Norside Theater

2600 State Street,
Alton, IL 62002

Unfavorite 1 person favorited this theater

Showing all 4 comments

ithardin
ithardin on September 21, 2010 at 9:28 am

Here is a real estate ad with a current (09/2010) picture of the building:

View link

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on June 9, 2009 at 6:06 am

Here is a June 1950 ad from the same source:
http://tinyurl.com/n2jaln

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on March 14, 2009 at 5:13 pm

Here is a November 1949 ad from the Alton Evening Telegraph:
http://tinyurl.com/bqshox

Chuck1231
Chuck1231 on April 8, 2004 at 6:53 am

The Norside Theatre opened on July 15, 1937 with a double feture, cartoon and shor. Closed January 5, 1955. There were some unique features for the Norside when it opened. It was the first theatre in Alton to install on opening the “Mirrophonic Sound Reproducing System”, the seats were leather, the architure had a triditional cornice and arched windows above the marquee resembling a bank building rather than a movie theatre.
In the Fifties television wasn’t the only threat to the theatres, in Alton the union insisted that the booths be manned by two men at all times. The owners of the Norside, Uptown and State asked the union to recind on their demands to no avail and operated at a loss. The three theatres tried there best but consistantly were turned down by the unions. The three theatres then closed their doors and posted signs closed until further notice. The theatre owners told the union it would be better that three projectionist working were better than six not working at all. By june the theatres were all open operating with a single man booth.