Multiple sources including former employees confirm that the Lux Theatre was open through 1980.
“Up In Smoke”, “Good Guys Wear Black”, “Urban Cowboy” all played there.
I only found the Ozark Theatre address by doing a street view search around town, and located the utility pole pictured and neighboring buildings still standing.
HBO documentary in the works.
Description credit Stax Records.
News Flash! 🚨 HBO Documentary Films is currently in production on STAX, a multiple-part documentary series exploring Stax’s amazing history! Directed by award-winning filmmaker Jamila Wignot (“Ailey”), STAX is executive produced by Academy Award® winners Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow (“OJ: Made In America”) of Laylow Pictures and Emmy® winners Nigel Sinclair and Nicholas Ferrall of White Horse Pictures.
The series is presented in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment and Warner Music Entertainment.
Was renamed the Ritz Theatre by circa 1940. Photo added credit Steve Rider courtesy Route 66 Postcards. Street view confirms it is the same theatre and nearby buildings.
1939 photo and description added credit Davenport Iowa History Facebook page.
The Columbia Theatre - 1939
This looks like an aftermath photo from World War II. It’s actually a picture of the demolition of the interior of the Columbia Theatre on the northwest corner of Third and Ripley streets. It was taken during the early stages of the remodeling and transformation into the new Esquire Theatre. It appears that someone has painted “Capitol” on the back wall, in reference to The Capitol Theatre, the Esquire’s competition across the street.
The Columbia Theatre and Hotel was built in 1913 as Davenport’s new Vaudeville House and 40-room hotel. The very first “talkie” picture was shown there. In 1916, the great magician “Hardeen” was strapped into the punishment suit (straight jacket) and handcuffed by the local deputies from the sheriff’s office to perform an amazing escape before an anxious and appreciative crowd. Hardeen was the younger brother of Harry Houdini. Sophie Tucker, “The Last of the Red Hot Mamas” appeared at the Columbia for four days beginning on February 20, 1921.
The Columbia Theater essentially closed in late November of 1931 with the opening of the new RKO Orpheum. On Monday, August 21, 1939, work began on transforming it into a new 800-seat modern theater. It was scheduled to open in November as a first-run motion picture house with all the seats on the first floor. The building was completely remodeled from the entrance to the rear, from the ceiling to the basement. The stage, on which virtually all Vaudeville acts of former years performed, was torn out. The balconies were torn down and all the seats removed. Even the outside of the building was refinished and remodeled, with the owner, the Walsh Construction Company, in charge of the work, and Arthur Ebeling as supervising architect.
The new Esquire Theater was opened on Wednesday night, November 22, 1939, at 8 p.m. with a dedication program followed by the showing of “First Love,” starring Deanna Durbin, and “20,000 Men a Year,” featuring Randolph Scott and Margaret Lindsay. Representing an investment of approximately $55,000 in the remodeling of the former Columbia Theater, the Esquire took its place among the ultra-modernistic amusement centers, accommodating 850 people. Richard Stoddard was the manager of the Esquire, a picture house operated by the Tri-States Theater Corp., of which A. H. Blank of Des Moines was president.
Twenty years later, on Wednesday night, January 7, 1959, the last motion picture was shown at the Esquire Theater. Its demise left only four movie houses in Davenport, the Capitol, Orpheum, State and Coronet theaters. Its closing closely followed the end of the Sunset Theater on Fourth and Cedar streets, which ceased to operate on October 29th, 1958. Lack of patronage and increasing operating costs were listed as the reasons for the closing of the theaters.
The business district of Davenport was once the home of the Casino, Garden, Family, Star, Crystal, Mirror and Liberty theaters. In West Davenport, the neighborhood movie houses included the Pariser Garden, Olympic, Davenport, Zenith and Home. Northwest Davenport had the Washington Theater and the Elite Theater was on the northwest corner of Fourteenth and Harrison streets. And finally, at one time, Davenport also had two open-air theaters, one at Seventh and Sturdevant streets and the other at Locust and Harrison.
Built and operated in 1924 by August Ilg, with a seating capacity of 692 by 1954, per an image I just added.
It was taken over by Selected Theatres in 1952 if the image is correct.
When it was extensively modernized with a wide screen for CinemaScope productions.
Interior photos added courtesy Lost Kootenays.
It was owned and operated by the Noble family who still lives there.
May 24th, 1985 grand re-opening ad as a 3 screen as M&R Hyde Park added via James Stegall.
The Vogue marquee in the early `60s on the left at the 5:17 mark in the video.
https://vimeo.com/211033122
Also via Joe Sonderman: “Rowe Carney would later buy the town of Arlington, Missouri for a resort that never was completed.”
Multiple sources including former employees confirm that the Lux Theatre was open through 1980. “Up In Smoke”, “Good Guys Wear Black”, “Urban Cowboy” all played there.
Re-opened as the Surf Theatre 80 years ago today. May 7, 1942. Thank you Tim O'Neill for the reminder.
I only found the Ozark Theatre address by doing a street view search around town, and located the utility pole pictured and neighboring buildings still standing.
According to Cinematour the other three were the Gem, Liberty and Reeves. No addresses given.
July 2016 street view shows it as a vacant retail space that previously housed ISA Computer Repair & Sales.
HBO documentary in the works. Description credit Stax Records.
News Flash! 🚨 HBO Documentary Films is currently in production on STAX, a multiple-part documentary series exploring Stax’s amazing history! Directed by award-winning filmmaker Jamila Wignot (“Ailey”), STAX is executive produced by Academy Award® winners Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow (“OJ: Made In America”) of Laylow Pictures and Emmy® winners Nigel Sinclair and Nicholas Ferrall of White Horse Pictures. The series is presented in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment and Warner Music Entertainment.
Read more here:
https://staxmuseum.com/hbo-to-air-documentary-series-on-the-history-of-stax-records-the-audacious-group-of-outsiders-who-dared-to-make-their-own-music-on-their-own-terms/?fbclid=IwAR0nprHJcBZeLh-vrN1-iHO5n0l_wp3UD_zmazPZi2rsI95h1hskNW56aB8
Direct link to Stax Records Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/staxrecords
Was renamed the Ritz Theatre by circa 1940.
Photo added credit Steve Rider courtesy Route 66 Postcards.
Street view confirms it is the same theatre and nearby buildings.
2017 Urban Remain piece with photos.
https://www.urbanremainschicago.com/news-and-events/2017/04/24/uncovering-the-1920s-boot-of-a-theater-tradesman-in-the-congress-theater-attic?fbclid=IwAR3I3kfCw1Mp2yE4HY-_6X–Q2KpKKp-nhJgTgrm9JWVQhF5zVL99ab0VSA
Owner and operator was Clifford Orr. 1949 photo added.
Update: Circa 1907 photo credit John Chuckman Collection.
1939 photo and description added credit Davenport Iowa History Facebook page.
The Columbia Theatre - 1939
This looks like an aftermath photo from World War II. It’s actually a picture of the demolition of the interior of the Columbia Theatre on the northwest corner of Third and Ripley streets. It was taken during the early stages of the remodeling and transformation into the new Esquire Theatre. It appears that someone has painted “Capitol” on the back wall, in reference to The Capitol Theatre, the Esquire’s competition across the street.
The Columbia Theatre and Hotel was built in 1913 as Davenport’s new Vaudeville House and 40-room hotel. The very first “talkie” picture was shown there. In 1916, the great magician “Hardeen” was strapped into the punishment suit (straight jacket) and handcuffed by the local deputies from the sheriff’s office to perform an amazing escape before an anxious and appreciative crowd. Hardeen was the younger brother of Harry Houdini. Sophie Tucker, “The Last of the Red Hot Mamas” appeared at the Columbia for four days beginning on February 20, 1921.
The Columbia Theater essentially closed in late November of 1931 with the opening of the new RKO Orpheum. On Monday, August 21, 1939, work began on transforming it into a new 800-seat modern theater. It was scheduled to open in November as a first-run motion picture house with all the seats on the first floor. The building was completely remodeled from the entrance to the rear, from the ceiling to the basement. The stage, on which virtually all Vaudeville acts of former years performed, was torn out. The balconies were torn down and all the seats removed. Even the outside of the building was refinished and remodeled, with the owner, the Walsh Construction Company, in charge of the work, and Arthur Ebeling as supervising architect.
The new Esquire Theater was opened on Wednesday night, November 22, 1939, at 8 p.m. with a dedication program followed by the showing of “First Love,” starring Deanna Durbin, and “20,000 Men a Year,” featuring Randolph Scott and Margaret Lindsay. Representing an investment of approximately $55,000 in the remodeling of the former Columbia Theater, the Esquire took its place among the ultra-modernistic amusement centers, accommodating 850 people. Richard Stoddard was the manager of the Esquire, a picture house operated by the Tri-States Theater Corp., of which A. H. Blank of Des Moines was president.
Twenty years later, on Wednesday night, January 7, 1959, the last motion picture was shown at the Esquire Theater. Its demise left only four movie houses in Davenport, the Capitol, Orpheum, State and Coronet theaters. Its closing closely followed the end of the Sunset Theater on Fourth and Cedar streets, which ceased to operate on October 29th, 1958. Lack of patronage and increasing operating costs were listed as the reasons for the closing of the theaters.
The business district of Davenport was once the home of the Casino, Garden, Family, Star, Crystal, Mirror and Liberty theaters. In West Davenport, the neighborhood movie houses included the Pariser Garden, Olympic, Davenport, Zenith and Home. Northwest Davenport had the Washington Theater and the Elite Theater was on the northwest corner of Fourteenth and Harrison streets. And finally, at one time, Davenport also had two open-air theaters, one at Seventh and Sturdevant streets and the other at Locust and Harrison.
Built and operated in 1924 by August Ilg, with a seating capacity of 692 by 1954, per an image I just added. It was taken over by Selected Theatres in 1952 if the image is correct. When it was extensively modernized with a wide screen for CinemaScope productions.
Current article about the change to Rhapsody Theatre.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2022/04/15/rogers-parks-mayne-stage-to-become-rhapsody-theater-hosting-magic-shows-and-music-in-historical-venue/?fbclid=IwAR14mGApK4kL_Jx7XWEHACWVfszXL4P5GGDRbP-g9BKkNziTCMCehJBcjZ4
Los Angeles Times link with multiple photos of various stars placing hand prints in the forecourt.
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-chinese-theatre-handprints-celebrity-20170518-htmlstory.html
The Google street view from November 2021 shows that to be the case.
Auditorium and fire photos added, credit Paul H. Fey Jr.
1920
It does not appear on the AMC website link above. The Fandango website lists it as Temporarily Closed. So not sure if the opening has happened yet.
Here is the Library of Congress link to the 1940 Russell Lee photo. Enlargeable for greater detail within link.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2017741723/
Here is the Library of Congress link to the 1940 Russell Lee photo. Enlargeable for greater detail within link.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2017741723/