Main Theatre
117 E. Main Street,
Danville,
IL
61832
117 E. Main Street,
Danville,
IL
61832
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Colonial Theatre, Victory Theatre
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Opened as the Colonial Theatre around 1910 with 375 seats. It was closed in the summer of 1943. It reopened as the Victory Theatre on March 30, 1944 with Pat O'Brien in “Two Yanks in Trinidad” & Joe E. Brown in “Shut My Big Mouth”. On April 1, 1949 it came under new management as the Main Theatre. It was closed on September 4, 1954 with “Romance and Rhythm” & Joel McCrea in “San Francisco Story”.
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Chris1982
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Boxoffice, April 2, 1949: “Danville, Ill. - Abe H. Kaufman, owner of the Fountain Theatre, Terre Haute, Ind., has purchased the Victory Theatre here effective April 1 from Jack Butler. The theatre name will be changed to the Main.”
The long-standing Colonial Theatre was programming films by 1910. It added sound to remain commercially viable. The Colonial closed heading into the Summer of 1943 and not returning in the Fall - likely an indication of no air conditioning. It was reopened as the Victory Theatre on March 30, 1944 with “Two Yanks in Trinidad” and “Shut My Mouth.” Likely, it had some form of air conditioning operating year-round to 1949 but as a third-tier house and open to exploitation titles.
It was rebranded under new operators as the Main Theater. The April 1, 1949 reopening ad as the Main Theater is in photos and promising no more unsavory film bookings. People were so happy about the clean policy of the Main Theatre that it quickly reduced to weekend-only operation in the early 1950s; It appears to have closed as the Main Theater ceasing advertising after the September 4, 1954 showing of “Romance & Rhythm” and “San Francisco Story.”
This theater was located in the western half of a two story brick commercial building which was constructed sometime between 1890 and 1895. The location is shown as boots and shoes on the 1909 map. This portion of the building was demolished long ago, along with most of the rest of this area. The eastern half remained until 2007, and was demolished before 2015.