Springfield, Ohio First Runs (1956)

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Uploaded on: September 20, 2026

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I thought it would be interesting to compare what first-run movies were available in Springfield, Ohio and Columbus, Ohio mainstream theaters, on the same date and year. Columbus and Springfield are only 45 miles apart or about 47 driving minutes. Springfield had about 62,000 residents in 1956, while Columbus had 375,000 residents. Springfield had three first-run downtown theaters plus a drive-in, while Columbus had four first-run downtown theaters. Incidently, Springfield is only 27 miles from Dayton, Ohio, which had a 1956 population of 200,000. Columbus (at the RKO Palace) and Springfield both showed “Toward the Unknown.” Otherwise the cities showed different movies. In Columbus, the Ohio had “Attack!;” the Broad had “The Best Things in Life are Free;” the RKO Grand showed “1984.” Source: October 19, 1956–Springfield Post and Columbus Dispatch.