“The Motovu Drive-In at Warrenton has been leased by its owner, State Representative William T. Zimmerman to Mr. and Mrs. Lowell G. Sprick, who plan to reopen it for the season April 1.” — BoxOffice, March 7, 1960
Probably just a season-opener after the sale. “Stanford Kohlberg opened the Dunes Drive-In at East Gary immediately following purchase of the property.” — BoxOffice, Feb. 29, 1960
On Feb. 19, 1960, BoxOffice ran what was effectively an obituary for the Grand:
MOBEKLY, MO.—The Grand Theatre, constructed nearly 60 years ago, soon will enter a new phase of its existence. Fox Midwest of Kansas City closed the theatre this month and the structure will be remodeled, starting March 1, for use by J. C. Penney Co. as a department store.
The passing of the Grand leaves this town with only one theatre, plus a drive-in. At one time, Moberly had four theatres, two playing first-run film.
Penney plans to spend $100,000 on the conversion. The history of the Grand dates back to Dec. 14, 1903, when it was opened as the Halloran Theatre by Patrick Halloran with the stage show “Peggy From Paris” as the attraction. It ran for two nights. Seats on the opening night sold at $5 to $10 and reservations were by drawing.
In 1906 Halloran took in two partners, J. B. Price and Charles E. Breeding of Hannibal, Mo. They incorporated as the Halloran Theatre Company. In 1913 the theatre was sold to George W. Sparks, whose son owns the present building.
Sparks in 1913 leased the building to Fred Corbett and Jack Truitt and they changed the name to the Grand Theatre. They operated originally as a vaudeville house but later changed to silent motion pictures. The building was swept by fire in 1914 but was rebuilt by Sparks, again being leased to Corbett and Truitt.
A second fire in 1925 destroyed the building. It was reconstructed and this time was leased to the Sears Amusement Co., a subsidiary of Universal Pictures Co. This lease subsequently was assigned to various other interests and finally to the Fox Midwest, which has had it about 30 years.
A. H. Pekarek, manager of the Grand since May 1927, was transferred to the Jayhawk in Topeka, effective February 12, and Gene Kincaid, manager of the Kennedy in Kirksville, was moved in to supervise removal of equipment and other final details. Pekarek, who has been with the circuit 25 years, returned to the same theatre where he started as a doorman. Mrs. Pekarek’s parents live in Topeka.
“EAST ST. LOUIS – The Mounds Drive-In between here and Collinsville has been taken over by Mid-American Theatres of St. Louis renamed the Falcon and will be reopened in March with R. L. Wesseman as manager. The concession stand is being enlarged and other improvements being made. Wesseman said no sex-type pictures will be shown, and the policy will be strictly family type.” — BoxOffice, Feb. 29, 1960
From the Feb. 29, 1960 issue of BoxOffice: “Homer Tegtmeier, who acquired the Dos Palos Drive-In from Julian Hales, refurbished it and reopened Wednesday (24)”.
The Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice reported: “A terrific wind and sandstorm Tuesday (9) damaged several Video circuit drive-ins. … The Sunset, owned by O. A. Branson, at Muskogee also was damaged.”
Later on the same page, it mentioned that two of the visitors at Oklahoma City’s Filmrow were “Mr. and Mrs. O. A. Branson, Sunset at Muskogee, whose screen tower was blown down before they had a chance to reopen”.
From the Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice: “A terrific wind and sandstorm Tuesday (9) damaged several Video circuit drive-ins. … the Holiday at Odessa suffered lesser damages”.
Was this the same minor tornado damage that dallasmovietheaters' notes place in 1962 or another one? From the Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice: “A terrific wind and sandstorm Tuesday (9) damaged several Video circuit drive-ins. … the Key City at Abilene and the Holiday at Odessa suffered lesser damages”.
From the Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice: “A terrific wind and sandstorm Tuesday (9) damaged several Video circuit drive-ins. … at Hobbs, N. M. … the tower at the Flamingo there was badly twisted”
From the Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice: “A terrific wind and sandstorm Tuesday (9) damaged several Video circuit drive-ins. The Eagle at Hobbs, N. M. reported the screen tower and other buildings blown down”.
BoxOffice, Feb. 22, 1960: “Sale of the Palace Theater and 87 Drive-In at Fredericksburg to Bel-Pad Corp. was announced by Carl and Herbert Durst, who owned the theatres for the last ten years. The new owners are Pat Padden, formerly of San Antonio, and Mr. and Mrs. Howard J. Bellamy, also of the Alamo City. The Durst brothers entered the theatre business when they erected the 87 Drive-In back in 1949. Four years later (1953), they purchased the Palace from Walter Knoche.”
“T. J. ‘Stout’ Jackson, builder of screen towers and Robstown theatre operator, was in San Antonio constructing a new screen tower for the El Charro Drive-In which was blown down by recent high winds.” — BoxOffice, Feb. 22, 1960
I’m afraid that the Pageant should be marked as closed. It’s web site’s front page still reads in part, “We’re still working to raise the approximately $70,000 for our digital upgrade, but unfortunately, We are not going to be able to open for the 2014 season.”
Sounds like Frank Dodson bought out Commonwealth’s share in 1956. From the June 2, 1956 Motion Picture Herald: “Frank Dodson of Ellsworth, Kan., has purchased the interest of his partner, the Commonwealth Theatres, Inc., of Kansas City, Mo., in the Bell theatre and the Kanapolis (sic) drive-in theatre in Ellsworth, to become sole owner.”
Then four years later, from the Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice: “Frank Dodson, owner of the Bell Theater at Ellsworth and Kanapolis (sic) Drive-In at Kanapolis, Kas., has leased these properties to Thomas Miller, an Ellsworth businessman, who indicates that he plans to operate both of the situations.”
BoxOffice reported on Feb. 8, 1960 that among the folks in Kansas City booking films was “George Sproule of the 42 Sky-Vue Drive-In, Wichita”.
Later on the same page, it continued, “George Sproule kindly passed along word of the recent death in Houston, Tex., of Edwin G. Foy, formerly an owner of the Sky-Vue Drive-In at Wichita. Sproule, who now owns and operated the outdoor theatre under the name 42 Sky-Vue, adds that Foy operated this situation about seven years before Sproule bought him out in 1954.”
This sounds like the end. From the Feb. 8, 1960 issue of BoxOffice: “The Royal Theatre, Commonwealth house in Hoisington, has been closed because of a lack of patronage. Elden Harwood, area coordinator for Commonwealth Theatres, said despite the national trend upward in movie attendance, patronage at the Royal has not been sufficient to keep it open. Commonwealth will continue to operate the drive-in south of town and will reopen it for the season in the early spring.”
From the Feb. 1, 1960 issue of BoxOffice: “Marty Landau was on (Film) Row last week with the word that he’s going to operate his theatre at Madison, Kas., on Saturdays and Sundays, having been coaxed into the step by the Madison merchants who miss the pulling power of a motion picture house.”
A minor fact about the former owner of the Pirate appeared in the Jan. 25, 1960 issue of BoxOffice. The widow of V. A. “Speck” Wilkinson, former owners of the Ritz in Comanche, “is the aunt of Mrs. Henry Simpson, Bristow. Simpson operates the Princess (indoor theater) and Pirate Drive-In there and is also a deputy sheriff of Creek County.”
Here’s a mention in the Jan. 25, 1960 issue of BoxOffice: “Lew Bray and his wife of the Wes-Mer Drive-In at Mercedes are happy now that their son Lew jr. is home from the Air Force.”
The Jan. 25, 1960 issue of BoxOffice ran an interview with Tom P. Finnegan that was mostly a summary of dallasmovietheaters' thorough history above. A minor addition was the marble. “Yes, sir,” Finnegan said, “there wasn’t a finer movie theatre in this part of the country when the old Hippodrome opened for business in 1913. We had all the latest equipment and facilities for the comfort of the audience. And we put in long slabs of marble down each side of the house to enhance its beauty.”
From the Jan. 25, 1960 issue of BoxOffice: “The Plaza Theatre in Appleton City which has changed hands frequently in recent years has been taken over by His Honor, Paul Eye, mayor of the town.”
From BoxOffice, Jan. 18, 1960: “The Ritz in Elmore City is down to a Saturday change, and owner Jack Pickens says he’ll shutter unless business picks up. Pickens and his wife have moved to Madill where they operate a sports store and bait shop. His father is running the theatre.”
Tragic note from BoxOffice, Jan. 18, 1960: “John Hayes Fain, 28, owner and operator of the local Texas Theatre and the Texas Drive-In, died in Baptist Hospital, Beaumont, following an operation necessitated by injuries he received Friday night (8) in an auto accident on Highway 19, a mile east of Woodville.”
“The Motovu Drive-In at Warrenton has been leased by its owner, State Representative William T. Zimmerman to Mr. and Mrs. Lowell G. Sprick, who plan to reopen it for the season April 1.” — BoxOffice, March 7, 1960
Probably just a season-opener after the sale. “Stanford Kohlberg opened the Dunes Drive-In at East Gary immediately following purchase of the property.” — BoxOffice, Feb. 29, 1960
On Feb. 19, 1960, BoxOffice ran what was effectively an obituary for the Grand:
MOBEKLY, MO.—The Grand Theatre, constructed nearly 60 years ago, soon will enter a new phase of its existence. Fox Midwest of Kansas City closed the theatre this month and the structure will be remodeled, starting March 1, for use by J. C. Penney Co. as a department store.
The passing of the Grand leaves this town with only one theatre, plus a drive-in. At one time, Moberly had four theatres, two playing first-run film.
Penney plans to spend $100,000 on the conversion. The history of the Grand dates back to Dec. 14, 1903, when it was opened as the Halloran Theatre by Patrick Halloran with the stage show “Peggy From Paris” as the attraction. It ran for two nights. Seats on the opening night sold at $5 to $10 and reservations were by drawing.
In 1906 Halloran took in two partners, J. B. Price and Charles E. Breeding of Hannibal, Mo. They incorporated as the Halloran Theatre Company. In 1913 the theatre was sold to George W. Sparks, whose son owns the present building.
Sparks in 1913 leased the building to Fred Corbett and Jack Truitt and they changed the name to the Grand Theatre. They operated originally as a vaudeville house but later changed to silent motion pictures. The building was swept by fire in 1914 but was rebuilt by Sparks, again being leased to Corbett and Truitt.
A second fire in 1925 destroyed the building. It was reconstructed and this time was leased to the Sears Amusement Co., a subsidiary of Universal Pictures Co. This lease subsequently was assigned to various other interests and finally to the Fox Midwest, which has had it about 30 years.
A. H. Pekarek, manager of the Grand since May 1927, was transferred to the Jayhawk in Topeka, effective February 12, and Gene Kincaid, manager of the Kennedy in Kirksville, was moved in to supervise removal of equipment and other final details. Pekarek, who has been with the circuit 25 years, returned to the same theatre where he started as a doorman. Mrs. Pekarek’s parents live in Topeka.
“EAST ST. LOUIS – The Mounds Drive-In between here and Collinsville has been taken over by Mid-American Theatres of St. Louis renamed the Falcon and will be reopened in March with R. L. Wesseman as manager. The concession stand is being enlarged and other improvements being made. Wesseman said no sex-type pictures will be shown, and the policy will be strictly family type.” — BoxOffice, Feb. 29, 1960
“Frank Childs is erecting a new, very colorful boxoffice at the Starlight Drive-In Theatre, Sterling.” — BoxOffice, Feb. 29, 1960
From the Feb. 29, 1960 issue of BoxOffice: “Homer Tegtmeier, who acquired the Dos Palos Drive-In from Julian Hales, refurbished it and reopened Wednesday (24)”.
The Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice reported: “A terrific wind and sandstorm Tuesday (9) damaged several Video circuit drive-ins. … The Sunset, owned by O. A. Branson, at Muskogee also was damaged.”
Later on the same page, it mentioned that two of the visitors at Oklahoma City’s Filmrow were “Mr. and Mrs. O. A. Branson, Sunset at Muskogee, whose screen tower was blown down before they had a chance to reopen”.
From the Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice: “A terrific wind and sandstorm Tuesday (9) damaged several Video circuit drive-ins. … the Holiday at Odessa suffered lesser damages”.
Was this the same minor tornado damage that dallasmovietheaters' notes place in 1962 or another one? From the Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice: “A terrific wind and sandstorm Tuesday (9) damaged several Video circuit drive-ins. … the Key City at Abilene and the Holiday at Odessa suffered lesser damages”.
From the Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice: “A terrific wind and sandstorm Tuesday (9) damaged several Video circuit drive-ins. … at Hobbs, N. M. … the tower at the Flamingo there was badly twisted”
From the Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice: “A terrific wind and sandstorm Tuesday (9) damaged several Video circuit drive-ins. The Eagle at Hobbs, N. M. reported the screen tower and other buildings blown down”.
BoxOffice, Feb. 22, 1960: “Sale of the Palace Theater and 87 Drive-In at Fredericksburg to Bel-Pad Corp. was announced by Carl and Herbert Durst, who owned the theatres for the last ten years. The new owners are Pat Padden, formerly of San Antonio, and Mr. and Mrs. Howard J. Bellamy, also of the Alamo City. The Durst brothers entered the theatre business when they erected the 87 Drive-In back in 1949. Four years later (1953), they purchased the Palace from Walter Knoche.”
“T. J. ‘Stout’ Jackson, builder of screen towers and Robstown theatre operator, was in San Antonio constructing a new screen tower for the El Charro Drive-In which was blown down by recent high winds.” — BoxOffice, Feb. 22, 1960
I’m afraid that the Pageant should be marked as closed. It’s web site’s front page still reads in part, “We’re still working to raise the approximately $70,000 for our digital upgrade, but unfortunately, We are not going to be able to open for the 2014 season.”
Sounds like Frank Dodson bought out Commonwealth’s share in 1956. From the June 2, 1956 Motion Picture Herald: “Frank Dodson of Ellsworth, Kan., has purchased the interest of his partner, the Commonwealth Theatres, Inc., of Kansas City, Mo., in the Bell theatre and the Kanapolis (sic) drive-in theatre in Ellsworth, to become sole owner.”
Then four years later, from the Feb. 22, 1960 BoxOffice: “Frank Dodson, owner of the Bell Theater at Ellsworth and Kanapolis (sic) Drive-In at Kanapolis, Kas., has leased these properties to Thomas Miller, an Ellsworth businessman, who indicates that he plans to operate both of the situations.”
“Miles and Bert Schneider have enrolled their Sunset Drive-In of Salmon, Ida., in Theatre Owners of America” — BoxOffice, Feb. 22, 1960
BoxOffice reported on Feb. 8, 1960 that among the folks in Kansas City booking films was “George Sproule of the 42 Sky-Vue Drive-In, Wichita”.
Later on the same page, it continued, “George Sproule kindly passed along word of the recent death in Houston, Tex., of Edwin G. Foy, formerly an owner of the Sky-Vue Drive-In at Wichita. Sproule, who now owns and operated the outdoor theatre under the name 42 Sky-Vue, adds that Foy operated this situation about seven years before Sproule bought him out in 1954.”
This sounds like the end. From the Feb. 8, 1960 issue of BoxOffice: “The Royal Theatre, Commonwealth house in Hoisington, has been closed because of a lack of patronage. Elden Harwood, area coordinator for Commonwealth Theatres, said despite the national trend upward in movie attendance, patronage at the Royal has not been sufficient to keep it open. Commonwealth will continue to operate the drive-in south of town and will reopen it for the season in the early spring.”
From the Feb. 1, 1960 issue of BoxOffice: “Marty Landau was on (Film) Row last week with the word that he’s going to operate his theatre at Madison, Kas., on Saturdays and Sundays, having been coaxed into the step by the Madison merchants who miss the pulling power of a motion picture house.”
A minor fact about the former owner of the Pirate appeared in the Jan. 25, 1960 issue of BoxOffice. The widow of V. A. “Speck” Wilkinson, former owners of the Ritz in Comanche, “is the aunt of Mrs. Henry Simpson, Bristow. Simpson operates the Princess (indoor theater) and Pirate Drive-In there and is also a deputy sheriff of Creek County.”
Here’s a mention in the Jan. 25, 1960 issue of BoxOffice: “Lew Bray and his wife of the Wes-Mer Drive-In at Mercedes are happy now that their son Lew jr. is home from the Air Force.”
The Jan. 25, 1960 issue of BoxOffice ran an interview with Tom P. Finnegan that was mostly a summary of dallasmovietheaters' thorough history above. A minor addition was the marble. “Yes, sir,” Finnegan said, “there wasn’t a finer movie theatre in this part of the country when the old Hippodrome opened for business in 1913. We had all the latest equipment and facilities for the comfort of the audience. And we put in long slabs of marble down each side of the house to enhance its beauty.”
From the Jan. 25, 1960 issue of BoxOffice: “The Plaza Theatre in Appleton City which has changed hands frequently in recent years has been taken over by His Honor, Paul Eye, mayor of the town.”
From BoxOffice, Jan. 18, 1960: “The Ritz in Elmore City is down to a Saturday change, and owner Jack Pickens says he’ll shutter unless business picks up. Pickens and his wife have moved to Madill where they operate a sports store and bait shop. His father is running the theatre.”
Tragic note from BoxOffice, Jan. 18, 1960: “John Hayes Fain, 28, owner and operator of the local Texas Theatre and the Texas Drive-In, died in Baptist Hospital, Beaumont, following an operation necessitated by injuries he received Friday night (8) in an auto accident on Highway 19, a mile east of Woodville.”