This venue opened August 14, 1924 as the Palace,Theatre and converted to sound to say relevant. Gulf Coast Theatres took on the Palace and the theatre received a shocking makeover in 1965/6 removing all character and any originality from the building basically creating a new theater around its four walls. Theatre seating was more spacious and comfortable to a final count of 650 seats. It reopened after the refresh as the Capri Theatre with “Zorba, The Greek” on February 17, 1966.
Gulf Coast sold the fading venue in 1972 as movie goers were going to suburban parts of town with lots of free parking available. The theatre switched to adult cinema and was hounded by local officials. It temporarily switched formats to family films under a new name briefly before heading back to 16mm adult films and legal issues. Though cleared of all charges, the theater may have discontinued operations after being raided on March 25, 1975 with Patty Alexon in “The Female Vacume Cleaner” and Karen Delmar in “Satisfaction.”
Smith Management - General Drive-In later General Cinema - drops the largest new hardtop screen in the south opening at Cinema Theatre in Bayshore Gardens October 19, 1960 at 6016 14th Street. The theatre would be renamed as Bayshore Gardens Cinema and Bayshore Cinema. The theatre closed for two months to become twins relaunching on November 16, 1973 with Cops & Robbers and American Graffiti and renamed as Bayshore Cinema I & II. At end of lease it was then dropped by GCC. At the end of lease. It briefly held on as an independently run discount house that closed on May 14, 1991 with King Ralph and Awakenings. It was then razed.
The Wallace Theatre was George B Wallace’s silent movie house. Bradenton Theatre Circuit, a subsidiary of Sparks took on the venue along with the Rialto in 1928. The management closed the Rialto and continued with the Wallace not converting to sound. The Wallace was reduced to three day a week operation before closing in 1930. It got some use as a live vaudeville house in 1933 and a club house in 1938.
The former Wallace Theatre got new life when the Sparks Theatre Circuit launched the State Theatre on January 3, 1941 as the second-run double-feature theater with Charles Bickford in “South to Karanga” and The Three Mesquiteers in “Heroes of the Saddle” supported by the Flash Gordon serial, “Conquering Universe.” It closed with “Drums in the Deep South” and Robert Mitchum in “The Racket” supported by the Goofy cartoon, “Farther’s Day Off” on December 16, 1953. Fire just five minutes prior to the December 17, 1953 showings of those same films ended the theater’s run.
Cinema opened by Smith Management - and would later become General Drive-In and General Cinema - on October 19, 1960 with “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs”.. The theatre would later be named the Bayshore Cinema.
The Wayne Theatre launched April 18, 1921 with “Scarmbled Wives” and a note from its stars, Marugerite Clark and Norman and Constance Talmadge. It also had a Fotoplayer Orchestral Organ at the launch.
Teicher Theatres closed all of its locations on August 11, 2014 citing Alan Teicher’s age at 80 and his concern about digital conversion away from 35mm coupled with students going back to school ended the theatre and the circuit which only had three other remaining locations in Winchester, Indiana, Bradenton, Florida, and Troy, Ohio.
Teicher Theatres closed all of its locations on August 11, 2014 citing Alan Teicher’s age at 80 and his concern about digital conversion away from 35mm coupled with students going back to school ended the theatre and the circuit which only had three other remaining locations in Winchester, Indiana, Bradenton, Florida, and Greenville, Ohio.
Teicher Theatres closed all of its locations on August 11, 2014 citing Alan Teicher’s age at 80 and his concern about digital conversion away from 35mm coupled with students going back to school ended the theatre and the circuit which only had three remaining location in Winchester, Indiana and Troy and Greenville, Ohio.
This nondescript 8-plex theatre began as part of one of the nation’s fastest growing chains in the 1980’s, Rand Theatres based in Little Rock. It opened December 16, 1988. The theatre was ensconced from the busy 114 Highway with one’s only hope of visibility being its frontage road attractor. Operator Tony Rand was trying to go from around 60 screens to 300 in Dallas using distinctive practices which ultimately led in the shuttering of the chain in late 1989 and just into 1990.
This Rand Theatre closed with a flourish worthy of the big screen after a police raid was launched in hopes of trying to collect back taxes followed by a lock out on October 7, 1989. The features were not the freshest - Hollywood was onto the circuit - and the newspaper stopped carrying their ads “on account” that weekend so the till was probably a bit sparse. All three Rands closed that night with lockout notices for failing to pay taxes. But the theatre wasn’t done yet.
Hollywood Theatres continued the operation as Grapevine 8 on April 27, 1990 as a first-run theatre. In December of 1995, Cinemark dropped a 17-screen megaplex across the labyrinthian highway forcing Hollywood to drop the theater to sub-run, discount status at that point. The theater closed on May 18, 2000.
The venue officially became part of Wallace Theatres still as a discount house on November 2, 2000 closing quickly as every dollar bill had been wrung from the facility. Starplex Theatres reopened with one final business plan to wrest every quarter it could with super discount, all seats all times 50 cent admission as Starplex Movies 8 on December 21, 2001. It was the best theater in DFW for those on a budget. But less than a year into the plan, Starplex dumped the facility with a nice sign off on its telephone answering machine. That message stayed almost a year after its closure. Though one hoped that another circuit would attempt to revive the facility with 25 cent or even dime pricing, it just wasn’t meant to be.
The theatre was home to the Hope Church for a brief period. A 2006 revision plan was signed allowing the theater / church to be razed in favor of a chain Tex-Mex restaurant that opened in 2007.
As a Rand operation, the Garden Park Cinema 10 was closed by local authorities due to back tax evasion on October 7, 1989. Appears to have closed for good by Silver Cinemas as the Super Saver 10 on March 27, 1997.
The not-so-imaginatively-titled Rand South Freeway Cinema 8 had an opening set in the summer of 1989 to coincide with the blockbuster “Batman” film. But that moment came and went. That’s not too unusual as delays happen in construction but when the South Freeway 8 did launch for Little Rock-based Rand Theatres Circuit on September 1st without a phone number, that was odd in 1989. It turned out it was because Rand Theatres was performing creative accounting and not paying for much of anything including taxes, Hollywood studios, newspapers, utilities…. well you get the picture.
The South Freeway 8 was the last theatre to actually open for the Circuit which was furiously trying to mount many other theaters in Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, Florida and Tennessee. The theatre did get phone service but Hollywood studios were wise to the situation. New films dried up fast. Rand’s financial dealings in other states were coming into light and local police raided the theater’s box office and concession stand on October 7, 1989 to grab whatever cash was on hand. Given that the local paper had stopped giving away ads that weekend “on account” and Hollywood no longer providing first run product to the venue, It’s likely that amount was so embarrassing low that the staff were said to have offered free concessions to augment the kitty. Raids occurred at all of Rand’s area theatres. And with that, the DFW market was Rand-less and the South Freeway 8 had closed after just five weeks.
Rand was able to keep the charade going in New Mexico because news didn’t travel quite so fast pre Internet. The New Mexico Tramway Rand was reaching the finish line with a November 17, 1989 announced Grand Opening. But on November 12, 1989, local officials stepped in and the Rand Circuit began a quick descent ending with foreclosure auctions and landing Tony Rand in prison.
The Burleson cinema re-emerged just a month later with a November 3, 1989 soft launch and November 17, 1989 re-grand opening. It continued under various operators all the way to the 2020s when AMC was operating it as the Burleson 14..
This venue became the Chapel Hill Mall 1-II-III on November 2, 1973. On June 3, 1983, it became the Chapel Hill Mall V. General Cinema closed it as the Chapel Hill Mall V on September 24, 1988 when it opened its new 8-plex the next day.
National Theatre Corporation of Cleveland closed the Akron Square Ciné 6 on March 24, 1994. The 1,800 seat facility was operated by the same firm although opening with the company known as Ntional Drive-In Theatre / Selected Theatre Management.
Announced in 1987, the North Hills Village Shopping Center would have Little Rock-based Rand Theatres at the outset. The fast-growing movie theatre circuit would compete with the General Cinemas North Hills 7 across the street. The Rand North Hills Village 8 had 1,850 seats in its 8-plex. Before year’s end, the circuit would add theaters in Grapevine and Lewisville. Burleson would get one in 1989 but a lot of bad news was coming related to the Rand Circuit. 1) They weren’t paying taxes. 2) They weren’t playing for newspaper ads. 3) They weren’t paying utilities. 4) Their projects were coming under scrutiny for questionable business practices. 5) They weren’t paying Hollywood studios what they felt was their fair share of the revenue.
Though a first-run theatre charging first-run prices, Rand wasn’t able to fill all of the screens at many theaters that Fall. The North Hills Village 8 had films that had already left dollar houses in addition to a few contemporary films in early October. And October 7, 1989 turned out to be the most unusual day for the DFW Rand Theatres. Tired of being ignored for sales tax revenue, police were instructed to go to the theatres that night and demand that all box office and concession dollars be turned over to them. An unusual request - and employees were said to have been polite and even offered concessions for no cost. The theatres were foreclosed upon and ended that night.
For weeks, the theatre was still listed as “showtimes not available” but lock-out notices at each of the venues told the real tale. News quickly spread to the theaters in Arkansas, downstate in Texas, Tennessee, and projects in Illinois and New Mexico. The Rand Circuit was shuttered and Tony Rand went to prison in the first of two high-profile financial schemes gone awry. Cinemark took on the North Hills Village 8 facility as a discount sub-run location rebranded as Movies 8 on February 23, 1990 running until 2016.
Located at 102 West First Street, the cornerstone to the Camera Opera House was created and placed June 14, 1899. the Auditorium Opera House was converted to the Cameron Auditorium Hotel - later, just the Cameron Hotel. In 1972, the theatre was razed as part of urban renewal. A time capsule was discovered in the demolition process. Both the cornerstone and time capsule were preserved.
All that remained of the Cameron Auditorium Opera House in 1972 after it was razed was this cool time capsule filled with treasures or, perhaps more appropriately, near-treasures.
This was opened by Sam Hefley in 1910 as the Wonderland likely with a 20-year lease. In 1916, presentation improved with the addition of a Style “K” Wurlitzer Photoplayer that automated playback. In 1920, Helfley built a new-build facility called the New Hefley Theatre which became the “A” theatre and the Wonderland was downgraded to the “B” theatre. A projection booth fire at the New Hefley 1927 led to “A” bookings going to the Wonderland while the other theater was repaired. In 1928, the Wonderland was modernized with a new look.
In 1930, Hefley sold both theaters to Stanley H. Swift of Waco, Texas. The theatre was likely on a 25-year lease. The house got a major refresh including a new Vitaphone sound system in 1930. The Depression was a challenging time and the Wonderland closed in March of 1931. However, business conditions improved and, after a refresh, it was rebranded as the Cameron Theatre re-opening September 2, 1933 with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in “Morning Glory”.
A second fire that almost destroyed the Milam Theatre in 1941 led to the Wonderland becoming the “A” house until the Milam rebuilding project was completed. On October 15, 1944, Rowley Theatre Circuit took on both the Milam and the Cameron theaters from Swift. The Milam then all but burned down in its third major fire on May 13, 1948 leading to the Wonderland being the “A” house again until the New Milam was opened in November of 1948.
In the television age, the town couldn’t support both hardtop theatres and the new 77-Drive-In. At end of lease, the Wonderland closed in March of 1955. Its bookings were essentially booked at the 77 Drive-In for the Spring. The Cameron got one last chance reopening in August of 1955 very briefly before closing permanently on August 14, 1955 with Dane Clark in “Thunder Pass.”
An unrelated, New Cameron Theatre came about a block away essentially replacing the Milam Theatre whose fourth major fire proved to be a theater-ender. The New Cameron showed both English language and Spanish language films and stayed at 118 South Houston Street until closing in the video age in 1984.
Sam Hefley announced this project in June of 1920 to replace Avera’s Drug Store and the new-build facility would cost $15,000. He opened the New Hefley Theatre at the address on November 15, 1920. It had a well-placed neighbor in the Palace of Sweets confectioner. In December of 1929, Hefley installed Vitaphone to show sound films at the New Hefley. But at the end of a 10-year lease, he sold it to Stanley H. Swift. Under his new operation, it changed names to the Milam Theatre late in 1930 named after the Texas Revolution military leader Benjamin Rush Milam. A fire in 1941 that almost destroyed the entire theater led to a major change that brought the theatre its streamlined modern look and new signage. On October 15, 1944, Rowley Theatre Circuit took on both the Milam and the Cameron Theatre.
The facility burned down on May 13, 1948 taking down the long-running Palace of Sweets in the process. However, a new Milam Theatre reopened on the spot likely using some elements of its foundation for a grand reopening of a New Milam Theatre on November 27, 1948. That Milam was gutted by fire on July 27, 1961 ending its run. The building stood gutted until tornado-like winds toppled one of its walls in March of 1972. It was razed shortly thereafter.
The Marcus Safari 7 Cinema closed March 17, 2020 along with the rest of the Marcus' locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtually every discount, sub-run theatre was closed permanently in the United States during the pandemic due to both lack of product and very uncertain marketplace for second-run theaters in a streaming world. Marcus dropped the cinema from its webpage and disconnected its telephone permanently closing the theater in October of 2020 followed by an announcement that the theatre was sold to Ignite Church.
This venue opened August 14, 1924 as the Palace,Theatre and converted to sound to say relevant. Gulf Coast Theatres took on the Palace and the theatre received a shocking makeover in 1965/6 removing all character and any originality from the building basically creating a new theater around its four walls. Theatre seating was more spacious and comfortable to a final count of 650 seats. It reopened after the refresh as the Capri Theatre with “Zorba, The Greek” on February 17, 1966.
Gulf Coast sold the fading venue in 1972 as movie goers were going to suburban parts of town with lots of free parking available. The theatre switched to adult cinema and was hounded by local officials. It temporarily switched formats to family films under a new name briefly before heading back to 16mm adult films and legal issues. Though cleared of all charges, the theater may have discontinued operations after being raided on March 25, 1975 with Patty Alexon in “The Female Vacume Cleaner” and Karen Delmar in “Satisfaction.”
Opened as the Suburban Open-Air Theatre on September 28, 1950 with “Stars in My Crown"by Manatee Amusement Company.
Smith Management - General Drive-In later General Cinema - drops the largest new hardtop screen in the south opening at Cinema Theatre in Bayshore Gardens October 19, 1960 at 6016 14th Street. The theatre would be renamed as Bayshore Gardens Cinema and Bayshore Cinema. The theatre closed for two months to become twins relaunching on November 16, 1973 with Cops & Robbers and American Graffiti and renamed as Bayshore Cinema I & II. At end of lease it was then dropped by GCC. At the end of lease. It briefly held on as an independently run discount house that closed on May 14, 1991 with King Ralph and Awakenings. It was then razed.
The Wallace Theatre was George B Wallace’s silent movie house. Bradenton Theatre Circuit, a subsidiary of Sparks took on the venue along with the Rialto in 1928. The management closed the Rialto and continued with the Wallace not converting to sound. The Wallace was reduced to three day a week operation before closing in 1930. It got some use as a live vaudeville house in 1933 and a club house in 1938.
The former Wallace Theatre got new life when the Sparks Theatre Circuit launched the State Theatre on January 3, 1941 as the second-run double-feature theater with Charles Bickford in “South to Karanga” and The Three Mesquiteers in “Heroes of the Saddle” supported by the Flash Gordon serial, “Conquering Universe.” It closed with “Drums in the Deep South” and Robert Mitchum in “The Racket” supported by the Goofy cartoon, “Farther’s Day Off” on December 16, 1953. Fire just five minutes prior to the December 17, 1953 showings of those same films ended the theater’s run.
The Trail Drive-In Theatre launched April 28, 1949 with Eddie Albert in “The Dude Goes West.”
Cinema opened by Smith Management - and would later become General Drive-In and General Cinema - on October 19, 1960 with “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs”.. The theatre would later be named the Bayshore Cinema.
Opened by 1926, appears to have closed in February of 1964, and was demolished in 1968.
The Wayne Theatre launched April 18, 1921 with “Scarmbled Wives” and a note from its stars, Marugerite Clark and Norman and Constance Talmadge. It also had a Fotoplayer Orchestral Organ at the launch.
Teicher Theatres closed all of its locations on August 11, 2014 citing Alan Teicher’s age at 80 and his concern about digital conversion away from 35mm coupled with students going back to school ended the theatre and the circuit which only had three other remaining locations in Winchester, Indiana, Bradenton, Florida, and Troy, Ohio.
Teicher Theatres closed all of its locations on August 11, 2014 citing Alan Teicher’s age at 80 and his concern about digital conversion away from 35mm coupled with students going back to school ended the theatre and the circuit which only had three other remaining locations in Winchester, Indiana, Bradenton, Florida, and Greenville, Ohio.
Teicher Theatres closed all of its locations on August 11, 2014 citing Alan Teicher’s age at 80 and his concern about digital conversion away from 35mm coupled with students going back to school ended the theatre and the circuit which only had three remaining location in Winchester, Indiana and Troy and Greenville, Ohio.
This nondescript 8-plex theatre began as part of one of the nation’s fastest growing chains in the 1980’s, Rand Theatres based in Little Rock. It opened December 16, 1988. The theatre was ensconced from the busy 114 Highway with one’s only hope of visibility being its frontage road attractor. Operator Tony Rand was trying to go from around 60 screens to 300 in Dallas using distinctive practices which ultimately led in the shuttering of the chain in late 1989 and just into 1990.
This Rand Theatre closed with a flourish worthy of the big screen after a police raid was launched in hopes of trying to collect back taxes followed by a lock out on October 7, 1989. The features were not the freshest - Hollywood was onto the circuit - and the newspaper stopped carrying their ads “on account” that weekend so the till was probably a bit sparse. All three Rands closed that night with lockout notices for failing to pay taxes. But the theatre wasn’t done yet.
Hollywood Theatres continued the operation as Grapevine 8 on April 27, 1990 as a first-run theatre. In December of 1995, Cinemark dropped a 17-screen megaplex across the labyrinthian highway forcing Hollywood to drop the theater to sub-run, discount status at that point. The theater closed on May 18, 2000.
The venue officially became part of Wallace Theatres still as a discount house on November 2, 2000 closing quickly as every dollar bill had been wrung from the facility. Starplex Theatres reopened with one final business plan to wrest every quarter it could with super discount, all seats all times 50 cent admission as Starplex Movies 8 on December 21, 2001. It was the best theater in DFW for those on a budget. But less than a year into the plan, Starplex dumped the facility with a nice sign off on its telephone answering machine. That message stayed almost a year after its closure. Though one hoped that another circuit would attempt to revive the facility with 25 cent or even dime pricing, it just wasn’t meant to be.
The theatre was home to the Hope Church for a brief period. A 2006 revision plan was signed allowing the theater / church to be razed in favor of a chain Tex-Mex restaurant that opened in 2007.
As a Rand operation, the Garden Park Cinema 10 was closed by local authorities due to back tax evasion on October 7, 1989. Appears to have closed for good by Silver Cinemas as the Super Saver 10 on March 27, 1997.
The not-so-imaginatively-titled Rand South Freeway Cinema 8 had an opening set in the summer of 1989 to coincide with the blockbuster “Batman” film. But that moment came and went. That’s not too unusual as delays happen in construction but when the South Freeway 8 did launch for Little Rock-based Rand Theatres Circuit on September 1st without a phone number, that was odd in 1989. It turned out it was because Rand Theatres was performing creative accounting and not paying for much of anything including taxes, Hollywood studios, newspapers, utilities…. well you get the picture.
The South Freeway 8 was the last theatre to actually open for the Circuit which was furiously trying to mount many other theaters in Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, Florida and Tennessee. The theatre did get phone service but Hollywood studios were wise to the situation. New films dried up fast. Rand’s financial dealings in other states were coming into light and local police raided the theater’s box office and concession stand on October 7, 1989 to grab whatever cash was on hand. Given that the local paper had stopped giving away ads that weekend “on account” and Hollywood no longer providing first run product to the venue, It’s likely that amount was so embarrassing low that the staff were said to have offered free concessions to augment the kitty. Raids occurred at all of Rand’s area theatres. And with that, the DFW market was Rand-less and the South Freeway 8 had closed after just five weeks.
Rand was able to keep the charade going in New Mexico because news didn’t travel quite so fast pre Internet. The New Mexico Tramway Rand was reaching the finish line with a November 17, 1989 announced Grand Opening. But on November 12, 1989, local officials stepped in and the Rand Circuit began a quick descent ending with foreclosure auctions and landing Tony Rand in prison.
The Burleson cinema re-emerged just a month later with a November 3, 1989 soft launch and November 17, 1989 re-grand opening. It continued under various operators all the way to the 2020s when AMC was operating it as the Burleson 14..
This venue became the Chapel Hill Mall 1-II-III on November 2, 1973. On June 3, 1983, it became the Chapel Hill Mall V. General Cinema closed it as the Chapel Hill Mall V on September 24, 1988 when it opened its new 8-plex the next day.
The Rolling Acres Mall Cinema stopped rolling on August 30, 2007. The entire mall was demolished in 2017.
The venue closed permanently on December 21, 2008 at the end of a 20-year lease. AMC decided no renewal was in order.
National Theatre Corporation of Cleveland closed the Akron Square Ciné 6 on March 24, 1994. The 1,800 seat facility was operated by the same firm although opening with the company known as Ntional Drive-In Theatre / Selected Theatre Management.
Announced in 1987, the North Hills Village Shopping Center would have Little Rock-based Rand Theatres at the outset. The fast-growing movie theatre circuit would compete with the General Cinemas North Hills 7 across the street. The Rand North Hills Village 8 had 1,850 seats in its 8-plex. Before year’s end, the circuit would add theaters in Grapevine and Lewisville. Burleson would get one in 1989 but a lot of bad news was coming related to the Rand Circuit. 1) They weren’t paying taxes. 2) They weren’t playing for newspaper ads. 3) They weren’t paying utilities. 4) Their projects were coming under scrutiny for questionable business practices. 5) They weren’t paying Hollywood studios what they felt was their fair share of the revenue.
Though a first-run theatre charging first-run prices, Rand wasn’t able to fill all of the screens at many theaters that Fall. The North Hills Village 8 had films that had already left dollar houses in addition to a few contemporary films in early October. And October 7, 1989 turned out to be the most unusual day for the DFW Rand Theatres. Tired of being ignored for sales tax revenue, police were instructed to go to the theatres that night and demand that all box office and concession dollars be turned over to them. An unusual request - and employees were said to have been polite and even offered concessions for no cost. The theatres were foreclosed upon and ended that night.
For weeks, the theatre was still listed as “showtimes not available” but lock-out notices at each of the venues told the real tale. News quickly spread to the theaters in Arkansas, downstate in Texas, Tennessee, and projects in Illinois and New Mexico. The Rand Circuit was shuttered and Tony Rand went to prison in the first of two high-profile financial schemes gone awry. Cinemark took on the North Hills Village 8 facility as a discount sub-run location rebranded as Movies 8 on February 23, 1990 running until 2016.
Located at 102 West First Street, the cornerstone to the Camera Opera House was created and placed June 14, 1899. the Auditorium Opera House was converted to the Cameron Auditorium Hotel - later, just the Cameron Hotel. In 1972, the theatre was razed as part of urban renewal. A time capsule was discovered in the demolition process. Both the cornerstone and time capsule were preserved.
All that remained of the Cameron Auditorium Opera House in 1972 after it was razed was this cool time capsule filled with treasures or, perhaps more appropriately, near-treasures.
This was opened by Sam Hefley in 1910 as the Wonderland likely with a 20-year lease. In 1916, presentation improved with the addition of a Style “K” Wurlitzer Photoplayer that automated playback. In 1920, Helfley built a new-build facility called the New Hefley Theatre which became the “A” theatre and the Wonderland was downgraded to the “B” theatre. A projection booth fire at the New Hefley 1927 led to “A” bookings going to the Wonderland while the other theater was repaired. In 1928, the Wonderland was modernized with a new look.
In 1930, Hefley sold both theaters to Stanley H. Swift of Waco, Texas. The theatre was likely on a 25-year lease. The house got a major refresh including a new Vitaphone sound system in 1930. The Depression was a challenging time and the Wonderland closed in March of 1931. However, business conditions improved and, after a refresh, it was rebranded as the Cameron Theatre re-opening September 2, 1933 with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in “Morning Glory”.
A second fire that almost destroyed the Milam Theatre in 1941 led to the Wonderland becoming the “A” house until the Milam rebuilding project was completed. On October 15, 1944, Rowley Theatre Circuit took on both the Milam and the Cameron theaters from Swift. The Milam then all but burned down in its third major fire on May 13, 1948 leading to the Wonderland being the “A” house again until the New Milam was opened in November of 1948.
In the television age, the town couldn’t support both hardtop theatres and the new 77-Drive-In. At end of lease, the Wonderland closed in March of 1955. Its bookings were essentially booked at the 77 Drive-In for the Spring. The Cameron got one last chance reopening in August of 1955 very briefly before closing permanently on August 14, 1955 with Dane Clark in “Thunder Pass.”
An unrelated, New Cameron Theatre came about a block away essentially replacing the Milam Theatre whose fourth major fire proved to be a theater-ender. The New Cameron showed both English language and Spanish language films and stayed at 118 South Houston Street until closing in the video age in 1984.
Sam Hefley announced this project in June of 1920 to replace Avera’s Drug Store and the new-build facility would cost $15,000. He opened the New Hefley Theatre at the address on November 15, 1920. It had a well-placed neighbor in the Palace of Sweets confectioner. In December of 1929, Hefley installed Vitaphone to show sound films at the New Hefley. But at the end of a 10-year lease, he sold it to Stanley H. Swift. Under his new operation, it changed names to the Milam Theatre late in 1930 named after the Texas Revolution military leader Benjamin Rush Milam. A fire in 1941 that almost destroyed the entire theater led to a major change that brought the theatre its streamlined modern look and new signage. On October 15, 1944, Rowley Theatre Circuit took on both the Milam and the Cameron Theatre.
The facility burned down on May 13, 1948 taking down the long-running Palace of Sweets in the process. However, a new Milam Theatre reopened on the spot likely using some elements of its foundation for a grand reopening of a New Milam Theatre on November 27, 1948. That Milam was gutted by fire on July 27, 1961 ending its run. The building stood gutted until tornado-like winds toppled one of its walls in March of 1972. It was razed shortly thereafter.
It appears to have closed after the March 27, 1983 with “Time Rider.” It was then listed as for sale in the local paper’s classifieds.
Landmark closed the River Oaks closed on March 25, 2021 with Oscar contenders, “Minari,” “The Father,” and “Nomadland.”
The Marcus Safari 7 Cinema closed March 17, 2020 along with the rest of the Marcus' locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtually every discount, sub-run theatre was closed permanently in the United States during the pandemic due to both lack of product and very uncertain marketplace for second-run theaters in a streaming world. Marcus dropped the cinema from its webpage and disconnected its telephone permanently closing the theater in October of 2020 followed by an announcement that the theatre was sold to Ignite Church.
It closed as the the Marcus Safari 7 Cinema.