The Allen Theater closed May 18, 1950 for the summer at the end of a 30-year lease. That summer was a long one lasting through 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953. The Allen reopened on August of 1953 now equipped with widescreen projection equipment and likely on a 5-year sublease. It closed in 1958. Dr. Robert H. Merz salvaged the 40-year old venue and spent $200,000 on purchasing and refreshing the theater. It reopened as the Astor Theatre in 1960. Dropping burlesque it became the all new Astor Adult Cinema in 1978.
Correction from above. The Astor closed permanently on October 26, 1978 with a double feature of Linda Wong in “The Final Sin” and Jean Dalton in “Peach Fuzz.” The local police shut down the building due to safety concerns. The venue moved two blocks away resuming as the “all new” Astor Adult Cinema. It closed with a double feature of Veronica Hart in “Touch Me In the Morning” and Kitty Shayne in “Three Ripening Cherries” on August 30, 1981. Meanwhile, the original Allen/Astor and Hotel Marne/Millner building was sold at a sheriff’s auction in 1982 bringing just $20,500. It was demolished beginning in March of 1982.
College Hills Mall opened on August 14, 1980 and its theater, the College Hills Movies 4, opened by George Kerasotes Cinemas (GKC) four months later on Christmas Day 1980. At launch, it opened with two 240 seat auditoriums and two 340 seat auditorium or 1,160 seats total. Opening films were A Change of Seasons, Private Benjamin, Private Eyes and The Formula. GKC closed at the end of a 20-year leasing agreement on December 10, 2000 with What Lies Beneath, The Exorcist, Dr. T and the Women, and Ladies' Man.
Parkway Cinemas was opened in the Parkway Shopping Center on a 20-year leasing agreement on May 18, 1990 by George Kerasotes Corporation / GKC Theatres. Carmike Theatre bought the GKC locations on April 22, 2005. Carmike closed at the expiry of that lease on May 13, 2010.
Charles J. Goodwin grand opening ad on April 5, 1926 with Colleen Moore in “Orchids and Ermine” supported by Hedda Hopper in “The Mona Lisa” and organist Ruby McMathe at the console of the Etsey Pipe Organ in photos. Reboot ad under Gulf States as the Rose Cinema on November 10, 1967 with “The Dirty Dozen” in photos.
The Rose Drive-In grand opening with August 1, 1950 with “Rock Island Trial.” It closed in 1963 screening exploitation films. It became the Bastrop Raceway race track in 1968.
The Swan launched December 22, 1935 with “Whipsaw.” J.W. Smith and Associates did the architectural work. After a November 1, 1941 fire after hours, it was rebuilt as the Swan Theatre opening June 5, 1942 with Sabu in “Jungle Book.” The theatre closed at the expiry of its 20-year leasing agreeing in 1955. In 1956, the building was gutted for other retail purposes.
The Dallas City Opera House dates back to 1887. It began as a live event house and as early as 1902 traveling shows would bring moving pictures to the opera house, likely the first movies seen by Dallas City residents. The Cathers Opera House is advertised from 1903 to 1908 - likely the same building - and is called the Dallas Opera House from 1909 to 1940.
Like many opera houses, the Dallas City Opera House switched almost primarily to movies by the end of the 1910s. A small 150-seat venue, the Dallas City Theatre located in a converted business building, takes over full-time sound movies at the advent of talkies before going out of business. The Opera House is then equipped for sound running to 1940.
The Opera House gets a new false front becoming the Dallas Theatre which opened in 1940 by C. Justus Garard presumably on a 30-year leasing agreement. Gerard also operated the Woodbine Theatre in Carthage. The Dallas Theatre opened November 16, 1940 by Justus Guard with a live talent show and the first film was screened was Betty Grable in “Down Argentine Way.” It closed June 7, 1970 with “The Love Bug.” The building stood vacant for decades in Downtown Dallas City.
S.E. Pirtle Circuit came to town in May of 1921 when it bought the existing Cozy Theatre from Ellis and Frank Jackson. In 1924, Pirtle went to the voters and said if they’d vote for Sunday movies, banned by local blue laws, he would build them a state of the art movie house. The voters responded and the planning began. Early in 1925, Hamilton Dox of Peoria drew the architectural plans for Bushnell’s Rialto Theatre and Felix North & Son Contractors built the venue.
The Rialto opened with Betty Compson in “Paths to Paradise” on August 7, 1925. Longtime McDonough County resident Howard Silberer was at the piano for the Rialto. The theater got additional area patronage when Macomb continued to not allow its theater to open on Sundays. C.M. Albright of Bushnell’s Cozy Theatre helmed both for S.E. Pirtle’s Circuit with the Cozy (former Nickelodium) bowing out first.
In 1945, the Rialto is supposed to have been replaced with a new-build theater with plans completed in 1947. This venue was never constructed and, instead, the Rialto was completed remodeled in 1950. And in 1955, Bushnell’s Rialto goes widescreen to accommodate CinemaScope films. Pirtle dropped the venue likely after its second 20-year leasing expiry. Robert Hugel of the Tazwell Theatre took on the Rialto in time for its 40th Anniversary… but there would be no 50th Anniversary with the venue closing.
The Princess Theatre opened May 15, 1913 with Belle Bennett in “Vengeance.” The Princess was a very late converter to sound films not doing so until March 3, 1931 under new operator Robert A. Isaacs of Bloomington. Under C.A. Haines, on September 10, 1937, the theatre received a shocking streamline moderne makeover becoming the Roxy Theatre. Two years later, in 1939, Byrnes Amusement of Chicago took on the venue. On March 8, 1940 Byrnes sold the theatre ton Edwin Arthur of Arthur Theatres who changed the name of the venue to the Saybrook Theatre starting with Gene Autry in “Mexicali Rose.”
Television took its toll on small town theaters nationwide. In April of 1954, the Saybrook reduced to just two days a week operation. Likely ash the expiry of 15-year leasing agreement, operator Charles McNarney closed up in 1955 offering the theater for sale. The final showings were of Francis, the Talking Mule in “Francis Joins the WACs” on January 17, 1955. In 1956, Russell Fields bought the theater and its equipment. He decided to remove the equipment and use the building for other purposes.
First, the name of the town is La Harpe named after Jean Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe.
Locke’s Opera House opened at the corner of Main and Depot / Old Depot Street (later A Street) on August 5, 1892 with James L. Gittings in charge. It was the first place that La Harpe residents likely saw motion pictures dating at least back to August 1899. Traveling motion picture companies came in to show moving pictures until the town had a regular theater in 1911. The venue was discontinued in 1925.
La Harpe’s first movie theater was William C. Gardner & Studer’s Silver Cloud Theatre launching June 17, 1909 in the Gardner Building on Depot Street. C.A. Hatcher’s The New Electric Theatre later launched in the Leavitt Building on February 27, 1911 with Celia Zall of Burlington, Iowa furnishing the music.
In June of 1912, that venue was discontinued as C.A. Hatcher moved to Hatcher’s Photoplay Theatre launched August 15, 1911. And from 1911 to 1919, LaHarpe had a downtown Airdome to present live acts and movies in the warmer weather months. Hatcher then renames his operation as Hatcher’s Photoplay theatre in February of 1912.
The Park Theatre opened in the Odd Fellows fraternal hall on June 25, 1919 by Manager William Moon with Dustin Fatrnum in “The Gentleman from Indiana.” Powell and Gittlings took on the venue and moved it here to the Opera House in 1926 with the Towler Brothers' K&T Hatchery leasing the Odd Fellows Building for their hatchery.
The Park Theatre ends up back at the Leavitt Building on September 23, 1926 reopening with “The American Venus.” Remaining silent into 1930, Edgar Churchill took on the venue equipping it with sound and changing names to the Princess Theatre and launching with “Good News” supported by Laurel and Hardy in “Brats” on December 12, 1930.
Merlin Ewing took on the venue on July 26, 1932 offering $10 in gold for another new name. The name was the Amus-U and Charles Ketcham Jr. took home the gold. On July 11, 1935, the Amus-U Theatre was destroyed by fire during a screening of “Our Little Girl” with Shirley Temple. 150 patrons escaped but the theater didn’t.
The theatre was moved to a makeshift location on the Hungate lot in the Southeast corner of the downtown square with a canvas roof and benches beginning August 4, 1935 with “$10 Raise.” The Amus-U reopened on the site of the former location January 8, 1936 of “Stars of Broadway.” The Ames-U survived all the way to May 12, 1958 under final operators Mr. and Mrs. Howard Magin. The final film was Sal Mineo in “Dino.” The property became a bowling alley named the Lucky Strike Bowl.
Perfect! Also, the Park Theatre moved from the Odd Fellows building in 1926 when the Towler Brothers' K&T Hatchery took a long-term lease of the Odd Fellows Building for their hatchery. Whoops. So the Park Theatre was only in the Odd Fellows Building until August of 1926. So I moved that long entry to the Locke’s Opera House.
Airdome entry is now complete. It is described as being near or at 201 E. Main so we’ll call that good enough. The Frank Leavitt Building was on the North Side of the Square which became the Western Illinois Utility Company office (if that is helpful) after Hatcher left his Hatcher Photoplay Theatre on June 9, 1919. The Utility Company was on Depot Street / Old Depot Street only for three years before moving to 107 Main.
One correction above is that William Moon is credited with opening the Park Theatre on June 25, 1919 (not Hatcher as above). The Toledo, Peoria and Western Depot in La Harpe was the reason it had a Depot Street.
First - the name of the town is “La Harpe” named after Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe (not LaHarpe). A.C. Hatcher launched The New Electric Theatre here on February 27, 1911. It was the town’s second photoplay house after the short-lived Silver Cloud Theatre. There were ventilation issues at these venues as the town had an Airdome until the Park Theatre opened in 1919 elsewhere in town (see Amus-U if interested).
So Hatcher then moved to the larger Frank H. Leavitt Building on the East Side of the La Harpe Downtown Square. There he opened Hatcher’s Photoplay Theatre opening August 15, 1911 on A Street. So this listing would only be The New Electric Theatre from February, 27, 1911 to June of 1912.
Jeweler and Opera House operator Hermann A. Rohs awarded the contract for the new Rohs Theatre around the corner from his 19th Century-built and functioning Roh’s Opera House. The New Rohs Theatre would be on the main floor of the facility and modern. It was on South Walnut Street just steps from Pike Street on which the Opera House had been (and still is) since the 1870s. At that time and for the next 20 years, the Roh’s Theatre would be the only one on the main floor as the Opera House was on the second level.
Terra cotta trimmings and a modern 800-seat auditorium greeted audiences on August 16, 1920 when Rohs Theatre launched with Anita Stewart “In Old Kentucky.” Opening night patrons saluted the architect C.C. Weber and Edward E. Weber of Newport, Kentucky, for their design as they were in attendance at the opening.
In 1929, Rohs added sound to remain viable. The Rohs received a shocking streamline moderne in 1935 and added air conditioning 1937 and It added two new Motiograph projectors in 1939. Around the corner, the New Rohs Opera House plans were unveiled on November 16, 1939 that moved the opera house from the upper floor to the main floor and a 750-seat auditorium. It launched in late 1940. The Rohs Theatre closed permanently on July 13, 1957 with a double-feature of “Joe Butterfly” and “Fun for a Coward.”
The Rohs Opera House, in response to the Rohs Theatre closure, changed its name on August 2, 1957 to Rohs Theatre under new operators J.E. Denton and Robert Dopes. The new Rohs Theatre opened with “Tarzan and the Lost Safari” and “The Kettles on Old MacDonald’s Farm.” The former Rohs Theatre was sold at an absolute auction in December of 1957. It is then sold at another absolute auction in 1970. In 2010, it was home to the Cynthiana-Harrison County Museum.
(Grossberg and Cahill Florists is in the foreground, btw)
Opened in November of 1948 according to the trade press by the aforementioned Russell McConkey and Raymond Murphy.
The Circle opened September 25, 1920 with a speech by Governor Albert Ritchie - big crowd and the films “High and Dizzy” and “Scratch My Back”
The Allen Theater closed May 18, 1950 for the summer at the end of a 30-year lease. That summer was a long one lasting through 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953. The Allen reopened on August of 1953 now equipped with widescreen projection equipment and likely on a 5-year sublease. It closed in 1958. Dr. Robert H. Merz salvaged the 40-year old venue and spent $200,000 on purchasing and refreshing the theater. It reopened as the Astor Theatre in 1960. Dropping burlesque it became the all new Astor Adult Cinema in 1978.
Correction from above. The Astor closed permanently on October 26, 1978 with a double feature of Linda Wong in “The Final Sin” and Jean Dalton in “Peach Fuzz.” The local police shut down the building due to safety concerns. The venue moved two blocks away resuming as the “all new” Astor Adult Cinema. It closed with a double feature of Veronica Hart in “Touch Me In the Morning” and Kitty Shayne in “Three Ripening Cherries” on August 30, 1981. Meanwhile, the original Allen/Astor and Hotel Marne/Millner building was sold at a sheriff’s auction in 1982 bringing just $20,500. It was demolished beginning in March of 1982.
William Koehl of Cleveland architectural layout from 1920 in photos.
College Hills Mall opened on August 14, 1980 and its theater, the College Hills Movies 4, opened by George Kerasotes Cinemas (GKC) four months later on Christmas Day 1980. At launch, it opened with two 240 seat auditoriums and two 340 seat auditorium or 1,160 seats total. Opening films were A Change of Seasons, Private Benjamin, Private Eyes and The Formula. GKC closed at the end of a 20-year leasing agreement on December 10, 2000 with What Lies Beneath, The Exorcist, Dr. T and the Women, and Ladies' Man.
Parkway Cinemas was opened in the Parkway Shopping Center on a 20-year leasing agreement on May 18, 1990 by George Kerasotes Corporation / GKC Theatres. Carmike Theatre bought the GKC locations on April 22, 2005. Carmike closed at the expiry of that lease on May 13, 2010.
Charles J. Goodwin grand opening ad on April 5, 1926 with Colleen Moore in “Orchids and Ermine” supported by Hedda Hopper in “The Mona Lisa” and organist Ruby McMathe at the console of the Etsey Pipe Organ in photos. Reboot ad under Gulf States as the Rose Cinema on November 10, 1967 with “The Dirty Dozen” in photos.
The Rose Drive-In grand opening with August 1, 1950 with “Rock Island Trial.” It closed in 1963 screening exploitation films. It became the Bastrop Raceway race track in 1968.
The Swan launched December 22, 1935 with “Whipsaw.” J.W. Smith and Associates did the architectural work. After a November 1, 1941 fire after hours, it was rebuilt as the Swan Theatre opening June 5, 1942 with Sabu in “Jungle Book.” The theatre closed at the expiry of its 20-year leasing agreeing in 1955. In 1956, the building was gutted for other retail purposes.
The Semri June 28, 1951 grand opening ad with “Give My Regards to Broadway” is posted in photos.
The Dallas City Opera House dates back to 1887. It began as a live event house and as early as 1902 traveling shows would bring moving pictures to the opera house, likely the first movies seen by Dallas City residents. The Cathers Opera House is advertised from 1903 to 1908 - likely the same building - and is called the Dallas Opera House from 1909 to 1940.
Like many opera houses, the Dallas City Opera House switched almost primarily to movies by the end of the 1910s. A small 150-seat venue, the Dallas City Theatre located in a converted business building, takes over full-time sound movies at the advent of talkies before going out of business. The Opera House is then equipped for sound running to 1940.
The Opera House gets a new false front becoming the Dallas Theatre which opened in 1940 by C. Justus Garard presumably on a 30-year leasing agreement. Gerard also operated the Woodbine Theatre in Carthage. The Dallas Theatre opened November 16, 1940 by Justus Guard with a live talent show and the first film was screened was Betty Grable in “Down Argentine Way.” It closed June 7, 1970 with “The Love Bug.” The building stood vacant for decades in Downtown Dallas City.
Operator Bertha Gerard used architect E.A. Payne of Galesburg to perform an entire balcony-less interior in 1944 after fire damage.
Demolished in November of 1963 after final operator James Faul sold the building. Previous operators were Garrett Jett, Robert A. Page and Roy Kinney.
The Park Drive-In launched on August 5, 1955 with Gary Cooper in “Vera Cruz” in Superscope.
S.E. Pirtle Circuit came to town in May of 1921 when it bought the existing Cozy Theatre from Ellis and Frank Jackson. In 1924, Pirtle went to the voters and said if they’d vote for Sunday movies, banned by local blue laws, he would build them a state of the art movie house. The voters responded and the planning began. Early in 1925, Hamilton Dox of Peoria drew the architectural plans for Bushnell’s Rialto Theatre and Felix North & Son Contractors built the venue.
The Rialto opened with Betty Compson in “Paths to Paradise” on August 7, 1925. Longtime McDonough County resident Howard Silberer was at the piano for the Rialto. The theater got additional area patronage when Macomb continued to not allow its theater to open on Sundays. C.M. Albright of Bushnell’s Cozy Theatre helmed both for S.E. Pirtle’s Circuit with the Cozy (former Nickelodium) bowing out first.
In 1945, the Rialto is supposed to have been replaced with a new-build theater with plans completed in 1947. This venue was never constructed and, instead, the Rialto was completed remodeled in 1950. And in 1955, Bushnell’s Rialto goes widescreen to accommodate CinemaScope films. Pirtle dropped the venue likely after its second 20-year leasing expiry. Robert Hugel of the Tazwell Theatre took on the Rialto in time for its 40th Anniversary… but there would be no 50th Anniversary with the venue closing.
Indeed, J.C. Plasket originally opened in the building August 1909 as the Electric Theatre for a 45-year run of films in the small town.
The Princess Theatre opened May 15, 1913 with Belle Bennett in “Vengeance.” The Princess was a very late converter to sound films not doing so until March 3, 1931 under new operator Robert A. Isaacs of Bloomington. Under C.A. Haines, on September 10, 1937, the theatre received a shocking streamline moderne makeover becoming the Roxy Theatre. Two years later, in 1939, Byrnes Amusement of Chicago took on the venue. On March 8, 1940 Byrnes sold the theatre ton Edwin Arthur of Arthur Theatres who changed the name of the venue to the Saybrook Theatre starting with Gene Autry in “Mexicali Rose.”
Television took its toll on small town theaters nationwide. In April of 1954, the Saybrook reduced to just two days a week operation. Likely ash the expiry of 15-year leasing agreement, operator Charles McNarney closed up in 1955 offering the theater for sale. The final showings were of Francis, the Talking Mule in “Francis Joins the WACs” on January 17, 1955. In 1956, Russell Fields bought the theater and its equipment. He decided to remove the equipment and use the building for other purposes.
January 6, 1943 grand opening reboot as the Diana Theatre with “Talk of the Town” in photos.
First, the name of the town is La Harpe named after Jean Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe.
Locke’s Opera House opened at the corner of Main and Depot / Old Depot Street (later A Street) on August 5, 1892 with James L. Gittings in charge. It was the first place that La Harpe residents likely saw motion pictures dating at least back to August 1899. Traveling motion picture companies came in to show moving pictures until the town had a regular theater in 1911. The venue was discontinued in 1925.
La Harpe’s first movie theater was William C. Gardner & Studer’s Silver Cloud Theatre launching June 17, 1909 in the Gardner Building on Depot Street. C.A. Hatcher’s The New Electric Theatre later launched in the Leavitt Building on February 27, 1911 with Celia Zall of Burlington, Iowa furnishing the music.
In June of 1912, that venue was discontinued as C.A. Hatcher moved to Hatcher’s Photoplay Theatre launched August 15, 1911. And from 1911 to 1919, LaHarpe had a downtown Airdome to present live acts and movies in the warmer weather months. Hatcher then renames his operation as Hatcher’s Photoplay theatre in February of 1912.
The Park Theatre opened in the Odd Fellows fraternal hall on June 25, 1919 by Manager William Moon with Dustin Fatrnum in “The Gentleman from Indiana.” Powell and Gittlings took on the venue and moved it here to the Opera House in 1926 with the Towler Brothers' K&T Hatchery leasing the Odd Fellows Building for their hatchery.
The Park Theatre ends up back at the Leavitt Building on September 23, 1926 reopening with “The American Venus.” Remaining silent into 1930, Edgar Churchill took on the venue equipping it with sound and changing names to the Princess Theatre and launching with “Good News” supported by Laurel and Hardy in “Brats” on December 12, 1930.
Merlin Ewing took on the venue on July 26, 1932 offering $10 in gold for another new name. The name was the Amus-U and Charles Ketcham Jr. took home the gold. On July 11, 1935, the Amus-U Theatre was destroyed by fire during a screening of “Our Little Girl” with Shirley Temple. 150 patrons escaped but the theater didn’t.
The theatre was moved to a makeshift location on the Hungate lot in the Southeast corner of the downtown square with a canvas roof and benches beginning August 4, 1935 with “$10 Raise.” The Amus-U reopened on the site of the former location January 8, 1936 of “Stars of Broadway.” The Ames-U survived all the way to May 12, 1958 under final operators Mr. and Mrs. Howard Magin. The final film was Sal Mineo in “Dino.” The property became a bowling alley named the Lucky Strike Bowl.
107 Main is just what their newspaper listings say - the utility moved into the Leavitt Building.
Perfect! Also, the Park Theatre moved from the Odd Fellows building in 1926 when the Towler Brothers' K&T Hatchery took a long-term lease of the Odd Fellows Building for their hatchery. Whoops. So the Park Theatre was only in the Odd Fellows Building until August of 1926. So I moved that long entry to the Locke’s Opera House.
Airdome entry is now complete. It is described as being near or at 201 E. Main so we’ll call that good enough. The Frank Leavitt Building was on the North Side of the Square which became the Western Illinois Utility Company office (if that is helpful) after Hatcher left his Hatcher Photoplay Theatre on June 9, 1919. The Utility Company was on Depot Street / Old Depot Street only for three years before moving to 107 Main.
One correction above is that William Moon is credited with opening the Park Theatre on June 25, 1919 (not Hatcher as above). The Toledo, Peoria and Western Depot in La Harpe was the reason it had a Depot Street.
First - the name of the town is “La Harpe” named after Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe (not LaHarpe). A.C. Hatcher launched The New Electric Theatre here on February 27, 1911. It was the town’s second photoplay house after the short-lived Silver Cloud Theatre. There were ventilation issues at these venues as the town had an Airdome until the Park Theatre opened in 1919 elsewhere in town (see Amus-U if interested).
So Hatcher then moved to the larger Frank H. Leavitt Building on the East Side of the La Harpe Downtown Square. There he opened Hatcher’s Photoplay Theatre opening August 15, 1911 on A Street. So this listing would only be The New Electric Theatre from February, 27, 1911 to June of 1912.
Jeweler and Opera House operator Hermann A. Rohs awarded the contract for the new Rohs Theatre around the corner from his 19th Century-built and functioning Roh’s Opera House. The New Rohs Theatre would be on the main floor of the facility and modern. It was on South Walnut Street just steps from Pike Street on which the Opera House had been (and still is) since the 1870s. At that time and for the next 20 years, the Roh’s Theatre would be the only one on the main floor as the Opera House was on the second level.
Terra cotta trimmings and a modern 800-seat auditorium greeted audiences on August 16, 1920 when Rohs Theatre launched with Anita Stewart “In Old Kentucky.” Opening night patrons saluted the architect C.C. Weber and Edward E. Weber of Newport, Kentucky, for their design as they were in attendance at the opening.
In 1929, Rohs added sound to remain viable. The Rohs received a shocking streamline moderne in 1935 and added air conditioning 1937 and It added two new Motiograph projectors in 1939. Around the corner, the New Rohs Opera House plans were unveiled on November 16, 1939 that moved the opera house from the upper floor to the main floor and a 750-seat auditorium. It launched in late 1940. The Rohs Theatre closed permanently on July 13, 1957 with a double-feature of “Joe Butterfly” and “Fun for a Coward.”
The Rohs Opera House, in response to the Rohs Theatre closure, changed its name on August 2, 1957 to Rohs Theatre under new operators J.E. Denton and Robert Dopes. The new Rohs Theatre opened with “Tarzan and the Lost Safari” and “The Kettles on Old MacDonald’s Farm.” The former Rohs Theatre was sold at an absolute auction in December of 1957. It is then sold at another absolute auction in 1970. In 2010, it was home to the Cynthiana-Harrison County Museum.