In 1937, Alfred Heffernan started his first theatre after the Owl Theatre in Grand Rapids located in his parent’s house lasting seven years. Graduating from Junior College, Heffernan started the Lynx Theatre in Coopersville, a 150 seater, in 1937 (see photos). It was a success and Heffernan decided to build a larger, 348-seat facility.
The Century Theatre was architected by the firm, Robinson, Campau and Crowe of Grand Rapids and built for $20,000 opening in the Fall of 1940.
Princess Theatre #2 in downtown Colchester opened where the original had burned down. The 500-seat theater was a marked upgrade from its 250-seat predecessor and was a theatre that would have been befitting of a town four times larger than Colchester. Launching in April of 1926 with a Wurlitzer pipe organ, the Princess operated seven days a week and thrived until the TV era.
The Princess hung on just long enough to celebrate its 25th anniversary closing in the TV era. Used unceremoniously as storage for decades with its attraction sign used to advertise Shelor Mobile Homes, the long dormant theater would finally be demolished.
Prior to opening in December of 1927, the Avalon was one of three theatre in Detroit bombed which pushed the opening to 1928. The Tivoli in Highland Park and the Lansing Theatre were also bombed with the Tivoli suffering more than $100,000 in damage.
Became the Victoria Theatre on August 20, 1917 under Harry L. Newman who played most films at ten cents but 15 cents for pictures worthy of patrons' extra nickels.
Fred Powell launched the Chester in 1941 very briefly as part of his Cherokee Theatre Circuit. It then became part of his Powell and Everett Circuit that then became the Stewart and Powell Circuit post-Fred Powell. Pictures at opening in photos section.
The Regent Theatre opened January 18, 1915 with “Officer 666.” The New Regent Theatre updating was architected by Clayton J. Lappley and Ritchie Lawrie of Lawrie & Lappley. Both launch ads in photos.
The Strand Theatre opened in 1922 with “Blood and Sand”. The 300-seat theatre added sound April 11, 1929 with Vitaphone showing “The Barker.” One of the biggest hits for the Strand was “The Sound of Music.” And the most controversial moment occurred toward the end of the porno chic era with a twin bill of X-rated films in 1975 that drew protests from the Unification Church.
In January of 1980, three new owners tripled down on the protest renaming the Strand the Pioneer Theatre which became Iowa’s only XXX cinema. The Pioneer switched to mainstream fare and struggled in the digital era closing a couple of times. It reopened in August of 2016 having secured new digital projection to play contemporary second-run Hollywood content.
Gosh, thanks. And if you care to re-read my message and there’s really no point in doing so, the Grand Opera House did not exist in the database. So I posted the image in question before “Predator” (sorry) and three others to the neighboring Wisconsin/Badger Theaters. And I requested that this theater exist in the database doing research on this facility.
When the Grand was created, I moved the images from the Wisconsin/Badger to the Grand. Simple. And the color reproduction on the first one posted (mine) is a bit better than the later one, IMHO. But I appreciate the work of Ken R., Predator and all others who are trying to make this a better site. It gets better every day.
Yes – and technically I uploaded this image before the other member on a nearby theatre page because the Grand didn’t exist in the database when I posted it and requested this theatre be added to the database.
A workflow that I’ve adopted is to post the picture for a theater not in the database on a nearby theatre’s page and then move the photo once the theater comes into the database. But sometimes a theater comes in and I don’t see it right away. I would say that well over 8,700 pictures of the 9,100 (+95%) photos I’ve posted reside in the proper theatre page. If that’s not good enough for the user community, so be it.
My thanks to Ken R. and the gang for being so proactive in adding theaters and updating factual content. The site gets better every day thanks to their work!
Architected by the firm of Lawrie and Green – Ritchie Lawrie and M. Edwin Green – opening day for the New Bradford Theatre was December 25, 1935. It included a visit from the reigning Miss America as well as a short she starred in and the film, “$1,000 a Minute.”
The original 237-seat Home Theatre opened at 109 S. Range Street in July of 1922 according to its operators, Price & Dalrymple. Thomas J. Price took on the theatre without Dalyrymple in 1931. In March of 1944, the first Home Theatre was destroyed in a fire. Free films were shown outside near that location while the new Home Theatre was under consideration for a potential rebuild. Despite the War and associated material shortages, the building’s owner, Guy Flick and Price got Governmental approval to rebuild the Home.
The new Home Theatre was constructed at the same location as the original opening in April of 1945 at 109 S. Range. It appears to have fulfilled a 20-year lease before closing. The space was repurposed for other retail interests with the building surviving into the 21st Century.
The 41-year old Fairy Theatre & Airdrome closed on August 26, 1951 after showings of “Rawhide” and “I’d Climb the Highest Mountain.” The next two ads were “Closed for Repairs” and “Building for Sale.” Less than a year later, it became a garage. (The technically correct name is the Fairy Theatre & Airdrome.)
In May of 1921, Herb Engelbrecht built the 325 seat Mars Theatre. Operating three days a week, the Mars appears to have launched in March of 1922. With its Powers 6B projectors, gold fibre screen and Pianola, it is very likely that the Mars became the Snyder Theatre.
The Rialto Theatre opened in 1926 as a completely open air facility with Spanish Atmospheric architecture doing live vaudeville. Four recessed bells carried out the Spanish Cathedral feel. Within two years, the film portion of presentations is what people wanted to see and the Edison became an Airdrome (not a drive-in) with far more architectural style than similar facilities. The Rialto struggled, closing during the Depression.
But John A. Cunningham took on the closed theater re-opening as the Edison Theatre and enclosing half of the auditorium now with 400 open air seats and 500 under a roof (see picture in Photos). With palm trees on each side of the theater, natural air, 100% smoker seating, and view to the sky, the Edison was truly a unique hybrid facility in the U.S. Charles O. Ozburn continued with the Edison to its closure in the 1950s as television and shifting populations took their toll on theaters.
I believe the theatre can be listed as demolished for all intense and purposes.
This theatre was conceptualized in 1917 with plans and construction beginning in 1919 as the Loew’s Indiana Theatre project. Loew would change the name to Loew’s State during construction which finished a year behind schedule. The circuit began a 99-year lease in 1919 finally opening Valentine’s Day, 1921 with a parade as the Loew’s State Theater. B.F. Keith took over the year-old theatre on September 20, 1922 on a sublease from Loew’s and the theater became the Palace Theatre just five days later (grand opening ad in photos).
Keith closed its Palace on July 30, 1927 as Keith moved its combination vaudeville/movies concept to a nearby theater. With the lease back in Loew’s control and 91 years remaining on its lease, it announced In December of 1927 that it would reopen the following March. Le6hich would become the Loew’s Palace on March 3, 1928.
Loew’s dropped “Palace” continuing as Loew’s Theater until urban development occurred all around it in the 1960s. Needing a new parking garage, the Loew’s site was purchased with the theater closing on April 12, 1970 with “What Do You Say to a Naked Lady.” Famed demolitionist Edward J. Zebrowski — the “Big Z” — was brought in to strip the building which he sold in a tag sale and, then, finally at an auction. The theater was torn down weeks later joining the parking garage brigade.
CORRECTION: Address: 99 Main Street. New Salem, PA 15468
Ads in February 1928 list seats and equipment for sale likely spelling the end of the line for the Liberty Theatre which didn’t appear to make the transition to sound.
This was part of the infamous Tony Rand Theatres Circuit launching as Loehmann’s Plaza V in December of 1986 and renamed with the center to the Market Street Cinema. Rand Theatres were accused of not paying proper revenue to all major studios late in 1989 leaving them with the oddest bookings from studios who are largely forgotten today. The Market Street closed in December of that year playing just one film – unable to get product for its other four screens – as the entire 126 screen circuit was shuttered for non-payment of taxes. The theatre had a good run as an art house following a budget theatre run.
Launched with the film, “The Brat” on February 3, 1920. Ad in photos. Architected by Frederick G. Mueller. Bernard Cowham played the $10,000 Bartola Symphonic concert organ along with regular organist Will Lebo.
In 1937, Alfred Heffernan started his first theatre after the Owl Theatre in Grand Rapids located in his parent’s house lasting seven years. Graduating from Junior College, Heffernan started the Lynx Theatre in Coopersville, a 150 seater, in 1937 (see photos). It was a success and Heffernan decided to build a larger, 348-seat facility.
The Century Theatre was architected by the firm, Robinson, Campau and Crowe of Grand Rapids and built for $20,000 opening in the Fall of 1940.
Albert Heffernan
Princess Theatre #2 in downtown Colchester opened where the original had burned down. The 500-seat theater was a marked upgrade from its 250-seat predecessor and was a theatre that would have been befitting of a town four times larger than Colchester. Launching in April of 1926 with a Wurlitzer pipe organ, the Princess operated seven days a week and thrived until the TV era.
The Princess hung on just long enough to celebrate its 25th anniversary closing in the TV era. Used unceremoniously as storage for decades with its attraction sign used to advertise Shelor Mobile Homes, the long dormant theater would finally be demolished.
Prior to opening in December of 1927, the Avalon was one of three theatre in Detroit bombed which pushed the opening to 1928. The Tivoli in Highland Park and the Lansing Theatre were also bombed with the Tivoli suffering more than $100,000 in damage.
Became the Victoria Theatre on August 20, 1917 under Harry L. Newman who played most films at ten cents but 15 cents for pictures worthy of patrons' extra nickels.
Fred Powell launched the Chester in 1941 very briefly as part of his Cherokee Theatre Circuit. It then became part of his Powell and Everett Circuit that then became the Stewart and Powell Circuit post-Fred Powell. Pictures at opening in photos section.
The Regent Theatre opened January 18, 1915 with “Officer 666.” The New Regent Theatre updating was architected by Clayton J. Lappley and Ritchie Lawrie of Lawrie & Lappley. Both launch ads in photos.
The Strand Theatre opened in 1922 with “Blood and Sand”. The 300-seat theatre added sound April 11, 1929 with Vitaphone showing “The Barker.” One of the biggest hits for the Strand was “The Sound of Music.” And the most controversial moment occurred toward the end of the porno chic era with a twin bill of X-rated films in 1975 that drew protests from the Unification Church.
In January of 1980, three new owners tripled down on the protest renaming the Strand the Pioneer Theatre which became Iowa’s only XXX cinema. The Pioneer switched to mainstream fare and struggled in the digital era closing a couple of times. It reopened in August of 2016 having secured new digital projection to play contemporary second-run Hollywood content.
Status: Open
Gosh, thanks. And if you care to re-read my message and there’s really no point in doing so, the Grand Opera House did not exist in the database. So I posted the image in question before “Predator” (sorry) and three others to the neighboring Wisconsin/Badger Theaters. And I requested that this theater exist in the database doing research on this facility.
When the Grand was created, I moved the images from the Wisconsin/Badger to the Grand. Simple. And the color reproduction on the first one posted (mine) is a bit better than the later one, IMHO. But I appreciate the work of Ken R., Predator and all others who are trying to make this a better site. It gets better every day.
Yes – and technically I uploaded this image before the other member on a nearby theatre page because the Grand didn’t exist in the database when I posted it and requested this theatre be added to the database.
A workflow that I’ve adopted is to post the picture for a theater not in the database on a nearby theatre’s page and then move the photo once the theater comes into the database. But sometimes a theater comes in and I don’t see it right away. I would say that well over 8,700 pictures of the 9,100 (+95%) photos I’ve posted reside in the proper theatre page. If that’s not good enough for the user community, so be it.
My thanks to Ken R. and the gang for being so proactive in adding theaters and updating factual content. The site gets better every day thanks to their work!
Architected by the firm of Lawrie and Green – Ritchie Lawrie and M. Edwin Green – opening day for the New Bradford Theatre was December 25, 1935. It included a visit from the reigning Miss America as well as a short she starred in and the film, “$1,000 a Minute.”
The original 237-seat Home Theatre opened at 109 S. Range Street in July of 1922 according to its operators, Price & Dalrymple. Thomas J. Price took on the theatre without Dalyrymple in 1931. In March of 1944, the first Home Theatre was destroyed in a fire. Free films were shown outside near that location while the new Home Theatre was under consideration for a potential rebuild. Despite the War and associated material shortages, the building’s owner, Guy Flick and Price got Governmental approval to rebuild the Home.
The new Home Theatre was constructed at the same location as the original opening in April of 1945 at 109 S. Range. It appears to have fulfilled a 20-year lease before closing. The space was repurposed for other retail interests with the building surviving into the 21st Century.
The 41-year old Fairy Theatre & Airdrome closed on August 26, 1951 after showings of “Rawhide” and “I’d Climb the Highest Mountain.” The next two ads were “Closed for Repairs” and “Building for Sale.” Less than a year later, it became a garage. (The technically correct name is the Fairy Theatre & Airdrome.)
In May of 1921, Herb Engelbrecht built the 325 seat Mars Theatre. Operating three days a week, the Mars appears to have launched in March of 1922. With its Powers 6B projectors, gold fibre screen and Pianola, it is very likely that the Mars became the Snyder Theatre.
The Rialto Theatre opened in 1926 as a completely open air facility with Spanish Atmospheric architecture doing live vaudeville. Four recessed bells carried out the Spanish Cathedral feel. Within two years, the film portion of presentations is what people wanted to see and the Edison became an Airdrome (not a drive-in) with far more architectural style than similar facilities. The Rialto struggled, closing during the Depression.
But John A. Cunningham took on the closed theater re-opening as the Edison Theatre and enclosing half of the auditorium now with 400 open air seats and 500 under a roof (see picture in Photos). With palm trees on each side of the theater, natural air, 100% smoker seating, and view to the sky, the Edison was truly a unique hybrid facility in the U.S. Charles O. Ozburn continued with the Edison to its closure in the 1950s as television and shifting populations took their toll on theaters.
I believe the theatre can be listed as demolished for all intense and purposes.
F. Earl Deloe architectural sketch in photos.
This theatre was conceptualized in 1917 with plans and construction beginning in 1919 as the Loew’s Indiana Theatre project. Loew would change the name to Loew’s State during construction which finished a year behind schedule. The circuit began a 99-year lease in 1919 finally opening Valentine’s Day, 1921 with a parade as the Loew’s State Theater. B.F. Keith took over the year-old theatre on September 20, 1922 on a sublease from Loew’s and the theater became the Palace Theatre just five days later (grand opening ad in photos).
Keith closed its Palace on July 30, 1927 as Keith moved its combination vaudeville/movies concept to a nearby theater. With the lease back in Loew’s control and 91 years remaining on its lease, it announced In December of 1927 that it would reopen the following March. Le6hich would become the Loew’s Palace on March 3, 1928.
Loew’s dropped “Palace” continuing as Loew’s Theater until urban development occurred all around it in the 1960s. Needing a new parking garage, the Loew’s site was purchased with the theater closing on April 12, 1970 with “What Do You Say to a Naked Lady.” Famed demolitionist Edward J. Zebrowski — the “Big Z” — was brought in to strip the building which he sold in a tag sale and, then, finally at an auction. The theater was torn down weeks later joining the parking garage brigade.
Sorry… that’s the old look Strand in 1946.
The theatre launched February 24, 1923 with the film, “Jazzmania.” A $22,000Hope Jones organ was there at the opening.
December 16, 1920
CORRECTION: Address: 99 Main Street. New Salem, PA 15468
Ads in February 1928 list seats and equipment for sale likely spelling the end of the line for the Liberty Theatre which didn’t appear to make the transition to sound.
Correction: Ray A. Grombacher (not Roy)
Correction: that’s Harlan’s Lyric Theatre
This was part of the infamous Tony Rand Theatres Circuit launching as Loehmann’s Plaza V in December of 1986 and renamed with the center to the Market Street Cinema. Rand Theatres were accused of not paying proper revenue to all major studios late in 1989 leaving them with the oddest bookings from studios who are largely forgotten today. The Market Street closed in December of that year playing just one film – unable to get product for its other four screens – as the entire 126 screen circuit was shuttered for non-payment of taxes. The theatre had a good run as an art house following a budget theatre run.
Launched with the film, “The Brat” on February 3, 1920. Ad in photos. Architected by Frederick G. Mueller. Bernard Cowham played the $10,000 Bartola Symphonic concert organ along with regular organist Will Lebo.