The K-Mart Plaza launched on April 12, 1976 and Gulf States decided that was the place to be creating Pascagoula’s final cinema - a twin. Gulf launched the nondescript cinema at 3331 Denny Avenue / U.S. 90 at Chico Road on April 1, 1977 with “Silver Streak” and “Network”. At launch, it had identical 250-seat auditoriums bathed in a mid-1970s color palette of rust, orange, red and ivory. Nailed it! A highlight came when Cinema Twin Manager Nona Gaston welcomed Evil Knievel who made a personal appearance on June 2, 1977 to promote “Viva Knievel!”
The venue became the UA Gulf States Cinema Twin when United Artists acquired the circuit in December of 1986. It then became the UA Twin Cinemas when the Gulf States moniker was eliminated. With UA moving further into the multiplex business environment of the time, it decided to concentrate its efforts on the Singing River Mall nine-screens (a four and five plex) less than nine miles away in Gautier. The Twin Cinema’s closure - one of many twins and tris closed by the chain in a five-year period by what was then United Artists Communications - ended a streak of 82 consecutive years for Pascagoula and Pas-Point moviegoers. It occurred on November 26, 1989 with “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” and “Do the Right Thing” at 99 cents a person. The facility had, by all reports, been allowed to degrade to the point that the theater’s presentation was quite substandard.
The theater sat vacant in the Kmart Plaza for a brief period before becoming a short-lived restaurant. Then the improbable happened when Morgan Corp. of Alabama reopened the twin screener as the Plaza Cinema on May 26, 1995. The policy was returned to first run films and nothing above a PG-13 rating was booked. The former Twin Cinema gave Pascagoula another theater making it 85 years of cinematic magic out of 91 years. But the magic was still gone in that location and move exhibition ended with folks having to go to nearby multiplexes for their movie enjoyment. The Twin Cinema / Plaza Cinema closed and was later demolished.
Searstown was announced at the confluence of Denny Lane and Chicot Road in 1963 anchored by a Sears and housing a Walgreen’s Drug Store, Woolworth’s variety store, and National Food Grocer. In the Luxury Suburban era of film exhibition, Gulf States signed on to be an original tenant. It built a “deluxe” 600-seat venue to take advantage of the free parking offered by the complex.
Searstown launched with a formal dedication in October of 1964 with the mayors of Pascagoula and Moss Point joined by Gulf States President T.G. Solomon. This theater was on the front-end of a successful four-state expansion program by the circuit. Hodges Theatre Equipment provided the screen and projector at the 3253 Denny Avenue.
Single screen venues were challenged by twins, triplexes and early multiplexes in the 1970s. The Towne was refreshed and given a new name, the Towne Cinema, in the 1970s. Gulf States opened the Twin Cinema in town. The Gulf Coast Cablevision circuit closed the Towne Cinema on September 8, 1977 with “Annie Hall.”
The $18 million Singing River Mall was announced in 1976. In 1978, McRae’s signed on as the first anchor store and the venue opened March 5, 1980 then with J.C. Penney’s and Wilson’s ready to go. And though there was no theatre at its launch, Dallas-based Plitt Southern had signed on to build a four-plex with a late summer launch.
Plitt launched the Cinema IV Theatres next to Penney’s with a special showing of “Hopscotch” at a preview event on Oct. 30, 1980. How late 1970s was the color palette? Blue and ivory vinyl wall coverings in burlap patterning were matched by blue foam-padded chairs in the auditorium. Century Projectors with xenon lamps were in the booth. The opening was the next day, Halloween, with “Ordinary People,” “Borderline,” “Loving Couples” and “Hopscotch.” The theatre had its own entry on the Mall’s backside allowing for after mall hours showtimes and easier parking.
Cineplex Odeon took on Plitt Southern in May of 1985 effective November of that year. Gulf States acquired the venue on June 28, 1986 changing it to the Gulf States Singing River 4 Cinemas. United Artists then acquired Gulf States with the venue becoming the UA Gulf States Singing River 4 Theatres. They renamed the venue as the UA Singing River 4 Theatres dropping Gulf State.
Announced in 1987, UA then opened a second theater in the Mall known as the UA Singing River 5-9 Theatres on November 4, 1988. UA continuing to operate its exterior quadplex which was renamed from the UA Singing River 4 Theatres to the UA Singing River 1-4 Theatres (and its final name).
Regal Theatres and UA merged in 1999. The Singing River’s 25-year lease expiry was coming up in the 2000s and UA began to close gaining twins, quads and five-plexes in the megaplex era. Regal / UA moved on from both the 1-4 and 5-9 on April 30, 2003. The five-screen continued under three different independent - closing for a short period due to damage from Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005 - until the Mall’s closure in 2013. The entire Singing River’s swan song was its 2014 demolition.
Announced in 1987, UA opened this theater as the UA Singing River 5-9 Theatres on November 4, 1988 with 804 seats. It was a five-plex inside the Mall with UA continuing to operate the exterior quadplex which was renamed from the UA Singing River 4 Theatres to the UA Singing River 1-4 Theatres.
Regal Theatres and UA merged in 1999. UA moved on from both on April 30, 2003 with the 1-4 closing permanently. The five-screen interior operation was taken on by three different independent operators closing for a period after Katrina storm damage and then continuing until the Mall’s closure in 2013 as the Gulf Coast Cinema 5 offering “mugs and movies.” The entire Singing River’s swan song was its 2014 demolition.
Plans for this new build venue were announced in 1945 and placed in the spot once occupied by the Adams Hotel. The New Ramona Theatre launched on March 4, 1947 with “Suddenly It’s Spring.” The previous operation was located in the Town Hall building
On October 21, 1952, the venue became Teatro Gayety. showing Spanish language films through April 7, 1955. After a refresh, the venue was returned to Hollywood fare as the Gayety Theatre on June 24, 1955 with “A Man Called Peter” and “The Charge of Feather River.” It then switched back to Spanish language films often called Teatro Gayety and also the Gayety Theatre.
Reading the local paper, Pete Lopina opened Pete’s Theatre opened as the South Side’s first nickelodeon. In 1908, he elevated all seating in a change of name to the South Chicago Theatre on August 4, 1908. In 1914, it was renamed as Pete’s South Chicago Theatre. In March of 1917, It is listed as Pete’s Theatre.
It then became the Joy Theatre in the 1930s. Became Teatro Joy on January 9, 1943 showing Spanish Language films. It then became Joy’s House of Music. Demolished in 1971
The EastSide Theatre closed permanently on January 31, 1954 with “Botany Bay” and “Devil’s Canyon.” The building was renovated in 1966 to become a bank.
The Commercial Theatre opened on September 18, 1920 with Duistin Farnum in “Big Happiness” and Buster Keaton in “One Week.” It closed as a grind house playing continuous triple features for as little as sixty cents admission in December of 1966.
Paul Caruso’s Caruso Theatre launched May 27, 1946 with “Our Vines Have Tender Grapes.” The new build Chief Theatre opened three months later. A suspicious fire partially destroyed the Caruso three months after than on December 29, 1946. The Caruso rebuilt reopening March 22, 1947.
On November 14, 1963, it was renamed under new operators as the Dowagiac Theatre with “Irma le Douce.” It celebrated its 30th Anniversary on May 27, 1976. But on November 23, 1977 the Dowagiac Theatre got bad news when it was gutted by a fire while playing “Bad News Bears Breaking Training.” The theatre was destroyed.
1945 architectural drawing by Homer Harper of St. Joseph, Michigan in photos. The Chief Theatre project broke ground on January 2, 1946. The Chief’s grand opening ad is also in photos launching on July 6, 1946 with “The Spiral Staircase.”
Grand opening ad as the Wayne Theatre in photos January 1, 1941 with “Shooting High”. July 30, 1976 rebranding and relaunch as the Center Theatre in photos. Rebrand as Variety Cinema December 5, 1985 in photos. Final ad as Variety Cinema on January 2, 1987 with “Jumpin' Jack Flash” in photos. Became the Variety Cinema and Disco but didn’t screen films. later that year. Should be labeled as the Variety Cinema (not Theatre) if one cares about such things.
The Desert Sky Cinema opened on June 23, 2000. The Desert Sky dived on January 30, 2025 closing with “Wicked,” “Mufasa,” “Wolfman” and “A Complete Unknown.”
The Hudson Theatre launched in the Memorial Building on November 14, 1942 with “The Flying Deuces” with a grand opening ad in photos. It didn’t go well. Ross Thayer got a War Production Board (WPB) grant to build a new theater in 1944. Grand opening ad of his Ross Theatre on January 31, 1945 with “Lady Takes a Chance” is in photos. In January of 1950, the theater was purchased by DeVerne C. Darnell from Clyde Jones who owned the Ross for its final two years. It was renamed the Marcellus Theatre on January 12, 1950 with “Geronimo!”
On August 1, 1957 it became the Dix Theatre with “Four Boys and a Gun.” It closed permanently on July 20, 1958 with “Hot Rod Rumble” and “Naked Sun.”
Seating - 400. The Eagle Theatre left its roost less than a year into its run with a building permit approved in November of 1916 to convert the space to a garage. That’s what occurred as the Smith & Deafner Garage opened there in 1917.
Pitts Madison Theatre opens over in the Masonic Temple on October 22, 1931 with “My Personal Maid”. Pitts moved on as noted above in 1969 but the venue reopened September 18, 1970 under new operators, RC Theatres, with “The Boatniks” as the Madison Theatre. It closed permanently in 1977.
Arthur Abbott launched the Circle A with a western themed rustic interior on November 21, 1937 with Cary Grant in “The Awful Truth” (opening ad in photos). The main attractions were the westerns programmed here. When those westerns were a staple for early television, the business model became challenging. The Circle A headed toward the sunset on November 11, 1951 with “Rough Riders of Durango.”
Osgood and Osgood out of Grand Rapids were the architects of the Century Theatre. The venue opened on February 27, 1922 with Gloria Swanson in “The Great Moment” supported by Buster Keaton in “High Sign”
The K-Mart Plaza launched on April 12, 1976 and Gulf States decided that was the place to be creating Pascagoula’s final cinema - a twin. Gulf launched the nondescript cinema at 3331 Denny Avenue / U.S. 90 at Chico Road on April 1, 1977 with “Silver Streak” and “Network”. At launch, it had identical 250-seat auditoriums bathed in a mid-1970s color palette of rust, orange, red and ivory. Nailed it! A highlight came when Cinema Twin Manager Nona Gaston welcomed Evil Knievel who made a personal appearance on June 2, 1977 to promote “Viva Knievel!”
The venue became the UA Gulf States Cinema Twin when United Artists acquired the circuit in December of 1986. It then became the UA Twin Cinemas when the Gulf States moniker was eliminated. With UA moving further into the multiplex business environment of the time, it decided to concentrate its efforts on the Singing River Mall nine-screens (a four and five plex) less than nine miles away in Gautier. The Twin Cinema’s closure - one of many twins and tris closed by the chain in a five-year period by what was then United Artists Communications - ended a streak of 82 consecutive years for Pascagoula and Pas-Point moviegoers. It occurred on November 26, 1989 with “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” and “Do the Right Thing” at 99 cents a person. The facility had, by all reports, been allowed to degrade to the point that the theater’s presentation was quite substandard.
The theater sat vacant in the Kmart Plaza for a brief period before becoming a short-lived restaurant. Then the improbable happened when Morgan Corp. of Alabama reopened the twin screener as the Plaza Cinema on May 26, 1995. The policy was returned to first run films and nothing above a PG-13 rating was booked. The former Twin Cinema gave Pascagoula another theater making it 85 years of cinematic magic out of 91 years. But the magic was still gone in that location and move exhibition ended with folks having to go to nearby multiplexes for their movie enjoyment. The Twin Cinema / Plaza Cinema closed and was later demolished.
Dietz, Prince & Fischrupp architectural sketch in photos.
Searstown was announced at the confluence of Denny Lane and Chicot Road in 1963 anchored by a Sears and housing a Walgreen’s Drug Store, Woolworth’s variety store, and National Food Grocer. In the Luxury Suburban era of film exhibition, Gulf States signed on to be an original tenant. It built a “deluxe” 600-seat venue to take advantage of the free parking offered by the complex.
Searstown launched with a formal dedication in October of 1964 with the mayors of Pascagoula and Moss Point joined by Gulf States President T.G. Solomon. This theater was on the front-end of a successful four-state expansion program by the circuit. Hodges Theatre Equipment provided the screen and projector at the 3253 Denny Avenue.
Single screen venues were challenged by twins, triplexes and early multiplexes in the 1970s. The Towne was refreshed and given a new name, the Towne Cinema, in the 1970s. Gulf States opened the Twin Cinema in town. The Gulf Coast Cablevision circuit closed the Towne Cinema on September 8, 1977 with “Annie Hall.”
The $18 million Singing River Mall was announced in 1976. In 1978, McRae’s signed on as the first anchor store and the venue opened March 5, 1980 then with J.C. Penney’s and Wilson’s ready to go. And though there was no theatre at its launch, Dallas-based Plitt Southern had signed on to build a four-plex with a late summer launch.
Plitt launched the Cinema IV Theatres next to Penney’s with a special showing of “Hopscotch” at a preview event on Oct. 30, 1980. How late 1970s was the color palette? Blue and ivory vinyl wall coverings in burlap patterning were matched by blue foam-padded chairs in the auditorium. Century Projectors with xenon lamps were in the booth. The opening was the next day, Halloween, with “Ordinary People,” “Borderline,” “Loving Couples” and “Hopscotch.” The theatre had its own entry on the Mall’s backside allowing for after mall hours showtimes and easier parking.
Cineplex Odeon took on Plitt Southern in May of 1985 effective November of that year. Gulf States acquired the venue on June 28, 1986 changing it to the Gulf States Singing River 4 Cinemas. United Artists then acquired Gulf States with the venue becoming the UA Gulf States Singing River 4 Theatres. They renamed the venue as the UA Singing River 4 Theatres dropping Gulf State.
Announced in 1987, UA then opened a second theater in the Mall known as the UA Singing River 5-9 Theatres on November 4, 1988. UA continuing to operate its exterior quadplex which was renamed from the UA Singing River 4 Theatres to the UA Singing River 1-4 Theatres (and its final name).
Regal Theatres and UA merged in 1999. The Singing River’s 25-year lease expiry was coming up in the 2000s and UA began to close gaining twins, quads and five-plexes in the megaplex era. Regal / UA moved on from both the 1-4 and 5-9 on April 30, 2003. The five-screen continued under three different independent - closing for a short period due to damage from Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005 - until the Mall’s closure in 2013. The entire Singing River’s swan song was its 2014 demolition.
Announced in 1987, UA opened this theater as the UA Singing River 5-9 Theatres on November 4, 1988 with 804 seats. It was a five-plex inside the Mall with UA continuing to operate the exterior quadplex which was renamed from the UA Singing River 4 Theatres to the UA Singing River 1-4 Theatres.
Regal Theatres and UA merged in 1999. UA moved on from both on April 30, 2003 with the 1-4 closing permanently. The five-screen interior operation was taken on by three different independent operators closing for a period after Katrina storm damage and then continuing until the Mall’s closure in 2013 as the Gulf Coast Cinema 5 offering “mugs and movies.” The entire Singing River’s swan song was its 2014 demolition.
The Lake Twin 2 Drive-Ins (plural naming) was at 1906 Ingalls.
Plans for this new build venue were announced in 1945 and placed in the spot once occupied by the Adams Hotel. The New Ramona Theatre launched on March 4, 1947 with “Suddenly It’s Spring.” The previous operation was located in the Town Hall building
On October 21, 1952, the venue became Teatro Gayety. showing Spanish language films through April 7, 1955. After a refresh, the venue was returned to Hollywood fare as the Gayety Theatre on June 24, 1955 with “A Man Called Peter” and “The Charge of Feather River.” It then switched back to Spanish language films often called Teatro Gayety and also the Gayety Theatre.
A.B. Lane opened the Lincoln Theatre on June 20, 1908
Reading the local paper, Pete Lopina opened Pete’s Theatre opened as the South Side’s first nickelodeon. In 1908, he elevated all seating in a change of name to the South Chicago Theatre on August 4, 1908. In 1914, it was renamed as Pete’s South Chicago Theatre. In March of 1917, It is listed as Pete’s Theatre.
It then became the Joy Theatre in the 1930s. Became Teatro Joy on January 9, 1943 showing Spanish Language films. It then became Joy’s House of Music. Demolished in 1971
The EastSide Theatre closed permanently on January 31, 1954 with “Botany Bay” and “Devil’s Canyon.” The building was renovated in 1966 to become a bank.
The Commercial Theatre opened on September 18, 1920 with Duistin Farnum in “Big Happiness” and Buster Keaton in “One Week.” It closed as a grind house playing continuous triple features for as little as sixty cents admission in December of 1966.
Paul Caruso’s Caruso Theatre launched May 27, 1946 with “Our Vines Have Tender Grapes.” The new build Chief Theatre opened three months later. A suspicious fire partially destroyed the Caruso three months after than on December 29, 1946. The Caruso rebuilt reopening March 22, 1947.
On November 14, 1963, it was renamed under new operators as the Dowagiac Theatre with “Irma le Douce.” It celebrated its 30th Anniversary on May 27, 1976. But on November 23, 1977 the Dowagiac Theatre got bad news when it was gutted by a fire while playing “Bad News Bears Breaking Training.” The theatre was destroyed.
1945 architectural drawing by Homer Harper of St. Joseph, Michigan in photos. The Chief Theatre project broke ground on January 2, 1946. The Chief’s grand opening ad is also in photos launching on July 6, 1946 with “The Spiral Staircase.”
Final showing was “Executioner” and “Psycho From Texas” on November 17, 1985.
Grand opening ad as the Wayne Theatre in photos January 1, 1941 with “Shooting High”. July 30, 1976 rebranding and relaunch as the Center Theatre in photos. Rebrand as Variety Cinema December 5, 1985 in photos. Final ad as Variety Cinema on January 2, 1987 with “Jumpin' Jack Flash” in photos. Became the Variety Cinema and Disco but didn’t screen films. later that year. Should be labeled as the Variety Cinema (not Theatre) if one cares about such things.
The Desert Sky Cinema opened on June 23, 2000. The Desert Sky dived on January 30, 2025 closing with “Wicked,” “Mufasa,” “Wolfman” and “A Complete Unknown.”
The Hudson Theatre launched in the Memorial Building on November 14, 1942 with “The Flying Deuces” with a grand opening ad in photos. It didn’t go well. Ross Thayer got a War Production Board (WPB) grant to build a new theater in 1944. Grand opening ad of his Ross Theatre on January 31, 1945 with “Lady Takes a Chance” is in photos. In January of 1950, the theater was purchased by DeVerne C. Darnell from Clyde Jones who owned the Ross for its final two years. It was renamed the Marcellus Theatre on January 12, 1950 with “Geronimo!”
On August 1, 1957 it became the Dix Theatre with “Four Boys and a Gun.” It closed permanently on July 20, 1958 with “Hot Rod Rumble” and “Naked Sun.”
Seating - 400. The Eagle Theatre left its roost less than a year into its run with a building permit approved in November of 1916 to convert the space to a garage. That’s what occurred as the Smith & Deafner Garage opened there in 1917.
Pitts Madison Theatre opens over in the Masonic Temple on October 22, 1931 with “My Personal Maid”. Pitts moved on as noted above in 1969 but the venue reopened September 18, 1970 under new operators, RC Theatres, with “The Boatniks” as the Madison Theatre. It closed permanently in 1977.
October 14, 1949 Grand Opening ad in photos. Final advertised show was August 18, 1985 with “A View to a Kill” and “Cat’s Eye.”
October 14, 1949 Grand Opening ad in photos.
For the very technical, the proper opening name is Pitts Orange Drive-In Theatre launching May 16, 1952 with “Colt .45”
Arthur Abbott launched the Circle A with a western themed rustic interior on November 21, 1937 with Cary Grant in “The Awful Truth” (opening ad in photos). The main attractions were the westerns programmed here. When those westerns were a staple for early television, the business model became challenging. The Circle A headed toward the sunset on November 11, 1951 with “Rough Riders of Durango.”
Osgood and Osgood out of Grand Rapids were the architects of the Century Theatre. The venue opened on February 27, 1922 with Gloria Swanson in “The Great Moment” supported by Buster Keaton in “High Sign”