Comments from wsasser

Showing 1 - 25 of 187 comments

wsasser
wsasser commented about Towne Guild Theatre on Oct 8, 2017 at 8:21 am

I got this from a movie expert friend of mine who lived and still lives in the area and attended the Visulite growing up:

VISULITE THEATER On April 1, 1937, the Visulite opened its doors. The feature film was THE GUARDSMAN with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontaine. The Visulite was a revival theater showing first class pictures, using the trans-lux rear projection system. By the 1940s, the Visulite became another neighbor theater showing pictures that had first been screened at the first run theaters. It was usual for the Visulite to show as many as 4 or 5 pictures each week. On September 21, 1946, the decision was made to devote the Saturday program to a western feature and a serial chapter. The first western was DON’T FENCE ME IN with Roy Rogers. The first serial was THE SCARLET HORSEMAN. From the noon opening to dinnertime, kids were the audience. After dinner, the seats were filled with predominately adult patrons. From time to time, a non-western picture would be shown on Saturday, usually a jungle adventure with Johnny Weissmuller. The last Saturday western and serial program was shown on Saturday March 29, 1952 with CYCLONE FURY with Charles Starrett and Chapter 7 of CAPTAIN VIDEO. On the following Sunday, TOO YOUNG TO KISS with Van Johnson was the last film shown at the Visulite. Patrons never found how Captain Video and Ranger escaped the cliffhanger ending. The Visulite had a fifteen year run. The Visulite later reopened as the Towne Theater as part of the Memrose chain, showing such fare as AND GOD CREATED WOMEN with Brigette Bardot and MASH with Donald Sutherland. In addition, there was a Saturday kiddie show with a family oriented feature and a chapter from a Columbia serial until the early 1960s. In the early 1970s, now called The Towne Art, an independent theater, a change was made to X rated adult fare. The theater finally closed its doors in the mid 1970s.

wsasser
wsasser commented about Towne Guild Theatre on Oct 5, 2017 at 6:23 pm

As published on April 8 1937 in the Norfolk Ledger Dispatch

All photos by Vollmer.

The Visulite, the last word in theatre construction recently opened at the corner of Colonial avenue and Thirteenth Street under the direction of Jeff Hofheimer with Robert Coupland as house manager. The equipment of the Visulite includes the latest developments of the motion picture industry –.

wsasser
wsasser commented about Pix Theatre on Aug 27, 2017 at 5:09 pm

The Capital Theatre was taken over by the City of Newport News which used the lot to build a new Court House on it in 1948

wsasser
wsasser commented about Colonial Theater on Aug 27, 2017 at 4:07 pm

The Fitzgerald’s changed the name of this theater to The Corinthian and in 1977 attempted to start it as a legitimate theater. I have posted the story on the photo page.

wsasser
wsasser commented about Dixie Theatre on Aug 6, 2017 at 4:04 pm

The Dixie Theatre actually opened on Dec. 23, 1917 – just posted a photo of the opening ad.

wsasser
wsasser commented about Kimball Theatre on Jul 1, 2017 at 7:29 am

Colonial Williamsburg has announced that they will close the Kimball Theatre on July 6, 2017 after two decades of financial struggles. The last time the Theatre was profitable was in 1999. Last year it lost $782,000

wsasser
wsasser commented about Dixie Theatre on Jun 13, 2017 at 9:22 am

Joe Vogel, I have some friends from that area and they say the Jefferson was the theatre of choice. It was just down the way on 25th right at Jefferson Ave.

wsasser
wsasser commented about Dixie Theatre on Jun 13, 2017 at 9:15 am

Joe Vogel, I have posted a photo of the map on the photo page. It looks like the Dixie was directly on the corner of 22nd and Jefferson

wsasser
wsasser commented about Dixie Theatre on Jun 13, 2017 at 8:07 am

Joe Vogel – per the 1919 Sanborn Map, The Dixie Theater was located on the corner of Jefferson and 22nd Street at 2129 Jefferson. Hampton Ave ran between 21st and 22nd Street one block to the south (I think) of the theatre. 22nd not longer runs all the way to Jefferson as it appears on the Sanborn map of 1919. I have posted a jpeg of the map with the theater identified and 21, Hampton and 22nd streets visible.

wsasser
wsasser commented about Dixie Theatre on Jun 12, 2017 at 3:03 pm

Just found several ads that show the address for the Dixie Theater as 2129 Jefferson Ave not 2206. Confirmed such with a Sanborn map for 1919

wsasser
wsasser commented about Cinema Cafe on Apr 10, 2017 at 6:36 pm

Just posted the closing story on the photo page

wsasser
wsasser commented about Peninsula Twin Drive-In on Mar 30, 2017 at 3:32 pm

The last ad that I found was dated Aug 30, 1983.

Feb. 18, 1984 Notice that property was sold to satisfy a $330,000 lien against Drive In by American International Pictures vs. Price Enterprises, Inc.

wsasser
wsasser commented about Downtown Theatre on Mar 22, 2017 at 7:39 pm

While they may have had a Grand Opening or something on Aug 9th as reported by rivest266, on Oct 4th, they reopened at 5 p.m. playing a double feature while advertising that they were also renovating. See ad just posted in photo section.

wsasser
wsasser commented about Jefferson Theater on Mar 5, 2017 at 1:48 pm

Just posted an ad dated March 28, 1910 announcing the opening of the Jefferson

wsasser
wsasser commented about Bijou Theatre on Feb 26, 2017 at 9:36 am

I just posted what appears to be the Opening Ad for the Bijou – July 26, 1913

wsasser
wsasser commented about Virginia Theatre on Feb 26, 2017 at 8:11 am

I just posted a newspaper story on the Photo Page that talks about the Virginia Theater moving from it Henry Street address to just around the corner. This could account for the multiple addresses listed in the header. The story is dated July 13, 1935

wsasser
wsasser commented about Hampton Theatre on Feb 25, 2017 at 10:56 am

The Charter by the State of Va was issued Oct 5, 1916

wsasser
wsasser commented about Virginia Theatre on Feb 24, 2017 at 8:41 pm

I just posted an ad from the Roanoke Newspaper showing the address of the Virginia Theater as 109 Henry Street.

To add to the confusion, there was also a Virginian Theatre that catered to the white community

wsasser
wsasser commented about Hampton Theatre on Feb 24, 2017 at 8:26 pm

I just posted an ad from the Roanoke Newspaper showing the address of the Hampton Theatre.

wsasser
wsasser commented about Virginia Theatre on Feb 24, 2017 at 8:24 pm

I just posted a post (in photo section) from the Roanoke Newspaper showing the Hampton Address at 39 High Street, NW.

wsasser
wsasser commented about American Theatre on Feb 23, 2017 at 8:46 pm

I just posted an Oct. 2, 1913 ad stating the Opening of the American Theatre

wsasser
wsasser commented about Park Theatre on Feb 23, 2017 at 8:28 pm

I just posted the Grand Opening ad for the Park Theatre dated Feb. 1, 1921. Check it out.

wsasser
wsasser commented about Roanoke Theatre on Feb 23, 2017 at 8:18 pm

I just posed an ad from Dec. 23, 1911 announcing a Christmas Day Opening of the Roanoke Theatre.

wsasser
wsasser commented about Rialto Theater on Feb 19, 2017 at 4:17 pm

The Rialto opened in Dec 1920- see story on photo page

wsasser
wsasser commented about Casino Theatre on Feb 19, 2017 at 1:34 pm

Have ads in 1908