Chief Theatre

This was in the Casa Grande Dispatch on May 1, 1942:

“Sing to Win.”

With that slogan as a shibboleth to bolster the morale of the nation, Music Clubs throughout the United States will launch their annual Music Week program, starting May 3 and continuing through the week to May 8. Not since World War Number One has there been such significant need for special observance of music, “which hath charms to soothe the savage breast.” For those who trod the paths of hatred in that conflict will remember how much music meant to them â€" how it softened the callousness created by their training to kill; yet spurred them on to greater valor by martial strains. They will remember how their weary feet were made to forget that “last, long mile” as the simple, and sometimes ridiculous songs, were sung to the marching strides of men going to the front.

One of the features of the week will be the concert by the Mothersingers at the High School auditorium. On May 6, the Junior Women’s club will feature music on their program. The Chief Theater will present a special music feature May 6 and 7, “Blues in the Night”.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams Cox opened their Chief theatre on September 13, 1940 at North First and Main. It contained a relative new innovation at the timeâ€"a crying room. The Casa Grande Dispatch made notice of the fact that in other parts of the country a mother could watch the picture in the crying room but not listen. The Chief crying room was equipped for sound. Another innovation had to do with sanitary precautions. The chief had waterproof cement floors in the auditorium so the floors could be washed as often as desired and the water would flow to a drainage system at the front. The carpeted aisles were six inches higher than the rest of the floor. It also had a glassed-in private party room in the balcony, which could be rented. The opening attraction was MGM favorites, William Powell and Myrna Loy in “I Love You Again.”
On May 5, 1944 the Dispatch first page headline read: “CHIEF THEATRE BURNS.” According to the owners, Long Theatres, The 4:40 am fire caused $25,000 in damages. The fire was caused by faulty electrical equipment in the concession stand. On January 12, 1945, Long theatres announced that the Chief would be rebuilt with concrete fireproof walls at a cost of $30,000. Elliott Long was the architect and contractor of the new Chief, which opened on July 1, 1945. It closed in 1958.

You are so right Andy, if the theatre was on Main St. it had to be either E. Main or W. Main.