The Lyric Theatre opened as early as 1919 and closed in February 1958. The theater was then taken over by the husband-and-wife team of Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Bell of Eureka, California, and the former Lyric reopened as the Maribel Theatre on July 11, 1958 with “Crash Landing” and “The Hard Man” (unknown if any extras added). It was then renamed the Ironside Theatre on June 22, 1961, and was still open in 1966.
On December 2, 1945, the Lyric Theatre suffered minor damage from a fire after its projector was jammed during a showing of “The Corn Is Green” alongside a Fox Movietone Newsreel and a few short subjects. Despite no injuries nor destruction, the fire only destroyed half of its film. The Lyric reopened the following day.
There are two movie theaters being named the Amuzu in Tazewell. The first Amuzu (named the “Amuse-U”) was short-lived, lasting from 1914 until 1915. Unfortunately I cannot find the location for the original short-lived Amuse-U.
This one started life as the New Theatre, opening on July 26, 1916 with Pauline Frederick in “The Eternal City”. It was renamed the Amuzu Theatre in early-1934, and finally the Clinch Theatre in late-1935.
The Clinch Theatre closed for the final time on April 25, 1976 with John Wayne in “Rooster Cogburn”.
The Lakeview Drive-In opened its gates on June 5, 1951, and was first managed by Jasper C. Thompson of Lancaster, Kentucky. The nearby Family Drive-In would later open a few weeks later.
There are two State Theatres in its history. The first State Theatre opened its doors on March 27, 1942 with Ralph Byrd in “Misbehaving Husbands” along with an unnamed Bugs Bunny cartoon and a Three Stooges short.
The first location closed on April 2, 1945 when it was relocated to 316-318 Runnels. The second State Theatre opened in its new location on April 3, 1945 with Francis Langford in “Career Girl” along with an unnamed Bugs Bunny cartoon, Paramount News, a Paramount Musical Parade, and an unknown Warner Brothers short.
The State Theatre was later renamed the R/70 Theatre, and was still open in the late-1970s.
And yes, the layout of the Parkwood Cinema also confused me. I looked through almost every single newspaper headline involving the opening of the Parkwood Cinema as a single-screener but it never said anything about this being a Martin operated theater rather than Jimmy Goolsby himself.
The Crown Theatre opened its doors on May 12, 1937 with Melvin Douglas in “And So They Were Married” along with the short “The Old Glory”, Pathe News, the vaudeville short “Vaut-Mats”, and a Columbia Color Rhapsody (listed as “Little Champs” but I cannot find the exact cartoon title).
Collinsville also had another theater at the time called the Nusho Theatre, which will have its own page soon.
The theater was originally planned by Jimmy Goolsby and Joe Johnson, owners of the Jim And Joe’s Photographic Center on 11th Street in Griffin. Goolsby was the original owner of the theater and started life as independently-operated. It was still independently-operated when it was twinned in June 1972 as well as its tripling in 1977. United Artists didn’t took the theater over until either the late-1970s or early-1980s.
On its grand opening on November 6, 1969 at 7:00 PM that evening, Arthur Bolton, the Georgia attorney general who is the chairman of the workshop fund raising project delivered a brief opening statement in front of the 401-seat auditorium before the start of the theater’s first film “Sweet Charity”.
The actual closing date is June 12, 1977 with “Sinbad And The Eye Of The Tiger”. The Great Oaks Cinema would then open its doors nearby five days later.
The Rook Theatre, named after owner Mr. Elmer D. Rook (formerly of Sayre and partially raised in Missouri), opened its doors on April 23, 1940 with Spencer Tracy in “Northwest Passage” along with the Rudolf Ising MGM cartoon “Home On The Range”, and was also the replacement of the nearby Lyric Theatre which closed two days before the opening of the Rook.
Information about the Rook as of 1940 goes as follows: The Rook is a 25x140ft structure built of tile, brick, and stucco as well as it being nearly fireproof. In color, the tall front is in oriental white with a trim of blue, orange, yellow, and wine which makes the front an unusual attractiveness. The marquee in color is made out of steel construction with neon lighting in blue, red, green, rose, and white. The projection booth is also structed fireproof. In the lobby is the glass enclosed ticket office, and on each side of the lobby are double swinging doors lead into the foyer off of which are the restrooms, powder nook, and the stairway leading to the second floor. The foyer featured mantle, and in the inside foyer or standee is the drinking fountains. The standee opens into the main auditorium, and in the second floor are the projection room, the office, and the observation parlor or guest room. The basement housed the heating unit below the auditorium.
The carpeting used was underlaid with 3-4in feit covering the entire floor, with neutral shades while the draperies are chartreuse and gold in color. The lighting design featured a total of three 6ft tubing with purple neon lights and each tube supports a bright light decorate on each wall. The art featured a striking feature, with decorations dedicating to Indians, which featured the combinations of the Incas, Aztecs, and the Mayans, with most of those decorations are the original work of Kenneth Watson, an Oklahoma City resident who studied at the Art Institute in Chicago, and Ralph Taylor, who acquired his education in art at the University of Oklahoma and the Columbia University. The walls of the outside foyer are bordered with Aztec designs against a dusty pink background. The same design was also carried out in the ceiling of the foyer. The powder room which opens off the outside foyer is decorated with a fan and powder puff design. Decorating the low partition wall which separates the inside foyer form the auditorium is the design of an Indian face on a knife with Indian wampum trim.
Inside the auditorium contains ivory celatex ceiling background and down the center of the ceiling are designs of Indian faces and the fish design used in Indian art. Those walls are also bordered with an Indian wampum design at the top against burnt slena in three colors, while the base of the wall are purple bordered walls being centered with panels painted in buff colors. On the sides of these panels are Indian pueblo, scenes of cactus, a campfire, and the setting sun. At the base of the columns on each side of the stage is an Indian drum design above which are zigzag lighting designs. And finally, at the top, are painted sunflowers. The theater was built with an estimate $15,000 in construction.
An auditorium fire destroyed the theater in 1972, and was rebuilt. The Rook was later renamed the Rook Cinema, followed by a short stint as the “Mervin’s Video & Theater” before its closing in the mid-2010s. The original 1940 marquee made a return to the Rook Theatre shortly after its closure.
50sSNIPES
commented about
Workzon
Feb 15, 2025 at 3:54 pm
The Cornell Theatre opened around 1916 and closed in 2005. It started life as the Lyric Theatre, and later the Gem Theatre, before officially renaming it the Cornell Theatre in the late-1940s.
After screening “Tomorrow Never Dies” just before Christmas in December 1997, the Cornell Theatre closed and sat abandoned for several months. It wasn’t until the husband-and-wife team of Tim and Susan Smith renovated the theater and reopened on May 1, 1998 with a 14-day run of the smash “Titanic”. In June 1999, Jay and Rusty Simmons took over as owners.
Closed as a first-run movie house on January 5, 1985 with “Dune”.
The Lyric Theatre opened as early as 1919 and closed in February 1958. The theater was then taken over by the husband-and-wife team of Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Bell of Eureka, California, and the former Lyric reopened as the Maribel Theatre on July 11, 1958 with “Crash Landing” and “The Hard Man” (unknown if any extras added). It was then renamed the Ironside Theatre on June 22, 1961, and was still open in 1966.
On December 2, 1945, the Lyric Theatre suffered minor damage from a fire after its projector was jammed during a showing of “The Corn Is Green” alongside a Fox Movietone Newsreel and a few short subjects. Despite no injuries nor destruction, the fire only destroyed half of its film. The Lyric reopened the following day.
The Norwest actually closed on September 20, 2000 with “Bait” in Screen 1 and both “Backstage” and “Turn It Up” in Screen 2.
The showing on the Bombing of the U.S.S. Panay came from Universal (or a special edition of Universal Newsreel).
There are two movie theaters being named the Amuzu in Tazewell. The first Amuzu (named the “Amuse-U”) was short-lived, lasting from 1914 until 1915. Unfortunately I cannot find the location for the original short-lived Amuse-U.
This one started life as the New Theatre, opening on July 26, 1916 with Pauline Frederick in “The Eternal City”. It was renamed the Amuzu Theatre in early-1934, and finally the Clinch Theatre in late-1935.
The Clinch Theatre closed for the final time on April 25, 1976 with John Wayne in “Rooster Cogburn”.
The Lakeview Drive-In opened its gates on June 5, 1951, and was first managed by Jasper C. Thompson of Lancaster, Kentucky. The nearby Family Drive-In would later open a few weeks later.
I cannot find its grand opening date, but the Family opened in late-June 1951.
There are two State Theatres in its history. The first State Theatre opened its doors on March 27, 1942 with Ralph Byrd in “Misbehaving Husbands” along with an unnamed Bugs Bunny cartoon and a Three Stooges short.
The first location closed on April 2, 1945 when it was relocated to 316-318 Runnels. The second State Theatre opened in its new location on April 3, 1945 with Francis Langford in “Career Girl” along with an unnamed Bugs Bunny cartoon, Paramount News, a Paramount Musical Parade, and an unknown Warner Brothers short.
The State Theatre was later renamed the R/70 Theatre, and was still open in the late-1970s.
Opened on January 1, 1947 as a Spanish movie house.
The Salem Playhouse Theatre opened its doors on July 13, 1945 with Betty Grable in “Diamond Horseshoe” (unknown if extras added).
And yes, the layout of the Parkwood Cinema also confused me. I looked through almost every single newspaper headline involving the opening of the Parkwood Cinema as a single-screener but it never said anything about this being a Martin operated theater rather than Jimmy Goolsby himself.
The Crown Theatre opened its doors on May 12, 1937 with Melvin Douglas in “And So They Were Married” along with the short “The Old Glory”, Pathe News, the vaudeville short “Vaut-Mats”, and a Columbia Color Rhapsody (listed as “Little Champs” but I cannot find the exact cartoon title).
This has to be taken after its tripling.
The theater was originally planned by Jimmy Goolsby and Joe Johnson, owners of the Jim And Joe’s Photographic Center on 11th Street in Griffin. Goolsby was the original owner of the theater and started life as independently-operated. It was still independently-operated when it was twinned in June 1972 as well as its tripling in 1977. United Artists didn’t took the theater over until either the late-1970s or early-1980s.
On its grand opening on November 6, 1969 at 7:00 PM that evening, Arthur Bolton, the Georgia attorney general who is the chairman of the workshop fund raising project delivered a brief opening statement in front of the 401-seat auditorium before the start of the theater’s first film “Sweet Charity”.
The actual closing date is January 24, 2002.
Opened on November 11, 2005.
Closed on May 6, 2005.
May 1984.
The actual closing date is June 12, 1977 with “Sinbad And The Eye Of The Tiger”. The Great Oaks Cinema would then open its doors nearby five days later.
Last operated by National Theatre Corp.
Opened as early as 1913, still open in 1921.
The Rook Theatre, named after owner Mr. Elmer D. Rook (formerly of Sayre and partially raised in Missouri), opened its doors on April 23, 1940 with Spencer Tracy in “Northwest Passage” along with the Rudolf Ising MGM cartoon “Home On The Range”, and was also the replacement of the nearby Lyric Theatre which closed two days before the opening of the Rook.
Information about the Rook as of 1940 goes as follows: The Rook is a 25x140ft structure built of tile, brick, and stucco as well as it being nearly fireproof. In color, the tall front is in oriental white with a trim of blue, orange, yellow, and wine which makes the front an unusual attractiveness. The marquee in color is made out of steel construction with neon lighting in blue, red, green, rose, and white. The projection booth is also structed fireproof. In the lobby is the glass enclosed ticket office, and on each side of the lobby are double swinging doors lead into the foyer off of which are the restrooms, powder nook, and the stairway leading to the second floor. The foyer featured mantle, and in the inside foyer or standee is the drinking fountains. The standee opens into the main auditorium, and in the second floor are the projection room, the office, and the observation parlor or guest room. The basement housed the heating unit below the auditorium.
The carpeting used was underlaid with 3-4in feit covering the entire floor, with neutral shades while the draperies are chartreuse and gold in color. The lighting design featured a total of three 6ft tubing with purple neon lights and each tube supports a bright light decorate on each wall. The art featured a striking feature, with decorations dedicating to Indians, which featured the combinations of the Incas, Aztecs, and the Mayans, with most of those decorations are the original work of Kenneth Watson, an Oklahoma City resident who studied at the Art Institute in Chicago, and Ralph Taylor, who acquired his education in art at the University of Oklahoma and the Columbia University. The walls of the outside foyer are bordered with Aztec designs against a dusty pink background. The same design was also carried out in the ceiling of the foyer. The powder room which opens off the outside foyer is decorated with a fan and powder puff design. Decorating the low partition wall which separates the inside foyer form the auditorium is the design of an Indian face on a knife with Indian wampum trim.
Inside the auditorium contains ivory celatex ceiling background and down the center of the ceiling are designs of Indian faces and the fish design used in Indian art. Those walls are also bordered with an Indian wampum design at the top against burnt slena in three colors, while the base of the wall are purple bordered walls being centered with panels painted in buff colors. On the sides of these panels are Indian pueblo, scenes of cactus, a campfire, and the setting sun. At the base of the columns on each side of the stage is an Indian drum design above which are zigzag lighting designs. And finally, at the top, are painted sunflowers. The theater was built with an estimate $15,000 in construction.
An auditorium fire destroyed the theater in 1972, and was rebuilt. The Rook was later renamed the Rook Cinema, followed by a short stint as the “Mervin’s Video & Theater” before its closing in the mid-2010s. The original 1940 marquee made a return to the Rook Theatre shortly after its closure.
Once operated by National Theatre Corp.
The Cornell Theatre opened around 1916 and closed in 2005. It started life as the Lyric Theatre, and later the Gem Theatre, before officially renaming it the Cornell Theatre in the late-1940s.
After screening “Tomorrow Never Dies” just before Christmas in December 1997, the Cornell Theatre closed and sat abandoned for several months. It wasn’t until the husband-and-wife team of Tim and Susan Smith renovated the theater and reopened on May 1, 1998 with a 14-day run of the smash “Titanic”. In June 1999, Jay and Rusty Simmons took over as owners.
Converted into both a chapel and a school in January 1964.