Grand opening ad for the Cinema 4 West on March 21, 1980 is in photos. Opening films were “Star Trek,” “Going in Style” and “Electric Horseman.” It closed March 5, 2006 as the Sanpoint Cinema 4 with “Annapolis,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Duma,” “Freedomland,” and “Doogal.”
Officially closed as the ShowPlace ICON on June 30, 2024 as the 1909-created exhibitor left the theatrical space. It did find a home for this location, however, in a deal with Marcus Cinemas announced on June 28, 2024. It was renamed as the Marcus West End Cinema at its relaunch on July 8, 2024.
The Gem Theatre launched September 29, 1915 with “The Battle Cry for Peace.” It was located in a former meat market. The Gem competed against the Philip Opera House for about three years. Movies became the dominant entertainment form in town and the Gem not only outlasted the Opera House but would surpass its 100th year of operation.
On its way past 100 operational years, the Gem converted to Vitaphone to show sound films on January 12, 1930. It got a new front a year and a half later. The Gem came under the State Theatre Corporation Circuit in the 1950s. It converted to digital in 2013 to remain viable. Two years later it celebrated its 100th Anniversary and was still showing films in 2024. With a population of fewer than 750 residents, the Gem is a theater deserving of its name.
The Magic City purportedly installed sound on February 15, 1931 to remain viable. However, the capacity crowd reportedly saw no sound films that night. Its final show was scheduled for March 21, 1931. For its final trick, the Magic City burned to the ground on March 23, 1931.
Opening film for the Ritz on September 17, 1941 was “Argentine Nights” supported by Ted Lewis & Orchestra in “Is Everybody Happy” and the Walter Lantz cartoon short, “Syncopated Sioux.” Closing film “Three Tough Guys” on June 29, 1975. Demolition in 1990.
The Trackside Twin Cinema opened June 20, 1975 with “The Towering Inferno” and “Race with the Devil” independently by George and Judy Solomon at the Shopyard Square Shopping Center. At launch, it had two identical and automated 252 aqua-colored seat auditoriums. The color explosion included automate “Chinese Red” curtains in the auditoriums and two-toned wallpaper in the lobby that “one would not normally attempt to blend” according to a local reporter. The previous day’s open house offered, of course, free potholders to those who attended.
On December 21, 1975, George Solomon took over the entire Gulf States Theatre circuit under the Gulf International Cinema nameplate folding in the Trackside to that portfolio. They reverted to Gulf State Theatres moniker for the theatrical operations. On July 4, 1986, Gulf States added three screens to the cinema becoming the Trackside Cinemas 5. It stayed that way just six months when United Artists bought the circuit in December of 1986. The theatre became the UA Trackside 5 Theatres. UA dropped it at the end of lease in October of 1993. MI Theatres next took on the venue closing it in 1999.
It became the Magic Cinemas in October of 2001 under Tim Augustine and Robert “Spec” McClendon. The theatre closed in 2008 under their watch though finding new operators who closed it permanently on December 31, 2010. The theatre sat vacant for a very long period of time.
Colonel George F. Baltzell’s Batzell Opera House opened on July 8, 1907 with two live performances of “Denver Express.” The Batzell appears to have closed with movies in 1936. The building got a makeover in 1945 becoming home to W.L. Mosely’s new Ritz Theatre on March 15, 1945. The opening film was “Two Girls and a Sailor.”
After another refresh, the theatre relaunched on October 15, 1954 with widescreen projection to play CinemaScope titles. First up was “Rose Marie.” After yet another makeover, the venue became the Ritz Cinema in 1968 operating for 20 more years. The City of Hammond took on the dormant theater in the 1980s. In 2007, with the theatre in unrestorable condition, architectural firm Holly & Smith saved the facade of the theatre in an award winning, adaptive reuse of the space for townhouses.
Gulf States appears to have closed the Columbia Theatre after the September 26, 1974 showing of “The Education of Sonny Carson” and “Legend of Charlie”
The Rialto was a silent era movie house in downtown Hammond. Christine Foltz ran it for many years. It converted to sound to remain viable though closed during the Depression. After years of dormancy, the Columbia Amusement Company took on the theater after Foltz’s death and gave it a streamline moderne makeover. It also renamed the venue as the Rex Theatre opening on March 23, 1940 with George Raft in “Invisible Stripes.“The Rex ceased operation in November 30, 1953 with "Hangman’s Knot” and “Voodoo Tiger.” The building was later converted for other retail purposes.
The Joy launched November 7, 1968 with “Angels from Hell” and “It’s a Bikini World.” It became a Twin on December 6, 1974 with “Serpico” and “Superfly TNT” on Joy 1 and adult films, “X” and “Robin Hood,” on Joy 2.
Launched April 6, 1940 with “Ma, He’s Making Eyes at Me” supported by Chapter 1 of the “Kit Carson” serial" and a Fox short subject. After the War, the Pic was downgraded to four-day a week operation and closed for films on September 25, 1950 with “The Boy From Indiana.” It is then used for live music events, wrestling events, and house of worship events. On May 8, 1960 fire destroyed the Ideal Theatre in town and own Ernest Drake reopened the Pic to play out his films.
The Pic appears to have closed permanently on Jul 1, 1967 with “Rings Around the World” and “Nashville Rebel.” In 1970, the Pic was razed to construct a Dollar General Store.
The New Ideal Theatre opened on April 24, 1923 with “The Town That Forgot God.” The theatre converted to sound in 1929 to remain viable. The theater’s marketing including the line, “Our screen speaks for itself” to emphasize talking pictures.
On May 6, 1960, the theatre was refreshed. On May 8, 1960, the theatre showed Rita Hayworth’s “The Story on Page One.” Unfortunately, it was the theatre, itself, that made page one as a fire destroyed the theatre. Its final ad continued to carry the 30+ year old tagline, “Our screen speaks for itself.” The remnants of the building were demolished thereafter. Ernest Drake decided to reopen the dormant Pic Theatre to play out his contracted films.
Lad Medve and Larry LeBlanc were the first to open a Jerry Lewis Cinema in Canada doing so on April Fool’s weekend of 1972. Sadly, the joke was on the franchisees as Jerry Lewis and Network Cinema Corporation were already well on their way to imploding. With franchise fees of just $17,500 for a single screen and $30,000 for a double, Medve and LeBlanc committed to 19 more Ontario Jerry Lewis locations and would not have been surprised to see that number rise to 100.
In all of Canada, the actual number of opened Jerry Lewis Cinemas peaked at three - here, Mississauga, and Peace River. A fourth in Montreal was constructed but failed to open under the Lewis nameplate. The Cambridge Lewis Twin location launched in the Parkway Shopping Center that began with a Zehr’s Supermarket opening early in 1970 and joined by a short-lived Sayvette Store later that year.
In 1971/2, the Parkway Mall concept was added between those anchors. Multiple Automated Cinemas of Ottawa was the Network Cinema Corp. subsidiary in charge adding some $20,000 of automation equipment for the theaters that could be run with a single push of a button, at least in concept. Two identical 350 seat auditoriums were built here for 700 total sats. The theater opened on March 31, 1972 with “Skin Game” and a double-feature of “With Six, You Get An Egg Roll” and “Big Jake.”
Within months of the Parkway Mall’s launch, both it and the cinema were in for renaming. The Lewis franchise closed briskly in summer and was renamed as the Cambridge Twin Cinemas at its reopening on November 10, 1972. It officially opened at the renamed Cambridge Shoppers Mall which was in use as of October 26, 1972. With both the Parkway Mall and Jerry Lewis signage chiseled off, the theatre ran to the end of its 15-year lease with Premier Theatres leaving it behind on February 22, 1987. On February 27, 1987, Cineplex Odeon took on the venues operating it until the December 12, 1996 showings of “Jingle All the Way” and “Space Jam.” It launched the Cambridge Cinemas 7 the next day.
The Carolina Theatre was the sound-era movie house in Andrews. It launched on July 4, 1930 with Delores Del Rio in “Romance of the Rio Grande.” Under new operators in 1935, the theatre was renamed as the Andrews Theatre. On February 25, 1944, the theatre under new operators becomes the Henn Theatre with Olsen and Johnson in “Crazy House.” The last advertisement for the Henn Theatre was February 28, 1957 with “Teenage Rebel.”
The Carver Theatre launched on May 1, 1942 with “Dark Passage” on a 30-year lease. A great deal of the operational cycle was by Dixie Amusement Company. It would serve African American Audiences along with the long-running Capitol Theatre. Dixie updated the venue in the 1950s. Following the expiry of the lease, new operators relaunched the venue after closing it for another refresh.Upon reopening, it was renamed The New Carver Theatre on May 10, 1972 with a double feature of “Soul to Soul” and “Beast from the Amazon.” Under new operators, the theater’s name reverted to the Carver Theatre showing chopsocky and blaxploitation double features beginning on May 3, 1974 with “Hell Up In Harlem” and “Top of the Heap.”
Under new operators and very likely on a sublease, the venue is renamed as the Capri Theatre showing double feature X-rated films. Its relaunch as the Capri occurred on April 2, 1975 with “Lady Delia” and “Me Please.” A topless usherette promotion at the Capri went awry in July of 1976 likely leading to the end of the X-rated policy. On July 21, 1976, the Capri - likely back to its previous operators - switched back to blaxploitation, cult repertory, and chopsocky double features. Film exhibition ended at the Capri / former Carver permanently on January 22, 1978 with a double feature of “The Creatures” and “Velvet Empire.”
Beginning in 1979, the venue was used for a house of worship. In the 1990s, the name of the venue was restored to the Carver Theatre with live plays before returning to a house of worship in the 2000s. On July 17, 2003, the Carver Theatre received a National Register of Historic Places designation and sign. Officials of the local HBCU institution, Allen University, purchased the building and announced a restoration plan in 2022 to restore the Carver to its original luster.
Mr. A. Shepherd “Shep” Brinkley opened the Plymouth Theatre October 11, 1938 with “The Vogues of 1938.“ The New Theatre changed its name whimsically to the New (Old) Theatre that day until it burned down in 1939. Brinkley would add the Daly Theatre after the War to replace the New (Old).
Grand opening ad for the Cinema 4 West on March 21, 1980 is in photos. Opening films were “Star Trek,” “Going in Style” and “Electric Horseman.” It closed March 5, 2006 as the Sanpoint Cinema 4 with “Annapolis,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Duma,” “Freedomland,” and “Doogal.”
Officially closed as the ShowPlace ICON on June 30, 2024 as the 1909-created exhibitor left the theatrical space. It did find a home for this location, however, in a deal with Marcus Cinemas announced on June 28, 2024. It was renamed as the Marcus West End Cinema at its relaunch on July 8, 2024.
Closed June 30, 2024 along with all other ShowPlace ICON locations when the circuit ended operations.
Closed permanently with the rest of the Kerasotes ICON chain effective June 30, 2024.
The Gem Theatre launched September 29, 1915 with “The Battle Cry for Peace.” It was located in a former meat market. The Gem competed against the Philip Opera House for about three years. Movies became the dominant entertainment form in town and the Gem not only outlasted the Opera House but would surpass its 100th year of operation.
On its way past 100 operational years, the Gem converted to Vitaphone to show sound films on January 12, 1930. It got a new front a year and a half later. The Gem came under the State Theatre Corporation Circuit in the 1950s. It converted to digital in 2013 to remain viable. Two years later it celebrated its 100th Anniversary and was still showing films in 2024. With a population of fewer than 750 residents, the Gem is a theater deserving of its name.
Status: Demolished
The Magic City purportedly installed sound on February 15, 1931 to remain viable. However, the capacity crowd reportedly saw no sound films that night. Its final show was scheduled for March 21, 1931. For its final trick, the Magic City burned to the ground on March 23, 1931.
Opening film for the Ritz on September 17, 1941 was “Argentine Nights” supported by Ted Lewis & Orchestra in “Is Everybody Happy” and the Walter Lantz cartoon short, “Syncopated Sioux.” Closing film “Three Tough Guys” on June 29, 1975. Demolition in 1990.
The Trackside Twin Cinema opened June 20, 1975 with “The Towering Inferno” and “Race with the Devil” independently by George and Judy Solomon at the Shopyard Square Shopping Center. At launch, it had two identical and automated 252 aqua-colored seat auditoriums. The color explosion included automate “Chinese Red” curtains in the auditoriums and two-toned wallpaper in the lobby that “one would not normally attempt to blend” according to a local reporter. The previous day’s open house offered, of course, free potholders to those who attended.
On December 21, 1975, George Solomon took over the entire Gulf States Theatre circuit under the Gulf International Cinema nameplate folding in the Trackside to that portfolio. They reverted to Gulf State Theatres moniker for the theatrical operations. On July 4, 1986, Gulf States added three screens to the cinema becoming the Trackside Cinemas 5. It stayed that way just six months when United Artists bought the circuit in December of 1986. The theatre became the UA Trackside 5 Theatres. UA dropped it at the end of lease in October of 1993. MI Theatres next took on the venue closing it in 1999.
It became the Magic Cinemas in October of 2001 under Tim Augustine and Robert “Spec” McClendon. The theatre closed in 2008 under their watch though finding new operators who closed it permanently on December 31, 2010. The theatre sat vacant for a very long period of time.
Final date: June 30, 2024… likely at the lease opt out at the 15-year mark.
Colonel George F. Baltzell’s Batzell Opera House opened on July 8, 1907 with two live performances of “Denver Express.” The Batzell appears to have closed with movies in 1936. The building got a makeover in 1945 becoming home to W.L. Mosely’s new Ritz Theatre on March 15, 1945. The opening film was “Two Girls and a Sailor.”
After another refresh, the theatre relaunched on October 15, 1954 with widescreen projection to play CinemaScope titles. First up was “Rose Marie.” After yet another makeover, the venue became the Ritz Cinema in 1968 operating for 20 more years. The City of Hammond took on the dormant theater in the 1980s. In 2007, with the theatre in unrestorable condition, architectural firm Holly & Smith saved the facade of the theatre in an award winning, adaptive reuse of the space for townhouses.
Gulf States appears to have closed the Columbia Theatre after the September 26, 1974 showing of “The Education of Sonny Carson” and “Legend of Charlie”
The Rialto was a silent era movie house in downtown Hammond. Christine Foltz ran it for many years. It converted to sound to remain viable though closed during the Depression. After years of dormancy, the Columbia Amusement Company took on the theater after Foltz’s death and gave it a streamline moderne makeover. It also renamed the venue as the Rex Theatre opening on March 23, 1940 with George Raft in “Invisible Stripes.“The Rex ceased operation in November 30, 1953 with "Hangman’s Knot” and “Voodoo Tiger.” The building was later converted for other retail purposes.
The Joy launched November 7, 1968 with “Angels from Hell” and “It’s a Bikini World.” It became a Twin on December 6, 1974 with “Serpico” and “Superfly TNT” on Joy 1 and adult films, “X” and “Robin Hood,” on Joy 2.
Launched April 6, 1940 with “Ma, He’s Making Eyes at Me” supported by Chapter 1 of the “Kit Carson” serial" and a Fox short subject. After the War, the Pic was downgraded to four-day a week operation and closed for films on September 25, 1950 with “The Boy From Indiana.” It is then used for live music events, wrestling events, and house of worship events. On May 8, 1960 fire destroyed the Ideal Theatre in town and own Ernest Drake reopened the Pic to play out his films.
The Pic appears to have closed permanently on Jul 1, 1967 with “Rings Around the World” and “Nashville Rebel.” In 1970, the Pic was razed to construct a Dollar General Store.
The New Ideal Theatre opened on April 24, 1923 with “The Town That Forgot God.” The theatre converted to sound in 1929 to remain viable. The theater’s marketing including the line, “Our screen speaks for itself” to emphasize talking pictures.
On May 6, 1960, the theatre was refreshed. On May 8, 1960, the theatre showed Rita Hayworth’s “The Story on Page One.” Unfortunately, it was the theatre, itself, that made page one as a fire destroyed the theatre. Its final ad continued to carry the 30+ year old tagline, “Our screen speaks for itself.” The remnants of the building were demolished thereafter. Ernest Drake decided to reopen the dormant Pic Theatre to play out his contracted films.
Lad Medve and Larry LeBlanc were the first to open a Jerry Lewis Cinema in Canada doing so on April Fool’s weekend of 1972. Sadly, the joke was on the franchisees as Jerry Lewis and Network Cinema Corporation were already well on their way to imploding. With franchise fees of just $17,500 for a single screen and $30,000 for a double, Medve and LeBlanc committed to 19 more Ontario Jerry Lewis locations and would not have been surprised to see that number rise to 100.
In all of Canada, the actual number of opened Jerry Lewis Cinemas peaked at three - here, Mississauga, and Peace River. A fourth in Montreal was constructed but failed to open under the Lewis nameplate. The Cambridge Lewis Twin location launched in the Parkway Shopping Center that began with a Zehr’s Supermarket opening early in 1970 and joined by a short-lived Sayvette Store later that year.
In 1971/2, the Parkway Mall concept was added between those anchors. Multiple Automated Cinemas of Ottawa was the Network Cinema Corp. subsidiary in charge adding some $20,000 of automation equipment for the theaters that could be run with a single push of a button, at least in concept. Two identical 350 seat auditoriums were built here for 700 total sats. The theater opened on March 31, 1972 with “Skin Game” and a double-feature of “With Six, You Get An Egg Roll” and “Big Jake.”
Within months of the Parkway Mall’s launch, both it and the cinema were in for renaming. The Lewis franchise closed briskly in summer and was renamed as the Cambridge Twin Cinemas at its reopening on November 10, 1972. It officially opened at the renamed Cambridge Shoppers Mall which was in use as of October 26, 1972. With both the Parkway Mall and Jerry Lewis signage chiseled off, the theatre ran to the end of its 15-year lease with Premier Theatres leaving it behind on February 22, 1987. On February 27, 1987, Cineplex Odeon took on the venues operating it until the December 12, 1996 showings of “Jingle All the Way” and “Space Jam.” It launched the Cambridge Cinemas 7 the next day.
The Carolina Theatre was the sound-era movie house in Andrews. It launched on July 4, 1930 with Delores Del Rio in “Romance of the Rio Grande.” Under new operators in 1935, the theatre was renamed as the Andrews Theatre. On February 25, 1944, the theatre under new operators becomes the Henn Theatre with Olsen and Johnson in “Crazy House.” The last advertisement for the Henn Theatre was February 28, 1957 with “Teenage Rebel.”
Address: 51 Century Circle, Hazard, KY 41701. Photo in pictures
The Carver Theatre launched on May 1, 1942 with “Dark Passage” on a 30-year lease. A great deal of the operational cycle was by Dixie Amusement Company. It would serve African American Audiences along with the long-running Capitol Theatre. Dixie updated the venue in the 1950s. Following the expiry of the lease, new operators relaunched the venue after closing it for another refresh.Upon reopening, it was renamed The New Carver Theatre on May 10, 1972 with a double feature of “Soul to Soul” and “Beast from the Amazon.” Under new operators, the theater’s name reverted to the Carver Theatre showing chopsocky and blaxploitation double features beginning on May 3, 1974 with “Hell Up In Harlem” and “Top of the Heap.”
Under new operators and very likely on a sublease, the venue is renamed as the Capri Theatre showing double feature X-rated films. Its relaunch as the Capri occurred on April 2, 1975 with “Lady Delia” and “Me Please.” A topless usherette promotion at the Capri went awry in July of 1976 likely leading to the end of the X-rated policy. On July 21, 1976, the Capri - likely back to its previous operators - switched back to blaxploitation, cult repertory, and chopsocky double features. Film exhibition ended at the Capri / former Carver permanently on January 22, 1978 with a double feature of “The Creatures” and “Velvet Empire.”
Beginning in 1979, the venue was used for a house of worship. In the 1990s, the name of the venue was restored to the Carver Theatre with live plays before returning to a house of worship in the 2000s. On July 17, 2003, the Carver Theatre received a National Register of Historic Places designation and sign. Officials of the local HBCU institution, Allen University, purchased the building and announced a restoration plan in 2022 to restore the Carver to its original luster.
Closed permanently on July 5, 1958 with “The Delicate Delinquent” and “The Tall Texan.”
Mr. A. Shepherd “Shep” Brinkley opened the Plymouth Theatre October 11, 1938 with “The Vogues of 1938.“ The New Theatre changed its name whimsically to the New (Old) Theatre that day until it burned down in 1939. Brinkley would add the Daly Theatre after the War to replace the New (Old).
Howell Theatres launched the Wakelon on September 2, 1937 with The Marx Brothers in “A Day at the Races.”
Minor note: its name is the Hi-Way 17 Drive-In (not Hwy 17 D-I).
And remove note: “The address above is my best guess as to her explanation of where it was.” The address now provided is its former address.
Opened July 22, 1948 with “Up Goes Maisie”