Comments from dallasmovietheaters

Showing 251 - 275 of 4,519 comments

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Old Trail Theatre Two on Oct 5, 2024 at 1:03 am

The Old Trails Theatre launched on March 24, 1928. It lost the “s” along the way with a new sign. A February 21, 1967 fire destroyed the Art Theatre on 16th St. It moved here with a rename on.August 11th, 1967 grand opening as the Art Theatre playing porno chic era films.

It became the Movie Cafe on September 1, 1986 offering second-run and repertory fare at a discount price of $5 while offering a full kitchen menu. In early 1987 it’s just listed as Movie Theatre operating with discount films at $2.

It changed names in March to the Old Trail Theatre Two operated by Tudor Amusements and Richard L. Cosby. It declares bankruptcy in January of 1984 leading to a liquidation here and at the Plainfield Village Theatre. Final shows were “Like Father Like Son” and “Hello Again” on January 3, 1984. The name of the venue was the Old Trail Theatre that day which should be the entry’s corrected name.

As for the building, it then became an auction house that was decimated by a fire in 1988 that led to the building’s demolition.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Eastwood Theatre on Oct 5, 2024 at 12:05 am

“Top Gun” appears to be the final 70mm first run film in August of 1986 with Ron Keedy closing shop there and at the Emerson. It then has a brief run showing twin bills of X-rated films late in 1986 and into 1987 before closing. Heaston Theatres made the unfortunate business decision to reopen the Eastwood as a sub-run $2 discount movie house. It reopened to great fanfare March 6, 1987 with “The Golden Child.” It closed very quietly on September 24, 1987 with “Witches of Eastwick.” It reopened as City Lites, a live concert venue in March of 1993. In 1994, it was renamed the Second Avenue Night Club for six months until closing in July of 1994.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Strand Theater on Oct 4, 2024 at 2:50 pm

The January 15, 1916 grand opening ad with “Mice and Men” on the big screen is in photos. The theatre wired for sound to remain viable. But it closed at the expiry of its second 20-year leasing agreement on May 27, 1956 with “I’ll Cry Tomorrow” and “Vanishing American.” The theater was listed as “Closed for Repairs” although there was no evidence that it would ever be reopened that Fall for films.

Five months later, any hope of a relaunch was over when vandals destroyed the screen, cut the seats and caused a plumbing leak that made repairs too expensive to consider. The building was repurposed for other activities.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Showcase Cinema de Lux Broadway on Oct 3, 2024 at 3:14 pm

National Amusements announced in October of 2024 that it would close here at the expiry of its lease in early 2025 as the company continued winding down its operational footprint.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Legion Theatre on Oct 3, 2024 at 3:05 pm

Lawrence L. Pruitt opened the New Legion Theatre on March 4, 1949 with “Belle Star’s Daughter” supported by the Three Stooges short “Three Fiddlers” and cartoon. The previous location of the Legion Theatre closed on February 28, 1949 with “Apartment for Peggy.” Jerry Martin closed thea theatre on November 12, 1962 with Susan Hayward in “Back Street” ending the venue’s run.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Rex Theatre on Oct 3, 2024 at 11:07 am

W.J. Delong and J.J. Evans opened the first Rex Theater on July 4, 1920 in the 19th Century-buiilt Knights of Pythias Hall. E.J. New took on the venue in January of 1921 to little success. The 313-seat theater wasn’t enough for W.L. Casey who took on the venture and moving the seats and projector to a Reardan, Washington Theater. But Casey wanted to have the Inland Empire’s best theater. He built and opened the town’s second Rex Theatre location opens with Will Walling in “The Village Blacksmith” on October 24, 1923. The theater went on to a great run.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about River Oaks Theatre on Oct 2, 2024 at 10:37 pm

Grand reopening on October 3, 2024 with “Joker 2' following a sneak peak soft opening the previous night.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Kent Theatre on Oct 1, 2024 at 6:32 pm

The building was acquired in the City of Grand Rapids' urban renewal project and demolished in April 1967.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Wealthy Theatre on Oct 1, 2024 at 12:27 pm

The Wealthy Vaudette opened in the 1911 in the Giles Block building on Wealthy Street. According to the real estate listing, it was built for the purpose of being a theater. It had its own soda fountain serving as its concession stand putting it above the average theater in selling snacks to moviegoers. By 1912, it was called the Pastime Vaudette under new operators and it would shift to the Pastime Theater closing in early 1916 likely at the opt out point five years into its lease. The theater’s contents and soda fountain were sold off as it transitioned to an aviation factory.

As only $300 was spent in the transition from theatrical to aviation work, the pictures of the aviation company sort of look like a theater space. The Michigan Aircraft Company’s assembly location in 1917 was under the eye of designers Anthony Stadleman and Bert Kenyon. The concept of the flying boat was perfect with the local boat industry but Allan Lockhead had a similar Model F-1 Boat being produced in California. Lockhead’s Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing Company recruited Stadleman west-ward and the factory closed.

Its place was taken by a new Overland Automobile dealership in 1918 that appears also to have done virtually nothing to the interior of the former theater. This is germane as when the auto dealer closes, Oscar E. Varneau and wife Lillian - daughter of Joseph H. Poisson - reconvert the theater space to motion pictures. Verneau and Poission ran the Poisson Theatre (later Leonard Theater) and the Royal Theatre.

The Wealthy Street Theatre opened under that name on March 20, 1920 with Dorothy Phillips in “Paid in Advance.” Along the way, “Street” was dropped and it became the Wealthy Theater. The Varneau family steered the theater to the end of its 20-year lease. In 1931, he signed a new 20-year leasing agreement. He did the second leasing term well by closing the theater for.its true transition to sound reopening with a new Spanish patio style and all new sound system It reopened on February 7, 1931 with Charles Farrell in “The Princess and the Plumber.”

While the description above correctly mentions the 1934 renovation as its new look, the 1931 Spanish patio refresh by the Varneaus is pretty much what you see in the 2020’s Wealthy Theater. However, the theater did got a moderne marquis in 1934 and a new sound system again in 1936. In 1937, the B & J ( Butterfield and Johnson and then Butterfield Theatres) Circuit took on the venue. The Company had also taken on Varneau’s Royal Theater as well as the Our Theater and the Eastown.

B&J Theaters closed at the end of its third 20-year lease on June 6, 1971 with “Waterloo.” Wealthy Theater Co. took on the venue reopening on December 23, 1971 with Dustin Hoffman in “Straw Dogs.” The audiences were indifferent to the venue as it closed in 1973. Saved from demolition, the venue was back and operational as of the 2020s.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Wealthy Theatre on Oct 1, 2024 at 7:16 am

Operator Oscar Varneau - also of the Franklin Theater - turned his attention to the Wealthy Theater as he signed a new 20-year leasing agreement in 1931. He did it right closing the theater for.its true transition to sound reopening with a new Spanish patio style and all new sound system It reopens here on February 7, 1931 with Charles Farrell in “The Princess and the Plumber.”

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Franklin Theatre on Oct 1, 2024 at 12:25 am

Grover L. Willer ran Beecher’s Theatre and the circuit’s corporate office at this location. From 1917 to 1922 it was known as Beecher’s Division Theatre likely to alleviate confusion with the many Beecher theaters that existed at that time. In September of 1922, it is renamed as the Franklin Theater under new operators. It appears to have closed without converting to sound in 1929. It reopens with sound in January of 1930 and closes.

Herbert R. Boshoven takes on the Franklin operating with the Family, Madison, Liberty, Crown (Marne), Century (Coopersville). He rewires the Franklin with improved sound a an exterior and interior refresh on a 20-year lease. It reopens September 28, 1931 with “Annabelle’s Affairs” supported by “all kinds of short subjects. The Franklin continues until closure in 1951.

Boshoven had run the Franklin on a grind house policy with “low bargain prices” playing third-run double features on weekdays and triple features on weekends. The Franklin’s final show was February 12, 1951 with a double feature of Lew Ayres in “The Capture” and Martha Vickers in “Daughter of the West.”

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Civic Theatre on Sep 30, 2024 at 6:44 pm

Working with plans drawn by architect Roger Allen who also did the Isis to Center Theater’s streamline refresh concurrently, the Majestic gets its shocking streamline interior refresh shown here prior to reopening on August 5, 1938.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Center Theatre on Sep 30, 2024 at 6:37 pm

The Isis Theater Company was established in 1915 headed by George C. Nichols. It renovated an existing building using the plans of architect Lee DeCamp and a budget of $24,000 as the home of their theater which included steel beam reinforcement. The Isis Theatre opened here on January 26, 1916 with Edwin Stevens in “The Man Inside” supported by five vaudeville acts. Rose and Ivory were the colors of choice with green everywhere else.

Butterfield and Johnson Theatres (aka B&J Theaters and, latter Butterfield Theaters) took on the venue. It was wired for sound and then closed for a major refresh on June 1, 1938. Just the walls and a bit of the ceiling work remained in place as the venue received a streamline makeover and name change to the Center Theatre.

Working with plans drawn by architect Roger Allen who also did the Majestic streamline refresh concurrently, the interior accents moved to aluminum and stainless steel while getting fresh red and forest green accents. Terrazzo floor and deco concession stand awaited new customers. That date was August 17, 1938 and the films were “Kentucky Moonshine” with “Gold Mine in the Sky.”

The Center appears to have ceased operations at the end of a 20-year leasing agreement on February 2, 1958 with a double feature of “The Brain from Planet Arqus” and “Teenage Monster.” In June, a fire next door almost was the end of the venue but firefighters save the former Center. The Civic Theatre made the venue its home in 1959/1960; though it was booted out on June 2, 1962 due to an urban renewal project. That led to the demolition of the theater.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Southlawn Theatre on Sep 29, 2024 at 8:23 pm

Gladys Johnson established the Southlawn Theatre Corporation in 1928. Likely using non-union projectionists, the Southlawn is attacked by stink bombs on the same day as targeting of the Creston, Stocking, Idlehour, Fulton, Biltmore, Alcazar, Royal, Rivoli, Liberty, Madison, Michigan, Madison, and Franklin theaters.

The Southlawn closed without converting to sound becoming home to a house of worship from 1929 and into 1931. But the venue reopened with sound on August 15, 1931 with “Trader Horn.” The Southlawn closed at the expiry of a 25-year lease on January 31, 1954 with “Tropic Zone” and “The Stand at Apache River.” It was converted for other purposes almost immediately thereafter.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Highway 18 Outdoor Theater on Sep 29, 2024 at 6:25 pm

Closed permanently following the September 28, 2024 programming

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Stocking Avenue Theatre on Sep 29, 2024 at 5:02 pm

The Stocking Theatre closed at the end of its second 20-year lease on December 2, 1956 with “Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy,” “Love Happy” and Walt Disney’s Musicland."

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Roxy Theatre on Sep 29, 2024 at 4:35 pm

Blessed Sacrament Parish purchased the Roxy Theater building on April 1, 1946. The theater operated to the end of its lease closing on April 23, 1946 with “Irish Eyes are Smiling” and “Wild Geese Calling.”

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Royal Theatre on Sep 29, 2024 at 3:36 pm

It appears that the Royal Theater opened on May 16, 1914. The “Cool” Royal Theatre closed after its second 20-year lease on July 11, 1954 with “The Long Long Trailer” and “Dangerous Mission.”

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dallasmovietheaters commented about State Theater on Sep 29, 2024 at 3:29 pm

It was listed as “closed for the summer” after the July 29, 1947 showings of “The Harvey Girls” and “Blondie Knows Best” supported by a clever cartoon. Blondie knows that the State did not reopen.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Town Theater on Sep 29, 2024 at 3:20 pm

Reopened as the Roosevelt Theatre on September 23, 1933 with The Mind Reader and As the Devil Commands.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Park Theatre on Sep 29, 2024 at 2:28 pm

The theater was renamed the Park Theatre on May 29, 1932 with “Play Girl” and “Strangers in Love.” The Park Theater closed on July 6, 1958 with “I Was a Teen-Age Werewolf” and “The Devil’s Hairpin.” It was offered for lease becoming an auction house and then a laundromat.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Keith's Theatre on Sep 29, 2024 at 2:17 pm

The RKO Keith Theatre closed on September 5, 1962 with “The Spiral Road.” Stars on its stage included Houdini, Jack Benny and Ethel Barrymore. The city took on the property as part of urban renewal.

Houting & Meeusen Wrecking Company of Holland salvaged all of the seats and it also salvaged its Wurlitzer seven-rank two manual pipe organ that had been installed in 1926 which was sold. The theater was demolished in 1963.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Vogue Theatre on Sep 29, 2024 at 2:01 pm

The 650-seat Michigan Theatre launched on June 24, 1916 by G.H. and C.W. Budde. of the Alcazar. Howard T. Reynolds took on the the Michigan Theater giving it a $5,000 streamline makeover and new name of the Vogue Theatre.

It relaunched on April 17, 1938 with High Wide and Handsome supported by The Wrong Road. The Vogue Theater temporarily closed on August 30, 1946 after showing “The Bells of St. Mary’s.” An ad promised its return after a refresh that never occurred. Reynolds, who also had the Family and the Stocking theaters - moved on from the Vogue. It sat vacant and was sold to Radio Bible Class, Inc. in 1951 for $20,000.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Regent Theatre on Sep 29, 2024 at 1:44 pm

Final shows at the RKO Regent Theatre were held September 29, 1964 at end of lease with “The Hustler” and “Blue Denim.” Leonard VanderMate was on duty on opening night and was still working the booth on September 29, 1964. Good effort!

The city took on the property as part of urban renewal. They were able to salvage the Robert Morton organ - once played by Hazel “Bird” McGahey in its silent years - prior to the Regent’s demolition in 1966 and its extensive art collection. Houting & Meeusen Wrecking Company of Holland reportedly did a good job of salvaging useful items including the 16-lane bowling alley above the theater.

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dallasmovietheaters commented about Strand Theatre on Sep 29, 2024 at 8:30 am

Gillingham and Smith Theatre Enterprises circuit had plans drawn by Detroit architect C. Howard Crane with superivisng architects Williamson & Crow as they created the new build Strand Theatre in 1915. The style was Adam. The theatre was bathed in green with mahogany wood accents.

The Strand joined Gillingham and Smith’s Monroe, Idlehour, and Original Vaudette theaters. The opening of the Strand occurred on September 18, 1915 with Clara Young Kimball in “Marrying Money.” The Strand was not able to make the transition to sound. In 1929, the building was sold to the Prange family and was remodeled to the Planos of George L. Stone becoming a new Prange’s Store opening on May 7, 1930.