Miller Theater

Downtown Atkinson had three movie theatres, all in converted locations. They were all operated by the same person, Arthur G. “Tidy” Miller. Miller launched the first theatre as the Electric Theatre on March 6, 1912 with the Australian film, “The Colleen Bawn”.

Miller changed the name to Miller’s Theatre though calling it just Theatre for a brief times. The converted retail location dating back to the show-store era of movie exhibition proved too small for the town’s growing interest in motion pictures.

Miller moved the operation to the town’s Memorial Hall. The Miller Theatre closed in 1926 when Miller launched the Lyric Theatre on February 9, 1926 on a 20-year lease screening Lon Chaney in “The Unholy Three.”

After World War II, Miller closed the Lyric Theatre (which has its own page on Cinema Treasures) to move to a new location and the town’s second Miller Theatre (which also has its own page on Cinema Theatres). Located in the former Seger Brothers garage, it was opened on May 12, 1946 on a 30-year lease. Miller survived the first 29 years but passed away after more than 60 years of motion picture operation in downtown Atkinson.

The first Miller Theatre appears to have been converted for other retail purposes.

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