Grand opening ad with “Drusillia with a Million” in photos from October 29, 1925. It closed on October 13, 1926 with “Forbidden Cargo.” In 1927, the equipment was removed and use for a brief period as a revival venue. It was torn down long ago.
The Atlanta Theatre more or less replaced the Casino Theatre in town. The Atlanta opened September 4, 1936 with Bing Crosby in “Anything Goes.” The Casino closed a month later. (Atlanta also had the Star Theatre which opened in the Patton Building on June 22, 1911. The Atlanta Theatre was resdesigned by new operators, Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Deuterman, with a brighter streamline moderne approach reducing seat count to 250 at its reopening at the Palace Teatre on October 31, 1947 with “1001 Nights.” It closed as small town theaters struggled with marquee removed in the 1960s after its 30 year lease expiry and the Atlanta movie era ended permanently.
But the Palace made an unlikely comeback with new operators and a new marquee on September 28, 1973 reopening with “Sound of Music.” The Palace closed in 1975 and that was it.
Except the Palace was reopened on November 5, 1976 with “Other Side of the Mountain.” But it closed in March of 1979 and the town had no more movies.
Although, the sme Palace was reopened August 31, 1979 with “CHOMPS.” The theater closed again later in the year and that was that as small-town cinemas were closing with folks traveling to multiplexes.
However, a new operator reopened the Palace on February 27, 1980 with Linda Blair in “Roller Boogie” and closed later in 1980.
Based on no evidence, I’m guessing the air conditioning system didn’t work and each time the repair estimate was given, it was too high to make the money back.
The Warsaw Theatre closed at the end of its 25-year lease with “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” on August 27, 1972. The concession stand was open on Labor Day for the parade, however..
AMC Evanston 12 closed on July 19, 2026 to reopen after a renovation as the AMC Evanston 7. The theatre began with 12 mainstream screens and a six-screen art house. with 18 screens in total in 2000 under Century Theatres. Cinemark absorbed Century and closed the theater on March 16, 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. They decided to make the closure permanent.
AMC reopened the 12-screener in November 22, 2022 with the Cine-Arts converted to a bounce house. A high-rise apartment building proposed at 900 Clark Street bites into the floor plan so it will re-emerge with new recliners and a multi-million update in 2027.
I think the Embassy Theatre was actually at 1418 Woodward Avenue with a tight seat count of 288 sporting a Reproduco Photoplayer Pipe Organ opening in 1927. It was within an existing building that, itself, had a different address - along with all of the buildings - prior to the Woodward Ave.’s renumbering in 1921.
The Embassy converted to sound. And I think the fire of September 16, 1931 there - in which a crowd of 10,000 showed up - both was its biggest night and its last night of operation. But feel free to go with your information if it’s preferable.
The Loop Theatre opened on February 17, 1928 and attracted second and third shift auto workers. (The Cadillac Clark Street auto plant was a quick streetcar ride a bit over a mile away.) The Loop was a grind house from its first days known for being open all night and playing third-run pictures and often having stage shows for 15 cents. The venue added sound in 1929 to remain commercially viable. The Loop was operated at the open by Alex Schreiber Enterprises which quickly was within Allied Theatres of Michigan with Schreiber operating Associated Theatres Circuit in the early to mid-1930s almost to the end of the theater’s run.
The Loop’s opening show on Feb. 17, 1928 featured Girlesk live shows and photoplays - unknown performers and unknown titles. For what it’s worth, it billed itself as the first “Girlesk” theatre in the world. The Loop additionally housed a short-lived Girlesk-branded operation that it extended to the new Times Square Theatre in 1929 and to anyone who wanted to license that term. When the Depression hit, the Times Square went dark in bankruptcy leaving the 24-hour trade to the Loop and, across the street, the Lyric. The Loop’s signage was by Electric Lu-Mi-Nus Signs Co. out of Chicago which also did theatre signage for Detroit-area venues including the Avalon, Uptown, Linwood, and Ramona.
During the Great Depression, the Loop’s neighborhood became increasingly populated by post-Prohibition liquor stores, nightclubs and bars, pawn shops, and cheap hotels while attracting a growing homeless population, as the eastern edge of Corktown gradually devolved into what was called Detroit’s Skid Row. One of the most high visibility spots was a block away in the Salvation Army Harbor Light Mission Center at 564 Michigan Ave.
The late night / overnight grind shows were now frequented by Skid Row folks trying to get a cheap overnight to escape cold and/or rainy Detroit nights. “Right now, as well as enjoying a good show the folks enjoy a good sleep,” said the manager of the Loop Fred Walton for much of the venue’s run. “Moreover, when anyone is fearful they won’t awake on time, all they have to do is leave a call at the box office and our user, Bill Rice, will see they are up on time."
The early Loop film contracts showed how low on the pecking order the theater was. The 1929 film, “Eternal Love,” played first run at the United Artists Theatre in downtown Detroit. Subsequent runs on the way down for the title went like this: Kramer - $250 rental; Annex - $225 rental; DeLuxe - $200 rental; Park - $175 rental; Strand - $150 rental; Senate - $140 rental; Great Lakes - $110 rental; LaSalle Gardens $100 rental; Loop $65 rental. The lower the terms, the more likely a playout would occur at the Loop.
Corden Candy Company opened its first ever theatre-centered confectionery inside the Loop Theatre. It was so successful that it followed it up with even more lucrative locations within the Colonial and the Senate theaters. The theatre was known for its two taglines in its halcyon days, “Always a good show” and “We never close.” In 1937, the competing Times Square came back on line also offering 24 hour shows. The Lyric would blink first closing in 1942.
The Loop closed on May 16, 1957 with “Away All Boats” and “Sleeping City” - check that - May 17, 1957 at 6:00a. The “We never close” sign remained in place, however. The Times Square closed in 1958 as 24 hour movie theaters were becoming obsolete. In 1960, the International Village was proposed and would lead to condemnation of that Michigan Avenue Skid Row area and all of Chinatown. Michael L. Duckett relit the Loop Theatre in late 1960 into early 1961 - it is assumed - simply to have the venue active as the boards met to determine property values.
In December of 1961, it was one of 213 parcels - three former theaters, several divey hotels including the Taylor Hotel and the White Star Hotel (both still charging just fifty cents a night at closure in 1962) and 35 (!) taverns - which were awarded condemnation funding. The Loop Theatre was awarded a rather austere $139,000.
By 1962, the International Village concept was DOA but the project continued as the Central Business District Project #1 that included the major highways that would sever former neighborhoods. That was cemented in February of 1962 when Arrow Wrecking of Dearborn received $587k to demolish the 59-acre “Skid Row” and 180 buildings that included both the Salvation Army, the Detroit Rescue Mission, and the Loop Theatre. The demolition was swift beginning in April of 1962 and completed by 1963.
The Times Square Theatre was opened by Alex Schreiber Enterprises as a partner to the Loop that had opened in February of 1928. There, the Girlesk live shows had sold out so he built a 1,700 seat venue to move the shows here which he did on October 9, 1929 with a screening of Colleen Moore in “Smiling Irish Eyes,” to boot. This was no cheap theatre. It was financed by gliding industry expert and Lockheed CEO Edward S. Evans at a cost of $300,000 - a ton of bucks for Corktown. The Spanish architecture was appropriate for the 1920s and the two-story Indiana Limestone building impressed. And the opening promised 40 people in the show.
At Schreiber’s Loop, the stage plus photoplay shows were general admission - 15 cents but at the Times Square, top tickets went for 60 cents on a reserved ticket policy. Possibly, that’s a manageable price point when times are good. But Schreiber’s Times Square opening was Time Bomb disastrous. The stock market crashed within three weeks of its opening and the Times Square policy was out of synch with the times.
The Times Square went dark three days after its First Anniversary on October 12, 1930. Schreiber Enterprises declared bankruptcy and nobody wanted to touch the liens on a one-year old, $300,000 White Limestone Elephant in the throes of the Depression. Further, the entire Corktown area would devolve into what was called Detroit Skid Row complete with flop house hotels, missions, and post-prohibition liquor stores and bars, and the two 24-hour theatres which attracted homeless folks after hours. One of those venues was Schreiber’s Loop Theatre - thankfully for him in a different corporate umbrella - that remained commercially viable along with the Lyric Theatre across the street. Both were open all night.
The Times Square was dark for more than six years. The Depression was easing somewhat. Gus Coplan formerly of the Columbia Theater, relit the Times Square - never opening the balcony which reduced capacity from 1,700 to 1,000. He stayed with it for about a year and a half and sold it to Joseph Bruzy who didn’t make it work. He then sold it to Jack Broder. Broder and Manager Hank Garish made the industry trade press for their wild programming. The Times Square programmed five to six features plus shorts for 15 cents - free parking - and, on Thursday, free dishes. There was a five cent surcharge that wasn’t shared with the studios. On changeover nights, you might see 11 features. A projectionist’s nightmare but a transient’s dream night.
The Times Square was the equivalent of a loss leader. The venue was open 24 hours a day trying to decimate the neighboring Lyric and the Loop. Those theatres wrote to distributors and to the trade press decrying the situation hoping to block clearances to the Times Square. Paramount did just that and the Times Square cut back to triple features and eliminating the spurious surcharge. The Lyric closed first and the Times Square and Loop did well with the all night format.
The Times Square Theatre and National both equipped with air conditioning by the early 1950s to become the better of the 24-hour theaters. And the Times Square survived all the way to December 4, 1958 closing with “Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison” and “Indian Fighter”… make that December 5, 1958.. at 6 a.m. The former theatre was in the path of the International Village proposal. It would lead to condemnation of that entire Skid Row area and all of Chinatown.
In December of 1961, the former Times Square was one of 213 parcels along with the Loop Theatre, several divey hotels, and 35 taverns - which were awarded condemnation funding. The building was razed in 1962. And in 1965, the International Village project was DOA and the former Times Square just looked like a field.
The Plaza Cinema opened on January 26, 1979 with “Goin' South.” Mayor Charles Fulgham cut the ribbon honoring Delta Drive-In and Plaza Cinema owners George Twiner and Ronald Potter. It was constructed to be twinned when necessary. That happened a year later when the Plaza became the Plaza Twin Cinema on February 8, 1980 with “Star Trek” and “Apocalypse Now.” The venue was operating almost unchanged other than digital exhibition into 2026 - and was offered for sale while operating
The Starlight Theater’s last advertised show was a double feature of “Lip Smackers” and “Psycho II” on August 15, 1983. As that times out with the expiry of a 30-year leasing period, it’s probably about right.
The original Princess Theatre opened with the live play, “Louisiana” on November 13, 1913. The venue switched to films and the Princess burned down in a nitrate film fire on October 4, 1916.
The Gem Theatre opened at least by 1910. It was equipped with sound to remain commercially viable. It was given a streamline moderne makeover for July 18, 1941. The Gem was equipped with widescreen to present CinemaScope films the theatre appears to have closed in January of 1958. The vacant theater was purchased along with the Central Hotel in 1971; both were razed that year.
This was the New Pal Theatre #2 opening December 15, 1936. Pal Theatres of Vidalia announced the project in September of 1936 and built this venue opening in mid-December.
This likely opened as the Olympic Theatre in the 1900s and which was showing movies in 1910 according to the trade press. It’s the same address of the Empress Theatre which appears to have failed to make the transition to sound films.
The long-standing Colonial Theatre was programming films by 1910. It added sound to remain commercially viable. The Colonial closed heading into the Summer of 1943 and not returning in the Fall - likely an indication of no air conditioning. It was reopened as the Victory Theatre on March 30, 1944 with “Two Yanks in Trinidad” and “Shut My Mouth.” Likely, it had some form of air conditioning operating year-round to 1949 but as a third-tier house and open to exploitation titles.
It was rebranded under new operators as the Main Theater. The April 1, 1949 reopening ad as the Main Theater is in photos and promising no more unsavory film bookings. People were so happy about the clean policy of the Main Theatre that it quickly reduced to weekend-only operation in the early 1950s; It appears to have closed as the Main Theater ceasing advertising after the September 4, 1954 showing of “Romance & Rhythm” and “San Francisco Story.”
Danvilleland’s latest movie theater was a suburban, Uptown streamline moderne venue costing $100,000. It was the 900-seat (at opening) Times Theatre and it opened on August 6, 1941 with the above-mentioned Gary Blankenburg as its opening manager and run by the Constan Brothers. The opening titles were “Comrade X” with Clark Gable and “One Night in the Tropics” with Abbott & Costello. The Carson Drug Store was the de facto concession stand for many patrons and a choice of The Milk Bar and Shaw’s Ice Cream after the show. Piggly Wiggly and Archie Bailey’s Grill were also part of the Uptown scene in 1941.
The architectural plans by Decatur-based Arthur E. Bramhall and Harry B. Carter of Bramhall, Dague & Carter included a cry room for loud, younger patrons. The venue was bathed in red and blue with an ivory dome light. The venue converted to widescreen projection in the 1950s to present CinemaScope titles. The venue made it to 1999 before closing. It was then demolished.
The Morton Theatre was placed in the Yentes Motor Sales building’s spot and erected by the Mathis Lumber Company in the Spring and Summer of 1937. The theatre opened on August 5, 1938 with Janet Gaynor in “A Star is Born” for Phil C. Hauter and Clarence F. Gury. Times were challenging as the theatre not only hosted “Bank Night” offering a a cash prize but “Job Night” trying to match employers to prospective employees. One of the biggest moments for Hauter was booking “Gone with the Wind” on May 30, 1940. E.F. Pope of Minonk took on the Morton Theatre on March 23, 1944 for a year.
The Morton was purchased and run the longest by Mr. and Mrs. Alfred B. & Marjorie Carious. They took it on on a 15-year lease operating it from 1945 to closure. They are likely better known for the seasonally-operated Dairy Queen and A&W Drive-In which they ran until 1975. In July In 1955, they transitioned the Morton Theatre to widescreen projection to present CinemaScope films. Despite “scope,” the television age had already killed small-town movie theaters everywhere. The Cariouses closed temporarily in 1959 and reopened for its final stretch to April 23, 1960.
One of the last bookings was “The Miracle” which they listed on the marquee along with the opening of the Dairy Queen on April 14, 1960 - likely indicating a hard winter season and springtime relief. The Cariouses shuttered permanently with “The Wreck of the Mary Deare” with a few patrons showing up (picture from closing day, April 23, 1960 in photos). In July of 1960, building owner Oscar Mathis removed the theatre seating, the marquee, and leveled the floor for retail use purposes. The local newspaper surmised that the town might not get another movie theater but that changed when the Jerry Lewis Cinema opened in the early 1970s - a theatre that morphed into a more modern complex and still was operational in the 2020s.
Grand opening ad with “Drusillia with a Million” in photos from October 29, 1925. It closed on October 13, 1926 with “Forbidden Cargo.” In 1927, the equipment was removed and use for a brief period as a revival venue. It was torn down long ago.
Grand opening ad with “Drusillia with a Million” in photos.
The Atlanta Theatre more or less replaced the Casino Theatre in town. The Atlanta opened September 4, 1936 with Bing Crosby in “Anything Goes.” The Casino closed a month later. (Atlanta also had the Star Theatre which opened in the Patton Building on June 22, 1911. The Atlanta Theatre was resdesigned by new operators, Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Deuterman, with a brighter streamline moderne approach reducing seat count to 250 at its reopening at the Palace Teatre on October 31, 1947 with “1001 Nights.” It closed as small town theaters struggled with marquee removed in the 1960s after its 30 year lease expiry and the Atlanta movie era ended permanently.
But the Palace made an unlikely comeback with new operators and a new marquee on September 28, 1973 reopening with “Sound of Music.” The Palace closed in 1975 and that was it.
Except the Palace was reopened on November 5, 1976 with “Other Side of the Mountain.” But it closed in March of 1979 and the town had no more movies.
Although, the sme Palace was reopened August 31, 1979 with “CHOMPS.” The theater closed again later in the year and that was that as small-town cinemas were closing with folks traveling to multiplexes.
However, a new operator reopened the Palace on February 27, 1980 with Linda Blair in “Roller Boogie” and closed later in 1980.
Based on no evidence, I’m guessing the air conditioning system didn’t work and each time the repair estimate was given, it was too high to make the money back.
The Warsaw Theatre closed at the end of its 25-year lease with “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” on August 27, 1972. The concession stand was open on Labor Day for the parade, however..
Status : Open
AMC Evanston 12 closed on July 19, 2026 to reopen after a renovation as the AMC Evanston 7. The theatre began with 12 mainstream screens and a six-screen art house. with 18 screens in total in 2000 under Century Theatres. Cinemark absorbed Century and closed the theater on March 16, 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. They decided to make the closure permanent.
AMC reopened the 12-screener in November 22, 2022 with the Cine-Arts converted to a bounce house. A high-rise apartment building proposed at 900 Clark Street bites into the floor plan so it will re-emerge with new recliners and a multi-million update in 2027.
The local newspaper contends that the Lyric Theatre opened in 1910 and was operated by Porter Alden Bush until 1930.
I think the Embassy Theatre was actually at 1418 Woodward Avenue with a tight seat count of 288 sporting a Reproduco Photoplayer Pipe Organ opening in 1927. It was within an existing building that, itself, had a different address - along with all of the buildings - prior to the Woodward Ave.’s renumbering in 1921.
The Embassy converted to sound. And I think the fire of September 16, 1931 there - in which a crowd of 10,000 showed up - both was its biggest night and its last night of operation. But feel free to go with your information if it’s preferable.
The Loop Theatre opened on February 17, 1928 and attracted second and third shift auto workers. (The Cadillac Clark Street auto plant was a quick streetcar ride a bit over a mile away.) The Loop was a grind house from its first days known for being open all night and playing third-run pictures and often having stage shows for 15 cents. The venue added sound in 1929 to remain commercially viable. The Loop was operated at the open by Alex Schreiber Enterprises which quickly was within Allied Theatres of Michigan with Schreiber operating Associated Theatres Circuit in the early to mid-1930s almost to the end of the theater’s run.
The Loop’s opening show on Feb. 17, 1928 featured Girlesk live shows and photoplays - unknown performers and unknown titles. For what it’s worth, it billed itself as the first “Girlesk” theatre in the world. The Loop additionally housed a short-lived Girlesk-branded operation that it extended to the new Times Square Theatre in 1929 and to anyone who wanted to license that term. When the Depression hit, the Times Square went dark in bankruptcy leaving the 24-hour trade to the Loop and, across the street, the Lyric. The Loop’s signage was by Electric Lu-Mi-Nus Signs Co. out of Chicago which also did theatre signage for Detroit-area venues including the Avalon, Uptown, Linwood, and Ramona.
During the Great Depression, the Loop’s neighborhood became increasingly populated by post-Prohibition liquor stores, nightclubs and bars, pawn shops, and cheap hotels while attracting a growing homeless population, as the eastern edge of Corktown gradually devolved into what was called Detroit’s Skid Row. One of the most high visibility spots was a block away in the Salvation Army Harbor Light Mission Center at 564 Michigan Ave.
The late night / overnight grind shows were now frequented by Skid Row folks trying to get a cheap overnight to escape cold and/or rainy Detroit nights. “Right now, as well as enjoying a good show the folks enjoy a good sleep,” said the manager of the Loop Fred Walton for much of the venue’s run. “Moreover, when anyone is fearful they won’t awake on time, all they have to do is leave a call at the box office and our user, Bill Rice, will see they are up on time."
The early Loop film contracts showed how low on the pecking order the theater was. The 1929 film, “Eternal Love,” played first run at the United Artists Theatre in downtown Detroit. Subsequent runs on the way down for the title went like this: Kramer - $250 rental; Annex - $225 rental; DeLuxe - $200 rental; Park - $175 rental; Strand - $150 rental; Senate - $140 rental; Great Lakes - $110 rental; LaSalle Gardens $100 rental; Loop $65 rental. The lower the terms, the more likely a playout would occur at the Loop.
Corden Candy Company opened its first ever theatre-centered confectionery inside the Loop Theatre. It was so successful that it followed it up with even more lucrative locations within the Colonial and the Senate theaters. The theatre was known for its two taglines in its halcyon days, “Always a good show” and “We never close.” In 1937, the competing Times Square came back on line also offering 24 hour shows. The Lyric would blink first closing in 1942.
The Loop closed on May 16, 1957 with “Away All Boats” and “Sleeping City” - check that - May 17, 1957 at 6:00a. The “We never close” sign remained in place, however. The Times Square closed in 1958 as 24 hour movie theaters were becoming obsolete. In 1960, the International Village was proposed and would lead to condemnation of that Michigan Avenue Skid Row area and all of Chinatown. Michael L. Duckett relit the Loop Theatre in late 1960 into early 1961 - it is assumed - simply to have the venue active as the boards met to determine property values.
In December of 1961, it was one of 213 parcels - three former theaters, several divey hotels including the Taylor Hotel and the White Star Hotel (both still charging just fifty cents a night at closure in 1962) and 35 (!) taverns - which were awarded condemnation funding. The Loop Theatre was awarded a rather austere $139,000.
By 1962, the International Village concept was DOA but the project continued as the Central Business District Project #1 that included the major highways that would sever former neighborhoods. That was cemented in February of 1962 when Arrow Wrecking of Dearborn received $587k to demolish the 59-acre “Skid Row” and 180 buildings that included both the Salvation Army, the Detroit Rescue Mission, and the Loop Theatre. The demolition was swift beginning in April of 1962 and completed by 1963.
The Times Square Theatre was opened by Alex Schreiber Enterprises as a partner to the Loop that had opened in February of 1928. There, the Girlesk live shows had sold out so he built a 1,700 seat venue to move the shows here which he did on October 9, 1929 with a screening of Colleen Moore in “Smiling Irish Eyes,” to boot. This was no cheap theatre. It was financed by gliding industry expert and Lockheed CEO Edward S. Evans at a cost of $300,000 - a ton of bucks for Corktown. The Spanish architecture was appropriate for the 1920s and the two-story Indiana Limestone building impressed. And the opening promised 40 people in the show.
At Schreiber’s Loop, the stage plus photoplay shows were general admission - 15 cents but at the Times Square, top tickets went for 60 cents on a reserved ticket policy. Possibly, that’s a manageable price point when times are good. But Schreiber’s Times Square opening was Time Bomb disastrous. The stock market crashed within three weeks of its opening and the Times Square policy was out of synch with the times.
The Times Square went dark three days after its First Anniversary on October 12, 1930. Schreiber Enterprises declared bankruptcy and nobody wanted to touch the liens on a one-year old, $300,000 White Limestone Elephant in the throes of the Depression. Further, the entire Corktown area would devolve into what was called Detroit Skid Row complete with flop house hotels, missions, and post-prohibition liquor stores and bars, and the two 24-hour theatres which attracted homeless folks after hours. One of those venues was Schreiber’s Loop Theatre - thankfully for him in a different corporate umbrella - that remained commercially viable along with the Lyric Theatre across the street. Both were open all night.
The Times Square was dark for more than six years. The Depression was easing somewhat. Gus Coplan formerly of the Columbia Theater, relit the Times Square - never opening the balcony which reduced capacity from 1,700 to 1,000. He stayed with it for about a year and a half and sold it to Joseph Bruzy who didn’t make it work. He then sold it to Jack Broder. Broder and Manager Hank Garish made the industry trade press for their wild programming. The Times Square programmed five to six features plus shorts for 15 cents - free parking - and, on Thursday, free dishes. There was a five cent surcharge that wasn’t shared with the studios. On changeover nights, you might see 11 features. A projectionist’s nightmare but a transient’s dream night.
The Times Square was the equivalent of a loss leader. The venue was open 24 hours a day trying to decimate the neighboring Lyric and the Loop. Those theatres wrote to distributors and to the trade press decrying the situation hoping to block clearances to the Times Square. Paramount did just that and the Times Square cut back to triple features and eliminating the spurious surcharge. The Lyric closed first and the Times Square and Loop did well with the all night format.
The Times Square Theatre and National both equipped with air conditioning by the early 1950s to become the better of the 24-hour theaters. And the Times Square survived all the way to December 4, 1958 closing with “Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison” and “Indian Fighter”… make that December 5, 1958.. at 6 a.m. The former theatre was in the path of the International Village proposal. It would lead to condemnation of that entire Skid Row area and all of Chinatown.
In December of 1961, the former Times Square was one of 213 parcels along with the Loop Theatre, several divey hotels, and 35 taverns - which were awarded condemnation funding. The building was razed in 1962. And in 1965, the International Village project was DOA and the former Times Square just looked like a field.
October 23, 1958
The Plaza Cinema opened on January 26, 1979 with “Goin' South.” Mayor Charles Fulgham cut the ribbon honoring Delta Drive-In and Plaza Cinema owners George Twiner and Ronald Potter. It was constructed to be twinned when necessary. That happened a year later when the Plaza became the Plaza Twin Cinema on February 8, 1980 with “Star Trek” and “Apocalypse Now.” The venue was operating almost unchanged other than digital exhibition into 2026 - and was offered for sale while operating
The Starlight Theater’s last advertised show was a double feature of “Lip Smackers” and “Psycho II” on August 15, 1983. As that times out with the expiry of a 30-year leasing period, it’s probably about right.
The original Princess Theatre opened with the live play, “Louisiana” on November 13, 1913. The venue switched to films and the Princess burned down in a nitrate film fire on October 4, 1916.
The Gem Theatre opened at least by 1910. It was equipped with sound to remain commercially viable. It was given a streamline moderne makeover for July 18, 1941. The Gem was equipped with widescreen to present CinemaScope films the theatre appears to have closed in January of 1958. The vacant theater was purchased along with the Central Hotel in 1971; both were razed that year.
This was the New Pal Theatre #2 opening December 15, 1936. Pal Theatres of Vidalia announced the project in September of 1936 and built this venue opening in mid-December.
Shouldn’t be changed - but had a cup of coffee as Dan’s Theatre under J.W. “Dan” Daniels beginning November 14, 1963.
This likely opened as the Olympic Theatre in the 1900s and which was showing movies in 1910 according to the trade press. It’s the same address of the Empress Theatre which appears to have failed to make the transition to sound films.
The long-standing Colonial Theatre was programming films by 1910. It added sound to remain commercially viable. The Colonial closed heading into the Summer of 1943 and not returning in the Fall - likely an indication of no air conditioning. It was reopened as the Victory Theatre on March 30, 1944 with “Two Yanks in Trinidad” and “Shut My Mouth.” Likely, it had some form of air conditioning operating year-round to 1949 but as a third-tier house and open to exploitation titles.
It was rebranded under new operators as the Main Theater. The April 1, 1949 reopening ad as the Main Theater is in photos and promising no more unsavory film bookings. People were so happy about the clean policy of the Main Theatre that it quickly reduced to weekend-only operation in the early 1950s; It appears to have closed as the Main Theater ceasing advertising after the September 4, 1954 showing of “Romance & Rhythm” and “San Francisco Story.”
Danvilleland’s latest movie theater was a suburban, Uptown streamline moderne venue costing $100,000. It was the 900-seat (at opening) Times Theatre and it opened on August 6, 1941 with the above-mentioned Gary Blankenburg as its opening manager and run by the Constan Brothers. The opening titles were “Comrade X” with Clark Gable and “One Night in the Tropics” with Abbott & Costello. The Carson Drug Store was the de facto concession stand for many patrons and a choice of The Milk Bar and Shaw’s Ice Cream after the show. Piggly Wiggly and Archie Bailey’s Grill were also part of the Uptown scene in 1941.
The architectural plans by Decatur-based Arthur E. Bramhall and Harry B. Carter of Bramhall, Dague & Carter included a cry room for loud, younger patrons. The venue was bathed in red and blue with an ivory dome light. The venue converted to widescreen projection in the 1950s to present CinemaScope titles. The venue made it to 1999 before closing. It was then demolished.
The Skyway appears to have opened June 29, 1949 with “I Shot Jesse James.”
Opened on April 23, 1954 with “Inferno” and “It’s a Pleasure.”
The Dixie Drive-In Theatre opened on May 11, 1949 with Abbott & Costello in “Pardon My Sarong.”
Three screens for two different kinds of audiences
The Morton Theatre was placed in the Yentes Motor Sales building’s spot and erected by the Mathis Lumber Company in the Spring and Summer of 1937. The theatre opened on August 5, 1938 with Janet Gaynor in “A Star is Born” for Phil C. Hauter and Clarence F. Gury. Times were challenging as the theatre not only hosted “Bank Night” offering a a cash prize but “Job Night” trying to match employers to prospective employees. One of the biggest moments for Hauter was booking “Gone with the Wind” on May 30, 1940. E.F. Pope of Minonk took on the Morton Theatre on March 23, 1944 for a year.
The Morton was purchased and run the longest by Mr. and Mrs. Alfred B. & Marjorie Carious. They took it on on a 15-year lease operating it from 1945 to closure. They are likely better known for the seasonally-operated Dairy Queen and A&W Drive-In which they ran until 1975. In July In 1955, they transitioned the Morton Theatre to widescreen projection to present CinemaScope films. Despite “scope,” the television age had already killed small-town movie theaters everywhere. The Cariouses closed temporarily in 1959 and reopened for its final stretch to April 23, 1960.
One of the last bookings was “The Miracle” which they listed on the marquee along with the opening of the Dairy Queen on April 14, 1960 - likely indicating a hard winter season and springtime relief. The Cariouses shuttered permanently with “The Wreck of the Mary Deare” with a few patrons showing up (picture from closing day, April 23, 1960 in photos). In July of 1960, building owner Oscar Mathis removed the theatre seating, the marquee, and leveled the floor for retail use purposes. The local newspaper surmised that the town might not get another movie theater but that changed when the Jerry Lewis Cinema opened in the early 1970s - a theatre that morphed into a more modern complex and still was operational in the 2020s.