The Galva Theatre opened on May 18, 1927 with “Slide Kelly, Slide.” It replaced the Princess Theatre - its neighbor - a a new-build two-story structure. Elmer Borg played the $4,000 pipe organ. It lasted one year without converting to sound. Hippler, Terpening & Peak bought the venue and converted it to sound to remain commercially viable. Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Weece took it on from 1930 to 1945. Wayne Maxwell took it on running to end of lease in 1947.
The Marchesi Brothers Circuit - run by August and James - bought the theatre in 1947 giving it its streamline moderne look. They closed the venue on November 28, 1960. But the Galva mounted a comeback on April 2, 1961 when Fred and Frances Thompson reopened it. He died in February of 1969 and Frances operated it until closure on July 13, 1969 with “Hawaii.” She noted that only two people came to see “Born Free” and that was pretty much it. The Best Block housing the Princess was torn down along with the theatre in the 2010s.
Hate to be a contrarian but the listing is mostly discussing the Grand Theatre as the silent movie house. Robert T. LaGrille opened the Grand Photo Play in the Galt & Tracy block in 1914 at 314 Locust to show moving pictures. In 1916, it swapped Theatre for Photo Play. Final operators of the Grand were George L. Greenough and W.A. Weeks.
In 1923, they built a mammoth 1,000 seat venue called the Illini Theatre launching March 1O, 1924 right across the street. (It would be renamed the Sterling Theatre in 1930 and has its own Cinema Treasure listing.) Three months later, the Grand suffered a projection fire on June 16, 1924 and did not appear to reopen. An article suggests that a proposal to repair the building was too high and the lobby space used as a produce stand. In 1929 and 1930, the space was gutted and floor leveled for retail purposes.
The upper floor Academy of Music had opened on December 4, 1878 with a traveling concert by the Marie Roze-Mapleson (she the singer and he the director). The first films were shown there in 1897, the first fire caused by the films was in 1898 with a 1901 fire almost destroying the building. In the silent era, larger “road show” movies were shown in the upper floor Opera House and advertised as occurring at the Academy of Music including D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation” and “Intolerance.” Second-floor opera houses were in steep decline due to safety concerns and the lack of a need for opera houses as their profitability had waned during World War I in smaller cities and towns.
The Academy of Music’s opera house space on the second floor was converted to a Dance Hall opening December 9, 1925 effectively ending the Academy as it was created. Events at the hall were advertised as transpiring at the Academy of Music until its final event in 1931. Sears moved in in 1940. The third floor space not captured by the Dance Hall or the Sears retail store that followed apparently remains or remained into the 21st Century. The lettering of the Academy was removed by Sears and restored decades later.
This entry should be the Grand Theatre formerly the Grand Photo Play (not the Academy “theatre”).
The Eri-Lyn Drive-In opened on May 31, 1968 with “Marriage on the Rocks” and “Never Too Late.” Its capacity was 382 cars. The Eri-Lyn closed on Labor Day, September 3, 1985 with “The Muppets Take Manhattan” and a variety of Walt Disney cartoon shorts.
The new-build theatre was build by Schmidt Brothers which apparently demolished both the Conde Hardware and Tin Store - whose final sale was a lumber sale from their actual building - and John Hoppler and Son’s Oakland Automobile Agency (which scooted over to 414 Locust and, in 1926, added the GM lower-cost Pontiac to the Oakland line). The plans for the Illini were by H.I. Booth with Ashby, Ashby and Schulz as associate architects. The Illini Theatre opened on March 10, 1924 with “Big Brother” featuring Tom Moore.
George L. Greenough and W.A. Weeks had operated the Grand Theatre across the street in the venerable Galt & Tracy Block that housed the Academy of Music. The Grand had opened in 1914 and became undersized for its needs though lasting to 1928 before becoming a ballroom. Meanwhile, the Academy of Music was flagging as live event venues in small-sized towns and medium-sized cities had been under financial pressure since World War I. Additionally, second floor opera houses were in quick descent as their safety was often questionable at best. A ground floor option combining live events and film was decided upon.
In 1923, Greenough and Weeks built a mammoth 1,000 seat venue called the Illini Theatre launching March 10, 1924 right across the street from their baby Grand and behind the Greyhound Bus terminal. The $150,000 Illini Theatre would also share its entry with the Greyhound Bus depot. Local organist Mary Celeste Ward was at the console of the venue’s $12,000 Bartola pipe organ on the March 10, 1924 opening show. (The organ was said to have been produced for Barton by the Wangerin Organ Company in Milwaukee.)
Three months after launching the Illini, the Grand suffered a projection fire on June 16, 1924 and did not appear to reopen. Max and Herman Louis Gumbiner’s Gumbiner Bros. Enterprises, a Chicago-based theatre circuit, took on the Illini effective January 1, 1926. Great Lakes operated the venue. On October 30, 1929, Vitaphone was in and organist Nova Morehouse was let go.
In 1930, the theater got its fourth owner in Lucas Circuit (Sterling Theatre Company) which also had operated the Lincoln Theatre. They installed a new sound system and name. On October 7, 1930, it became the Sterling Theatre with The Rockettes and three vaudeville acts supporting the feature film, “Following Thru.”
Lucas decided to reinstitute live organ music and searched for a player. They hired Mary Celeste Ward, the original organist who - after a brief radio organist job in radio at Iowa City’s WSUI - returned on October 11, 1930 and played virtually every night at the Sterling Theatre thereafter including June 1, 1942’s film line-up before dying on her way home after that show. The original Sterling Theatre was destroyed a year later by fire on July 9, 1943 in what appears in photos to be a projection booth explosion.
The Sterling’s operators, J.C. Kantos and Franklin Ford, got permission from the War Production Board on December 15, 1943 to rebuild in the same spot. The pair signed Dixon-based architect John R. McClane and he delivered a new 1,020 seat New Sterling Theatre. The streamline moderne house launched on September 28, 1944 and had a very successful run into the 21st Century.
If you want more specific and less guessy info, this was actually opened as the Electric Airdome on August 7, 1907. It was enclose and became the Family Theatre on October 9, 1909. After a change in ownership by W.H. Schraeder and refresh, the venue reopened as the Vaudette Show on April 12, 1912 and the Vaudette Theatre ye year’s end.
The Vaudette was under pressure from the Lincoln and Illini theaters. It was closed for fire safety issues and - while making those corrections - burned down a month later. The pre-closure
films of Reginald Denny in “Oh Doctor” supported by the comedy short, the Roy Del Ruth directed “Deep Sea Panic” on April 20, 1925 became its final night.
If you want dates that are a little less guessy, this may be for you. The venue initially opened as the Lincoln Theatre on April 5, 1920 with Crauford Kent in “Other Men’s Shoes.” Great States Theatres Circuit opened the Illini Theatre in 1924 - a move that would all but end the Vaudette and Academy - and took on the Grand and the Lincoln Theatre.
Great States had a plan on the table to remodel the Grand at $15,000 likely with sound and opted, instead, to lease it in March of 1928 where it was converted to a ballroom ending its run. That reduced Sterling to the Illini and Lincoln. Both were equipped with sound.
Great States dropped the Lincoln closing for the summer in June of 1930. The five theater town was down to just one operating venue in the Depression. However, a new operator reopened after three closed summers on September 2, 1932. That was not a success.
But the Lincoln proved to be a survivor and reopened under new management on November 10, 1934 as the State Theatre with “King Priest.” That included a new exterior that had a streamline look. It converted to widescreen to present CinemaScope titles.
In 1978, it was refurbished one last time rebooting as the First Avenue Cinema. In 1979, it transitioned to the Teatro Cinema showing Spanish language films apparently on a sublease. In its final stretch as the Cinema Theater, Kerasotes ended things with a “Silver Bullet” on October 29, 1985.
Steward’s Grand Opera House was established in Plano in the late 19th Century. At some point, the original building was replaced with a new building and dropping Steward’s name. It shifted to movie in the 1910s and went by the Grand Theatre - dated to at least 1922 by the moniker. They installed a costly new pipe organ in July of 1925 to improve presentations.
The Grand was sold by Frank Boget and Ingersoll along with the Sandwich’s American Theatre on October 21, 1928 to R.A. Shobe. Shobe rewired both venues for sound to remain commercially viable. George Huth took it over in 1930.
In 1937, the venue got a streamline moderne makeover. In October of 1947, it was renamed the Plano Theater. But the theatre struggled to survive reducing showtimes to four days a week, showing more Spanish language films to cater to the Hispanic population, and changing operators at least three times. Joe M. Smith and Mrs. Steven Nadolny operated it for just a year in 1975 closing in 1976.
Final operator Michael Burdick took it on in June of 1976 giving it new projection equipment and reducing seat count from 410 to its final count of 305. The retrofit of $56,000 may have been a bit more than the venue made. It stopped advertising after the September 8, 1978 showings of “Grease.”
First advertised as the American Theatre in 1921 and operated by Ingersoll & Boget. It took the place of the Sandwich Opera House as the number one entertainment place in town. R.A. Shobe of Monticello, Illinois took on the venue to modernize it. On November 5, 1929, the theater had a new lobby and Phototone sound system becoming the Avalon Theatre. In December of 1933, under new owners, the venue became the State Theatre: “The Biggest Little Theatre in Northern Illinois.”
The State transitioned to widescreen projection. On August, 5, 1964, the State Theatre discontinued advertising with “How the West Was Won.” The entry should be the State Theatre formerly the American Theatre formerly the Avalon Theatre and purportedly the Chi Theatre. Operator Paul Sweeney noted that during his tenure as the State Theatre, the venue sold 1.2 million admissions - certainly enough to call this theatre the State.
The Harvard Opera House opened in the 1870s here - one of two opera houses in Harvard operating into the 20th Century. Then it was renamed as the Majestic Theatre on March 13, 1915 featuring Al Jennings in “Beating Back” supported with a new pipe organ. On March 3, 1928, the venue was renamed by new operator Nat Wayne as the Metro Theatre with “The 13th Hour” and Tuttle, The Great Magician on the stage.
On November 16, 1930, the venue was taken over by A.E. Pierce who renamed it as the Harvard Theatre with “The Untold Three” with Lon Chaney now with sound. It closed in 1934 and reopened with new operator Bill Johnson. He gave the Harvard a streamline look on August 2, 1936 likely ordering a sign that didn’t arrive saying, “Roxy.” The venue improved exhibition with RCA sound which began on December 24, 1936 under the venue’s new name as the Roxy Theatre.
Fore reasons unclear, Johnson renamed the venue as the Harvard Theatre - its second time around on that name - on January 12, 1950 with a refresh including new setting and a cycloramic film theater. The Harvard Theatre was closed on December 31, 1953 with “The Fuller Brush Man” and sold to non-theatrical interests. In the 1970s, the competing theater would also become the Harvard Theatre (“#2”).
Husband and wife team Mr. Eugene E. Saunders and Mrs. Bertha Saunders operated the Palace Theatre and original Saunders Theatre. They opened here as the New Saunders Theatre on December 15, 1925 replacing the original venue at a cost of $50,000. William Ward Construction tore down Haffner’s Saloon to create the new-build Saunders. The New Saunders opened with 350 seats. Harvard Mayor Colonel Joseph S. Maxon made an opening presentation prior to “The King on Main Street.” They added Western Electric Sound - a $15,000 investment - to remain commercially viable. Because Bertha objected to the smell of popcorn popping, Jay Vorhees operated a popcorn cart outside of the New Saunders.
“Gone with the Wind” was the only reserved seat film in the Saunders history - its biggest title. The Saunders' box office also offered notary services, hunting and fishing licenses, license plate service, and even check cashing to remain a part of the community. Bertha Saunders sold the venue to Harvard Theater Corporation headed by Bill Johnson in November of 1947 citing television as both a concern and different from theatrically exhibited films. A refresh bumped up seat count to 400. Alliance Amusement closed just prior to the end of its lease citing a $100 weekly loss versus a $300 monthly leasing obligation into Fall of 1965. It closed with “Under The Yum Yum Tree” on February 9, 1964. The Republican Party sublet the venue through November of 1964.
The theatre mounted an unlikely comeback costing $175,000 including 400 new cushioned seats and brand new automated projection gear. Bob and Roberta C. “Bobbie” Hume of Hume Inc. rebranded as the Harvard Theatre (#2 - as the original Opera House had been named the Harvard Theatre for its final three years of operation). The new Harvard opened on February 27, 1970 with “Doctor Zhivago.” By that summer, they were showing family films - including free merchant kiddy matinees for two years - on weekends and adult content at night. The Humes sublet the venue after showtimes of July 31, 1975 to Rockford’s Steven R. Yates and William H. Seaton who took the film full-time porno chic. They started the next day with the marquee reading: “Under New Management… Adult Hits… Double Feature… Rated X” at their lunch as The Show on August 1, 1975. The Humes exhausted a list of other potential exhibitors before allowing the transition. The films stopped in 1980 at the end of a 5-year sublease. On December 31, 1980, the theater rebranded to the Harvard Theatre with Antioch’s Ken Lyday trying a discount policy.
The Harvard closed with “The Watcher in the Woods” November 1, 1981. The next film was everyone’s favorite, “Closed for Repairs” (the heating system). That proved to be too expensive. Not finding another operator, the theatre’s 50+ year run was done. In June of 1983, it had been removed for opening of the D. & E. Meat Market.
The Fargo installed Vitaphone for sound film presentations beginning January 11, 1929 which cost $15,000. Eben Mitterling of Rockford’s Rex and Harvard’s Roxy took on the venue renaming it as the State Theatre.
The Dawn Theatre opened in the existing Jack Building by Dreamland Theatre operator Charles Vance on October 23, 1911 with vaudevillian Pauline Barry as the headliner and some short films. Dusk came to the Dawn in 1919. It was removed and became a Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store in July of 1919.
Vance and Duncan’s Theatrette opened April 9, 1907 with a sold out screening. Charles Vance carried on without Duncan changing the name of the venue to the Dreamland Theatre in late 1907. The Dreamland closed on December 30, 1915, had a fixture sale in January of 1916 with the Grand Union Team Company taking its place.
Lyric Theatre #1 was added to the Murdock Building at 411 Main Street opening on March 1, 1908 with “The Prodigal Son.” It closed; but on April 3, 1926 Eastern Illinois Theatres Circuit opened Lyric Theatre #2 on April 3, 1926 with Betty Compson in “Counsel for the Defense.” The second Lyric Theater’s last film was “Speedy” supported by “Lone Horseman” on May 25, 1930 never converting to sound. On June 17, 1930, the entire interior was torn out for retail purposes.
Grand opening ad with “Drusillia with a Million” in photos from October 29, 1925. It closed on October 13, 1926 with “Forbidden Cargo.” In 1927, the equipment was removed and use for a brief period as a revival venue. It was torn down long ago.
The Atlanta Theatre more or less replaced the Casino Theatre in town. The Atlanta opened September 4, 1936 with Bing Crosby in “Anything Goes.” The Casino closed a month later. (Atlanta also had the Star Theatre which opened in the Patton Building on June 22, 1911. The Atlanta Theatre was resdesigned by new operators, Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Deuterman, with a brighter streamline moderne approach reducing seat count to 250 at its reopening at the Palace Teatre on October 31, 1947 with “1001 Nights.” It closed as small town theaters struggled with marquee removed in the 1960s after its 30 year lease expiry and the Atlanta movie era ended permanently.
But the Palace made an unlikely comeback with new operators and a new marquee on September 28, 1973 reopening with “Sound of Music.” The Palace closed in 1975 and that was it.
Except the Palace was reopened on November 5, 1976 with “Other Side of the Mountain.” But it closed in March of 1979 and the town had no more movies.
Although, the sme Palace was reopened August 31, 1979 with “CHOMPS.” The theater closed again later in the year and that was that as small-town cinemas were closing with folks traveling to multiplexes.
However, a new operator reopened the Palace on February 27, 1980 with Linda Blair in “Roller Boogie” and closed later in 1980.
Based on no evidence, I’m guessing the air conditioning system didn’t work and each time the repair estimate was given, it was too high to make the money back.
The Warsaw Theatre closed at the end of its 25-year lease with “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” on August 27, 1972. The concession stand was open on Labor Day for the parade, however..
AMC Evanston 12 closed on July 19, 2026 to reopen after a renovation as the AMC Evanston 7. The theatre began with 12 mainstream screens and a six-screen art house. with 18 screens in total in 2000 under Century Theatres. Cinemark absorbed Century and closed the theater on March 16, 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. They decided to make the closure permanent.
AMC reopened the 12-screener in November 22, 2022 with the Cine-Arts converted to a bounce house. A high-rise apartment building proposed at 900 Clark Street bites into the floor plan so it will re-emerge with new recliners and a multi-million update in 2027.
I think the Embassy Theatre was actually at 1418 Woodward Avenue with a tight seat count of 288 sporting a Reproduco Photoplayer Pipe Organ opening in 1927. It was within an existing building that, itself, had a different address - along with all of the buildings - prior to the Woodward Ave.’s renumbering in 1921.
The Embassy converted to sound. And I think the fire of September 16, 1931 there - in which a crowd of 10,000 showed up - both was its biggest night and its last night of operation. But feel free to go with your information if it’s preferable.
The Galva Theatre opened on May 18, 1927 with “Slide Kelly, Slide.” It replaced the Princess Theatre - its neighbor - a a new-build two-story structure. Elmer Borg played the $4,000 pipe organ. It lasted one year without converting to sound. Hippler, Terpening & Peak bought the venue and converted it to sound to remain commercially viable. Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Weece took it on from 1930 to 1945. Wayne Maxwell took it on running to end of lease in 1947.
The Marchesi Brothers Circuit - run by August and James - bought the theatre in 1947 giving it its streamline moderne look. They closed the venue on November 28, 1960. But the Galva mounted a comeback on April 2, 1961 when Fred and Frances Thompson reopened it. He died in February of 1969 and Frances operated it until closure on July 13, 1969 with “Hawaii.” She noted that only two people came to see “Born Free” and that was pretty much it. The Best Block housing the Princess was torn down along with the theatre in the 2010s.
Hate to be a contrarian but the listing is mostly discussing the Grand Theatre as the silent movie house. Robert T. LaGrille opened the Grand Photo Play in the Galt & Tracy block in 1914 at 314 Locust to show moving pictures. In 1916, it swapped Theatre for Photo Play. Final operators of the Grand were George L. Greenough and W.A. Weeks.
In 1923, they built a mammoth 1,000 seat venue called the Illini Theatre launching March 1O, 1924 right across the street. (It would be renamed the Sterling Theatre in 1930 and has its own Cinema Treasure listing.) Three months later, the Grand suffered a projection fire on June 16, 1924 and did not appear to reopen. An article suggests that a proposal to repair the building was too high and the lobby space used as a produce stand. In 1929 and 1930, the space was gutted and floor leveled for retail purposes.
The upper floor Academy of Music had opened on December 4, 1878 with a traveling concert by the Marie Roze-Mapleson (she the singer and he the director). The first films were shown there in 1897, the first fire caused by the films was in 1898 with a 1901 fire almost destroying the building. In the silent era, larger “road show” movies were shown in the upper floor Opera House and advertised as occurring at the Academy of Music including D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation” and “Intolerance.” Second-floor opera houses were in steep decline due to safety concerns and the lack of a need for opera houses as their profitability had waned during World War I in smaller cities and towns.
The Academy of Music’s opera house space on the second floor was converted to a Dance Hall opening December 9, 1925 effectively ending the Academy as it was created. Events at the hall were advertised as transpiring at the Academy of Music until its final event in 1931. Sears moved in in 1940. The third floor space not captured by the Dance Hall or the Sears retail store that followed apparently remains or remained into the 21st Century. The lettering of the Academy was removed by Sears and restored decades later.
This entry should be the Grand Theatre formerly the Grand Photo Play (not the Academy “theatre”).
The Eri-Lyn Drive-In opened on May 31, 1968 with “Marriage on the Rocks” and “Never Too Late.” Its capacity was 382 cars. The Eri-Lyn closed on Labor Day, September 3, 1985 with “The Muppets Take Manhattan” and a variety of Walt Disney cartoon shorts.
August 24, 1950 grand opening with “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”
The new-build theatre was build by Schmidt Brothers which apparently demolished both the Conde Hardware and Tin Store - whose final sale was a lumber sale from their actual building - and John Hoppler and Son’s Oakland Automobile Agency (which scooted over to 414 Locust and, in 1926, added the GM lower-cost Pontiac to the Oakland line). The plans for the Illini were by H.I. Booth with Ashby, Ashby and Schulz as associate architects. The Illini Theatre opened on March 10, 1924 with “Big Brother” featuring Tom Moore.
George L. Greenough and W.A. Weeks had operated the Grand Theatre across the street in the venerable Galt & Tracy Block that housed the Academy of Music. The Grand had opened in 1914 and became undersized for its needs though lasting to 1928 before becoming a ballroom. Meanwhile, the Academy of Music was flagging as live event venues in small-sized towns and medium-sized cities had been under financial pressure since World War I. Additionally, second floor opera houses were in quick descent as their safety was often questionable at best. A ground floor option combining live events and film was decided upon.
In 1923, Greenough and Weeks built a mammoth 1,000 seat venue called the Illini Theatre launching March 10, 1924 right across the street from their baby Grand and behind the Greyhound Bus terminal. The $150,000 Illini Theatre would also share its entry with the Greyhound Bus depot. Local organist Mary Celeste Ward was at the console of the venue’s $12,000 Bartola pipe organ on the March 10, 1924 opening show. (The organ was said to have been produced for Barton by the Wangerin Organ Company in Milwaukee.)
Three months after launching the Illini, the Grand suffered a projection fire on June 16, 1924 and did not appear to reopen. Max and Herman Louis Gumbiner’s Gumbiner Bros. Enterprises, a Chicago-based theatre circuit, took on the Illini effective January 1, 1926. Great Lakes operated the venue. On October 30, 1929, Vitaphone was in and organist Nova Morehouse was let go.
In 1930, the theater got its fourth owner in Lucas Circuit (Sterling Theatre Company) which also had operated the Lincoln Theatre. They installed a new sound system and name. On October 7, 1930, it became the Sterling Theatre with The Rockettes and three vaudeville acts supporting the feature film, “Following Thru.”
Lucas decided to reinstitute live organ music and searched for a player. They hired Mary Celeste Ward, the original organist who - after a brief radio organist job in radio at Iowa City’s WSUI - returned on October 11, 1930 and played virtually every night at the Sterling Theatre thereafter including June 1, 1942’s film line-up before dying on her way home after that show. The original Sterling Theatre was destroyed a year later by fire on July 9, 1943 in what appears in photos to be a projection booth explosion.
The Sterling’s operators, J.C. Kantos and Franklin Ford, got permission from the War Production Board on December 15, 1943 to rebuild in the same spot. The pair signed Dixon-based architect John R. McClane and he delivered a new 1,020 seat New Sterling Theatre. The streamline moderne house launched on September 28, 1944 and had a very successful run into the 21st Century.
If you want more specific and less guessy info, this was actually opened as the Electric Airdome on August 7, 1907. It was enclose and became the Family Theatre on October 9, 1909. After a change in ownership by W.H. Schraeder and refresh, the venue reopened as the Vaudette Show on April 12, 1912 and the Vaudette Theatre ye year’s end.
The Vaudette was under pressure from the Lincoln and Illini theaters. It was closed for fire safety issues and - while making those corrections - burned down a month later. The pre-closure films of Reginald Denny in “Oh Doctor” supported by the comedy short, the Roy Del Ruth directed “Deep Sea Panic” on April 20, 1925 became its final night.
If you want dates that are a little less guessy, this may be for you. The venue initially opened as the Lincoln Theatre on April 5, 1920 with Crauford Kent in “Other Men’s Shoes.” Great States Theatres Circuit opened the Illini Theatre in 1924 - a move that would all but end the Vaudette and Academy - and took on the Grand and the Lincoln Theatre.
Great States had a plan on the table to remodel the Grand at $15,000 likely with sound and opted, instead, to lease it in March of 1928 where it was converted to a ballroom ending its run. That reduced Sterling to the Illini and Lincoln. Both were equipped with sound.
Great States dropped the Lincoln closing for the summer in June of 1930. The five theater town was down to just one operating venue in the Depression. However, a new operator reopened after three closed summers on September 2, 1932. That was not a success.
But the Lincoln proved to be a survivor and reopened under new management on November 10, 1934 as the State Theatre with “King Priest.” That included a new exterior that had a streamline look. It converted to widescreen to present CinemaScope titles.
In 1978, it was refurbished one last time rebooting as the First Avenue Cinema. In 1979, it transitioned to the Teatro Cinema showing Spanish language films apparently on a sublease. In its final stretch as the Cinema Theater, Kerasotes ended things with a “Silver Bullet” on October 29, 1985.
Crauford Kent
Steward’s Grand Opera House was established in Plano in the late 19th Century. At some point, the original building was replaced with a new building and dropping Steward’s name. It shifted to movie in the 1910s and went by the Grand Theatre - dated to at least 1922 by the moniker. They installed a costly new pipe organ in July of 1925 to improve presentations.
The Grand was sold by Frank Boget and Ingersoll along with the Sandwich’s American Theatre on October 21, 1928 to R.A. Shobe. Shobe rewired both venues for sound to remain commercially viable. George Huth took it over in 1930.
In 1937, the venue got a streamline moderne makeover. In October of 1947, it was renamed the Plano Theater. But the theatre struggled to survive reducing showtimes to four days a week, showing more Spanish language films to cater to the Hispanic population, and changing operators at least three times. Joe M. Smith and Mrs. Steven Nadolny operated it for just a year in 1975 closing in 1976.
Final operator Michael Burdick took it on in June of 1976 giving it new projection equipment and reducing seat count from 410 to its final count of 305. The retrofit of $56,000 may have been a bit more than the venue made. It stopped advertising after the September 8, 1978 showings of “Grease.”
First advertised as the American Theatre in 1921 and operated by Ingersoll & Boget. It took the place of the Sandwich Opera House as the number one entertainment place in town. R.A. Shobe of Monticello, Illinois took on the venue to modernize it. On November 5, 1929, the theater had a new lobby and Phototone sound system becoming the Avalon Theatre. In December of 1933, under new owners, the venue became the State Theatre: “The Biggest Little Theatre in Northern Illinois.”
The State transitioned to widescreen projection. On August, 5, 1964, the State Theatre discontinued advertising with “How the West Was Won.” The entry should be the State Theatre formerly the American Theatre formerly the Avalon Theatre and purportedly the Chi Theatre. Operator Paul Sweeney noted that during his tenure as the State Theatre, the venue sold 1.2 million admissions - certainly enough to call this theatre the State.
The Harvard Opera House opened in the 1870s here - one of two opera houses in Harvard operating into the 20th Century. Then it was renamed as the Majestic Theatre on March 13, 1915 featuring Al Jennings in “Beating Back” supported with a new pipe organ. On March 3, 1928, the venue was renamed by new operator Nat Wayne as the Metro Theatre with “The 13th Hour” and Tuttle, The Great Magician on the stage.
On November 16, 1930, the venue was taken over by A.E. Pierce who renamed it as the Harvard Theatre with “The Untold Three” with Lon Chaney now with sound. It closed in 1934 and reopened with new operator Bill Johnson. He gave the Harvard a streamline look on August 2, 1936 likely ordering a sign that didn’t arrive saying, “Roxy.” The venue improved exhibition with RCA sound which began on December 24, 1936 under the venue’s new name as the Roxy Theatre.
Fore reasons unclear, Johnson renamed the venue as the Harvard Theatre - its second time around on that name - on January 12, 1950 with a refresh including new setting and a cycloramic film theater. The Harvard Theatre was closed on December 31, 1953 with “The Fuller Brush Man” and sold to non-theatrical interests. In the 1970s, the competing theater would also become the Harvard Theatre (“#2”).
The Walworth stopped advertising after the January 1, 1984 showing of “Easy Money.” My guess is that it wasn’t so easy.
Husband and wife team Mr. Eugene E. Saunders and Mrs. Bertha Saunders operated the Palace Theatre and original Saunders Theatre. They opened here as the New Saunders Theatre on December 15, 1925 replacing the original venue at a cost of $50,000. William Ward Construction tore down Haffner’s Saloon to create the new-build Saunders. The New Saunders opened with 350 seats. Harvard Mayor Colonel Joseph S. Maxon made an opening presentation prior to “The King on Main Street.” They added Western Electric Sound - a $15,000 investment - to remain commercially viable. Because Bertha objected to the smell of popcorn popping, Jay Vorhees operated a popcorn cart outside of the New Saunders.
“Gone with the Wind” was the only reserved seat film in the Saunders history - its biggest title. The Saunders' box office also offered notary services, hunting and fishing licenses, license plate service, and even check cashing to remain a part of the community. Bertha Saunders sold the venue to Harvard Theater Corporation headed by Bill Johnson in November of 1947 citing television as both a concern and different from theatrically exhibited films. A refresh bumped up seat count to 400. Alliance Amusement closed just prior to the end of its lease citing a $100 weekly loss versus a $300 monthly leasing obligation into Fall of 1965. It closed with “Under The Yum Yum Tree” on February 9, 1964. The Republican Party sublet the venue through November of 1964.
The theatre mounted an unlikely comeback costing $175,000 including 400 new cushioned seats and brand new automated projection gear. Bob and Roberta C. “Bobbie” Hume of Hume Inc. rebranded as the Harvard Theatre (#2 - as the original Opera House had been named the Harvard Theatre for its final three years of operation). The new Harvard opened on February 27, 1970 with “Doctor Zhivago.” By that summer, they were showing family films - including free merchant kiddy matinees for two years - on weekends and adult content at night. The Humes sublet the venue after showtimes of July 31, 1975 to Rockford’s Steven R. Yates and William H. Seaton who took the film full-time porno chic. They started the next day with the marquee reading: “Under New Management… Adult Hits… Double Feature… Rated X” at their lunch as The Show on August 1, 1975. The Humes exhausted a list of other potential exhibitors before allowing the transition. The films stopped in 1980 at the end of a 5-year sublease. On December 31, 1980, the theater rebranded to the Harvard Theatre with Antioch’s Ken Lyday trying a discount policy.
The Harvard closed with “The Watcher in the Woods” November 1, 1981. The next film was everyone’s favorite, “Closed for Repairs” (the heating system). That proved to be too expensive. Not finding another operator, the theatre’s 50+ year run was done. In June of 1983, it had been removed for opening of the D. & E. Meat Market.
The Fargo installed Vitaphone for sound film presentations beginning January 11, 1929 which cost $15,000. Eben Mitterling of Rockford’s Rex and Harvard’s Roxy took on the venue renaming it as the State Theatre.
The Dawn Theatre opened in the existing Jack Building by Dreamland Theatre operator Charles Vance on October 23, 1911 with vaudevillian Pauline Barry as the headliner and some short films. Dusk came to the Dawn in 1919. It was removed and became a Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store in July of 1919.
Vance and Duncan’s Theatrette opened April 9, 1907 with a sold out screening. Charles Vance carried on without Duncan changing the name of the venue to the Dreamland Theatre in late 1907. The Dreamland closed on December 30, 1915, had a fixture sale in January of 1916 with the Grand Union Team Company taking its place.
Lyric Theatre #1 was added to the Murdock Building at 411 Main Street opening on March 1, 1908 with “The Prodigal Son.” It closed; but on April 3, 1926 Eastern Illinois Theatres Circuit opened Lyric Theatre #2 on April 3, 1926 with Betty Compson in “Counsel for the Defense.” The second Lyric Theater’s last film was “Speedy” supported by “Lone Horseman” on May 25, 1930 never converting to sound. On June 17, 1930, the entire interior was torn out for retail purposes.
Grand opening ad with “Drusillia with a Million” in photos from October 29, 1925. It closed on October 13, 1926 with “Forbidden Cargo.” In 1927, the equipment was removed and use for a brief period as a revival venue. It was torn down long ago.
Grand opening ad with “Drusillia with a Million” in photos.
The Atlanta Theatre more or less replaced the Casino Theatre in town. The Atlanta opened September 4, 1936 with Bing Crosby in “Anything Goes.” The Casino closed a month later. (Atlanta also had the Star Theatre which opened in the Patton Building on June 22, 1911. The Atlanta Theatre was resdesigned by new operators, Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Deuterman, with a brighter streamline moderne approach reducing seat count to 250 at its reopening at the Palace Teatre on October 31, 1947 with “1001 Nights.” It closed as small town theaters struggled with marquee removed in the 1960s after its 30 year lease expiry and the Atlanta movie era ended permanently.
But the Palace made an unlikely comeback with new operators and a new marquee on September 28, 1973 reopening with “Sound of Music.” The Palace closed in 1975 and that was it.
Except the Palace was reopened on November 5, 1976 with “Other Side of the Mountain.” But it closed in March of 1979 and the town had no more movies.
Although, the sme Palace was reopened August 31, 1979 with “CHOMPS.” The theater closed again later in the year and that was that as small-town cinemas were closing with folks traveling to multiplexes.
However, a new operator reopened the Palace on February 27, 1980 with Linda Blair in “Roller Boogie” and closed later in 1980.
Based on no evidence, I’m guessing the air conditioning system didn’t work and each time the repair estimate was given, it was too high to make the money back.
The Warsaw Theatre closed at the end of its 25-year lease with “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” on August 27, 1972. The concession stand was open on Labor Day for the parade, however..
Status : Open
AMC Evanston 12 closed on July 19, 2026 to reopen after a renovation as the AMC Evanston 7. The theatre began with 12 mainstream screens and a six-screen art house. with 18 screens in total in 2000 under Century Theatres. Cinemark absorbed Century and closed the theater on March 16, 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. They decided to make the closure permanent.
AMC reopened the 12-screener in November 22, 2022 with the Cine-Arts converted to a bounce house. A high-rise apartment building proposed at 900 Clark Street bites into the floor plan so it will re-emerge with new recliners and a multi-million update in 2027.
The local newspaper contends that the Lyric Theatre opened in 1910 and was operated by Porter Alden Bush until 1930.
I think the Embassy Theatre was actually at 1418 Woodward Avenue with a tight seat count of 288 sporting a Reproduco Photoplayer Pipe Organ opening in 1927. It was within an existing building that, itself, had a different address - along with all of the buildings - prior to the Woodward Ave.’s renumbering in 1921.
The Embassy converted to sound. And I think the fire of September 16, 1931 there - in which a crowd of 10,000 showed up - both was its biggest night and its last night of operation. But feel free to go with your information if it’s preferable.