderland at 1301 Elm. But that’s only a guess based on the newspaper and trade articles.
Opening date was November 11, 1932 launching with the film, “The Lawyer” with William Powell. Final day was May 13, 1984. The final regular shows were on May 12, 1984 showing “National Lampoon’s Vacation” with “Police Academy” on one screen and “Hardbodies” and “Purple Hearts” on the other. And as mentioned above, on May 13, 1984, the theatre returned to William Powell showing “The Thin Man” on one screen and “Libeled Lady” on the other.
The $150,000 Kensington neighborhood theatre launched on November 28, 1923 in Buffalo with the film, “Pioneer Trails.” Manager James Cardina was then able to temporarily close his Kensington Theatre to remodel it.
This is a 1925 shot of the Folly Theatre at 126 W. Broadway in downtown Hollis with Rin Tin Tin on the big screen and a great front by Cozy and Empress operator E.A. Peterson.
While it’s not the Watt Theatre — it’s a silent era theater sitting vacant next to the Jones Pendergraft Building in downtown Hollis – it’s placed here because it’s listed with 502 seats. It seems very likely that this was the home of the Watt Theatre then equipped with sound or perhaps Watt Long took the seats from this venue across the street to his new location.
This location was home to the first photoplay house and third theater in Olean launching on September 15, 1906. The building was originally constructed in 1876 by John G. Schultze and was referred to as the Schultze Building. It housed a billiard hall and saloon. The location likely came available as a lease expired in the building’s 30th year. Lewis N. Lang opened the Dreamland operating in this location for nearly eight years before leaving the industry temporarily. In 1914, a string of new operators tried to make the location work including a return by L.N. Lang on February 14, 1916 as Lang’s Theatre.
Lang left again as the theatre struggled against more current competition. On February 1, 1918, Angelo Scinta became the last person to try Dreamland in the title relaunching as the New Dreamland Theatre with “The Lost Express.” This was actually the second location to use the moniker New Dreamland as 264 N. Union Street housed the New Dreamland / Robinson’s Dreamland that was in operation from 1908 to 1915.
Charles T. Nickum next leased this location when Scinta closed after three months. Nickum relaunched on July 4, 1918 as the New Gem Theatre. Nickum used the name previously in Olean operating Nickum’s Gem Theatre at 241 N. Union Street which had opened December 18, 1912 on a five-year lease. It had closed on June 30, 1917 with Nickum briefly taking on the Havens Theatre. Once the neighboring Strand Theatre folded, Nickum decided to modernize the aging Gem.
The theatre was largely torn down with the floor lowered to provide more modern seating angles to the screen. The theatre transformed to a 600-seat theatre by expanding the building’s height and overall dimensions by local archiitect A. W. E. Schoenberg. It opened as Nickum’s Gem Theatre on March 8, 1921 with Cecil B. De Mille’s “Forbidden Fruit.” A new Marr & Colton pipe organ was a hit on opening night.
D.M Dusenberry and Affiliated Theatres took over Nickum’s Gem rebranding it as the State Theatre opening June 12, 1927 with “The Texas Streak.” Warner Brothers took over the State reopening to the public with an extensive remodeling as part of the Depression work stimulus. The Warner Bros’ State Theatre opened on November 11, 1930 with Vitaphone sound and Mayor Earl C. Vedder on hand. Warners also bought the Haven Theatre. The State continued the address' run as a place of entertainment within Olean.
The McPherson Opera House appears to have shown its first motion pictures in 1897. Full time theaters launched in the town including the Tourney and the Cozy/Mikado. In the sound era, the Opera House became known as the Empire Theatre converting to full-time motion pictures and, taken over by C. C. McOllister who changed it to the Mac Theatre.
he owner of the Cozy Theatre, H.C. Collins, decided to expand his motion picture business by taking over the Klassen Auto Company next to the Alliance Exchange creating the Grace Theatre. The Grace launched December 10, 1913 running three years to December of 1916.
Jeff Tourney and Carl E. Oelrich who had taken over the Cozy Theatre (changing it to the Mikado Theatre (1916-1917) took over the Grace. The pair decided to transform the Grace into the modern Tourney Theatre by tearing down most if not all of the Grace structure. The 600-seat theatre launched June 4, 1917. After several changes of ownership, Empire Theater operators C.W. Helstrom and George Wooldridge took on the Tourney changing its name to the Helstrom Theatre in 1934.
In July of 1940, Helstrom and Wooldridge sold the theatre to George Baker of Baker Enterprises. In April of 1941, the Helstrom became the Manor Theatre upgrading from a second-run house to a first-run theater. In 1946, Boller Brothers redesigned the Manor. The Manor continued into the television era and eventually closed and was demolished.
The Ritz Theatre launched May 15, 1934 with architect of the project listed as Gates Corgan and operated by Jack L. Johnson formerly of the Robb & Rowley Circuit in Dallas. Almost immediately, the Ritz rankled the competing Helstrom Theatre with a Bank Night promotion that led to a lawsuit. The bank night would stop but the Ritz then introduced Depression-ware dinnerware give-aways to McPherson which proved popular. George Baker of Baker Enterprises took over the Ritz and, next, the Helstrom.
The Ritz became the Spiral Theatre. The Spiral played a world premiere of a 19-minute documentary called, “The General with the Cockeyed Id” on October 26, 1965. In 1973, the Spiral experimented with late-night XXX and X rated adult films. The venue lasted to the video age with mainstream audience films. But on March 16, 1988, the gas furnace overheated after closing for the night destroying the theatre and ending its 53-year run.
The Haight Building was constructed in 1897/8 at 103 N. Third Street. During the show-store era of quickly-created nickelodeons, Burlington’s first moving picture show was the Electric Theatre in the Haight launching on May 6, 1908. Residents were intrigued by films including news footage of the Kansas City flood that year and the Electric needed more space. The improved and expanded Electric moved to 118 Neosho Street. A choral hall moved into the former Electric space within the Haight in 1909 until 1911.
In March of 1911, J.W. Richards decided to built an even larger, 350-seat theatre back into the Haight called the Berlin Theatre. Two months later, John J. “Newk” Newcomb purchased the Berlin and changed it to Newk’s Theatre relaunching May 11, 1911. Newk operated a hotel, a cigar factory and a bill poster plant as well as his long-running theatre. For more than 30 years, J.J. Newcomb entertained locals before his death on December 6, 1941. The Dickinson Circuit took over operation of the Newk’s Theatre before closing it years later and the space being retrofitted for other purposes.
The Film Yearbook is inaccurate. John Herman “Tommy” Thompson opened this theatre on August 9, 1948 to replace the Princess Theatre. Thompson started his career at the Old Mill Theatre in Dallas and took over the Thompson’s predecessor in 1931 which he remodeled and expanded as the Princess. The Martin & Thompson Circuit headquarters were located within the building.
On February 11, 1947, the Princess Theatre burned down in a $125,000 explosion that led to the demolition of the property and damaged neighboring businesses. Thompson made changes to Hawkinsville’s City Auditorium to allow him to continue bookings and carry on the business of the Martin and Thompson Circuit. The theater that replaced the Princess was the Thompson Theatre that launched on August 9, 1948. The City Auditorium would be discontinued for film use but lived on in a massive $1.7 million renovation becoming known as the Hawkinsville Opera House,
Two reports said that George B. Purvis had drawn the plans for the Dolan-Ripley / D & R Theatre in Aberdeen in 1923 and the theater at opening appears to have deviated little from those plans.
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Sanguinet launched Alamogordo’s first drive-in, the $50,000 Starlite Outdoor Theatre on December 9, 1949. The Starlite was located on Highway 70 two miles southwest of the city. In 1952, Sanguinet would begin building the Yucca Drive-In north of the city. Later that season in August, Sanguinet sold the Starlite.
Grand opening ad January 27, 1928 as the State Theatre. it launched with a Page Organ demonstration and the film, “The Better Olé”
Architect was John Edmund Kelley of Boston. Opened October 12, 1928 with Wings. The theatre, silent at opening, was equipped with Vitaphone and Movietone sound within four months. The final movies listed were in 1962. The venue ended its entertainment life as the Silhouette Ballroom with dancing and live music in 1967. Demolished in 1969 as part of an urban development plan to provide additional parking.
Opened in April 1, 1929 with DeForest Phonofilm sound and Robert Morton Unit Organ. The theater closed abruptly just after opening. New operators were in place reopening October 10, 1929. The competing Plymouth Theatre took over the Metropolitan in 1930. The last show appears to be “Blow Up” on June 6, 1967 with demolition ten years later in 1977.
The $250,000 theater architects were Funk & Wilcox with a Robert Morgan organ at its launch on January 8, 1923. (Technically, it was built in 1922.)
August 17, 1931 Iola Theatre grand opening ad in photos.
Lou Wiethe and Harry Hilling opened their Ludlow Theatreon Jan. 4. 1947. Architectural sketch in photos.
Wolff & Ewens were the architects of the original structure.
Launched in 1950 as the Alum Rock Drive-In. In June of 1960, it was sold to El Rancho Drive-In which spent $450,000 to add the second screen and giving the theatre a tropical theme created by designer Gail Santocono who also did the La Habra Theatre. Manley cafeteria, Midway playground equipment and a mini-train were among the other improvements for the April 1, 1961 rebooted Tropicaire Twin-Vue Drive-In Theatre.
Architect Sidney E. Aftel of (Edward) Thal and Aftel. Was the Columnia Theatre (see photo).
The Hill was built in 1913 to the plans of architect Nathan Myers
Working backwards, the former Dixie Theatre was demolished in July of 1932. The Dixie has suffered a projection booth fire on January 10, 1929 and appeared to not re-open. The main operator was David Bernbaum who had opened a turn of the century nickelodeon in New York City and helped form the Robb & Rowley Circuit in Dallas. The first operator of the Dixie – which most peg opening in 1910 – was under William McIlheran and transferring to Bernbaum within two years.
Addressing the also known as: 1) The Theatorium’s address might have been more likely in the 300 block of Elm where the Bush Temple Theatre took over having its grand opening on October 18, 1908. 2) While the Wonderland could have been the opening name of this location for a period, the Dallas Photoplay House (aka “The Dallas”) at the corner – 1301 Elm – is a much more likely home to that store-show era theater.
My best guess is that this was the Dixie Theatre at opening through its closing with the Theatrorium at 307/9 Elm and the Wonderland at 1301 Elm. But that’s only a guess based on the newspaper and trade articles.
Opening date was November 11, 1932 launching with the film, “The Lawyer” with William Powell. Final day was May 13, 1984. The final regular shows were on May 12, 1984 showing “National Lampoon’s Vacation” with “Police Academy” on one screen and “Hardbodies” and “Purple Hearts” on the other. And as mentioned above, on May 13, 1984, the theatre returned to William Powell showing “The Thin Man” on one screen and “Libeled Lady” on the other.
The $150,000 Kensington neighborhood theatre launched on November 28, 1923 in Buffalo with the film, “Pioneer Trails.” Manager James Cardina was then able to temporarily close his Kensington Theatre to remodel it.
This is a 1925 shot of the Folly Theatre at 126 W. Broadway in downtown Hollis with Rin Tin Tin on the big screen and a great front by Cozy and Empress operator E.A. Peterson.
While it’s not the Watt Theatre — it’s a silent era theater sitting vacant next to the Jones Pendergraft Building in downtown Hollis – it’s placed here because it’s listed with 502 seats. It seems very likely that this was the home of the Watt Theatre then equipped with sound or perhaps Watt Long took the seats from this venue across the street to his new location.
This location was home to the first photoplay house and third theater in Olean launching on September 15, 1906. The building was originally constructed in 1876 by John G. Schultze and was referred to as the Schultze Building. It housed a billiard hall and saloon. The location likely came available as a lease expired in the building’s 30th year. Lewis N. Lang opened the Dreamland operating in this location for nearly eight years before leaving the industry temporarily. In 1914, a string of new operators tried to make the location work including a return by L.N. Lang on February 14, 1916 as Lang’s Theatre.
Lang left again as the theatre struggled against more current competition. On February 1, 1918, Angelo Scinta became the last person to try Dreamland in the title relaunching as the New Dreamland Theatre with “The Lost Express.” This was actually the second location to use the moniker New Dreamland as 264 N. Union Street housed the New Dreamland / Robinson’s Dreamland that was in operation from 1908 to 1915.
Charles T. Nickum next leased this location when Scinta closed after three months. Nickum relaunched on July 4, 1918 as the New Gem Theatre. Nickum used the name previously in Olean operating Nickum’s Gem Theatre at 241 N. Union Street which had opened December 18, 1912 on a five-year lease. It had closed on June 30, 1917 with Nickum briefly taking on the Havens Theatre. Once the neighboring Strand Theatre folded, Nickum decided to modernize the aging Gem.
The theatre was largely torn down with the floor lowered to provide more modern seating angles to the screen. The theatre transformed to a 600-seat theatre by expanding the building’s height and overall dimensions by local archiitect A. W. E. Schoenberg. It opened as Nickum’s Gem Theatre on March 8, 1921 with Cecil B. De Mille’s “Forbidden Fruit.” A new Marr & Colton pipe organ was a hit on opening night.
D.M Dusenberry and Affiliated Theatres took over Nickum’s Gem rebranding it as the State Theatre opening June 12, 1927 with “The Texas Streak.” Warner Brothers took over the State reopening to the public with an extensive remodeling as part of the Depression work stimulus. The Warner Bros’ State Theatre opened on November 11, 1930 with Vitaphone sound and Mayor Earl C. Vedder on hand. Warners also bought the Haven Theatre. The State continued the address' run as a place of entertainment within Olean.
The McPherson Opera House appears to have shown its first motion pictures in 1897. Full time theaters launched in the town including the Tourney and the Cozy/Mikado. In the sound era, the Opera House became known as the Empire Theatre converting to full-time motion pictures and, taken over by C. C. McOllister who changed it to the Mac Theatre.
he owner of the Cozy Theatre, H.C. Collins, decided to expand his motion picture business by taking over the Klassen Auto Company next to the Alliance Exchange creating the Grace Theatre. The Grace launched December 10, 1913 running three years to December of 1916.
Jeff Tourney and Carl E. Oelrich who had taken over the Cozy Theatre (changing it to the Mikado Theatre (1916-1917) took over the Grace. The pair decided to transform the Grace into the modern Tourney Theatre by tearing down most if not all of the Grace structure. The 600-seat theatre launched June 4, 1917. After several changes of ownership, Empire Theater operators C.W. Helstrom and George Wooldridge took on the Tourney changing its name to the Helstrom Theatre in 1934.
In July of 1940, Helstrom and Wooldridge sold the theatre to George Baker of Baker Enterprises. In April of 1941, the Helstrom became the Manor Theatre upgrading from a second-run house to a first-run theater. In 1946, Boller Brothers redesigned the Manor. The Manor continued into the television era and eventually closed and was demolished.
The Ritz Theatre launched May 15, 1934 with architect of the project listed as Gates Corgan and operated by Jack L. Johnson formerly of the Robb & Rowley Circuit in Dallas. Almost immediately, the Ritz rankled the competing Helstrom Theatre with a Bank Night promotion that led to a lawsuit. The bank night would stop but the Ritz then introduced Depression-ware dinnerware give-aways to McPherson which proved popular. George Baker of Baker Enterprises took over the Ritz and, next, the Helstrom.
The Ritz became the Spiral Theatre. The Spiral played a world premiere of a 19-minute documentary called, “The General with the Cockeyed Id” on October 26, 1965. In 1973, the Spiral experimented with late-night XXX and X rated adult films. The venue lasted to the video age with mainstream audience films. But on March 16, 1988, the gas furnace overheated after closing for the night destroying the theatre and ending its 53-year run.
The Haight Building was constructed in 1897/8 at 103 N. Third Street. During the show-store era of quickly-created nickelodeons, Burlington’s first moving picture show was the Electric Theatre in the Haight launching on May 6, 1908. Residents were intrigued by films including news footage of the Kansas City flood that year and the Electric needed more space. The improved and expanded Electric moved to 118 Neosho Street. A choral hall moved into the former Electric space within the Haight in 1909 until 1911.
In March of 1911, J.W. Richards decided to built an even larger, 350-seat theatre back into the Haight called the Berlin Theatre. Two months later, John J. “Newk” Newcomb purchased the Berlin and changed it to Newk’s Theatre relaunching May 11, 1911. Newk operated a hotel, a cigar factory and a bill poster plant as well as his long-running theatre. For more than 30 years, J.J. Newcomb entertained locals before his death on December 6, 1941. The Dickinson Circuit took over operation of the Newk’s Theatre before closing it years later and the space being retrofitted for other purposes.
Grand opening was August 27, 1912. Architect was William F. Wise.
The Film Yearbook is inaccurate. John Herman “Tommy” Thompson opened this theatre on August 9, 1948 to replace the Princess Theatre. Thompson started his career at the Old Mill Theatre in Dallas and took over the Thompson’s predecessor in 1931 which he remodeled and expanded as the Princess. The Martin & Thompson Circuit headquarters were located within the building.
On February 11, 1947, the Princess Theatre burned down in a $125,000 explosion that led to the demolition of the property and damaged neighboring businesses. Thompson made changes to Hawkinsville’s City Auditorium to allow him to continue bookings and carry on the business of the Martin and Thompson Circuit. The theater that replaced the Princess was the Thompson Theatre that launched on August 9, 1948. The City Auditorium would be discontinued for film use but lived on in a massive $1.7 million renovation becoming known as the Hawkinsville Opera House,
Two reports said that George B. Purvis had drawn the plans for the Dolan-Ripley / D & R Theatre in Aberdeen in 1923 and the theater at opening appears to have deviated little from those plans.
Grand opening shot as the, then, Ray Theatre, in photos.
The Yucca Drive-in opened on February 2, 1954. Ads go through 1970 and flea market listings thereafter.
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Sanguinet launched Alamogordo’s first drive-in, the $50,000 Starlite Outdoor Theatre on December 9, 1949. The Starlite was located on Highway 70 two miles southwest of the city. In 1952, Sanguinet would begin building the Yucca Drive-In north of the city. Later that season in August, Sanguinet sold the Starlite.