The Elm Theater was renamed the Paris Cinema on February 9, 1968, relaunching with “Wait Until Dark”. During its days as the Paris Cinema, the theater faced so much controversy despite being mostly a mix of mainstream Hollywood fare, concert films, and low-budget junk at the time. A few p*rn movies were screened at the Paris, causing one film, “Trash”, to be seized by West Springfield Police in 1970, and the pulling of the “Best of the New York Erotic Film Festival” in February 1977. The Paris Cinema continued to screen first and second-run mainstream fare.
Manuel F. Angelo, who owned Indian Orchard’s Grand Theatre, took over the Paris in May 1981, who reopened the Paris Cinema after a short one-month closure, screening a mix of American and Spanish movies, and sharing the phone number with the Indian Orchard’s Grand. This didn’t last long, and after three months, the Paris closed down again with “The Four Seasons” on August 16, 1981.
On July 29, 1983, the Paris Cinema reopened as the Elm Cinema with “Superman III”, bringing back first-run films with a $1.50 discount policy alongside several sprinkles of foreign features in its lineup. The relaunch was led by then-new owner Anthony Bertoldo and general-manager Henry Cummings, who also managed the Agawam Twin Cinemas in Agawam, and featured a major renovation including 470 seats being installed and a revamped and repainted marquee. Despite the Elm Cinema having a good run throughout 1984, developers of an adjacent office made its last owner “to offer without any refusing to do so”, causing the Elm Cinema to close on January 15, 1985 with “Supergirl”, and a $1.5 million downtown rehabilitation project to happen on Elm Street.
A second screen was added at the start of the 1982 season, becoming a twin-screen drive-in. The Queensway closed on October 12, 1986 with Screen 1 closing with “Stand By Me” and “Nothing In Common” and Screen 2 closing with “Aliens” and “Big Trouble In Little China”.
There’s not a lot of information that I can find about this one. The Biltmore Theatre operated as early as 1953 and was renamed the Odeon Lakeshore Theatre in 1964. It appears to be closed during the early-1980s.
The Palace Theatre opened its doors on August 26, 1941 with Bette Davis in “The Bride Came C.O.D.” (unknown if extras added). Two opening photos posted.
Wolf Point’s Liberty Theatre opened its doors by owners George Onstad and C.J. Severson of Comertown on December 29, 1919 as a 650-seat single-screener with William Russell in “Where The West Begins” along with an unnamed 2-reel Mack Sennett comedy.
There are two theaters that were named the Ekalaka Theatre. The original and first Ekalaka Theatre started life as the Playhouse (or the Playhouse Theatre), launching on February 22, 1916, and the entire theater measures 26x86ft. Although the Playhouse didn’t open with a movie (which instead opened with a semi-annual dance), it immediately became the town’s first movie theater nicknamed “Ekalaka’s Photoplay Theatre”.
Despite several short closures throughout the silent and early talkie era, it was renamed the Ekalaka Theatre in March 1934. After closing on August 17, 1939, the theater was relocated with a grand reopening the following day. The second Ekalaka Theatre opened its doors by original manager Mac Niccum on August 18, 1939 with Wallace Beery in “Sergeant Madden” (unknown if extras added). The newer building was constructed by V.E. Figg that was finished after nearly three months of work. It was still open in the late-1960s.
Actual opening date is September 23, 1936 with Joel McCrea in “Adventure in Manhattan” along with a vaudeville attraction by the Sinn Company. It originally housed 750 seats featuring Western Electric sound and decorative mixtures of blue, gold, green, and tan color schemes.
As of 1936, the first section of the foyer has one shade of blue with gold leaf bands on the ceiling and walls. The main foyer has a yellow design in gold, with the east and west walls in three different shades of blue separated with gold lines. Other walls are in a neutralized rose color with horizonal bands of gold. On either side of the entrance contains silver and black pictural panels, with one panel showing an Indian hunting and the other showing cowboys at work. Wide stairs take the visitor to the general lounge which is decorated with a blue and white ceiling, rose walls, and another pictural panel of a ballet dancer. Lastly, the original auditorium ceiling and sidewalls are celotex, with the color scheme of green, brown, and gold, and the same colors were used for the draperies and decorating.
Correction: The Gem Theatre was renamed the Kentucky Theatre on November 1, 1924. After closing on September 5, 1930 with “Fighting Terror” plus an unnamed comedy, it was converted into Nancy Lee Beauty Shop (later Losey & Sam Insurance Company).
A newer Kentucky Theatre opened elsewhere and close-by on South Main Street in downtown Somerset (due to the fact that Nancy Lee Beauty Shop was still in business at the older Gem/Kentucky site). The newer Kentucky Theatre launched on September 14, 1937 with George Brent in “The Go-Getter” (unknown if extras added).
However, during construction, there was a scaffolding accident that left a plasterer injured. On the late morning of May 27, 1937, a group of male construction workers were finishing the touches on the ceiling at the rear of the theater when parts of the ceiling collapsed, causing one of the men, Sam Rayborn, to fall nearly 30 feet and suffer a severe gash at the back of his head. Another man named Jason Hall managed to make his way to safety and help Rayborn.
Cineplex Odeon operated the Hyland throughout the mid-and-late-1980s.
Correction: Famous Players once previously operated the Sunset. It is now operated by Premiere Theatres Canada.
Closed on November 23, 1978.
Closed on October 12, 1997.
Actual closing date is October 15, 1977.
Actual closing date is July 30, 1978.
The Elm Theater was renamed the Paris Cinema on February 9, 1968, relaunching with “Wait Until Dark”. During its days as the Paris Cinema, the theater faced so much controversy despite being mostly a mix of mainstream Hollywood fare, concert films, and low-budget junk at the time. A few p*rn movies were screened at the Paris, causing one film, “Trash”, to be seized by West Springfield Police in 1970, and the pulling of the “Best of the New York Erotic Film Festival” in February 1977. The Paris Cinema continued to screen first and second-run mainstream fare.
Manuel F. Angelo, who owned Indian Orchard’s Grand Theatre, took over the Paris in May 1981, who reopened the Paris Cinema after a short one-month closure, screening a mix of American and Spanish movies, and sharing the phone number with the Indian Orchard’s Grand. This didn’t last long, and after three months, the Paris closed down again with “The Four Seasons” on August 16, 1981.
On July 29, 1983, the Paris Cinema reopened as the Elm Cinema with “Superman III”, bringing back first-run films with a $1.50 discount policy alongside several sprinkles of foreign features in its lineup. The relaunch was led by then-new owner Anthony Bertoldo and general-manager Henry Cummings, who also managed the Agawam Twin Cinemas in Agawam, and featured a major renovation including 470 seats being installed and a revamped and repainted marquee. Despite the Elm Cinema having a good run throughout 1984, developers of an adjacent office made its last owner “to offer without any refusing to do so”, causing the Elm Cinema to close on January 15, 1985 with “Supergirl”, and a $1.5 million downtown rehabilitation project to happen on Elm Street.
Final night of operation is March 16, 1960 with Edward G. Robinson in “The 7 Thieves” and Carol Lynley in “Blue Denim” (unknown if extras added).
Once operated by Texas Cinema Corporation.
Taken over by Kerasotes on May 23, 1983.
Expanded to four screens on June 19, 1981.
Once operated by Premiere Theatres Canada.
A second screen was added at the start of the 1982 season, becoming a twin-screen drive-in. The Queensway closed on October 12, 1986 with Screen 1 closing with “Stand By Me” and “Nothing In Common” and Screen 2 closing with “Aliens” and “Big Trouble In Little China”.
Actual closing date is April 5, 1998.
Actual closing date is October 6, 1988, not 1998. Closure was due to the opening of the nearby Gateway 6.
Actual closing date is December 27, 1998.
There’s not a lot of information that I can find about this one. The Biltmore Theatre operated as early as 1953 and was renamed the Odeon Lakeshore Theatre in 1964. It appears to be closed during the early-1980s.
The Palace Theatre opened its doors on August 26, 1941 with Bette Davis in “The Bride Came C.O.D.” (unknown if extras added). Two opening photos posted.
Wolf Point’s Liberty Theatre opened its doors by owners George Onstad and C.J. Severson of Comertown on December 29, 1919 as a 650-seat single-screener with William Russell in “Where The West Begins” along with an unnamed 2-reel Mack Sennett comedy.
There are two theaters that were named the Ekalaka Theatre. The original and first Ekalaka Theatre started life as the Playhouse (or the Playhouse Theatre), launching on February 22, 1916, and the entire theater measures 26x86ft. Although the Playhouse didn’t open with a movie (which instead opened with a semi-annual dance), it immediately became the town’s first movie theater nicknamed “Ekalaka’s Photoplay Theatre”.
Despite several short closures throughout the silent and early talkie era, it was renamed the Ekalaka Theatre in March 1934. After closing on August 17, 1939, the theater was relocated with a grand reopening the following day. The second Ekalaka Theatre opened its doors by original manager Mac Niccum on August 18, 1939 with Wallace Beery in “Sergeant Madden” (unknown if extras added). The newer building was constructed by V.E. Figg that was finished after nearly three months of work. It was still open in the late-1960s.
Actual opening date is April 14, 1956 with Richard Burton in “The Robe” (unknown if extras added), featuring a 31x72ft CinemaScope screen.
Renamed the Carol Theatre on October 30, 1953.
Opened on November 19, 1926 with Milton Sills in “Men of Steel” (unknown if extras added).
Actual opening date is September 23, 1936 with Joel McCrea in “Adventure in Manhattan” along with a vaudeville attraction by the Sinn Company. It originally housed 750 seats featuring Western Electric sound and decorative mixtures of blue, gold, green, and tan color schemes.
As of 1936, the first section of the foyer has one shade of blue with gold leaf bands on the ceiling and walls. The main foyer has a yellow design in gold, with the east and west walls in three different shades of blue separated with gold lines. Other walls are in a neutralized rose color with horizonal bands of gold. On either side of the entrance contains silver and black pictural panels, with one panel showing an Indian hunting and the other showing cowboys at work. Wide stairs take the visitor to the general lounge which is decorated with a blue and white ceiling, rose walls, and another pictural panel of a ballet dancer. Lastly, the original auditorium ceiling and sidewalls are celotex, with the color scheme of green, brown, and gold, and the same colors were used for the draperies and decorating.
Correction: The Gem Theatre was renamed the Kentucky Theatre on November 1, 1924. After closing on September 5, 1930 with “Fighting Terror” plus an unnamed comedy, it was converted into Nancy Lee Beauty Shop (later Losey & Sam Insurance Company).
A newer Kentucky Theatre opened elsewhere and close-by on South Main Street in downtown Somerset (due to the fact that Nancy Lee Beauty Shop was still in business at the older Gem/Kentucky site). The newer Kentucky Theatre launched on September 14, 1937 with George Brent in “The Go-Getter” (unknown if extras added).
However, during construction, there was a scaffolding accident that left a plasterer injured. On the late morning of May 27, 1937, a group of male construction workers were finishing the touches on the ceiling at the rear of the theater when parts of the ceiling collapsed, causing one of the men, Sam Rayborn, to fall nearly 30 feet and suffer a severe gash at the back of his head. Another man named Jason Hall managed to make his way to safety and help Rayborn.