The Cherry Lane Drive-In closed for the season on September 2, 1985 with “European Vacation” and “City Heat” on Screen East and Screen West went out with a triple feature of “Volunteers,” “Summer Rental” and “Ghostbusters.” It did not reopen.
Tejas Theatres and Phil C. Tidball & Associates were an original lessee in The 1849 Village family restaurant-entertainment project that would unite a steakhouse and cinema as more or less one. Bonanza International Steakhouses was the chain and the Fort Worth location was the first of two theme centers for Bonanza in Dallas-Fort Worth. Designed as a 70mm roadshow house in 1968, the Village Cinema was drawn up as a retro Victorian jewel box opera house with stylings evoking the “Gold Rush” era.
The steakhouse came online first. Papa’s Steakhouse evoking a Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, with live music was next followed by Lum’s, Hickory Fare and Pepe Taco. Faced with meager film clearances that was limited to lesser kids films and exploitation titles, Tidball sold out the theater to General Cinema which took it on November 24, 1971 as the General Cinema Opera House.
The 1849 Village Shopping Center served until it closed October 20, 1985 with “The Gods Must Be Crazy.”
The Worth was announced as closing with two X-rated films on October 28, 1971. But public pressure was such that the well-regarded house booked a double feature of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Ki” and “Vanishing Point” closing permanently on October 31, 1971. The Wurlitzer was removed in March of 1972 just prior to its demolition.
The hydraulically operated organ - installed for the opening and played that night by Paul Forster or Syracuse on Nov. 27, 1927 - rose from the pit one last time and was played by Melody Muth Schenck, the daughter of long-time Worth organist Billy Muth. All but a few pipes rose to the final occasion of testing the instrument after its large period of dis-use. The theater’s Egyptian themed flourishes, artwork, and appointments - however - went down for the count.
Grand opening of the Pike Drive-In with “State Fair” on October 25, 1947. The venue is likely best remembered for its large cowboy with lasso neon sign.
The Gem Theater opened in 1912 at what is now 6303 Lancaster Avenue. The Gem added sound to remain viable. The neighborhood house closed for films on September 9, 1951 with “The Great Caruso.” It reopened as a live music house still called the Gem Theatre closing on June 24, 1952 with a live appearance by the Circle C Gang. It was offered for sale for nearly two years when it was home to a religious organization who took it on from March of 1954 to 1957 likely reducing its taxing liability. The venue was later torn down.
The Gayety Theatre dates back to at least 1919 and possibly earlier. It was located just across the street from the Denver Theater and opened by Leon B. Lewis & Louis Richker. The Denver and Gayety were independent venues with distinctive fare. The Gayety opted for independent features and exploitation films. As the local paper’s policy frowned upon such films, the Gayety is not regularly listed in its formative years. The Gayety had a neighboring cigar and confectionery serving as its de facto concession stand for a period of time.
In the 1930s, the theater has multiple fires, arrests for unsavory activity, and debt collection activity. It also showed Spanish language films in the Fall of 1936 hoping to find its audience other than exploitation and four-wallers. Lewis would go on to create the more popular New Liberty Theatre and the similar Ideal Theatre while continuing the Gayety. Lewis closed the movie house in August of 1948 and he died just days later. The venue’s likely operational lifecycle was likely on a 30-year leasing agreement from August of 1918 to August 1948.
Hate to break it to the documentary makers and this site but M. Cohn built the Roseland Theatre in 1914 launching November 5, 1914 to the architectural plans of Dr. Leslie J. Nelson. Photo of opening and ads in photos. Joe N. Schulman took on the theatre before selling out in 1920 to Dr. J.D. Linthieum and Stanley Smith. Its sound era name was the Rose Theater. In the late 1930s, it played Czech films for Hungarian and Czech population in the area.
It received a modest moderne makeover and became the Marine Theatre during World War II. It switched to Spanish language films mostly from Mexico after the War.
The Odeon closed June 27, 1937 with Wallace Reid in “A World Apart” supported by Fatty Arbuckle in “A Reckless Romeo” and Mollie King in an episode of “The Mystery of the Double Cross.”
The final showtimes for the Liberty (which had dropped “New”) appears to be on January 22, 1956 with a double feature of “Comin' ‘round the Mountain” and “Under the Gun.”
The address you would use on Google maps is 1102 Main St. (don’t use South or North), Fort Worth, TX 76102 (the only mappable address remaining from that area). Apple Maps gets you close at the Convention Center. The theater was at 1107 Main Street - an address which no longer exists and puts you either way south or way north of the location.
Isadore B. (“IB”) Adelman teamed with Interstate Theatres Circuit to build the first new-build neighborhood sound theatre in Fort Worth on a 10-year agreement. The Tivoli’s Christmas Day 1929 opening ad with “They Had to See Paris” is in photos. Its Italian Renaissance architectural drawing’s there as well.
A balcony was added in 1935 bringing seat count to 965. The venue re-upped on a 25-year lease with I.B. Adelman later taking over full control of the venue in 1946. The venue was refreshed in 1950. The Tivoli closed on August 2, 1964 at the end of its 25-year lease with “Viva Las Vegas” and “Tarzan Goes to India.” The neighborhood had lost the Parkway Theatre in February of that same year. The venue remained vacant until being demolished in June of 1972.
The Bijou Dream (nicknamed “the little theater beautiful) launched on September 5, 1914 with motion pictures. The Bijou Dream discontinued operations in 1921. According to the local paper, the Bijou Dream sat empty as a vacant theatrical space until a February 1935 remodeling where it was used for other purposes.
The Strand was closed by Skouras Theatres following a double feature of “War Arrow” and “Forbidden” on February 23, 1954 likely at the expiry of a second 20-year leasing period.
Skouras Theatres closed the Tivoli after a full year of light business caused by the onset of television on June 30, 1950. Final showimes were for “Francis” and “Cheaper by the Dozen.” Union City’s Park Theatre, Bayonne’s Plaza Theatre, and nine other area movie houses were all closed within a one month period heading into the Summer of 1950. The space was occupied by Deliverance Temple likely in an attempt to reduce the taxing liability of the building which was ultimately demolished in 1965.
The Central Theatre closed permanently following the August 8, 1961 showings of “Pepe” and Most Dangerous Man.“ The City sold the building in 1968 for $68,000 for the intended purpose of redeveloping the land.
The Fulton’s original pipe organ was a $13,200 Kramer organ. It transitioned to sound to remain viable. The Fulton closed permanently with a programming day of a cartoon matinee for kids followed by a triple feature of “Transparent Man,” “Raisin in the Sun,” and the documentary, “Mein Kampf.”
The Monticello opened on October 31, 1910 with live vaudeville headlined by Robert Hilliard’s “The Littlest Girl.” Fred Astaire danced live on its stage and, in a desultory show by the audience, had pennies thrown at him in hopes that he’d leave the stage. It installed sound to remain viable. In 1954, it installed widescreen projection to present CinemaScope titles.
The “Monty” closed at the end of its 50-year leasing period on March 31, 1959 with “Sixth Happiness” and “Gun Runners.” The Monticello reopened in 1962. Veteran projectionist Jospeh Cancalosi died on the steep steps descending from the projection booth on October 22, 1963 leading to a very long lawsuit. The venue closed permanently with a quadruple feature of “Short,” “Bushfire,” “Destry,” and “Summer and Smoke.”
The Cherry Lane Drive-In closed for the season on September 2, 1985 with “European Vacation” and “City Heat” on Screen East and Screen West went out with a triple feature of “Volunteers,” “Summer Rental” and “Ghostbusters.” It did not reopen.
Tejas Theatres and Phil C. Tidball & Associates were an original lessee in The 1849 Village family restaurant-entertainment project that would unite a steakhouse and cinema as more or less one. Bonanza International Steakhouses was the chain and the Fort Worth location was the first of two theme centers for Bonanza in Dallas-Fort Worth. Designed as a 70mm roadshow house in 1968, the Village Cinema was drawn up as a retro Victorian jewel box opera house with stylings evoking the “Gold Rush” era.
The steakhouse came online first. Papa’s Steakhouse evoking a Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, with live music was next followed by Lum’s, Hickory Fare and Pepe Taco. Faced with meager film clearances that was limited to lesser kids films and exploitation titles, Tidball sold out the theater to General Cinema which took it on November 24, 1971 as the General Cinema Opera House.
The 1849 Village Shopping Center served until it closed October 20, 1985 with “The Gods Must Be Crazy.”
The Worth was announced as closing with two X-rated films on October 28, 1971. But public pressure was such that the well-regarded house booked a double feature of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Ki” and “Vanishing Point” closing permanently on October 31, 1971. The Wurlitzer was removed in March of 1972 just prior to its demolition.
The hydraulically operated organ - installed for the opening and played that night by Paul Forster or Syracuse on Nov. 27, 1927 - rose from the pit one last time and was played by Melody Muth Schenck, the daughter of long-time Worth organist Billy Muth. All but a few pipes rose to the final occasion of testing the instrument after its large period of dis-use. The theater’s Egyptian themed flourishes, artwork, and appointments - however - went down for the count.
The Westerner closed at the end of the 1978 season by United Artists.
The Riverside stopped advertising on December 19, 1988 showing unrated adult fare.
Grand opening of the Pike Drive-In with “State Fair” on October 25, 1947. The venue is likely best remembered for its large cowboy with lasso neon sign.
The Gem Theater opened in 1912 at what is now 6303 Lancaster Avenue. The Gem added sound to remain viable. The neighborhood house closed for films on September 9, 1951 with “The Great Caruso.” It reopened as a live music house still called the Gem Theatre closing on June 24, 1952 with a live appearance by the Circle C Gang. It was offered for sale for nearly two years when it was home to a religious organization who took it on from March of 1954 to 1957 likely reducing its taxing liability. The venue was later torn down.
The Jane & John Justin Foundation Omni Theater reopened on December 14, 2024.
The Gayety Theatre dates back to at least 1919 and possibly earlier. It was located just across the street from the Denver Theater and opened by Leon B. Lewis & Louis Richker. The Denver and Gayety were independent venues with distinctive fare. The Gayety opted for independent features and exploitation films. As the local paper’s policy frowned upon such films, the Gayety is not regularly listed in its formative years. The Gayety had a neighboring cigar and confectionery serving as its de facto concession stand for a period of time.
In the 1930s, the theater has multiple fires, arrests for unsavory activity, and debt collection activity. It also showed Spanish language films in the Fall of 1936 hoping to find its audience other than exploitation and four-wallers. Lewis would go on to create the more popular New Liberty Theatre and the similar Ideal Theatre while continuing the Gayety. Lewis closed the movie house in August of 1948 and he died just days later. The venue’s likely operational lifecycle was likely on a 30-year leasing agreement from August of 1918 to August 1948.
Hate to break it to the documentary makers and this site but M. Cohn built the Roseland Theatre in 1914 launching November 5, 1914 to the architectural plans of Dr. Leslie J. Nelson. Photo of opening and ads in photos. Joe N. Schulman took on the theatre before selling out in 1920 to Dr. J.D. Linthieum and Stanley Smith. Its sound era name was the Rose Theater. In the late 1930s, it played Czech films for Hungarian and Czech population in the area.
It received a modest moderne makeover and became the Marine Theatre during World War II. It switched to Spanish language films mostly from Mexico after the War.
The Odeon closed June 27, 1937 with Wallace Reid in “A World Apart” supported by Fatty Arbuckle in “A Reckless Romeo” and Mollie King in an episode of “The Mystery of the Double Cross.”
The final showtimes for the Liberty (which had dropped “New”) appears to be on January 22, 1956 with a double feature of “Comin' ‘round the Mountain” and “Under the Gun.”
The address you would use on Google maps is 1102 Main St. (don’t use South or North), Fort Worth, TX 76102 (the only mappable address remaining from that area). Apple Maps gets you close at the Convention Center. The theater was at 1107 Main Street - an address which no longer exists and puts you either way south or way north of the location.
Isadore B. (“IB”) Adelman teamed with Interstate Theatres Circuit to build the first new-build neighborhood sound theatre in Fort Worth on a 10-year agreement. The Tivoli’s Christmas Day 1929 opening ad with “They Had to See Paris” is in photos. Its Italian Renaissance architectural drawing’s there as well.
A balcony was added in 1935 bringing seat count to 965. The venue re-upped on a 25-year lease with I.B. Adelman later taking over full control of the venue in 1946. The venue was refreshed in 1950. The Tivoli closed on August 2, 1964 at the end of its 25-year lease with “Viva Las Vegas” and “Tarzan Goes to India.” The neighborhood had lost the Parkway Theatre in February of that same year. The venue remained vacant until being demolished in June of 1972.
Leon B. Lewis opened the Grand for African American patrons in May 1938. The Grand closed February 22, 1981 with “Flying Guillotine” and “Emma Mae.”
BTW: Brummer’s chocolates left Jersey after 116 years closing in Westfield in 2020 and only has one location remaining in Vermillion, Ohio.
The Bijou Dream (nicknamed “the little theater beautiful) launched on September 5, 1914 with motion pictures. The Bijou Dream discontinued operations in 1921. According to the local paper, the Bijou Dream sat empty as a vacant theatrical space until a February 1935 remodeling where it was used for other purposes.
Closed not long after its 40th anniversary at end of lease on October 31, 1951 with “The Law and the Lady” and “The Scarf.”
Closed at the end of a 30-year leasing agreement on September 10, 1956 with “Maverick Queen” and “Santiago.”
The Strand was closed by Skouras Theatres following a double feature of “War Arrow” and “Forbidden” on February 23, 1954 likely at the expiry of a second 20-year leasing period.
Skouras Theatres closed the Tivoli after a full year of light business caused by the onset of television on June 30, 1950. Final showimes were for “Francis” and “Cheaper by the Dozen.” Union City’s Park Theatre, Bayonne’s Plaza Theatre, and nine other area movie houses were all closed within a one month period heading into the Summer of 1950. The space was occupied by Deliverance Temple likely in an attempt to reduce the taxing liability of the building which was ultimately demolished in 1965.
The Central Theatre closed permanently following the August 8, 1961 showings of “Pepe” and Most Dangerous Man.“ The City sold the building in 1968 for $68,000 for the intended purpose of redeveloping the land.
Skouras Theatres closed the Capitol with “Belles on Their Toes” and “The Harlem Globetrotters” on June 12, 1952.
The Fulton’s original pipe organ was a $13,200 Kramer organ. It transitioned to sound to remain viable. The Fulton closed permanently with a programming day of a cartoon matinee for kids followed by a triple feature of “Transparent Man,” “Raisin in the Sun,” and the documentary, “Mein Kampf.”
The Orient Theatre closed at the end of lease on May 28, 1959 with “Stalag 17” and “Place in the Sun”
The Monticello opened on October 31, 1910 with live vaudeville headlined by Robert Hilliard’s “The Littlest Girl.” Fred Astaire danced live on its stage and, in a desultory show by the audience, had pennies thrown at him in hopes that he’d leave the stage. It installed sound to remain viable. In 1954, it installed widescreen projection to present CinemaScope titles.
The “Monty” closed at the end of its 50-year leasing period on March 31, 1959 with “Sixth Happiness” and “Gun Runners.” The Monticello reopened in 1962. Veteran projectionist Jospeh Cancalosi died on the steep steps descending from the projection booth on October 22, 1963 leading to a very long lawsuit. The venue closed permanently with a quadruple feature of “Short,” “Bushfire,” “Destry,” and “Summer and Smoke.”