The National Theatre was started by Waldorf Amusement, a fledgling company which was converting horse-centric operations inexpensively into movie theaters. The National Theatre was their first such effort as they converted a carriage factory to the plans of Stewart and Stewart. It launched June 26, 1912 at 2116-8 Eighth Street. The company would also launch its Freeman Theatre in a converted livery on September 12, 1912. Both theaters converted to Movietone sound in 1929 and again to Western Electric sound in 1930 to play talkies. The National was the longest lasting for Waldorf and operator Joseph G. Shakespeare who passed away June 4, 1952. The theatre closed not long after his passing and was demolished.
The Crescent Theatre launched March 24, 1913. It converted to sound and appears to have gone out of business in December of 1950. It ends up on the delinquent tax list which is likely its end point.
I was equally surprised to see a JLC in an existing theater because the point was – as Stan notes – to get the Jerry Lewis Cinema architectural plans for a new-build theater in exchange for your franchise fee . But have attached a photo of that theatre and an ad to prove that someone did plunk down some money as a franchisee for the JLC name. I’d imagine that was an interesting call and, true, I’d guess the Network Cinema Corp. would take money from anyone offering it up. Sadly – like the vast majority of other JLCs – this was a major failure lasting not long after the Network Cinema Corp. and JL went bust. (And thanks much for the positive comment!)
The local paper does say that the Jerry Lewis Cinema relaunched this venue on March 1, 1972 with Disney’s classic “Pinocchio.” It then closed a year later in March of 1973. It became the Smile Theatre for a short period of time from July to September of 1973 before being sold at auction in 1975. It was sold to a local bank which turned into a video production facility.
Announced in 1971 as part of a new-build shopping center originally called the Lee Shopping Plaza, the Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema launched on November 24, 1972 with the films, “Gone with the Wind” and “Snoopy Come Home.” The theater was another in the circuit’s list of automated theatre operated by a franchisee. This one’s owner opened a second location the same day in Richmond’s Meadowbrook Plaza.
This twin theater had 700 seats in its two auditoriums. However, Jerry Lewis Cinema Circuit and its parent company in free fall heading toward bankruptcy. So the cinema was renamed as the Lee Plaza Twin Cinema on March 5, 1973 and relaunched with the film that opened the Jerry Lewis Cinema at Meadowbrook Plaza, “Billy Jack.”
The Lee Plaza Twin struggled into 1975 and tried unsuccessfully to persuade the city to permit it to become an adult theater. The Lee Plaza Cinema Twin went out of business on September 14, 1975 with “Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins” and “The Great Waldo Pepper.”
The Lee Shopping Center became the Crossings Shopping Center and the the cinema eventually relaunched as the Crossing Cinema in the year 2000 basically looking about the same as it had previously with red and white color scheme and original seating. The Crossroads ran continuously until being closed by operator Neighborhood Cinema Inc. on October of 2008.
Independent operators Ben and Angela Sanders took on the location on March 27, 2009 as the Crossroads. But the theatre soon went out of business again. However, a local church took on the location converting it to the Destination Church in September of 2013. Volunteers decided to begin showing films again in the Spring of 2014 under the name of the Destination Theatre. The theatre converted to digital cinema and continued operations into the 2020s.
Opened as the Jerry Lewis Cinema with “Cold Turkey” on December 29, 1971. On March 28, 1973, it was changed to the Security Cinema. It appears to have closed on April 27, 1978.
This theater launched August 5, 1972 with cartoonist Bruno Zaffina live followed by the movie, “The War Between Men and Women” It appears to have closed with a double feature of “El Immoral” and “La agonía del difunto” on November 6, 1986.
The Garden Theatre was launched in March of 1920. In April of 1926, a Sandusky man purchased the theatre and would change its name to the St. Clair Theatre. He closed it as a silent house. A new operator, Harry Small, took on the theatre giving the venue a major refresh and retrofitted it for sound. The grand re-opening took place on January 29, 1931 with the film, “Follow Through” under the name the New St. Clair Theatre for multiple years. The name eventually reverted back to the St. Clair Theatre.
An urban redevelopment plan called the St. Clair Riverview Plaza led to the demolition of much of the city’s old downtown. The St. Clair Theatre closed on February 5, 1968 with Hayley Mills. A public auction was held five days later offering everything for sale in the theatre inlcuding the popcorn machine. It was demolished soon thereafter. The town would be theatre-less until a Jerry Lewis Cinema located in the town’s plaza in 1972.
The Metropolitan Theatre launched in Cincinnati’s West End on December 7, 1915. The theatre also housed businesses including a Jewish bakery and deli. The neighborhood was evolving and the theatre held on to silent films before hosting live events including wrestling in the early 1930s.
Eventually, the theater converted to sound and became the State Theater catering to an African American audience. Other theaters competing in that space included the Roosevelt, the Regal, the Dixie, the Pekin, and the Lincoln Theatre.
While the State Theatre primarily played motion pictures it also hosted some high profile live acts including Louis Armstrong, Dinah Washington and a week by Duke Ellington. Boxer Archie Moore also made an appearances as did local favorite band Otis Williams and The Charms. The West End was vibrant and the theatre active.
But the fun was ending as the city decided to drive urban redevelopment directly through the heart of the West End. Interstate projects and convention centers were designed which decimated the African American business and nightlife areas. The Pekin Theatre was razed first followed by the Lincoln Theatre and the Roosevelt for the highway projects that would be Interstates 71 and 75. The proposed Cincinnati Convention Center project took out the Dixie Theatre in 1964. But the State Theater survived along with the Regal.
In the 1960s, the State primarily played sub-run double feature motion pictures but did have some live acts which included The O'Jays in 1968. In 1967, the venue went with a name change becoming the State Cinema. It would find new business in the 1970s during the Blaxploitation period playing films including “Blacula.”
The operator of the Regal, Gary Goldman, took on the venue returning it to the State Theater moniker. But urban renewal in 1983 caused traffic routing issues for patrons and relocated its clientele. The State Theater’s run ended on August 28, 1983 with the film, “Let’s Do It.” In 1985, Frank Allison made one last run with the historic venue. He relaunched it in October of 1985 as Allison’s West End Theatre starting with live music and converting to motion pictures in March of 1986. The theatre went out of business in 1989 and was offered at a Sheriff’s Sale later that year.
The Lighthouse Worship Center took on the property. in 1990 and helped it to reach its 100th anniversary in 2015. But in 2018, the theatre was targeted for demolition in favor of the West End Stadium to house the local professional soccer team. The last services were held in the historic Rapp & Rapp designed venue on December 9, 2018 – 103 years and two days after the very first film played there.
The Dolly Varden Theatre was designed by Cincinnati architects Robertson & Fahnestock. It appears to have replaced a smaller nickelodeon also called the Dolly Varden. The Dolly Varden opened in 1913. It didn’t convert to sound and was offered for sale in a classified ad in February of 1928 which times out with a 15-year lease.
The Rosedale Opera House opened with a live performance of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on November 13, 1888.At the end of its ten-year lease, new operators changed its name to the Rosedale Theatre in December of 1898. It operated on the second floor of the Rosedale Block building.
The new Orpheum Theatre launched March 16, 1914 on West King Street. It took a toll on the aging Rosedale. But when the Orpheum burned on May 23, 1920, it gave the Rosedale Theatre new life. The theatre was remodeled and moved to the ground floor due to city restrictions. It launched on February 4th, 1921 on the ground floor likely on a 20-year lease and would convert to sound.
At the end of its second 20-year lease, it closed in 1961. Although regular film screenings ended on July 14, 1956, the theatre continued that year with live performances and events. The Rosedale’s final performance was a live play of “The Pajama Game” on May 25, 1961. It was demolished a month later in 1961 for a parking lot.
The Car-Breeze Drive-In launched April 30, 1953 with “Babes in Bagdad.” The theatre was located between Carlyle and Beckemeyer and Breese getting the name the Car-Breeze. In 1955, the theatre had a gala re-grand opening when the theatre converted to widescreen playing the CinemaScope “Chief Crazy Horse” on Easter Sunday.
In 1968, the venue would become the Carlyle Lake Drive-In. In 1976, the Carlyle Lake Drive-In ran into both labor issues and local indecency claims – the latter for showing R rated movies without blocking views to U.S. Highway 50. It appears to have closed at the end of the season. The Open Air Flea Market at the Carlyle Lake Drive-In, however, did use the facility for each of the next four seasons.
When J.W. Thompson closed the Strand Theatre in nearby Pochahontas for a remodel, he launched his Air-Park Auto Theatre in 1947 near the Highland Airport. The concept was that you could fly in or drive-in. When the venue had its seasonal opening in 1950, it changed its name to the Highland Airpark Drive-In Theatre. In 1954, the theatre was simply called the Air-Park Drive-In Theatre. It closed after the 1955 season and does not appear to have reopened.
The National Theatre was started by Waldorf Amusement, a fledgling company which was converting horse-centric operations inexpensively into movie theaters. The National Theatre was their first such effort as they converted a carriage factory to the plans of Stewart and Stewart. It launched June 26, 1912 at 2116-8 Eighth Street. The company would also launch its Freeman Theatre in a converted livery on September 12, 1912. Both theaters converted to Movietone sound in 1929 and again to Western Electric sound in 1930 to play talkies. The National was the longest lasting for Waldorf and operator Joseph G. Shakespeare who passed away June 4, 1952. The theatre closed not long after his passing and was demolished.
The Crescent Theatre launched March 24, 1913. It converted to sound and appears to have gone out of business in December of 1950. It ends up on the delinquent tax list which is likely its end point.
I was equally surprised to see a JLC in an existing theater because the point was – as Stan notes – to get the Jerry Lewis Cinema architectural plans for a new-build theater in exchange for your franchise fee . But have attached a photo of that theatre and an ad to prove that someone did plunk down some money as a franchisee for the JLC name. I’d imagine that was an interesting call and, true, I’d guess the Network Cinema Corp. would take money from anyone offering it up. Sadly – like the vast majority of other JLCs – this was a major failure lasting not long after the Network Cinema Corp. and JL went bust. (And thanks much for the positive comment!)
The local paper does say that the Jerry Lewis Cinema relaunched this venue on March 1, 1972 with Disney’s classic “Pinocchio.” It then closed a year later in March of 1973. It became the Smile Theatre for a short period of time from July to September of 1973 before being sold at auction in 1975. It was sold to a local bank which turned into a video production facility.
Announced in 1971 as part of a new-build shopping center originally called the Lee Shopping Plaza, the Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema launched on November 24, 1972 with the films, “Gone with the Wind” and “Snoopy Come Home.” The theater was another in the circuit’s list of automated theatre operated by a franchisee. This one’s owner opened a second location the same day in Richmond’s Meadowbrook Plaza.
This twin theater had 700 seats in its two auditoriums. However, Jerry Lewis Cinema Circuit and its parent company in free fall heading toward bankruptcy. So the cinema was renamed as the Lee Plaza Twin Cinema on March 5, 1973 and relaunched with the film that opened the Jerry Lewis Cinema at Meadowbrook Plaza, “Billy Jack.”
The Lee Plaza Twin struggled into 1975 and tried unsuccessfully to persuade the city to permit it to become an adult theater. The Lee Plaza Cinema Twin went out of business on September 14, 1975 with “Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins” and “The Great Waldo Pepper.”
The Lee Shopping Center became the Crossings Shopping Center and the the cinema eventually relaunched as the Crossing Cinema in the year 2000 basically looking about the same as it had previously with red and white color scheme and original seating. The Crossroads ran continuously until being closed by operator Neighborhood Cinema Inc. on October of 2008.
Independent operators Ben and Angela Sanders took on the location on March 27, 2009 as the Crossroads. But the theatre soon went out of business again. However, a local church took on the location converting it to the Destination Church in September of 2013. Volunteers decided to begin showing films again in the Spring of 2014 under the name of the Destination Theatre. The theatre converted to digital cinema and continued operations into the 2020s.
Opened as the Jerry Lewis Cinema with “Cold Turkey” on December 29, 1971. On March 28, 1973, it was changed to the Security Cinema. It appears to have closed on April 27, 1978.
Launched June 23, 1972 as a Jerry Lewis Cinemas. Became Cinema-Seneca in 1973 after the Lewis Chain went bankrupt.
Launched July 3, 1972 with “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.”
This theater launched August 5, 1972 with cartoonist Bruno Zaffina live followed by the movie, “The War Between Men and Women” It appears to have closed with a double feature of “El Immoral” and “La agonía del difunto” on November 6, 1986.
“The Red Tent” opened the Jerry Lewis Cinema on September 17, 1971. Closed October 31, 1999 with “For the Love of the Game”
“The Red Tent” opens the Jerry Lewis Cinema on September 17, 1971
The Garden Theatre was launched in March of 1920. In April of 1926, a Sandusky man purchased the theatre and would change its name to the St. Clair Theatre. He closed it as a silent house. A new operator, Harry Small, took on the theatre giving the venue a major refresh and retrofitted it for sound. The grand re-opening took place on January 29, 1931 with the film, “Follow Through” under the name the New St. Clair Theatre for multiple years. The name eventually reverted back to the St. Clair Theatre.
An urban redevelopment plan called the St. Clair Riverview Plaza led to the demolition of much of the city’s old downtown. The St. Clair Theatre closed on February 5, 1968 with Hayley Mills. A public auction was held five days later offering everything for sale in the theatre inlcuding the popcorn machine. It was demolished soon thereafter. The town would be theatre-less until a Jerry Lewis Cinema located in the town’s plaza in 1972.
The Metropolitan Theatre launched in Cincinnati’s West End on December 7, 1915. The theatre also housed businesses including a Jewish bakery and deli. The neighborhood was evolving and the theatre held on to silent films before hosting live events including wrestling in the early 1930s.
Eventually, the theater converted to sound and became the State Theater catering to an African American audience. Other theaters competing in that space included the Roosevelt, the Regal, the Dixie, the Pekin, and the Lincoln Theatre.
While the State Theatre primarily played motion pictures it also hosted some high profile live acts including Louis Armstrong, Dinah Washington and a week by Duke Ellington. Boxer Archie Moore also made an appearances as did local favorite band Otis Williams and The Charms. The West End was vibrant and the theatre active.
But the fun was ending as the city decided to drive urban redevelopment directly through the heart of the West End. Interstate projects and convention centers were designed which decimated the African American business and nightlife areas. The Pekin Theatre was razed first followed by the Lincoln Theatre and the Roosevelt for the highway projects that would be Interstates 71 and 75. The proposed Cincinnati Convention Center project took out the Dixie Theatre in 1964. But the State Theater survived along with the Regal.
In the 1960s, the State primarily played sub-run double feature motion pictures but did have some live acts which included The O'Jays in 1968. In 1967, the venue went with a name change becoming the State Cinema. It would find new business in the 1970s during the Blaxploitation period playing films including “Blacula.”
The operator of the Regal, Gary Goldman, took on the venue returning it to the State Theater moniker. But urban renewal in 1983 caused traffic routing issues for patrons and relocated its clientele. The State Theater’s run ended on August 28, 1983 with the film, “Let’s Do It.” In 1985, Frank Allison made one last run with the historic venue. He relaunched it in October of 1985 as Allison’s West End Theatre starting with live music and converting to motion pictures in March of 1986. The theatre went out of business in 1989 and was offered at a Sheriff’s Sale later that year.
The Lighthouse Worship Center took on the property. in 1990 and helped it to reach its 100th anniversary in 2015. But in 2018, the theatre was targeted for demolition in favor of the West End Stadium to house the local professional soccer team. The last services were held in the historic Rapp & Rapp designed venue on December 9, 2018 – 103 years and two days after the very first film played there.
George H. Godley architectural sketch of the building which opened in September of 1947 in photos. The building replaced an older State Theater.
The Dolly Varden Theatre was designed by Cincinnati architects Robertson & Fahnestock. It appears to have replaced a smaller nickelodeon also called the Dolly Varden. The Dolly Varden opened in 1913. It didn’t convert to sound and was offered for sale in a classified ad in February of 1928 which times out with a 15-year lease.
The Mid-Valley Drive-In Theatre launched May 20, 1950 with “Silver River.”
Launched September 10, 1949 with “Ali Baba & the Forty Thieves.”
The Ideal Drive-In Theatre launched September 18, 1948 with the film, “Come and Get It.”
Dominic Firsina adds the Grand Theatre to his portfolio and upgrades it as the Ritz Theatre on April 14, 1941 with “Cheers for Miss Bishop.”
The Rosedale Opera House opened with a live performance of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on November 13, 1888.At the end of its ten-year lease, new operators changed its name to the Rosedale Theatre in December of 1898. It operated on the second floor of the Rosedale Block building.
The new Orpheum Theatre launched March 16, 1914 on West King Street. It took a toll on the aging Rosedale. But when the Orpheum burned on May 23, 1920, it gave the Rosedale Theatre new life. The theatre was remodeled and moved to the ground floor due to city restrictions. It launched on February 4th, 1921 on the ground floor likely on a 20-year lease and would convert to sound.
At the end of its second 20-year lease, it closed in 1961. Although regular film screenings ended on July 14, 1956, the theatre continued that year with live performances and events. The Rosedale’s final performance was a live play of “The Pajama Game” on May 25, 1961. It was demolished a month later in 1961 for a parking lot.
The State had a brief rebirth as the C.V. Theatre launching here on May 12, 1955 with “Tonight’s the Night”
When it converted to two screens, it was also known as the Lory Cinema. Under the present operators, it reverted to the Lory Theatre.
The Car-Breeze Drive-In launched April 30, 1953 with “Babes in Bagdad.” The theatre was located between Carlyle and Beckemeyer and Breese getting the name the Car-Breeze. In 1955, the theatre had a gala re-grand opening when the theatre converted to widescreen playing the CinemaScope “Chief Crazy Horse” on Easter Sunday.
In 1968, the venue would become the Carlyle Lake Drive-In. In 1976, the Carlyle Lake Drive-In ran into both labor issues and local indecency claims – the latter for showing R rated movies without blocking views to U.S. Highway 50. It appears to have closed at the end of the season. The Open Air Flea Market at the Carlyle Lake Drive-In, however, did use the facility for each of the next four seasons.
When J.W. Thompson closed the Strand Theatre in nearby Pochahontas for a remodel, he launched his Air-Park Auto Theatre in 1947 near the Highland Airport. The concept was that you could fly in or drive-in. When the venue had its seasonal opening in 1950, it changed its name to the Highland Airpark Drive-In Theatre. In 1954, the theatre was simply called the Air-Park Drive-In Theatre. It closed after the 1955 season and does not appear to have reopened.
The relaunch of the Grand as the Avon Theatre was commemorated on August 8, 1941 with “The Shepherd of the Hills.”