Grand opening was April 1, 1938. Commonwealth closed the theatre for the third time on November 16, 1947 citing lack of patronage and letting a ten year lease lapse. As a weekend-only and closing in the summer months operation due to lack of air conditioning, the theater’s last cinematic offering was appropriately enough, “Ridin' Down the Trail.” It was used for live events by a variety of interests mostly for church services thereafter. In 1959, the theater was converted to apartments and retail usage.
Grand opening day was June 12, 1914 with the film, “Home Sweet Home.” Architect was Myron B. Vorce. Wurlitzer orchestra organ at the open. Manager Joseph Grossman hosted 50 veterans of the Spanish American War of which was one.
It was still going with first-run films in 1989 – which I believe was its last year. The first-run features were often the low budget action films, comedies, and horror films that usually got a week there before heading to home video (e.g. Lyle Alzado in “Destroyer” or Rod Steiger/Yvonne DeCarlo in “American Gothic). It always looked out of business throughout the late 80s finally closing to an indifferent marketplace and was demolished in 1995. We always figured the operator simply wanted to reach the 75th Anniversary and stop as audiences pretty much gave up going.
E. Russell Hardwick of the Lyceum, State and Mesa theaters went with a 450-seat theater in the 200 block of South Main. Long gone and unsuccessful, the Plains launched March 12, 1937 with “The Plainsman.“ It closed throughout World War II due to personnel shortages. It reopened on December 29, 1945 just two days a week. It didn’t work out.
Jack Corgan architected the third Mesa Theatre in Clovis launching December 29, 1948 with “Deep Waters.” In October of 1960, the theatre which was only open two days a week at that point switched to all Spanish films. Its last screening was on November 20, 1960 with “Dos Maridos Baratos.” It was then that Norman Petty bought the 784-seat theatre and converted for non-theatrical purposes.
E.C. Parker architected the second Mesa Theatre in the same spot for Griffith Theatres opening to two full houses on August 26, 1931 with “I’ll Take This Woman.” It held 1,000 patrons. The silent era Mesa Theater launched in 1918 and competed with the Lyceum until purchased by Lyceum owners in the 1920s.
Architected by F.M. Anderson of Galena and Iola, KS in 1903 with a New Year’s Eve planned launch. The disastrous Iroquois Theatre in Chicago fire happened on December 30, 1903 and people were so nervous about the Grand’s planned opening that plans were scrapped so that two last minute exits could be added to the Grand second tier. The theatre opened January 8, 1904.
Grand opening as the Walter Reade Circle Theatre on December 23, 1970. It was architected by David Marner of Asbury Park. Mrs. Walter Reade Jr. did the interior design and the first film was a benefit screening of “Tora! Tora! Tora!” General Cinema Corp. took on the theater June 17, 1977 changing it to the Seaview Square Cinema to match the mall that was opened.
Built in 1910 for just $5,000, the theatre sold off its pipe organ in a 1939 remodel. It struggled in the TV era becoming a church in 1961 to 1971. It was then converted to retail purposes,
Lou Wagner launched the Alps Theatre on August 8, 1905 at 4124 Easton Avenue with a film played there during the St Louis World’s Fair when that location was a chapel. The film was “The Passion Play of Oberammergau.” The Alps had talent shows, vaudeville, and moving pictures until closure in 1915. Likely it served a ten-year lease and moved on following a classified selling its seats. They did tent shows and airdrome shows in warmer weather. Wagner was fined for awarding talent show prize money to minors which was viewed as violating child labor laws.
Cinema X was fined $400 a day beginning in December of 1971 for showing adult films. The theater was padlocked by local officials on January 11, 1972 and was in the news over legal battles for a year as locals then seized assets and ordered an auction of the theater contents in 1973. The city of Newport, KY contacted Cincinnati officials to rid that city of their Cinema X. But the First Amendment proved to be honored in Kentucky mores than Southern Ohio and the Newport finally was bought out of existence a full ten years later by the city.
Architected by Wetherell & Harrison and decorated by the interior design division of the locally famous Younkers Dept. Store, this was the second Ingersoll Theatre in Des Moines. The first was built at the turn of the 19th Century and was part of an amusement park called Ingersoll Park. The second Ingersoll theatre had love seats and talkies beginning in October of 1939.
The Idle Hour appears to close for good on September 7, 1952. Classified ads run with the theater for sale. It’s converted to Wolf Brothers Furniture and Appliances. A February 23, 1977 fire destroyed the former Idle Hour turned Wolf Brothers Furniture Store. It was demolished thereafter joining the parking lot brigade.
Lawrence Bueche Sr. launched the Woodlawn Theatre in 1923 at 3619 Harrison Avenue. Converting to sound, Bueche sold the theatre late in 1931 to J. Ebersole Crawford with Don McNatt running the theater. It officially changed names to the Cheviot Theatre in 1936. In 1940, the neighboring Elite Department Store folded at 3627 Harrison Avenue. It’s likely that the building was incorporated into the Cheviot which would soon use the 3627 Harrison address.
In 1947, the first FM station broadcast from the top if the Cheviot. Under Marcus Theatre Circuit in 1945, Chicago architect Erwin Fredericks was hired to modernize it.
The theater teetered in the television age closing for the summers in the 1950s. Harry Yutze of the Westwood managed the theater. In 1953, S&S Amusements took on the theatre going briefly with adult films in 1956 which drew considerable protest from special interest groups. The theater switches back to subrun double features and appears to close up shop in 1957. The theater joined the parking lot brigade when the building was purchased, razed and turned into a 175-car parking lot in 1959.
Over at the former Moore’s Opera House turned Wonderland Musée turned Wonderland Theatre turned Bijou, its final operator — Fred Buchanan worked in “Kinidrome” short films with vaudeville. He had already done this successfully at Ingersoll Park in his Ingersoll theatre. It was the Bijou and Ingersoll where Iowans saw their first motion pictures. When “The Great Train Robbery” became the most requested act on the vaudeville card, Buchanan knew he had a winner.
When the Bijou Theatre moved to this new location at 612 Locust Street, the Kinidrome was permanently installed and the theatre advertised the film being played by title – a first for the medium in Des Moines.
The Bijou Theatre was set to become the Nickelama to move exclusively to motion pictures in 1906. That name became the Nickeldom in 1906 exclusively playing motion pictures and the rest was moving picture history. Thomas A. Brown who was running motion pictures in Cedar Rapids came in to run the Nickeldom and by all accounts it was a huge hit raising prices to a dime.
Possibly due both to a confusing name (Nickeldom – movies costing a dime) and to ownership change , the theatre changed names to the Unique in 1908. And the Unique also did well early on. But as new, more vibrant theaters competed effectively against the Unique and existing larger theaters switched to heavier mixes of motion pictures, the Unique struggled and ultimately returned to nickel pricing. Abraham H. Blank bought the foundering theatre in 1920 razing it to place the Strand multipurpose building containing the new Strand Theatre in its spot.
Opened on July 22, 1907 and had motion pictures from the outset as part of the vaudeville show mix using Powers' Cameragraph. The Lyric made the transition to sound. In 1954, it was equipped for CinemaScope. But at that point, the theatre struggled mightily in the television age trying to stay relevant.
Operators changed frequently in the TV era from John Graham who installed CinemaScope to Earl Manbeck Jr. and John Doud who came on in 1959 and closed up shop to Paul Henning who re-opened the theater in 1961 to James Harding and Ronald Noyes who took over for Henning to Herbert McCraw to Joseph Stone and Steve Cervi in 1964 to Glenn Mallory — the apparent final operator.
As the theater approached its 60th anniversary in 1967, the Lyric was showing Adult films. Police seized the double feature adult films of “The Uninvited” and “Daniella by Night.” The city stripped Mallory of his license. The next ads for the theater bill it as a costume shop located in “the old Lyric Theatre” likely making adult films under the management of Glenn Mallory as the Lyric’s swansong.
The Bijou/Nickeldom/Unique was torn down. This Strand entry should begin on February 1, 1921 and end in late Fall 1953 when the theatre is sold to Frankel’s which converts the theater to a retail store. The theatre building was architected by Proudfoot, Bird, and Rowan. The first Strand was at 415 Eighth Street and has no entry at present. And the Bijou/Nickeldom/Unique can be found under Nickeldom. The first Bijou is under its own name.
Closing ad from October 14, 1952 is posted in photos.
Launched on December 17, 1975 with benefit screenings of “Young Frankenstein,” “Benji,” and “Walking Tall 2”.
Grand opening was April 1, 1938. Commonwealth closed the theatre for the third time on November 16, 1947 citing lack of patronage and letting a ten year lease lapse. As a weekend-only and closing in the summer months operation due to lack of air conditioning, the theater’s last cinematic offering was appropriately enough, “Ridin' Down the Trail.” It was used for live events by a variety of interests mostly for church services thereafter. In 1959, the theater was converted to apartments and retail usage.
Myron B. Vorce was the original architect prior to the remodeling.
Grand opening day was June 12, 1914 with the film, “Home Sweet Home.” Architect was Myron B. Vorce. Wurlitzer orchestra organ at the open. Manager Joseph Grossman hosted 50 veterans of the Spanish American War of which was one.
It was still going with first-run films in 1989 – which I believe was its last year. The first-run features were often the low budget action films, comedies, and horror films that usually got a week there before heading to home video (e.g. Lyle Alzado in “Destroyer” or Rod Steiger/Yvonne DeCarlo in “American Gothic). It always looked out of business throughout the late 80s finally closing to an indifferent marketplace and was demolished in 1995. We always figured the operator simply wanted to reach the 75th Anniversary and stop as audiences pretty much gave up going.
Launched with “Green Hell” on May 30, 1941, the Sunshine set for good in 1954.
E. Russell Hardwick of the Lyceum, State and Mesa theaters went with a 450-seat theater in the 200 block of South Main. Long gone and unsuccessful, the Plains launched March 12, 1937 with “The Plainsman.“ It closed throughout World War II due to personnel shortages. It reopened on December 29, 1945 just two days a week. It didn’t work out.
Jack Corgan architected the third Mesa Theatre in Clovis launching December 29, 1948 with “Deep Waters.” In October of 1960, the theatre which was only open two days a week at that point switched to all Spanish films. Its last screening was on November 20, 1960 with “Dos Maridos Baratos.” It was then that Norman Petty bought the 784-seat theatre and converted for non-theatrical purposes.
E.C. Parker architected the second Mesa Theatre in the same spot for Griffith Theatres opening to two full houses on August 26, 1931 with “I’ll Take This Woman.” It held 1,000 patrons. The silent era Mesa Theater launched in 1918 and competed with the Lyceum until purchased by Lyceum owners in the 1920s.
November 29, 1922 grand opening with the great “Blood and Sand” ad posted in photos.
Architected by F.M. Anderson of Galena and Iola, KS in 1903 with a New Year’s Eve planned launch. The disastrous Iroquois Theatre in Chicago fire happened on December 30, 1903 and people were so nervous about the Grand’s planned opening that plans were scrapped so that two last minute exits could be added to the Grand second tier. The theatre opened January 8, 1904.
Grand opening as the Walter Reade Circle Theatre on December 23, 1970. It was architected by David Marner of Asbury Park. Mrs. Walter Reade Jr. did the interior design and the first film was a benefit screening of “Tora! Tora! Tora!” General Cinema Corp. took on the theater June 17, 1977 changing it to the Seaview Square Cinema to match the mall that was opened.
Built in 1910 for just $5,000, the theatre sold off its pipe organ in a 1939 remodel. It struggled in the TV era becoming a church in 1961 to 1971. It was then converted to retail purposes,
Lou Wagner launched the Alps Theatre on August 8, 1905 at 4124 Easton Avenue with a film played there during the St Louis World’s Fair when that location was a chapel. The film was “The Passion Play of Oberammergau.” The Alps had talent shows, vaudeville, and moving pictures until closure in 1915. Likely it served a ten-year lease and moved on following a classified selling its seats. They did tent shows and airdrome shows in warmer weather. Wagner was fined for awarding talent show prize money to minors which was viewed as violating child labor laws.
Closed as a subrun discount house showing 99 cent films on November 18, 1993 virtually at the end of its 20-year lease.
Launched October 15, 1937. Architectural sketch in photos. Still showing films there in 1962.
Cinema X was fined $400 a day beginning in December of 1971 for showing adult films. The theater was padlocked by local officials on January 11, 1972 and was in the news over legal battles for a year as locals then seized assets and ordered an auction of the theater contents in 1973. The city of Newport, KY contacted Cincinnati officials to rid that city of their Cinema X. But the First Amendment proved to be honored in Kentucky mores than Southern Ohio and the Newport finally was bought out of existence a full ten years later by the city.
Opened as a Roy S. White theater May 23, 1973 and closed as a Loew’s cinema on Jan. 6, 1991.
Architected by Wetherell & Harrison and decorated by the interior design division of the locally famous Younkers Dept. Store, this was the second Ingersoll Theatre in Des Moines. The first was built at the turn of the 19th Century and was part of an amusement park called Ingersoll Park. The second Ingersoll theatre had love seats and talkies beginning in October of 1939.
The Orpheum launched December 19, 1909 and the Orpheumscope with moving pictures was a part of the opening bill.
Grand opening of the Ambassador was February 6, 1947. Opening ad in photos. Closed at the end September of 1982 and purchased by the city.
The Idle Hour appears to close for good on September 7, 1952. Classified ads run with the theater for sale. It’s converted to Wolf Brothers Furniture and Appliances. A February 23, 1977 fire destroyed the former Idle Hour turned Wolf Brothers Furniture Store. It was demolished thereafter joining the parking lot brigade.
Lawrence Bueche Sr. launched the Woodlawn Theatre in 1923 at 3619 Harrison Avenue. Converting to sound, Bueche sold the theatre late in 1931 to J. Ebersole Crawford with Don McNatt running the theater. It officially changed names to the Cheviot Theatre in 1936. In 1940, the neighboring Elite Department Store folded at 3627 Harrison Avenue. It’s likely that the building was incorporated into the Cheviot which would soon use the 3627 Harrison address.
In 1947, the first FM station broadcast from the top if the Cheviot. Under Marcus Theatre Circuit in 1945, Chicago architect Erwin Fredericks was hired to modernize it.
The theater teetered in the television age closing for the summers in the 1950s. Harry Yutze of the Westwood managed the theater. In 1953, S&S Amusements took on the theatre going briefly with adult films in 1956 which drew considerable protest from special interest groups. The theater switches back to subrun double features and appears to close up shop in 1957. The theater joined the parking lot brigade when the building was purchased, razed and turned into a 175-car parking lot in 1959.
Over at the former Moore’s Opera House turned Wonderland Musée turned Wonderland Theatre turned Bijou, its final operator — Fred Buchanan worked in “Kinidrome” short films with vaudeville. He had already done this successfully at Ingersoll Park in his Ingersoll theatre. It was the Bijou and Ingersoll where Iowans saw their first motion pictures. When “The Great Train Robbery” became the most requested act on the vaudeville card, Buchanan knew he had a winner.
When the Bijou Theatre moved to this new location at 612 Locust Street, the Kinidrome was permanently installed and the theatre advertised the film being played by title – a first for the medium in Des Moines.
The Bijou Theatre was set to become the Nickelama to move exclusively to motion pictures in 1906. That name became the Nickeldom in 1906 exclusively playing motion pictures and the rest was moving picture history. Thomas A. Brown who was running motion pictures in Cedar Rapids came in to run the Nickeldom and by all accounts it was a huge hit raising prices to a dime.
Possibly due both to a confusing name (Nickeldom – movies costing a dime) and to ownership change , the theatre changed names to the Unique in 1908. And the Unique also did well early on. But as new, more vibrant theaters competed effectively against the Unique and existing larger theaters switched to heavier mixes of motion pictures, the Unique struggled and ultimately returned to nickel pricing. Abraham H. Blank bought the foundering theatre in 1920 razing it to place the Strand multipurpose building containing the new Strand Theatre in its spot.
Opened on July 22, 1907 and had motion pictures from the outset as part of the vaudeville show mix using Powers' Cameragraph. The Lyric made the transition to sound. In 1954, it was equipped for CinemaScope. But at that point, the theatre struggled mightily in the television age trying to stay relevant.
Operators changed frequently in the TV era from John Graham who installed CinemaScope to Earl Manbeck Jr. and John Doud who came on in 1959 and closed up shop to Paul Henning who re-opened the theater in 1961 to James Harding and Ronald Noyes who took over for Henning to Herbert McCraw to Joseph Stone and Steve Cervi in 1964 to Glenn Mallory — the apparent final operator.
As the theater approached its 60th anniversary in 1967, the Lyric was showing Adult films. Police seized the double feature adult films of “The Uninvited” and “Daniella by Night.” The city stripped Mallory of his license. The next ads for the theater bill it as a costume shop located in “the old Lyric Theatre” likely making adult films under the management of Glenn Mallory as the Lyric’s swansong.
The Bijou/Nickeldom/Unique was torn down. This Strand entry should begin on February 1, 1921 and end in late Fall 1953 when the theatre is sold to Frankel’s which converts the theater to a retail store. The theatre building was architected by Proudfoot, Bird, and Rowan. The first Strand was at 415 Eighth Street and has no entry at present. And the Bijou/Nickeldom/Unique can be found under Nickeldom. The first Bijou is under its own name.