Cinema Art Theatre
613 E. Washington Street,
Springfield,
IL
62701
613 E. Washington Street,
Springfield,
IL
62701
No one has favorited this theater yet
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Frisina Amusement Company
Architects: Carl T. Meyer
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Capitol Airdome, Capitol Theatre, State Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Opened in 1910 as the Capitol Airdome. It was a great success and was soon rebuilt as the Capitol Theatre. On June 7, 1931 it was taken over by the Frisnia Amusement Company and given a refresh. It was closed on April 25, 1937 for a remodel in a Streamline Moderne style to the plans of architect Carl T. Meyer. On December 2, 1937 it was reopened as the State Theatre with Alice Faye in “You Can’t Have Everything”. It closed on July 1, 1960 with Jo Morrow in “Jukebox Rhythm” & Dana Andrews in “Curse of the Demon”.
It was closed for 10- years. Following a remodel it re-opened on May 26, 1970 as the Cinema Art Theatre screening Tony Curtis in “On My Way to the Crusades I Met a Girl Who…” and an untitled adult movie. It continued to operate screening adult porn movies. It was closed on January 30, 1986 with “Michelle Bauer in "Night Dreams” & “Dixie Ray:Hollywood Star” 1986. It has since been demolished for the site to be used as a parking lot.
Contributed by
KenRoe
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
The April 5, 1913, issue of The Moving Picture World mentioned a “Capital” Theatre on East Washington Street in Springfield. The owners, I. Burnstine and Joseph Shepard, were planning to open a new theater at 111 N. Sixth Street. Perhaps that was the house that was opened that year as the Amuse U Theatre, which we list at 115 N.Sixth.
December 2nd, 1937 grand opening ad as State in photo section.
Overhead view of the State added, lower L/H corner. 1960’s photo credit Springfield Rewind facebook page.
Circa 1910 photo as The Capitol Theatre added courtesy Paul Durako.
According to news articles, the State Theater was re-modeled 1970-71 by American Amusement Co. of Michigan. It re-opened as “Cinema Art” in May 1971 with the Italian-produced picture, “La cintura di castità” (A.K.A. “On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who…”). The theater was supposed to show films with “appeal to college students”, as quoted by an American Amusement executive at the time. This came to fruition owing to the fact that local rock bands used the “600 seat theater” for showcase purposes, per reports of the era.
By June 1971, “Cinema Art” was showing X-rated content and that led to a ruling (in December) that their manager was guilty of obscenity. In 1972, another suit was filed for obscenity and again in 1974, the cinema’s manager was involved in another accusation they “knowingly showed an obscene film”.
Local news also shows the movie theater had a softball league. Sports pages (from May 1975) show a game that pitted Cinema’s team against the First Assembly of God Church. By the spring of 1986, “Cinema Art” closed as video sales of its regularly-screened content put an irreversible dent into their business.
The block was re-developed in 2004-2005 for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
The Capitol Airdome opened at Capitol and Sixth with seating for 1,800 folks on May 28, 1910. Isadore Burnstine and William Evans decided that a hardtop Capitol might be the ticket and created the Capital Theatre which would run on a (likely) 25-year leasing agreement 1912 to 1937. Burnstein lost Evans and Gaines partner Joseph W. Shepherd transformed the Capital from a nickelodeon to a more then-current era theatre now with an “o” as Capitol (likely they ordered a modern sign and it had that spelling). The pair also took on the AmuseU and Empire theaters.
Frisina Amusement Circuit acquired the location effective on June 7, 1931 giving it a new look and equipping it with a contemporary sound system. Frisina ended the Capitol’s run on April 25, 1937 for a significant upgrade - keeping - reportedly - just the walls of the theatre. The new streamline moderne State Theatre was designed by architect Carl T. Meyer (sketch in photos). The State Theatre launched December 2, 1937 with “You Can’t Have Everything.”
The State closed on July 1, 1960 with “Jukebox Rhythm” and “Curse of the Demon” along with the hopeful message, “Watch for Reopening.” That was a long way off. It was listed for sale or lease with real estate ads for about 10 years.
So after that much vacancy, it was time for the State to really earn its stripes. American Amusement Co. of Durand, Michigan - the most prolific purveyor of porno chic cinema in the United States - reopened here on May 26, 1970. The first double feature was Tony Curtis in “On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who….” followed by an unnamed film that Lad Nelson of American claimed was an “acceptable picture….” but only for those over 18. And probably not that acceptable.
It finally ended on January 30, 1986 with that final two advertised films of Michelle Bauer in “Night Dreams” and “Dixie Ray: Hollywood Star.” The lease was terminated and the building demolished in 1986 with the former State Theatre joining the parking brigade. CT Corp. of Chicago carried on with Cinema Springfield - the capitol city’s exclusive adult film house. The Durand, Michigan folks would retain its Land of Lincoln presence taking it over and rebranding it to its Deja Vu moniker.