It turns out there was indeed a fire at Hot Springs in 1913, and it wiped out much of Malvern Avenue. It looks like it took out a couple dozen square blocks of the town. The Pekin probably only lasted about a year. It would have been pretty easy to convert a small movie house into a funeral parlor.
The Princess is listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, though no address is given so it might have been at a different location then.
This article prepared by Nancy Hendricks of the Garland County Historical Society says that the building now occupied by the Not Springs Central Theatre was built in the 1930s as a garage and was converted into a theater in 1937. Indeed, the 1933 newspaper ad uploaded to the pictures page by David Zornig includes and ad for the pre-conversion Central Garage, 1008-14 Central. The earlier Central Theatre that shared the same ad had to have been at another location.
The 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory lists a house called the Lyric Theatre at 624 Central. It ought to have been right in this neighborhood, if the directory got the address right. I suppose it could have been gone by the time the 1915 Sanborn was made.
The Royal was remodeled and its seating capacity increased in 1916, according to an item in the November 4 issue of Moving Picture World. The Royal had ben listed at 720 Central Avenue in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory.
While a movie house called the Lyric Theatre was listed at Hot Springs in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, it was located at 624 Central Avenue. No theaters were listed at 406 Central, though several were listed without addresses. There were houses called the Central and the New Central, so this house might have been one or the other of those.
Dickson Morgan was not an architect, but a stage designer and technical director who oversaw the design of the original interior of the Vine Street Theatre auditorium. He later directed a few plays, and even has a page at the IBDb. Architects of record for The Vine Street Theatre were Hunt & Chambers.
The “New Theaters” column of the February 5, 1921 issue of The Billboard said that the Hauber Gem Theater in Camden, Arkansas was “practically completed.” The $25,000 house was owned by A. [sic] C. Hauber of Pine Bluff. Local sources usually give Mr. Hauber’s first initial as O. I’ve been unable to find any other mentions of the name Gem Theater in Camden.
The San Souci Theatre was listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, and it was mentioned in the November 18, 1922 issue of Motion Picture News, but appears to have been closed by 1926, or at least is not listed in the FDY that year.
The Broadway Theatre may have officially become a movie house in 1935, but an 850 seat house called the Italian Club, which must have been this place, was the largest of three indoor theaters listed at Ybor City in the 1926 Film Daily Year Book (the 800-seat Casino and 500-seat Rivoli were the other two. There was also a house called the Airdome, no capacity given.)
The fitness club has moved to another location and the former Isis Theatre building is now occupied by a gift shop called Olive + Jo, itself lately moved from another location on State Street.
The latest mention of the Isis I’ve found in Boxoffice is from the issue of June 18, 1956, which said that the house was being closed for the summer, and patrons would be directed to the Grand Theatre, which would remain open and was under the same management.
I found the Grand Theatre at Preston mentioned in the January 3, 1978 issue of Boxoffice, which gave the name of its manager as Glen Peterborg. Back on February 26, 1956, Boxoffice had run a short item about the renovation of the Grand, which had new paneling and flooring in the lobby and a new concession stand. The Grand and Isis were under the same ownership at the time, and both houses were managed by L.J. “Jim” Ward.
The University of Utah has a photo of the Isis Theatre dated March 2, 1908. This must have been one of the earliest movie theaters to use Egyptian-inspired design.
Do note that the 1932 grand opening ad gives strong indications that this was a re-opening of a renovated theater, including the line “[t]he same courteous treatment that has always been extended to their patrons which has made the house famous all over the state will be continued.” Multiple sources on the Internet say that the Isis was open by 1908.
The Davenport Theatre changed hands in 1912, as noted in the September 7 issue of Moving Picture World: “F. E. Daigneau, of Austin, Minn., father of D. Daigneau, closed a deal recently by which he purchased the fine Davenport motion picture theater at Redwing, Minn. Its seating capacity is 600.”
The September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World noted the recent opening of the Meyers Theatre:
“Charles and William Meyers have just opened their beautiful little moving picture house at 1812-1814 West Chicago Street, Chicago, Ill. It is claimed for the house that it is the most up-to-date show on the northwest side. The woodwork is of stained mahogany, with the seats and piano matching. The proprietors have installed the first 1913 Motiograph machine in Chicago. The employees have separate lockers for their clothing at the rear of the building. The managers are so proud of their house that they invite exhibitors to come and inspect it.”
The September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World had a brief item about F. H. and E. A. Franke, who had just bought the Bell Theatre on Armitage Avenue. The Franke’s then owned five neighborhood houses, and had just signed a contract to build another, of 300 seats, to be located at Grand Avenue and Monticello Avenue. The Rex is the only house we have listed near that location. I wonder if it could have been the Franke’s project?
In 1912 the Clark Theatre was one of five neighborhood houses in Chicago owned and operated by by F. H. And E. A. Franke. The September 7 issue of Moving Picture World said that the pair had just bought the Bell Theatre on Armitage Avenue and also owned the California Theatre on 26th Street. They had just closed a contract to erect a new, 300-seat movie house on Grand and Monticello Avenues, slated to open around November 1. I’ve been unable to discover if that project was completed, but the nearest house we have listed to that location is the New Rex, opened in 1913 as the Lawndale Theatre.
and E. A. Franke’s California Theatre was mentioned in the September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World, which noted that the house had recently been redecorated and was thriving.
This item from the September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World mentions the Bell Theatre and its new owners:
“F. H. and E. A. Franke, took over the Bell Theater, Armitage and Albany Avenues, this city, August 1. The Bell seats 530 people. This is the fifth vaudeville house which the Messrs. Franke have turned into successful straight picture houses. They have no doubt that the Bell will be a winner in a short time, like the four others. All the houses now controlled by them were considered ‘lemons’ at the time they purchased them. The California, one of their houses, has just been redecorated and business is excellent. The Clark, another of their houses, is also doing fine business. These enterprising proprietors and managers have just closed a contract for the erection of a new picture theater on Grand and Monticello Avenues. The new house will seat 300 people, and will be completed about November 1st. It will be one of the best appointed of its size in Chicago.”
This item from the September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World notes a new owner for the Starland Theatre, but the new owner’s timing would prove to have been quite unfortunate:
“Announcement that the Globe Amusement Company has acquired another motion picture theater, making six in all, was made this week. The new house is the Starland Theater, located on the $1,000,000 Frazer pier at Ocean Park. It is one of the finest motion picture houses in California. J. M. Boland, former owner of the house, is to be retained as resident manager. The Globe Amusement Company is planning to build or acquire and to operate, 15 houses in and around Los Angeles. No. 1 is at Fifth and Los Angeles Streets, No. 2 at Central Avenue and Jefferson Street, No. 3 at Sunset Boulevard and Echo Park road, No. 4 at 18th and Main Streets and No. 5 at Sixth and Palos Verdes Street. All except the last named, which is in San Pedro, are in Los Angeles proper.”
The item was somewhat belated, as the site of the Starland Theatre, Fraser’s Million Dollar Pier, which had officially opened on the weekend of June 17, 1911, was destroyed by a fire on September 3, 1912, four days before the article was published. The adjacent business area of five square blocks was also consumed by the flames.
Here is an item about the Mozart Theatre from the September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World:
“The new Mozart Theater, owned by Mrs. Anna Mozart and operated entirely by women, is turning out better than anyone expected. Although the theater is located on the outskirts of the shopping district and on a by-street the house has enjoyed excellent business ever since it opened its doors. The policy is to provide good music and good pictures and it has been living up to this policy. The first week the feature was ‘St. George and the Dragon.’ Last week ‘The Crusaders’ was the principal subject. This week ‘The Raven’ is the bill, and ‘Robin Hood’ is scheduled for next week. In addition to the feature two or three other reels—educational, travel, scenic or industrial—are run each week.”
It turns out there was indeed a fire at Hot Springs in 1913, and it wiped out much of Malvern Avenue. It looks like it took out a couple dozen square blocks of the town. The Pekin probably only lasted about a year. It would have been pretty easy to convert a small movie house into a funeral parlor.
The Princess is listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, though no address is given so it might have been at a different location then.
This article prepared by Nancy Hendricks of the Garland County Historical Society says that the building now occupied by the Not Springs Central Theatre was built in the 1930s as a garage and was converted into a theater in 1937. Indeed, the 1933 newspaper ad uploaded to the pictures page by David Zornig includes and ad for the pre-conversion Central Garage, 1008-14 Central. The earlier Central Theatre that shared the same ad had to have been at another location.
The 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory lists a house in the 400 block of Malvern Avenue, but it was at 420. It was called the Pekin Theatre.
The 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory lists a house called the Lyric Theatre at 624 Central. It ought to have been right in this neighborhood, if the directory got the address right. I suppose it could have been gone by the time the 1915 Sanborn was made.
The Auditorium was operating as a movie house by 1914, as it is listed in the American Motion Picture Directorythat year.
It’s not listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, so probably closed by 1914.
The Royal was remodeled and its seating capacity increased in 1916, according to an item in the November 4 issue of Moving Picture World. The Royal had ben listed at 720 Central Avenue in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory.
While a movie house called the Lyric Theatre was listed at Hot Springs in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, it was located at 624 Central Avenue. No theaters were listed at 406 Central, though several were listed without addresses. There were houses called the Central and the New Central, so this house might have been one or the other of those.
Dickson Morgan was not an architect, but a stage designer and technical director who oversaw the design of the original interior of the Vine Street Theatre auditorium. He later directed a few plays, and even has a page at the IBDb. Architects of record for The Vine Street Theatre were Hunt & Chambers.
The “New Theaters” column of the February 5, 1921 issue of The Billboard said that the Hauber Gem Theater in Camden, Arkansas was “practically completed.” The $25,000 house was owned by A. [sic] C. Hauber of Pine Bluff. Local sources usually give Mr. Hauber’s first initial as O. I’ve been unable to find any other mentions of the name Gem Theater in Camden.
The San Souci Theatre was listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, and it was mentioned in the November 18, 1922 issue of Motion Picture News, but appears to have been closed by 1926, or at least is not listed in the FDY that year.
The Broadway Theatre may have officially become a movie house in 1935, but an 850 seat house called the Italian Club, which must have been this place, was the largest of three indoor theaters listed at Ybor City in the 1926 Film Daily Year Book (the 800-seat Casino and 500-seat Rivoli were the other two. There was also a house called the Airdome, no capacity given.)
The fitness club has moved to another location and the former Isis Theatre building is now occupied by a gift shop called Olive + Jo, itself lately moved from another location on State Street.
The latest mention of the Isis I’ve found in Boxoffice is from the issue of June 18, 1956, which said that the house was being closed for the summer, and patrons would be directed to the Grand Theatre, which would remain open and was under the same management.
I found the Grand Theatre at Preston mentioned in the January 3, 1978 issue of Boxoffice, which gave the name of its manager as Glen Peterborg. Back on February 26, 1956, Boxoffice had run a short item about the renovation of the Grand, which had new paneling and flooring in the lobby and a new concession stand. The Grand and Isis were under the same ownership at the time, and both houses were managed by L.J. “Jim” Ward.
The University of Utah has a photo of the Isis Theatre dated March 2, 1908. This must have been one of the earliest movie theaters to use Egyptian-inspired design.
Do note that the 1932 grand opening ad gives strong indications that this was a re-opening of a renovated theater, including the line “[t]he same courteous treatment that has always been extended to their patrons which has made the house famous all over the state will be continued.” Multiple sources on the Internet say that the Isis was open by 1908.
The Davenport Theatre changed hands in 1912, as noted in the September 7 issue of Moving Picture World: “F. E. Daigneau, of Austin, Minn., father of D. Daigneau, closed a deal recently by which he purchased the fine Davenport motion picture theater at Redwing, Minn. Its seating capacity is 600.”
The September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World noted the recent opening of the Meyers Theatre:
The September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World had a brief item about F. H. and E. A. Franke, who had just bought the Bell Theatre on Armitage Avenue. The Franke’s then owned five neighborhood houses, and had just signed a contract to build another, of 300 seats, to be located at Grand Avenue and Monticello Avenue. The Rex is the only house we have listed near that location. I wonder if it could have been the Franke’s project?
In 1912 the Clark Theatre was one of five neighborhood houses in Chicago owned and operated by by F. H. And E. A. Franke. The September 7 issue of Moving Picture World said that the pair had just bought the Bell Theatre on Armitage Avenue and also owned the California Theatre on 26th Street. They had just closed a contract to erect a new, 300-seat movie house on Grand and Monticello Avenues, slated to open around November 1. I’ve been unable to discover if that project was completed, but the nearest house we have listed to that location is the New Rex, opened in 1913 as the Lawndale Theatre.
I don’t know why my previous comment isn’t rendering properly, but the names of the California’s owners in 1912 were F. H. and E. A. Franke.
This item from the September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World mentions the Bell Theatre and its new owners:
This item from the September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World notes a new owner for the Starland Theatre, but the new owner’s timing would prove to have been quite unfortunate:
The item was somewhat belated, as the site of the Starland Theatre, Fraser’s Million Dollar Pier, which had officially opened on the weekend of June 17, 1911, was destroyed by a fire on September 3, 1912, four days before the article was published. The adjacent business area of five square blocks was also consumed by the flames.Here is an item about the Mozart Theatre from the September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World: