The Kozy Theatre opened in 1917 for Fred Perry on East Main Street in downtown Healdton. After an ownership change, the Kozy became part of the Thompson Theatres Circuit in 1921 owned by Glen D. and Ferris C. Thompson. They also would open the Lyric Airdome there in 1921 and, after it burned that year, would replace it with the Thompson Theatre.
The Kozy was closed in 1927 and initially not converted by sound by the Thompsons. The town continued with the Thompson which did convert to sound. The Circuit revisited the Kozy in 1931 equipping it for sound. The Kozy burned down in the Fall of 1948. It was then demolished.
Can be added to Interstate Theatres Circuit which converted it from a family theatre in 1966 to sub-run discount house to adult X-Rated cinema during the porno chic era by 1968. In 1975, it was rebranded as the Palace Adult Theatre through August 30, 1984 at the end of its lease ending with Pamela Mann in “Unthinkable” and Carol Connors in “Desires for Men.” In July of 1986, it became a live music venue through 1990 as the Palace Theatre. After a period of inactivity, it became a Latin America music club opening on August 2, 2000 as Xcape D' Club. In the 2010s, it was known as Tricky Falls, another live venue which closed in October of 2019. As of 2020, it was not operating.
This is likely two different theatres. C.A. Runyon launched the Runyon Theatre in 1915. During the Depression, the theatre closed twice reopening in 1930 and 1932. Runyon retired at the end of May 1939 with a show consisting of movies and live acts until midnight on his final night. Walter J. Logan took over the venue in 1939 renaming it the Barnsdall Theatre.
After ten years of operation, Logan departed and new operators used the name of the Roxy Theatre in the Fall of 1950. The reason that the Roxy had a short run is that it was leveled by a May 4, 1953 fire. That likely ends this theater’s run.
It appears to have been replaced by the Thompson Theatre which was active from 1954/5 to early in 1961 closing and reopening by Gene Thompson and Bill Petty months later in 1961. The theatre was still active late in 1969 as the Thompson Theatre.
The original Majestic Theatre launched December 7, 1908 by Floyd L. Kerns showing motion pictures in the Steele Opera House building with 700 seats. It was his second theatre after the short-lived Parlin Theatre in Fairbury. The theatre was so successful that a new Majestic Building was built in 1910. The $15,000 New Majestic has 480 seats and opened on October 24, 1910 with Nebraska Governor Ashton C. Shallenberger giving the opening speech. The Majestic operated to the end of a 20-year lease not converting to sound. The competing Bonham Theatre did convert to sound with the Majestic used for sporadic live events including boxing and plays.
T.J. Kempkes took on the venue reopening with RCA sound showing the Astaire and Rogers film, “Top Hat” at the Majestic’s grand reopening on April 12, 1936. Tri-States operated the theatre closing it for regular showings on January 11, 1942 with “All that Money Can Buy.” There were sporadic events scheduled thereafter but the Bonham was the town’s motion picture venue.
New operator Ira Crain took on the Majestic and, following a refresh, reopened it as the Woods Theatre on December 25, 1951 with “Yesterday’s Hero.” His original intent was to operate the Jack Rabbit Drive-In Theatre in the warm months and the Woods Theatre in the wintry months. But Crain apparently demoralized by constant rain decided to close the Jack Rabbit permanently when the Woods was almost ready. Final seat count at the Woods was 462.
The Woods Theatre then closed on December 15, 1955 with a double feature of “You’re Never Too Young” and “The First Traveling Saleslady.” Crain took on the managerial role at the Bonham Theatre. Again, the Bonham was the sole movie theater in town. The building was converted to the local Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation (A.S.C.) office.
(To address the comments above, the Pla-Mor was a bowling alley with popular Play-Mor Café.)
Operator Ira Crain said the 1951 drive-in season was plagued with constant rain. He opened the Woods Theatre at the end of the Jack Rabbit’s first season and decided to stick only with the Woods Theatre. - likely moving the Jack Rabbit projection and sound equipment to the Woods for good instead of operating part year with the indoor and outdoor screens as had been planned.
The Crest Drive-In appears to have gone out of business in 1986 perhaps closing with “Thunder Row” and “The Hitcher.” It was heavily vandalized in January of 1989 and demolished in May of 1990 likely at the end of a 40-year leasing period.
The Rivoli Theatre was the heir apparent to the Gilbert. The grand opening of the Rivoli had to be postponed with that screening moved to the Gilbert. But thereafter, the Rivoli booked new features and the Gilbert was downgraded to carrying four-wall exploitation films and some live events with its last film screened as “Did Tunney Win the Fight?” on December 10, 1927. The Gilbert Theatre did not convert to sound. It was converted for other retail purposes by 1930.
The Busboom Brothers designed and built the new Rivoli Theatre. It was scheduled to open on September 27, 1926 with Constance Talmadge in “The Duchess of Buffalo.” That screening was shuffled off to the Gilbert Theatre when the Rivoli equipment did not arrive in time. The Rivoli’s grand opening took place on October 5, 1926 with Red Grange in “One Minute to Play.” Iru Price was at the Kilgen Organ at opening but Eddie Borgens moved from the Garrick Theatre in Minneapolis to play the Kilgen Organ beginning in 1927. In October of 1928, the Rivoli went with Vitaphone to become the fourth theatre in the state with sound (supposedly).
The theatre was refurbished in 1930 for a new deco look and received improved sound in a 1934 refresh complete with air conditioning. In 1948, the Pix Theatre was refurbished becoming home to the “new” Rivoli which was changed at the 11th hour to the Fox Theatre. The last film at the Rivoli was Montgomery Clift in “The Search.” The former Rivoli was transformed to a Hested’s retail store.
The original architect was Ed Hopper of the firm Busboom Bros. Architects and said to be in attendance at the Bonham’s grand opening. Taking over by Tri-State Theatres which obviously ran Paramount product.
The original Steele Opera House burned on April 25, 1903. New plans were drawn for its new location that launched October 24, 1904 with a live play. On December 10, 1904, the firs motion pictures were shown at the Opera House with “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” as part of the program.In the silent era of film, the Opera House would beome one of two primary locations in town to see films along with the Majestic.
The Majestic dates back to at least 1914 when it competed with the Isis Theatre and the Best Theatre. It would become one of the first theatres in the Robb & Rowley circuit, R&R decided to focus on its new Palace in 1927 and its remodeled Best Theatre turned Ritz allowing the Majestic to pass into independent operation.
The World Premiere of “The Return of Dolemite” took place at the Broadmoor in May of 2002 with Rudy Ray Moore making a personal appearance on behalf of the Broadmoor’s operator, Fernando ‘Fred’ Williams. Williams was a film producer and owned 13 movie theaters. Upon returning to the theatre years later, that poster and other features from 2002 were still in the poster frames which likely makes May 30, 2002 its closing date. The Broadmoor was demolished in 2015 likely to remove it from the tax roster.
Advertisements for the Avalon appear as of 1935. The Avalon Theatre closed at the end of its lease on March 31, 1951 with a double feature of “Golden Earrings” and “Dark City.” The building was offered for sale and was finally demolished in late summer of 1964.
The Picfair closed September 5, 1983 with a double feature of “Tootsie” and “Private School.” In April of 1984, the Picfair became a live music venue closing in August that same year.
Henry Walthall and Pauline Starke made personal appearances the Grand Opening of the Larchmont Theatre on March 15, 1922 as the film, “Flower of the North,” was further supported by a 15-piece orchestra led by H.C. Von Stein.
The theatre celebrated its 30th anniversary under its final and independent operator, Selma Steiner. It closed later that year on November 16, 1952 with “Sudden Fear” and “Just for You.” Steiner then sued former operator Fox West Coast Theatres. That suit went against her in 1955. The Larchmont was torn down late in 1959 becoming a bank building.
The Tele-View Tele-News Theatre launched as a 350-seat theatre which emulated the New York City Translux newsreel theaters. The concept included no ushers or ticket takers replaced with a turnstile. It launched November 9, 1938. After switching to all-westerns as the Hitching Post in 1941 to 1949, it completed its run as the Paris Theatre beginning in 1949. The Paris closed likely at the midpoint of a 30-year lease on July 31, 1953 with the 3-D film, “Love for Sale.”
The Melvan Theatre launched November 22, 1939 with Robert Taylor and Heddy Lamarr in “Lady in the Tropics” and Anita Louise in “Hero for a Day.” Appears to have closed as the Continental January 31, 1985 with the uncut version of Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in America.”
The Harkins Southlake 14 closed March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. It was one of the last circuits in the DFW market to reopen a location doing so on Labor Day weekend of 2020. It was quite apparent that the moviegoers were few and far between for the location. Harkins Theatres Circuit decided to permanently close the location after showtimes on November 1, 2020 making it one of many theaters closed by its circuit permanently during the pandemic.
The Regal Harrisonburg 14 closed along with the rest of the Regal locations on March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre reopened in the summer but reclosed along with all of the Regal/Cineworld locations on October 8, 2020. On October 28, 2020, Regal made the closure of this location permanent making the Regal Harrisonburg one of many theaters closed by its circuit permanently during the pandemic.
The AMC Classic River Village 6 closed for the COVID-19 pandemic along with the rest of the circuit. On September 20, 2020, AMC made the closure permanent with the River Village 6 just one of many theatres closed permanently by its circuit during the pandemic.
Regal closed its Timberlyne March 17, 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regal/Cineworld reopened some locations but the Timberlyne could not due to governmental ordinances.
When Regal/Cineworld suspended operations in October 8, 2020, it then made the closure of its Timberlyne permanent. As noted above, the addition of the 13-screen Silverspot CInemas at the mall known as University Place that opened October 23, 2015 made the Timberlyne more expendable to Regal. The space would be repurposed as a medical office. The Regal Timberlyne was one of many theaters to be closed permanently during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Though admittedly lacking in detective skills, I can state with a very high degree of accuracy that this venue actually launched as the Grand Theatre on March 14, 1908 with motion pictures in downtown Woodland (see photos for the grand opening ad.) On May 16, 1908, under new operator William Hunt, the theater relaunched as the Elite Theatre still showing motion pictures.
In August of 1910, Hunt sold the theatre to Woodland movie pioneer Eugene Mathauer. However, William Hunt re-acquired the theatre in May of 1911 and his wife, Allie Hunt, ran the Elite closing it in 1915.
The Kozy Theatre opened in 1917 for Fred Perry on East Main Street in downtown Healdton. After an ownership change, the Kozy became part of the Thompson Theatres Circuit in 1921 owned by Glen D. and Ferris C. Thompson. They also would open the Lyric Airdome there in 1921 and, after it burned that year, would replace it with the Thompson Theatre.
The Kozy was closed in 1927 and initially not converted by sound by the Thompsons. The town continued with the Thompson which did convert to sound. The Circuit revisited the Kozy in 1931 equipping it for sound. The Kozy burned down in the Fall of 1948. It was then demolished.
Can be added to Interstate Theatres Circuit which converted it from a family theatre in 1966 to sub-run discount house to adult X-Rated cinema during the porno chic era by 1968. In 1975, it was rebranded as the Palace Adult Theatre through August 30, 1984 at the end of its lease ending with Pamela Mann in “Unthinkable” and Carol Connors in “Desires for Men.” In July of 1986, it became a live music venue through 1990 as the Palace Theatre. After a period of inactivity, it became a Latin America music club opening on August 2, 2000 as Xcape D' Club. In the 2010s, it was known as Tricky Falls, another live venue which closed in October of 2019. As of 2020, it was not operating.
This is likely two different theatres. C.A. Runyon launched the Runyon Theatre in 1915. During the Depression, the theatre closed twice reopening in 1930 and 1932. Runyon retired at the end of May 1939 with a show consisting of movies and live acts until midnight on his final night. Walter J. Logan took over the venue in 1939 renaming it the Barnsdall Theatre.
After ten years of operation, Logan departed and new operators used the name of the Roxy Theatre in the Fall of 1950. The reason that the Roxy had a short run is that it was leveled by a May 4, 1953 fire. That likely ends this theater’s run.
It appears to have been replaced by the Thompson Theatre which was active from 1954/5 to early in 1961 closing and reopening by Gene Thompson and Bill Petty months later in 1961. The theatre was still active late in 1969 as the Thompson Theatre.
The original Majestic Theatre launched December 7, 1908 by Floyd L. Kerns showing motion pictures in the Steele Opera House building with 700 seats. It was his second theatre after the short-lived Parlin Theatre in Fairbury. The theatre was so successful that a new Majestic Building was built in 1910. The $15,000 New Majestic has 480 seats and opened on October 24, 1910 with Nebraska Governor Ashton C. Shallenberger giving the opening speech. The Majestic operated to the end of a 20-year lease not converting to sound. The competing Bonham Theatre did convert to sound with the Majestic used for sporadic live events including boxing and plays.
T.J. Kempkes took on the venue reopening with RCA sound showing the Astaire and Rogers film, “Top Hat” at the Majestic’s grand reopening on April 12, 1936. Tri-States operated the theatre closing it for regular showings on January 11, 1942 with “All that Money Can Buy.” There were sporadic events scheduled thereafter but the Bonham was the town’s motion picture venue.
New operator Ira Crain took on the Majestic and, following a refresh, reopened it as the Woods Theatre on December 25, 1951 with “Yesterday’s Hero.” His original intent was to operate the Jack Rabbit Drive-In Theatre in the warm months and the Woods Theatre in the wintry months. But Crain apparently demoralized by constant rain decided to close the Jack Rabbit permanently when the Woods was almost ready. Final seat count at the Woods was 462.
The Woods Theatre then closed on December 15, 1955 with a double feature of “You’re Never Too Young” and “The First Traveling Saleslady.” Crain took on the managerial role at the Bonham Theatre. Again, the Bonham was the sole movie theater in town. The building was converted to the local Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation (A.S.C.) office.
(To address the comments above, the Pla-Mor was a bowling alley with popular Play-Mor Café.)
Operator Ira Crain said the 1951 drive-in season was plagued with constant rain. He opened the Woods Theatre at the end of the Jack Rabbit’s first season and decided to stick only with the Woods Theatre. - likely moving the Jack Rabbit projection and sound equipment to the Woods for good instead of operating part year with the indoor and outdoor screens as had been planned.
Grand opening July 28, 1948 with “Sunbonnet Sue” - ad in photos
The Crest Drive-In appears to have gone out of business in 1986 perhaps closing with “Thunder Row” and “The Hitcher.” It was heavily vandalized in January of 1989 and demolished in May of 1990 likely at the end of a 40-year leasing period.
The Rivoli Theatre was the heir apparent to the Gilbert. The grand opening of the Rivoli had to be postponed with that screening moved to the Gilbert. But thereafter, the Rivoli booked new features and the Gilbert was downgraded to carrying four-wall exploitation films and some live events with its last film screened as “Did Tunney Win the Fight?” on December 10, 1927. The Gilbert Theatre did not convert to sound. It was converted for other retail purposes by 1930.
The Busboom Brothers designed and built the new Rivoli Theatre. It was scheduled to open on September 27, 1926 with Constance Talmadge in “The Duchess of Buffalo.” That screening was shuffled off to the Gilbert Theatre when the Rivoli equipment did not arrive in time. The Rivoli’s grand opening took place on October 5, 1926 with Red Grange in “One Minute to Play.” Iru Price was at the Kilgen Organ at opening but Eddie Borgens moved from the Garrick Theatre in Minneapolis to play the Kilgen Organ beginning in 1927. In October of 1928, the Rivoli went with Vitaphone to become the fourth theatre in the state with sound (supposedly).
The theatre was refurbished in 1930 for a new deco look and received improved sound in a 1934 refresh complete with air conditioning. In 1948, the Pix Theatre was refurbished becoming home to the “new” Rivoli which was changed at the 11th hour to the Fox Theatre. The last film at the Rivoli was Montgomery Clift in “The Search.” The former Rivoli was transformed to a Hested’s retail store.
The original architect was Ed Hopper of the firm Busboom Bros. Architects and said to be in attendance at the Bonham’s grand opening. Taking over by Tri-State Theatres which obviously ran Paramount product.
The original Steele Opera House burned on April 25, 1903. New plans were drawn for its new location that launched October 24, 1904 with a live play. On December 10, 1904, the firs motion pictures were shown at the Opera House with “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” as part of the program.In the silent era of film, the Opera House would beome one of two primary locations in town to see films along with the Majestic.
The Majestic dates back to at least 1914 when it competed with the Isis Theatre and the Best Theatre. It would become one of the first theatres in the Robb & Rowley circuit, R&R decided to focus on its new Palace in 1927 and its remodeled Best Theatre turned Ritz allowing the Majestic to pass into independent operation.
The World Premiere of “The Return of Dolemite” took place at the Broadmoor in May of 2002 with Rudy Ray Moore making a personal appearance on behalf of the Broadmoor’s operator, Fernando ‘Fred’ Williams. Williams was a film producer and owned 13 movie theaters. Upon returning to the theatre years later, that poster and other features from 2002 were still in the poster frames which likely makes May 30, 2002 its closing date. The Broadmoor was demolished in 2015 likely to remove it from the tax roster.
Advertisements for the Avalon appear as of 1935. The Avalon Theatre closed at the end of its lease on March 31, 1951 with a double feature of “Golden Earrings” and “Dark City.” The building was offered for sale and was finally demolished in late summer of 1964.
The Picfair closed September 5, 1983 with a double feature of “Tootsie” and “Private School.” In April of 1984, the Picfair became a live music venue closing in August that same year.
Henry Walthall and Pauline Starke made personal appearances the Grand Opening of the Larchmont Theatre on March 15, 1922 as the film, “Flower of the North,” was further supported by a 15-piece orchestra led by H.C. Von Stein.
The theatre celebrated its 30th anniversary under its final and independent operator, Selma Steiner. It closed later that year on November 16, 1952 with “Sudden Fear” and “Just for You.” Steiner then sued former operator Fox West Coast Theatres. That suit went against her in 1955. The Larchmont was torn down late in 1959 becoming a bank building.
A 1957 article suggests that the former Paris Theatre’s former organ ended up at the Los Feliz Methodist Church in Hollywood.
The Tele-View Tele-News Theatre launched as a 350-seat theatre which emulated the New York City Translux newsreel theaters. The concept included no ushers or ticket takers replaced with a turnstile. It launched November 9, 1938. After switching to all-westerns as the Hitching Post in 1941 to 1949, it completed its run as the Paris Theatre beginning in 1949. The Paris closed likely at the midpoint of a 30-year lease on July 31, 1953 with the 3-D film, “Love for Sale.”
The Melvan Theatre launched November 22, 1939 with Robert Taylor and Heddy Lamarr in “Lady in the Tropics” and Anita Louise in “Hero for a Day.” Appears to have closed as the Continental January 31, 1985 with the uncut version of Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in America.”
Opened June 11, 1947 with the play, “The Skin of Our Teeth” with Jane Wyatt and Keenan Wynn. Judy Garland was in the audience with her husband.
The Harkins Southlake 14 closed March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. It was one of the last circuits in the DFW market to reopen a location doing so on Labor Day weekend of 2020. It was quite apparent that the moviegoers were few and far between for the location. Harkins Theatres Circuit decided to permanently close the location after showtimes on November 1, 2020 making it one of many theaters closed by its circuit permanently during the pandemic.
The Regal Harrisonburg 14 closed along with the rest of the Regal locations on March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre reopened in the summer but reclosed along with all of the Regal/Cineworld locations on October 8, 2020. On October 28, 2020, Regal made the closure of this location permanent making the Regal Harrisonburg one of many theaters closed by its circuit permanently during the pandemic.
The AMC Classic River Village 6 closed for the COVID-19 pandemic along with the rest of the circuit. On September 20, 2020, AMC made the closure permanent with the River Village 6 just one of many theatres closed permanently by its circuit during the pandemic.
Regal closed its Timberlyne March 17, 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regal/Cineworld reopened some locations but the Timberlyne could not due to governmental ordinances.
When Regal/Cineworld suspended operations in October 8, 2020, it then made the closure of its Timberlyne permanent. As noted above, the addition of the 13-screen Silverspot CInemas at the mall known as University Place that opened October 23, 2015 made the Timberlyne more expendable to Regal. The space would be repurposed as a medical office. The Regal Timberlyne was one of many theaters to be closed permanently during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Though admittedly lacking in detective skills, I can state with a very high degree of accuracy that this venue actually launched as the Grand Theatre on March 14, 1908 with motion pictures in downtown Woodland (see photos for the grand opening ad.) On May 16, 1908, under new operator William Hunt, the theater relaunched as the Elite Theatre still showing motion pictures.
In August of 1910, Hunt sold the theatre to Woodland movie pioneer Eugene Mathauer. However, William Hunt re-acquired the theatre in May of 1911 and his wife, Allie Hunt, ran the Elite closing it in 1915.