Mirror Theatre

1502 6th Avenue,
Moline, IL 61265

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dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on June 10, 2019 at 6:53 am

The Mirror Theatre launched December 17, 1910 with movies shown on a giant 1,700 pound plate glass mirror measuring 11'x14'. The theatre was operated by George “Daddy” Diehl who would open the Orpheum and a Mr. Crandall.

The final screening was “Dance Magic” with Pauline Starke and Ben Lyon on December 17, 1927 – the theatre’s 17th anniversary. The Mirror’s entire interior was destroyed by fire early the next morning, December 18, 1927. A year later, architectural plans were submitted to built a replacement theatre. Those were scrapped in favor of a location for a new Montgomery Ward store.

rivest266
rivest266 on April 21, 2019 at 12:50 pm

Grand opening ad posted.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 21, 2018 at 12:56 am

1912 photo added courtesy of the Retro Quad Cities Facebook page. Mirror Theatre at the end of the street.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on May 9, 2018 at 4:55 am

The end of Brotman’s Mirror Theatre was reported in the January 7, 1928, issue of Motion Picture News:

“The Mirror Theatre at Moline, Illinois, owned by I. Brotman and Son, was totally destroyed by fire last week. Whether or not the house will be rebuilt is as yet undetermined.”
As it turned out, the house was not rebuilt. The building on the site now was built instead, and originally housed a Montgomery Ward department store.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on May 8, 2018 at 10:11 pm

This item appeared in the January 14, 1911, issue of The Moving Picture World:

“Moline’s new picture house, at Sixth avenue and Fifteenth street, has been named The Mirror, a prize of $5 has been awarded to Miss Bernice Oppenheimer, in a contest. A mirror screen is a feature.”
“Runaway June” which is advertised on a banner in the vintage photo of the Mirror was a serial released in 1915. The Domino Film Company’s short “Tricked” was also a 1915 release.