In an old article, the Christian Chronicle wrote that the Harrington family opened the Calvert in 1953. And the contemporary accounts bear that out.
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 8, 1953: “Paul Harrington, of nearby Covington, Ky., has opened his new Calvert drive-in, at Calvert City, Ky., of which S. H. Pewitt is manager.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 27, 1954: “Paul Harrington, owner, has closed his Calvert theatre, Calvert City, Ky., and opened his Calvert drive-in for the summer.”
According to a ad two days earlier in the (Boise) Idaho Statesman, the Emmett held its grand opening on April 11, 1950. Its first movie was “The Red Pony.”
The first newspaper ad, or mention, that I could find for the Pay-Ont was in the April 28, 1949 edition of the (Boise) Idaho Statesman. That ad said nothing about being a grand opening.
Boxoffice, June 3, 1963: “Audrey Jacobs has leased her Osecoles (sic) Theatre, Soquel, to John Bowles of San Francisco. The theatre has been redecorated and renamed the Cinema. An art policy, with an eye to the growth of Santa Cruz, and the new University, are the theatre’s current plans.”
That was a typo - it’s the 1950 Film Daily Year Book that still showed the Queen. Here are a few more clips to make up for that:
Variety, Nov. 20, 1940: “Lee Scarborough will open his new house in Van, Texas, this week. He formerly operated the Queen, Tenaha. City’s only other house was the Victor operated by S. G. Fry destroyed by fire several months ago.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 8, 1941: “Knox Riley, a brother of Mack Riley of Logansport, is reopening the Queen at Tenaha. He was (at Dallas Film Row) completing arrangements along with Mack and L. G. Tomlinson of Timpson. Knox is associated in Tenaha with Mack, who, in turn, is in partners with Tomlinson. On his own, however, Mack operates the Castle in Logansport.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 13, 1955: “Knox Riley has announced that he has installed CinemaScope at his Queen, Tenaha, Tex.”
Variety, April 22, 1959: “Queen Theatre at Tenaha, Tex., which had been shuttered here for some time has been reopened under the management of Tommy Yarberry and Cecil Russell.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, July 26, 1961: “The Jay, a new wide screen theatre seating 350 patrons, has been built and formally opened at Joaquin, Tex., by Herman Powell, Jr. Powell also owns the Queen, Tenaha, Tex.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Havana - The Havana, a new 425-seat house, has been opened here by Spurgeon Dunn, who also operates the Gibson, Chattahoochee.”
Boxoffice, June 17, 1939: “PHOENIX, ARIZ. - A drive-in theatre with a capacity of 600 cars will go into construction here immediately, the first such theatre in the state. K. C. Hooker is president of the new company, with Seth Perkins, who is president of the California Drive-In Theatre Corp., functioning as general manager and director of operations.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Phoenix - Seth Perkins has opened his Drive-In theatre. It has a 300-car capacity and is the first theatre of its kind in this state.”
In an old article, the Christian Chronicle wrote that the Harrington family opened the Calvert in 1953. And the contemporary accounts bear that out.
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 8, 1953: “Paul Harrington, of nearby Covington, Ky., has opened his new Calvert drive-in, at Calvert City, Ky., of which S. H. Pewitt is manager.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 27, 1954: “Paul Harrington, owner, has closed his Calvert theatre, Calvert City, Ky., and opened his Calvert drive-in for the summer.”
According to a ad two days earlier in the (Boise) Idaho Statesman, the Emmett held its grand opening on April 11, 1950. Its first movie was “The Red Pony.”
The first newspaper ad, or mention, that I could find for the Pay-Ont was in the April 28, 1949 edition of the (Boise) Idaho Statesman. That ad said nothing about being a grand opening.
Date of the change:
Boxoffice, June 3, 1963: “Audrey Jacobs has leased her Osecoles (sic) Theatre, Soquel, to John Bowles of San Francisco. The theatre has been redecorated and renamed the Cinema. An art policy, with an eye to the growth of Santa Cruz, and the new University, are the theatre’s current plans.”
That was a typo - it’s the 1950 Film Daily Year Book that still showed the Queen. Here are a few more clips to make up for that:
Variety, Nov. 20, 1940: “Lee Scarborough will open his new house in Van, Texas, this week. He formerly operated the Queen, Tenaha. City’s only other house was the Victor operated by S. G. Fry destroyed by fire several months ago.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 8, 1941: “Knox Riley, a brother of Mack Riley of Logansport, is reopening the Queen at Tenaha. He was (at Dallas Film Row) completing arrangements along with Mack and L. G. Tomlinson of Timpson. Knox is associated in Tenaha with Mack, who, in turn, is in partners with Tomlinson. On his own, however, Mack operates the Castle in Logansport.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 13, 1955: “Knox Riley has announced that he has installed CinemaScope at his Queen, Tenaha, Tex.”
Variety, April 22, 1959: “Queen Theatre at Tenaha, Tex., which had been shuttered here for some time has been reopened under the management of Tommy Yarberry and Cecil Russell.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, July 26, 1961: “The Jay, a new wide screen theatre seating 350 patrons, has been built and formally opened at Joaquin, Tex., by Herman Powell, Jr. Powell also owns the Queen, Tenaha, Tex.”
Boxoffice, May 11, 1940: “Cairo - The Grant, Bill Heaton’s new house, opened recently. It seats 280.”
Boxoffice, May 11, 1940: “Cameron - The new theatre which will be opened here at an early date has been named the Rees.”
Boxoffice, May 11, 1940: “Alberni, B. C. - Harold Warren opened his new theatre, the Roxy, recently. It seats 300.”
Same theater?
Boxoffice, May 11, 1940: “Battleground (sic) - M. A. Rhoads of Woodland was reported to have opened his new theatre here before giving it a name.”
Boxoffice, May 11, 1940: “Alvarado - Will Barnes' new theatre has opened. This replaces the old one wiped out by fire.”
Boxoffice, May 11, 1940: “Deckerville - Joseph P. Uvick opened his new 350-seat Thumb in January.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Eaton - Rader Brothers have opened the new 498-seat James.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Cleveland - Phil Smith of Boston has been arranging for the opening of the new West Side Drive-In on or about May 10.”
Same theater?
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Mt. Gilead - N. W. Land’s new theatre had a February opening.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “The Ely, Walter Hull’s new house, has been completed.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Springview - Howard L. Mock recently opened his 150-seat Niobrara here.”
Same theater?
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Mexico - William Pyle contemplates the opening of a new 400 seater to be known as the Milky Way.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Tracy - Jack O'Brien has opened his new theatre.”
Same theater?
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Chisholm - Irving Gillman expects to open his new 800-seat theatre, costing $75,000 immediately.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Elizabeth Formento, operator of the Park, has opened her new Lee Theatre.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Harry Tanner’s new Roseland has opened. The seating capacity is 900 and cost $100,000.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “This week has been set by Marchesi Brothers as opening date for the Carroll now under construction.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Havana - The Havana, a new 425-seat house, has been opened here by Spurgeon Dunn, who also operates the Gibson, Chattahoochee.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Ozark - The Ozark was formally opened recently.”
Boxoffice, June 17, 1939: “PHOENIX, ARIZ. - A drive-in theatre with a capacity of 600 cars will go into construction here immediately, the first such theatre in the state. K. C. Hooker is president of the new company, with Seth Perkins, who is president of the California Drive-In Theatre Corp., functioning as general manager and director of operations.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Phoenix - Seth Perkins has opened his Drive-In theatre. It has a 300-car capacity and is the first theatre of its kind in this state.”