The Laura Theatre opened on April 18, 1947 with Robert Mitchum in “Pursued” along with an unnamed cartoon, sports reel, and a newsreel, with a capacity of 650.
Before ending its regular theater run, ABC Theaters of Pennsylvania operated the theater until the mid-1970s. That ultimately changed when the Laura Theater flipped to an XXX theater for no longer than three years. The Laura Theatre closed in 1979 and it reopened in 1980 as a live performance house ending in 1984.
Opened on June 6, 1950 with Glenn Ford in “The Return of October” along with an unnamed cartoon, a newsreel, and a Grantland Rice Sportlight.
On August 29 and 30, 1975, the Lycoming Drive-In’s concession stand was severely damaged and partially destroyed by mobs including a ram-over. Multiple teenagers from Williamsport and Bloomsburg among surrounding Lycoming County were arrested from the qualification of the property, while two 19-year-old males (one in Williamsport and the other from Bloomsburg) were arrested from non-life threatening traffic citations, driving while intoxicated, and underage drinking.
Opened in 1949 and closed on September 9, 1988 with Walt Disney’s “Bambi”. During its earlier years, it was known as two names as people can call the theater the Starlite Drive-In or the Watsonville Drive-In by advertisements.
The state-of-the-art Green Valley Cinema first opened with six screens (featuring 17x40 screens in each auditorium with a 900 seating capacity) on May 19, 1999, under the owners of Hank and Lucille Garcia among their family. One of the first films on grand opening was Star Wars Episode 1. Two more screens were added during the second week of July 2003 bringing a total to eight screens and a ninth screen was added around a decade later.
Construction began on July 22, 1998. During construction despite being an all first-run theater, Hank also originally planned to add foreign and independent films to the theater itself but that plan was scrapped.
Information about the Airport goes as follows: The Airport was first operated by C.W. Moss and his Interstate Theatres chain, and was the fifth drive-in to open by the Interstate chain within the past two years with others being in Albuquerque, Tyler, and Abilene. Moss has been part of the Paris area’s Interstate chain since 1941. Moss had started to plan both on the installation and the theater shortly after traveling to Abilene for the opening of the Park Drive-In there in December 1949, although Paris already had the 271 Drive-In three miles north of Paris. The Airport Drive-In though was located a mile-and-a-half southeast of the city. The manager of the Airport was Caviness-native Cecil Burch (who was part of the army shortly before the start of World War II for one year and ten months) and the contractors for the theater were done by the J.R. Spencer Company of Fort Worth, nearly 110 miles away from Paris itself. Construction started four months prior to opening by J. Harvey Elder. On opening, two cartoons were featured on its grand opening day (July 13, 1950) before “Renegades”: Bugs Bunny’s “High Diving Hare” and Tom And Jerry’s “The Little Orphan”.
A couple of those participants are Raymond Willie, a superior of the Valley Theatres Incorporated chain and one of the leaders of the Interstate Theatres chain since the organization in 1918. Prior to his joining, he had been working at Fort Worth’s Hippodrome Theatre in 1916. Living in the metroplex, he was transferred to San Antonio in 1937 where he was charged in every single theater operated by Interstate; and Pat Hudgins, the supervisor of the Interstate chain since 1935, who had been in connection with the Interstate chain in Dallas, Denison, and Tyler.
The Saenger was destroyed by one of the most deadliest tornadoes in Mississippi, which is Vicksburg’s violent F5 tornado on December 6, 1953. The tornado killed 38 people and injuring 270 others.
General Cinema operated the Westdale from its start on April 4, 1980 until being taken over by Excellence Theatres in 1989. The Westdale was one of the last three General Cinemas operating in Iowa.
Taken over by AMC after Carmike’s intention deal in December 2016, although the building’s Wynnsong signs and leftovers continued to last until 2018. And as of August 2022, it was still closed (“until further notice”).
The Dubinsky Brothers opened the Stage 4 Theatres on May 28, 1971 with the following in screen order: “A New Leaf” (1), “Red Sky At Morning” (2), and “The Andromeda Strain” (3 & 4). The Stage 4 Theatres had a grand total of 1,080 seats throughout its history.
Carmike took over the Stage 4 Theatres in November 1990, and operated the theater until closure on September 8, 2000, due to the ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and the growth of multiplex theaters in the United States, as well as the popularity of the Wynnsong 12 being located a mile away from the Stage 4. The maintenance man, Jerry Morris, really wants to continue on running the theater but left with tears in his eyes on the causes of the closure.
It was actually named Cedar Rapids Twin Drive-In. The theater itself listed their screens as West and East. The West screen opened on June 11, 1969 with Richard Widmark in “Death Of A Gunfighter” and Elvis in “Speedway”, but however, its East screen was originally scheduled to open two days later on June 13, 1969 but delayed due to severe weather.
The East screen opened one week after its delaying announcement. A short time after the East screen opened, the theater witnessed its first vehicle accident.
The Cedar Rapids Twin Drive-In closed at the end of the 1987 season.
Both Eastgate I & II and Eastgate III were separated theaters.
General Cinema opened the Eastgate Cinemas I & II on October 27, 1966 with Don O'Kelly in “The Hostage” (with short subjects added) shown in both screens.
On November 26, 1969, Eastgate III opened its gates as an adult theater, with it being located separately away from the I & II.
During the afternoon hours on May 5, 1982, a male teenager entered the Eastgate III, approached to one of the theater’s employees and pointed a gun in front of his face. He then stole $200 out of the cashier and ran. The suspect was identified as 18-year-old Thomas C. Bell of Des Moines.
The Eastgate I & II closed for the final time in late 1989, leaving the Eastgate III running, and yes, still as an adult theater. This lasted for a decade-and-a-half, but there were incidents in its last couple years of operation. Developers sued the owners of the Eastgate III in November 2001 over its activities stymie efforts to lure big stores at the site. Its terms and leases have been filed at previous days beforehand in Polk County court.
In October 2003, an overman blamed owners of the Eastgate III, saying that he wants to shut the theater down. But exactly a year and a month later, the theater finally had its chance to close for the final time in late November 2004.
The 730-capacity Plaza Theater opened its doors on June 30, 1967 with John Wayne in “The War Wheel”, and closed on December 3, 1987 with “Teen Wolf Too” as its last film.
The Plaza throughout its history was first operated by Tri-States Theatres, followed by ABC Midwest Theatres, JSB Midwest Theaters, and lastly the Dubinsky Brothers.
In early October 1975, one of the glass plate window-doors was destroyed by an unknown person using a slingshot, breaking the door and a lead-sinker.
After closing in 1987, A bit of the traces became an AutoRama RV Center, but otherwise the entire theater was still attached until the parking traces were converted into a parking lot for RVs in the latter half of the 1990s. As of 2022, the screen was still there, mainly covered by trees.
The Snak-Vu opened on October 30, 1964 with Harry VonZell in “Micro-Spook” along with the 1949 Fox And Crow Color Rhapsody “Grape Nutty” and a sports-reel “Russlin' Rampage”.
This negro drive-in was located a mile away from the Columbus Drive-In. The Jet Drive-In first opened as the Jive Drive-In on June 6, 1952, with an original capacity of 375 cars with films screened in both 16mm and 35mm film. The Jive name didn’t last long at all, and was renamed the Jet Drive-In in late September 1952.
After a five-year run, the Jet closed for the final time in 1957.
On February 29, 1944, both the Bentley Theatre and the hotel next to it were destroyed by a fire, and the fire also killed a man as well. Coroner Archie Craft later identified the only death as 24-year-old Wardell Robbins of Neon.
First opened as the Universal Theatre on January 14, 1920 with William Stowell in “The Heart of Humanity”, along with 6 acts of vaudeville. The Universal Theatre and Mr. Randolph’s grocery store was completely burned and destroyed by a fire on February 4, 1924 (with the Universal possibly during its run of “The Girl With 1000 Visions” but it was unknown yet).
The building was then rebuilt, restored, and reopened as the Ritz on September 2, 1927 with Louise Brooks in “Rolling Stockings”, along with an overture by the city’s orchestra, a two-reel comedy reel, vaudeville performances by Sevier and West, and addresses by M.F. Hyde, A.J. Simmons, and the then-mayor of Marshfield James Thompson.
The Laura Theatre opened on April 18, 1947 with Robert Mitchum in “Pursued” along with an unnamed cartoon, sports reel, and a newsreel, with a capacity of 650.
Before ending its regular theater run, ABC Theaters of Pennsylvania operated the theater until the mid-1970s. That ultimately changed when the Laura Theater flipped to an XXX theater for no longer than three years. The Laura Theatre closed in 1979 and it reopened in 1980 as a live performance house ending in 1984.
Opened on June 6, 1950 with Glenn Ford in “The Return of October” along with an unnamed cartoon, a newsreel, and a Grantland Rice Sportlight.
On August 29 and 30, 1975, the Lycoming Drive-In’s concession stand was severely damaged and partially destroyed by mobs including a ram-over. Multiple teenagers from Williamsport and Bloomsburg among surrounding Lycoming County were arrested from the qualification of the property, while two 19-year-old males (one in Williamsport and the other from Bloomsburg) were arrested from non-life threatening traffic citations, driving while intoxicated, and underage drinking.
Late 1986
Closed In August 1999.
Opened in 1949 and closed on September 9, 1988 with Walt Disney’s “Bambi”. During its earlier years, it was known as two names as people can call the theater the Starlite Drive-In or the Watsonville Drive-In by advertisements.
The state-of-the-art Green Valley Cinema first opened with six screens (featuring 17x40 screens in each auditorium with a 900 seating capacity) on May 19, 1999, under the owners of Hank and Lucille Garcia among their family. One of the first films on grand opening was Star Wars Episode 1. Two more screens were added during the second week of July 2003 bringing a total to eight screens and a ninth screen was added around a decade later.
Construction began on July 22, 1998. During construction despite being an all first-run theater, Hank also originally planned to add foreign and independent films to the theater itself but that plan was scrapped.
Information about the Airport goes as follows: The Airport was first operated by C.W. Moss and his Interstate Theatres chain, and was the fifth drive-in to open by the Interstate chain within the past two years with others being in Albuquerque, Tyler, and Abilene. Moss has been part of the Paris area’s Interstate chain since 1941. Moss had started to plan both on the installation and the theater shortly after traveling to Abilene for the opening of the Park Drive-In there in December 1949, although Paris already had the 271 Drive-In three miles north of Paris. The Airport Drive-In though was located a mile-and-a-half southeast of the city. The manager of the Airport was Caviness-native Cecil Burch (who was part of the army shortly before the start of World War II for one year and ten months) and the contractors for the theater were done by the J.R. Spencer Company of Fort Worth, nearly 110 miles away from Paris itself. Construction started four months prior to opening by J. Harvey Elder. On opening, two cartoons were featured on its grand opening day (July 13, 1950) before “Renegades”: Bugs Bunny’s “High Diving Hare” and Tom And Jerry’s “The Little Orphan”.
A couple of those participants are Raymond Willie, a superior of the Valley Theatres Incorporated chain and one of the leaders of the Interstate Theatres chain since the organization in 1918. Prior to his joining, he had been working at Fort Worth’s Hippodrome Theatre in 1916. Living in the metroplex, he was transferred to San Antonio in 1937 where he was charged in every single theater operated by Interstate; and Pat Hudgins, the supervisor of the Interstate chain since 1935, who had been in connection with the Interstate chain in Dallas, Denison, and Tyler.
The Saenger was destroyed by one of the most deadliest tornadoes in Mississippi, which is Vicksburg’s violent F5 tornado on December 6, 1953. The tornado killed 38 people and injuring 270 others.
General Cinema operated the Westdale from its start on April 4, 1980 until being taken over by Excellence Theatres in 1989. The Westdale was one of the last three General Cinemas operating in Iowa.
Opened on June 1, 1951 with Gene Kelly in “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” and the Bowery Boys in “Lucky Losers” along with an unnamed cartoon.
The West-Vue’s last day of operation was September 20, 1977 with “Nasty Habits” and “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” along with two cartoons.
Taken over by AMC after Carmike’s intention deal in December 2016, although the building’s Wynnsong signs and leftovers continued to last until 2018. And as of August 2022, it was still closed (“until further notice”).
Closed on August 18, 2000.
The Dubinsky Brothers opened the Stage 4 Theatres on May 28, 1971 with the following in screen order: “A New Leaf” (1), “Red Sky At Morning” (2), and “The Andromeda Strain” (3 & 4). The Stage 4 Theatres had a grand total of 1,080 seats throughout its history.
Carmike took over the Stage 4 Theatres in November 1990, and operated the theater until closure on September 8, 2000, due to the ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and the growth of multiplex theaters in the United States, as well as the popularity of the Wynnsong 12 being located a mile away from the Stage 4. The maintenance man, Jerry Morris, really wants to continue on running the theater but left with tears in his eyes on the causes of the closure.
It was actually named Cedar Rapids Twin Drive-In. The theater itself listed their screens as West and East. The West screen opened on June 11, 1969 with Richard Widmark in “Death Of A Gunfighter” and Elvis in “Speedway”, but however, its East screen was originally scheduled to open two days later on June 13, 1969 but delayed due to severe weather.
The East screen opened one week after its delaying announcement. A short time after the East screen opened, the theater witnessed its first vehicle accident.
The Cedar Rapids Twin Drive-In closed at the end of the 1987 season.
Both Eastgate I & II and Eastgate III were separated theaters.
General Cinema opened the Eastgate Cinemas I & II on October 27, 1966 with Don O'Kelly in “The Hostage” (with short subjects added) shown in both screens.
On November 26, 1969, Eastgate III opened its gates as an adult theater, with it being located separately away from the I & II.
During the afternoon hours on May 5, 1982, a male teenager entered the Eastgate III, approached to one of the theater’s employees and pointed a gun in front of his face. He then stole $200 out of the cashier and ran. The suspect was identified as 18-year-old Thomas C. Bell of Des Moines.
The Eastgate I & II closed for the final time in late 1989, leaving the Eastgate III running, and yes, still as an adult theater. This lasted for a decade-and-a-half, but there were incidents in its last couple years of operation. Developers sued the owners of the Eastgate III in November 2001 over its activities stymie efforts to lure big stores at the site. Its terms and leases have been filed at previous days beforehand in Polk County court.
In October 2003, an overman blamed owners of the Eastgate III, saying that he wants to shut the theater down. But exactly a year and a month later, the theater finally had its chance to close for the final time in late November 2004.
The 730-capacity Plaza Theater opened its doors on June 30, 1967 with John Wayne in “The War Wheel”, and closed on December 3, 1987 with “Teen Wolf Too” as its last film.
The Plaza throughout its history was first operated by Tri-States Theatres, followed by ABC Midwest Theatres, JSB Midwest Theaters, and lastly the Dubinsky Brothers.
In early October 1975, one of the glass plate window-doors was destroyed by an unknown person using a slingshot, breaking the door and a lead-sinker.
After closing in 1987, A bit of the traces became an AutoRama RV Center, but otherwise the entire theater was still attached until the parking traces were converted into a parking lot for RVs in the latter half of the 1990s. As of 2022, the screen was still there, mainly covered by trees.
Opened with Arthur Lake in “16 Fathoms Deep” with no extra short subjects, with a capacity of 700 seats including a balcony for colored patrons.
The Snak-Vu opened on October 30, 1964 with Harry VonZell in “Micro-Spook” along with the 1949 Fox And Crow Color Rhapsody “Grape Nutty” and a sports-reel “Russlin' Rampage”.
This negro drive-in was located a mile away from the Columbus Drive-In. The Jet Drive-In first opened as the Jive Drive-In on June 6, 1952, with an original capacity of 375 cars with films screened in both 16mm and 35mm film. The Jive name didn’t last long at all, and was renamed the Jet Drive-In in late September 1952.
After a five-year run, the Jet closed for the final time in 1957.
It opened on December 16, 2011, not June 1, 2011. Construction started on June 1, 2011 at the former grassy site.
Construction began on June 1, 2011, and opened on December 16, 2011.
On February 29, 1944, both the Bentley Theatre and the hotel next to it were destroyed by a fire, and the fire also killed a man as well. Coroner Archie Craft later identified the only death as 24-year-old Wardell Robbins of Neon.
Opened on May 28, 1949, closed on September 13, 1985, demolished on May 18, 1990.
First opened as the Universal Theatre on January 14, 1920 with William Stowell in “The Heart of Humanity”, along with 6 acts of vaudeville. The Universal Theatre and Mr. Randolph’s grocery store was completely burned and destroyed by a fire on February 4, 1924 (with the Universal possibly during its run of “The Girl With 1000 Visions” but it was unknown yet).
The building was then rebuilt, restored, and reopened as the Ritz on September 2, 1927 with Louise Brooks in “Rolling Stockings”, along with an overture by the city’s orchestra, a two-reel comedy reel, vaudeville performances by Sevier and West, and addresses by M.F. Hyde, A.J. Simmons, and the then-mayor of Marshfield James Thompson.