Marion Theatre

50 S. Magnolia Avenue,
Ocala, FL 34474

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Showing 1 - 25 of 36 comments

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on May 1, 2023 at 7:30 pm

The Marion was originally an E. J. Sparks house, according to this item from the September 26, 1941 Film Daily: “The new Marion Theater, Ocala, Fla., was opened recently with a three minute dedicatory speech by Mayor M. C. Izlar. This house is one of the finest in the Sparks chain and is managed by C. T. Chapin.”

Patsy
Patsy on October 30, 2012 at 1:10 pm

Great news for this art deco theatre in Ocala!

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on October 17, 2012 at 2:42 pm

Carmike is ending its management and the theater will briefly close, to be reopened by a local independent operator: View article

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on March 10, 2011 at 2:58 pm

The theater is not operating at a profit and a subsidy from the City of Ocala is controversial: http://www.wftv.com/news/27152688/detail.html.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on November 24, 2010 at 7:59 pm

Leave it to Carmike to come in and ruin a great Florida theatre!

AndyCallahanMajorMajor
AndyCallahanMajorMajor on August 9, 2010 at 8:07 am

Here are my pictures from August 2010.

darkpitch
darkpitch on August 2, 2010 at 4:01 am

Amazing theater and both screens are digital. The only drawback is that it’s not stadium seating and if you happen to have someone taller sitting in front of you, you will experience problems viewing the film and have to choose another seat. Other than that, beautifully decorated, friendly staff and it re-creates that old “movie house” feel.

alphomega7
alphomega7 on July 14, 2010 at 6:56 am

Glad to see you guys are back up and running again! Marioncar I will pass on the admin for this page if you would like. Thanks for helping keep the MARiON alive.

babyboomboom2116
babyboomboom2116 on June 25, 2010 at 7:29 pm

No we are not closed. We are now showing Grown ups and A-team. June 29th we are premiering Eclipse and doing the prequals. Call for more details. Our box office number is 352-622-1245. Our movie line is 352-390-2731. You can also find times and buy tickets at Fandango.com and carmike.com. Sorry for the inconvience of the Marion website and other issues we havent completely gotten to buy the rights for all of it yet. Come support our theatre!

21& up after 6pm
Everyone’s ID is required.
Before 6pm-$6.00
After 6pm-$8.50
Military, Senior, and Student-$7
Hope to see you there!

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on May 11, 2010 at 2:19 pm

An article about the re-opening: View link

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on March 26, 2010 at 7:43 pm

According to a recent article, the Marion stopped showing films in January, 2008 though it was used for live entertainment afterwards. It is scheduled to reopen as a first-run cinema again on May 21, 2010 under Carmike management, which plans to twin the theater. The article is here: View link

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 30, 2009 at 10:50 pm

Patsy, there were at least five other walk-in theaters in Ocala, not including the current Regal Hollywood 16 and Ocala Center Six. Various issues of Boxoffice Magazine provide the following information.

The Dixie Theatre opened in 1923, closed about 1941, reopened in 1946. I don’t know how long it operated after that. It had about 400 seats.

The Ritz opened as the Etta Theatre about 1927, in a remodeled building that was formerly a garage. The name Ritz appears in Boxoffice as early as 1938. In 1957, when the street was widened and ten feet were taken off the front of the building, the Ritz got a $90,000 renovation and redecoration. One Boxoffice item said that the name of the Ritz would be changed to the Florida Theatre after the remodeling, but the only reference I can find to a Florida Theatre in Ocala comes from 1975. In fact I can’t find references to either the Ritz or the Florida between 1957 and 1975, so I don’t know of they are the same theater or not.

There was a theater called the Roxy which operated as a black-only house during the era when Ocala’s theaters were segregated. It was on West Broadway. I don’t have opening or closing dates, but it was in operation during at least part of the 1940s.

The Ocala Twin Theatre opened in December of 1971, in the Ocala Shopping Center. I have no details about it, but it might have (and most likely did) become the three-screener called the Ocala Triple Theatre that was closed in 1990 when the operator, Wometco, opened a new multiplex called the Boulevard Six in the same shopping center.

The Boulevard Six itself was later operated by Regal, then bought by SunStar Cinemas in 2001 and renamed the Ocala Center Six, which is now open again after having been shut down for 14 months when it was almost swallowed by a sinkhole in February, 2007.

A luxury house called the Springs was in operation in the 1970s. Originally a single-screen, it had a second auditorium of 350 seats added (new construction, not a split) in early 1975. It was on Silver Springs Boulevard. As the Springs Theatre was operated by ABC Florida State Theatres, it might have been (and probably was) the 900-seat house ABC got permission to build late in 1968.

There was also supposed to have been a second drive-in in or near Ocala, called the Skylark, under construction in June, 1952, and expected to open by mid-July that year.

Anybody who can come up with addresses for any or all of these theaters, please do add them to Cinema Treasures. The Regal and Ocala Center Six should be easy enough to add as their information is on the Internet, but as they are open it’s best of somebody who has actually seen them and can give descriptions adds them.

Patsy
Patsy on February 1, 2009 at 8:21 am

On the Marion website under the history section it mentions 2 other theatres that were in Ocala…the Dixie and the Ritz though I don’t think they are included on CT.

felker1017
felker1017 on January 21, 2009 at 5:20 pm

Hello there,

I am Michael Felker from the Florida State University Film School in Tallahassee FL. Just recently, our school was approached by Philanthropy TV (www.philanthropy.tv) about the opportunity for our students to film documentaries about some of the great foundations in North America. During my personal research, I came across your wonderful foundation in Ocala, The Marion Film & Visual Arts Foundation, and was hoping to cover a documentary about your organization. Philanthropy TV has approached the top film schools in the nation to cover these documentaries in order to spread the word on various causes around the world. The best documentaries will be shown on Philanthropy TV’s site and many various new media outlets all over the internet. I personally think your organization’s revitalization of the Marion Theater in downtown Ocala is a fantastic story and would be an excellent opportunity to show the world your foundation’s efforts. Unfortunately I can’t reach the foundation through the email provided on your website We would be using our own high-end camera equipment to document your organization in the best way possible. If you are interested in being a part of this experience, please contact me by email or call my cell phone at 256-348-9607.

Thank you so much, and I hope to hear from you soon,
Michael Felker

Patsy
Patsy on January 13, 2009 at 12:17 pm

Brian: I couldn’t reach you via email on your CT profile page nor on the Marion Theatre website so decided to address you via CT. Could you tell me the current status of the theatre? I plan to be in Ocala in late March and would like a tour, if possible. Thank you. If I don’t read a post from you by the weekend, I will call the theatre number given on the website.

Patsy
Patsy on January 8, 2009 at 6:54 pm

As most of us know, John Travolta contributed to the restoration of this theatre in downtown Ocala. Thank you John and CT extends their condolences to you and to Kelly on the loss of your son, Jett.

alphomega7
alphomega7 on January 2, 2008 at 10:19 am

Thank you for the photos, always nice to see the online support! We hope everyone has a blessed new year!

Warm Regards,

The Marion Theatre Staff

alphomega7
alphomega7 on November 28, 2007 at 12:42 pm

The Marion theatre Opens NEW independent films on the Big screen in HD! Now a digital cinema the Marion has join the ranks of few (soon to be many) to convet to digital. Now a part of Emerging Cinemas the historic movie theatre will show these indies weekly and still have live!! improv, music and theatre on their stage. Check out www.themariontheatre.org for details

Patsy
Patsy on November 9, 2007 at 11:04 am

I hope to visit this theatre this winter during a trip to the Ocala area and then to the Tampa area to see the atmospheric Tampa Theatre!

monika
monika on August 17, 2007 at 10:41 am

What a beautiful theatre! So happy to hear it has been brought back to life.

alphomega7
alphomega7 on March 27, 2007 at 2:41 pm

hey darkpitch we will show films, plays and live music events. There will not be a dark day in the theatre for over 8 months when she opens. Thank you all for your comments please come and visit us if you are in town.

darkpitch
darkpitch on March 26, 2007 at 9:23 am

Is this theater going to be used for films or staged plays?

Patsy
Patsy on March 20, 2007 at 5:44 am

ghamilton: Found more about the Travolta event with photos on the Marion website. Thanks.

Patsy
Patsy on March 20, 2007 at 5:41 am

ghamilton: Great news for the Marion Theatre! Could you post the news article?