Westwood Theater

Here is an article about the Westwood becoming a performing arts theater.

Here is another article about the conversion. Function should be community arts center:
http://tinyurl.com/2qb96p

In the late sixties, the owners were Paul de Mordaunt and Hugh Drennen. They also owned the Rex in Rexburg at that time.

OK, so the two were listed separately in the 1967 IMPA, but here they are alternate names for the same theater. I don't know who's confused.

I have no idea what your talking about.

The IMPA shows two separate theaters, the Rex and the Romance. We have the Romance listed, with an aka of the Rex. There is no separate listing for the Rex. Ergo the Rex is listed improperly as an aka, or the two theaters were both called the Rex at different times.

Okay, now I get it. It's listed the same way on Cinematour as it is listed here. Now you need another source to verify the information that IMPA gave.

The introduction above says that this was the Rex in 1917 and the Romance in 1976. The 1951 Film Daily Yearbook lists two theaters for Rexburg, ID. The Elk Theater and the Romance Theater. It's possible that the Elk became the Rex before 1967 or the Rex was a newer theater. It doesn't mean that this theater wasn't the Rex in 1917. It does appear that the 1967 Rex is not listed here

Given the name of the town, I think the answer is there were two different theaters.

Here is a Rex Theater in Rexburg, Idaho that is open. Maybe its the same Rex Theater from the 1967 IMPA. I don't think this Rex is listed here.

The address for the operating Rex Theater is:

475 N 2nd E
Rexburg, ID 83440

If you want to add it, be my guest.

No, I added two already today. Go ahead and add it if you want to.

I'm not sure what the correct name is for this theater. I think it should be listed as "The Rex". I'll add it with both of our names since I wouldn't have found it if you hadn't mentioned the other Rex Theater.

Sounds good.

The Rex/Romance theatre was built and originally owned by my paternal grandfather, Mark C. Madison. According to a Rexburg newspaper article by Holly Speer dated Mar.30,2001, It opened as the Rex Theatre and played it's first show on Feb. 22,1917. It's name was changed to the Columbia for a short time, then back to the Rex. It was remodled in 1935, and was given it's new name of the Romance. Prior to 1917, there were two other theatres in Rexburg; the Star and the Electric. Both of these were run by my Grandfather Madison. Since this theatre is of sentimental and family history interest to me, I would welcome any information or articles about it. I am confused about how this site works - a general search stated that there were thousands of items on this particular theatre, yet gave me nothing but a list of other article in no way connected to it. I tried an advanced search, which said "nothing found"! I also cannot find the articles talked about in this post. Clue me in!

This was the Westwood in 1984.

Some of the confusion about the rex/romance may be because there is a newer theater (475 N 2nd E) that is now called The Rex. It was built around 2005 (don't quote me on the year) and was first operated by American Family Entertainment Centers (AFEC). After a few years of struggling, AFEC left and the property owner hired out management of it and the name was shortly after changed to "The Rex".