I found an announcement that a Central Theatre was being built on Dalies Avenue which I’ve uploaded. However I couldn’t find a year for the announcement. I subsequently found a one line reference that the Central and Cortez Theatres were operating in Belen in the 1950s. While the announcement would offer the possibility that the Central became the Onate the later reference disputes it.
No new update on their Facebook page. Went by today. They have finished reframing and enclosing the tiny box office area. It would seem that all the windows to be replaced have been installed. They are now covered with brown paper. The trench and the pile of dirt in the front of the theatre are still there. Behind the fencing there is a dump truck and a small Bobcat. Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of a waste of time and money since, if it ever opens, it won’t survive. A number of well established Long Island theatres did not survive Covid. They either closed on the spot or couldn’t successfully reestablish.
There were continuance performances at the theatre requiring some indirect lighting at all times (which also was supposed to be a deterrent for any hanky panky).
That link also says the Liberty was managed by T.K. Metz who also owned the Empress Theatre in town. That theatre is not on CT. At the time it was built ceilings were high to maximize the sound of the $5000 organ which was installed. The damage from the fire was estimated at $12,000. Interesting statistics.
Called the Poplar because of it’s proximity to Poplar Street. I’ve uploaded an early photo of the intersection. In a later photo Poplar Street has been widened and the theatre is directly at the intersection. I’ve also uploaded pre interior and post interior renovation images mentioned in the photo esssay above since, in time, these links cease to exist.
In the 1916 Motion Picture Directory it was announced that a $14,000 theatre was to be erected by the Van Voorhees Brothers for Paragon Theatres. This might explain the Apollo/Paragon reference made by Ken Roe above.
Uploaded a photo of page 3 from the Aberdeen Herald of December 10, 1908 in which severalads for the Grand appear. There is also an ad for a play at the Garden Theatre. More research has to be done to see if that theatre also screened movies.
A portion of the marquee of the Vogue can be seen behind the float in this 1962 photo. The blank marquee indicates it was no longer functioning at this time.
I have uploaded a 1980 photo of the Roxy by John Margolies found in the Library of Congress files.
According to one source the theatre was created in 1931 in a former tobacco warehouse and was originally called the Enterprise. However that same source said it then became the Shaw and only the Roxy in 1949 while other information on CT says that the Shaw and Roxy were two separate theatres operating concurrently.
The Queen/Ritz was not Celina’s first venue for movies. There is a November 20, 1913 item in the Celina Texas Record that Charley Ownsby, Manager of Celina’s Opera House, only presented clean vaudeville shows and moving pictures.
In 1937 John and Arthur Tegu of the St. Johnsbury, VT, Tegu Theatre Circuit bought the Portland Street Burke Block and demolished it. They constructed a modern 650 seat theatre which has been referred to as “Vermont’s Little Radio City”.
I have not found any information as to when or why it closed.
Currently it has been remodeled into commercial space called the Tegu Building and houses and art gallery and municipal offices.
I have uploaded a postcard image of the theatre and a photo of a theatre poster being offered for sale on Proxibid.
The original Bijou was created in a space in the Randall Hotel by Leon C. Emmons and W.C Laird in 1902. In 1909 it moved to the corner of Portland and Brigham Street. In 1930 it moved to a location at Portland and Bridge. The reference I found said this location was a wooden building. As one can see from the photo section the current theatre doesn’t appear to be a wooden building. Any clarification would be appreciated.
Emmons is credited as having been the first to convert to talkies in Vermont.
During the pandemic the Bijou sponsored two pop up drive in theatres.
I found an announcement that a Central Theatre was being built on Dalies Avenue which I’ve uploaded. However I couldn’t find a year for the announcement. I subsequently found a one line reference that the Central and Cortez Theatres were operating in Belen in the 1950s. While the announcement would offer the possibility that the Central became the Onate the later reference disputes it.
Uploaded a photo by Karen Dube.
Uploaded an ad for the Star from the November 30, 1944 Delphos Daily Herald.
No new update on their Facebook page. Went by today. They have finished reframing and enclosing the tiny box office area. It would seem that all the windows to be replaced have been installed. They are now covered with brown paper. The trench and the pile of dirt in the front of the theatre are still there. Behind the fencing there is a dump truck and a small Bobcat. Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of a waste of time and money since, if it ever opens, it won’t survive. A number of well established Long Island theatres did not survive Covid. They either closed on the spot or couldn’t successfully reestablish.
David. One down three to go.
Do we really need anything more than a good movie at a reasonable price?
Mercy also purchased the Lois Theatre in Toppenish, WA in 1926 and after remodeling it renamed it the Liberty. That theatre has a site on CT.
Uploaded a photo of a 1959 flyer for the Gayety.
Did some tracking down and found a 1947 picture of the Collins. It later became the Melba. Uploaded it on the Melba site.
I have uploaded a 1947 photo of the Melba as the Collins. When did the name change?
There were continuance performances at the theatre requiring some indirect lighting at all times (which also was supposed to be a deterrent for any hanky panky).
That link also says the Liberty was managed by T.K. Metz who also owned the Empress Theatre in town. That theatre is not on CT. At the time it was built ceilings were high to maximize the sound of the $5000 organ which was installed. The damage from the fire was estimated at $12,000. Interesting statistics.
Remains of movies past still on the pylon.
Called the Poplar because of it’s proximity to Poplar Street. I’ve uploaded an early photo of the intersection. In a later photo Poplar Street has been widened and the theatre is directly at the intersection. I’ve also uploaded pre interior and post interior renovation images mentioned in the photo esssay above since, in time, these links cease to exist.
In the 1916 Motion Picture Directory it was announced that a $14,000 theatre was to be erected by the Van Voorhees Brothers for Paragon Theatres. This might explain the Apollo/Paragon reference made by Ken Roe above.
Uploaded a photo from the Beacon Historical Society.
Uploaded a photo of page 3 from the Aberdeen Herald of December 10, 1908 in which severalads for the Grand appear. There is also an ad for a play at the Garden Theatre. More research has to be done to see if that theatre also screened movies.
A portion of the marquee of the Vogue can be seen behind the float in this 1962 photo. The blank marquee indicates it was no longer functioning at this time.
I have uploaded a 1980 photo of the Roxy by John Margolies found in the Library of Congress files.
According to one source the theatre was created in 1931 in a former tobacco warehouse and was originally called the Enterprise. However that same source said it then became the Shaw and only the Roxy in 1949 while other information on CT says that the Shaw and Roxy were two separate theatres operating concurrently.
Uploaded a photo of the Leaf as it appeared in the Gadsden County Times of October 20, 1949 just prior to its opening.
They advertise it as a cinema venue.
The Queen/Ritz was not Celina’s first venue for movies. There is a November 20, 1913 item in the Celina Texas Record that Charley Ownsby, Manager of Celina’s Opera House, only presented clean vaudeville shows and moving pictures.
Uploaded a photo of a page from the Celina Texas Record from June 13, 1946 in which booster ads were placed for the soon to open Ritz.
In 1937 John and Arthur Tegu of the St. Johnsbury, VT, Tegu Theatre Circuit bought the Portland Street Burke Block and demolished it. They constructed a modern 650 seat theatre which has been referred to as “Vermont’s Little Radio City”.
I have not found any information as to when or why it closed.
Currently it has been remodeled into commercial space called the Tegu Building and houses and art gallery and municipal offices.
I have uploaded a postcard image of the theatre and a photo of a theatre poster being offered for sale on Proxibid.
The original Bijou was created in a space in the Randall Hotel by Leon C. Emmons and W.C Laird in 1902. In 1909 it moved to the corner of Portland and Brigham Street. In 1930 it moved to a location at Portland and Bridge. The reference I found said this location was a wooden building. As one can see from the photo section the current theatre doesn’t appear to be a wooden building. Any clarification would be appreciated.
Emmons is credited as having been the first to convert to talkies in Vermont.
During the pandemic the Bijou sponsored two pop up drive in theatres.