Teicher Theatres closed all of its locations on August 11, 2014 citing Alan Teicher’s age at 80 and his concern about digital conversion away from 35mm coupled with students going back to school ended the theatre and the circuit which only had three remaining location in Winchester, Indiana and Troy and Greenville, Ohio.
This nondescript 8-plex theatre began as part of one of the nation’s fastest growing chains in the 1980’s, Rand Theatres based in Little Rock. It opened December 16, 1988. The theatre was ensconced from the busy 114 Highway with one’s only hope of visibility being its frontage road attractor. Operator Tony Rand was trying to go from around 60 screens to 300 in Dallas using distinctive practices which ultimately led in the shuttering of the chain in late 1989 and just into 1990.
This Rand Theatre closed with a flourish worthy of the big screen after a police raid was launched in hopes of trying to collect back taxes followed by a lock out on October 7, 1989. The features were not the freshest - Hollywood was onto the circuit - and the newspaper stopped carrying their ads “on account” that weekend so the till was probably a bit sparse. All three Rands closed that night with lockout notices for failing to pay taxes. But the theatre wasn’t done yet.
Hollywood Theatres continued the operation as Grapevine 8 on April 27, 1990 as a first-run theatre. In December of 1995, Cinemark dropped a 17-screen megaplex across the labyrinthian highway forcing Hollywood to drop the theater to sub-run, discount status at that point. The theater closed on May 18, 2000.
The venue officially became part of Wallace Theatres still as a discount house on November 2, 2000 closing quickly as every dollar bill had been wrung from the facility. Starplex Theatres reopened with one final business plan to wrest every quarter it could with super discount, all seats all times 50 cent admission as Starplex Movies 8 on December 21, 2001. It was the best theater in DFW for those on a budget. But less than a year into the plan, Starplex dumped the facility with a nice sign off on its telephone answering machine. That message stayed almost a year after its closure. Though one hoped that another circuit would attempt to revive the facility with 25 cent or even dime pricing, it just wasn’t meant to be.
The theatre was home to the Hope Church for a brief period. A 2006 revision plan was signed allowing the theater / church to be razed in favor of a chain Tex-Mex restaurant that opened in 2007.
As a Rand operation, the Garden Park Cinema 10 was closed by local authorities due to back tax evasion on October 7, 1989. Appears to have closed for good by Silver Cinemas as the Super Saver 10 on March 27, 1997.
The not-so-imaginatively-titled Rand South Freeway Cinema 8 had an opening set in the summer of 1989 to coincide with the blockbuster “Batman” film. But that moment came and went. That’s not too unusual as delays happen in construction but when the South Freeway 8 did launch for Little Rock-based Rand Theatres Circuit on September 1st without a phone number, that was odd in 1989. It turned out it was because Rand Theatres was performing creative accounting and not paying for much of anything including taxes, Hollywood studios, newspapers, utilities…. well you get the picture.
The South Freeway 8 was the last theatre to actually open for the Circuit which was furiously trying to mount many other theaters in Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, Florida and Tennessee. The theatre did get phone service but Hollywood studios were wise to the situation. New films dried up fast. Rand’s financial dealings in other states were coming into light and local police raided the theater’s box office and concession stand on October 7, 1989 to grab whatever cash was on hand. Given that the local paper had stopped giving away ads that weekend “on account” and Hollywood no longer providing first run product to the venue, It’s likely that amount was so embarrassing low that the staff were said to have offered free concessions to augment the kitty. Raids occurred at all of Rand’s area theatres. And with that, the DFW market was Rand-less and the South Freeway 8 had closed after just five weeks.
Rand was able to keep the charade going in New Mexico because news didn’t travel quite so fast pre Internet. The New Mexico Tramway Rand was reaching the finish line with a November 17, 1989 announced Grand Opening. But on November 12, 1989, local officials stepped in and the Rand Circuit began a quick descent ending with foreclosure auctions and landing Tony Rand in prison.
The Burleson cinema re-emerged just a month later with a November 3, 1989 soft launch and November 17, 1989 re-grand opening. It continued under various operators all the way to the 2020s when AMC was operating it as the Burleson 14..
This venue became the Chapel Hill Mall 1-II-III on November 2, 1973. On June 3, 1983, it became the Chapel Hill Mall V. General Cinema closed it as the Chapel Hill Mall V on September 24, 1988 when it opened its new 8-plex the next day.
National Theatre Corporation of Cleveland closed the Akron Square Ciné 6 on March 24, 1994. The 1,800 seat facility was operated by the same firm although opening with the company known as Ntional Drive-In Theatre / Selected Theatre Management.
Announced in 1987, the North Hills Village Shopping Center would have Little Rock-based Rand Theatres at the outset. The fast-growing movie theatre circuit would compete with the General Cinemas North Hills 7 across the street. The Rand North Hills Village 8 had 1,850 seats in its 8-plex. Before year’s end, the circuit would add theaters in Grapevine and Lewisville. Burleson would get one in 1989 but a lot of bad news was coming related to the Rand Circuit. 1) They weren’t paying taxes. 2) They weren’t playing for newspaper ads. 3) They weren’t paying utilities. 4) Their projects were coming under scrutiny for questionable business practices. 5) They weren’t paying Hollywood studios what they felt was their fair share of the revenue.
Though a first-run theatre charging first-run prices, Rand wasn’t able to fill all of the screens at many theaters that Fall. The North Hills Village 8 had films that had already left dollar houses in addition to a few contemporary films in early October. And October 7, 1989 turned out to be the most unusual day for the DFW Rand Theatres. Tired of being ignored for sales tax revenue, police were instructed to go to the theatres that night and demand that all box office and concession dollars be turned over to them. An unusual request - and employees were said to have been polite and even offered concessions for no cost. The theatres were foreclosed upon and ended that night.
For weeks, the theatre was still listed as “showtimes not available” but lock-out notices at each of the venues told the real tale. News quickly spread to the theaters in Arkansas, downstate in Texas, Tennessee, and projects in Illinois and New Mexico. The Rand Circuit was shuttered and Tony Rand went to prison in the first of two high-profile financial schemes gone awry. Cinemark took on the North Hills Village 8 facility as a discount sub-run location rebranded as Movies 8 on February 23, 1990 running until 2016.
Located at 102 West First Street, the cornerstone to the Camera Opera House was created and placed June 14, 1899. the Auditorium Opera House was converted to the Cameron Auditorium Hotel - later, just the Cameron Hotel. In 1972, the theatre was razed as part of urban renewal. A time capsule was discovered in the demolition process. Both the cornerstone and time capsule were preserved.
All that remained of the Cameron Auditorium Opera House in 1972 after it was razed was this cool time capsule filled with treasures or, perhaps more appropriately, near-treasures.
This was opened by Sam Hefley in 1910 as the Wonderland likely with a 20-year lease. In 1916, presentation improved with the addition of a Style “K” Wurlitzer Photoplayer that automated playback. In 1920, Helfley built a new-build facility called the New Hefley Theatre which became the “A” theatre and the Wonderland was downgraded to the “B” theatre. A projection booth fire at the New Hefley 1927 led to “A” bookings going to the Wonderland while the other theater was repaired. In 1928, the Wonderland was modernized with a new look.
In 1930, Hefley sold both theaters to Stanley H. Swift of Waco, Texas. The theatre was likely on a 25-year lease. The house got a major refresh including a new Vitaphone sound system in 1930. The Depression was a challenging time and the Wonderland closed in March of 1931. However, business conditions improved and, after a refresh, it was rebranded as the Cameron Theatre re-opening September 2, 1933 with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in “Morning Glory”.
A second fire that almost destroyed the Milam Theatre in 1941 led to the Wonderland becoming the “A” house until the Milam rebuilding project was completed. On October 15, 1944, Rowley Theatre Circuit took on both the Milam and the Cameron theaters from Swift. The Milam then all but burned down in its third major fire on May 13, 1948 leading to the Wonderland being the “A” house again until the New Milam was opened in November of 1948.
In the television age, the town couldn’t support both hardtop theatres and the new 77-Drive-In. At end of lease, the Wonderland closed in March of 1955. Its bookings were essentially booked at the 77 Drive-In for the Spring. The Cameron got one last chance reopening in August of 1955 very briefly before closing permanently on August 14, 1955 with Dane Clark in “Thunder Pass.”
An unrelated, New Cameron Theatre came about a block away essentially replacing the Milam Theatre whose fourth major fire proved to be a theater-ender. The New Cameron showed both English language and Spanish language films and stayed at 118 South Houston Street until closing in the video age in 1984.
Sam Hefley announced this project in June of 1920 to replace Avera’s Drug Store and the new-build facility would cost $15,000. He opened the New Hefley Theatre at the address on November 15, 1920. It had a well-placed neighbor in the Palace of Sweets confectioner. In December of 1929, Hefley installed Vitaphone to show sound films at the New Hefley. But at the end of a 10-year lease, he sold it to Stanley H. Swift. Under his new operation, it changed names to the Milam Theatre late in 1930 named after the Texas Revolution military leader Benjamin Rush Milam. A fire in 1941 that almost destroyed the entire theater led to a major change that brought the theatre its streamlined modern look and new signage. On October 15, 1944, Rowley Theatre Circuit took on both the Milam and the Cameron Theatre.
The facility burned down on May 13, 1948 taking down the long-running Palace of Sweets in the process. However, a new Milam Theatre reopened on the spot likely using some elements of its foundation for a grand reopening of a New Milam Theatre on November 27, 1948. That Milam was gutted by fire on July 27, 1961 ending its run. The building stood gutted until tornado-like winds toppled one of its walls in March of 1972. It was razed shortly thereafter.
The Marcus Safari 7 Cinema closed March 17, 2020 along with the rest of the Marcus' locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtually every discount, sub-run theatre was closed permanently in the United States during the pandemic due to both lack of product and very uncertain marketplace for second-run theaters in a streaming world. Marcus dropped the cinema from its webpage and disconnected its telephone permanently closing the theater in October of 2020 followed by an announcement that the theatre was sold to Ignite Church.
The Waco Square Premiere Cinema 6 closed March 16, 2020 along with the rest of the Premiere Cinemas' locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtually every discount, sub-run theatre was closed permanently in the United States during the pandemic. Premiere dropped the cinema from its webpage and disconnected its telephone almost assuredly leading to the location’s permanent closure.
Thanks much! BTW: The Montwood was also part of the Silver Cinemas Circuit as Montwood Movies 7 with $1 movies and even $1 concessions for a period. They got it when Movies One went bankrupt. Silver closed up in January of 2003. Interstate Theatres took on the venue after Silver on on March 12, 2004 with $1.75 / $1.25 discount, sub-run pricing. It also took on the East Pointe 12 with a slightly more expensive sub-run $2 policy ($1 on Tuesdays).
On December 8, 2006, the same company now was doing business as Starplex Theatres Montwood Movies 7 and also rebranded its East Pointe slightly, as well. Starplex would close the Montwood Movies 7 on June 19, 2007. Premiere Cinemas then took on the operation giving it a major refresh. It relaunched with an invitation-only relaunch on November 15, 2007 and a grand opening on November 16, 2007.
Premiere mad a name change but continued the discount house to March 16, 2000 when Premiere closed this and all of its locations for COVID-19. But the discount houses had no product when theaters reopened and most, including the Premiere Montwood Movies 7.
And this wasn’t ever associated with Premier Theaters. It never had the Premier in its name (just Premiere) and was part of the Premiere Cinemas Circuit.
On May 11, 1998, Silver Cinemas bought the venue at the Movie One bankruptcy proceeding for $3.4 million taking over on this date. That gave Silver three discount houses with the Montwood and the University Cinema. The Movie One signage remained and the theater continued until changing names to the Eastpoint Village Theaters 12. It would shed the University Cinema in 2000. Silver closed the theatre likely opting out at the ten-year point of a least on August 4, 2002.
Interstate Theatres took on the venue beginning on March 12, 2004 with a sub-run $2 policy ($1 on Tuesdays) operating as East Pointe Movies 12. It also acquired the Montwood Movies 7 which it ran at even lower prices (50 cents on Tuesdays). On December 8, 2006, the same company now was doing business as Starplex Theatres. Starplex would close the Montwood Movies 7 on June 19, 2007. AMC took on the venue buying out Starplex for $172 million in July of 2015.
After a refresh which included a McGuffin’s Bar, it was rebranded as the AMC Classic East Pointe 12 in 2017 with AMC taking the theater to a first-run policy after 19 years of discount operation. The theatre closed along with the rest of the circuit’s location on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The AMC Classic East Pointe 12 then resumed operations on September 3, 2020.
The three-year old, El Paso-based American Star Cinemas Circuit was founded by Chris Cummings, E.G. Emmett and Robert Simpson. In addition to its flagship American Star Cinema, the trio added the westside University Cinema 4 on May 9, 1980 and the eastside Vista Hills also in 1980. Commonwealth Amusement Circuit bought out the theaters in December of 1981. United Artists took over the units in a late 1988 buyout operating them officially beginning in 1989.
United Artists began to pare down twin and quads moving to 6- and 8-screen multiplexes. It shed the former American Star locations. Movie One Theaters, Inc. took on the venue as a sub-run, discount location adding it to the discount Montwood operation. Silver Cinemas took on the venue continuing it as discount location in November of 1996. Silver even went to all $1 concessions in May of 1999 here and at Montwood to generate foot traffic. Silver closed the University Cinema venue as a sub-run discount house on March 23, 2000 at the end of a 20-year leasing agreement. The last film to finish that night was “Sleepy Hollow.”
Located in the former S.S. Kresge’s spot in Northgate turned NorthPark mall was a family fun center known as the NorthPark 4 Theatre and sometimes Boomerangs Theatre, and sometimes Northeast 4 Theatre, and sometimes North Park 4 Theatre. Well, you get the idea. It was a sub-run discount theatre that launched August 31, 1990 and was the replacement for the UA Northgate Theatre, itself a sub-run discount house on the mall’s exterior. UA was playing out its lease and leaving in 1990. But surprise, surprise to Boomerangs, UA was enticed to stay with likely a near rent free option. That left two discount houses in ostensibly the same complex. It was not uncommon to have two movie houses in the same mall complex, especially an interior and an exterior… but both with discount policies was a bit strange. Obviously, one of the two theaters had to go.
The first to blink was the exterior theater. UA left the Northgate in 1994 citing lack of audiences. But Take One came on board to operate the discount house. In 1995, Boomerangs sold the interior theatre to Hollywood Entertainment Circuit. The theatre closed March 31, 1996 with unpaid bills. The theatre was vacant but was said to have been undergoing some remodeling as the fledgling Take One / Unicomm planned to reopen the theatre as a ten-screen, first-run house. Signs went up in 1996 with the coming soon announcement for Fall 1996. But 1996 passed, as did 1997, and so did 1998. That’s the year that the company announced bankruptcy. Not surprisingly, the company closed its outdoor complex (the former Northgate turned Take One) and stopped its remodeling plans on the interior there in 1999.
A video shot in 2011 shows that virtually no remodeling appears to have taken place other than possibly the concession area as the final 1996 movie showings were still listed on the four auditoriums' signage overhangs some 15 years after the theater had closed. The entire mall was razed in 2011/2012 ending the “coming soon” dreams at the NorthPark 4.
The Morningside Mall was announced in February of 1973 by Browne and Kink Company. One of the original 60 tenants signed on was a new Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema by Network Theatre Corporation and franchisee Lou Johns. It was to have been the second Lewis Cinema in El Paso. But, as was the case with many of the Jerry Lewis locations, some of them just never opened and others were taken over by other circuits. As the Lewis concept was cratering and lawsuits piling up, Johns was taking Lewis' parent company to court in 1972 saying he got nothing for $50,000 in franchising costs. He was likely to deep in line to collect as Network Cinema hastily terminated operations leaving Johns and El Paso Jerry Lewis-less.
ABC Interstate Theatres was next in court over the location in 1973 trying to get permission to take on the Morningside cinema project. Because the circuit was in violation of antitrust / anti-competitive practices, they needed clearance from a federal judge to add a new theater in El Paso. The court said “yes” and the Morningside project moved forward with Dallas-based architect, La Vere Brooks of Brooks and Orendain, drawing the plans. The theatre opened along with many merchants on March 28, 1974 as the ABC Cinema Twin 1 & 2 - Morningside Mall. Opening films were “The Sting” and “The Way We Were.” And the Morningside Mall celebrated its grand opening on August 1, 1974 with virtually all of the other original merchants, which had dwindled to just 40, then ready to go.
The theatre had two screens with Auditorium 1 having 500 seats and Audi 2 with 300 seats for a total count of 800. Norelco Rotomatic automation with Century projectors using RCA soundheads and Technikote screens were among the features there. In September of 1979, the facility became the Plitt Cinema Twin 1 & 2 - Morningside Mall when Plitt acquired the ABC Theatres. Unlike major malls that might request 20- and 30-year leasing agreements, the Morningside was a minor mall and only had 10-year leasing agreements. In May of 1982, Commonwealth Amusements had the unfortunate timing in acquiring the Cinema Twin in addition to Towne East, Northgate, and Pershing. That summer, the Morningside Mall’s air conditioning failed - not good in El Paso - and many vendors had seen enough and simply bolted. Then foreclosure occurred in November of 1982 and the Mall was essentially all done prior to reaching its 10th Anniversary. The Cinema Twin lasted until September 29, 1983 closing with “The Outsiders” and “Porky’s II.”
The city acquired the property for the School District’s administration staff and facility for the Ysleta Independent School District.
The $4.5 million Bassett 6 theatre replaced the Fox Bassett exterior twin. The Bassett 6 had auditoirums ranging from 210 to 450 seats for a total of 1,723 seats at opening. The concession stand cost $60,000, alone.
As the theatre was reaching the end of its 20 year lease as an outparcel, Commonwealth created a $4.5 million, six-screen interior Bassett seating 1,723 patrons that launched December 13, 1985. The exterior Fox Basset Twin closed December 11, 1985 with “Santa Claus-The Movie” and “King Solomon’s Mines.” Both films were moved to the interior six-screen theater’s projection booth.
It did close permanently (in addition to being removed from website, its content has been removed from Facebook and its phones are disconnected). Sadly, virtually every discount cinema that was still operating prior to COVID-19 has been permanently closed.
Teicher Theatres closed all of its locations on August 11, 2014 citing Alan Teicher’s age at 80 and his concern about digital conversion away from 35mm coupled with students going back to school ended the theatre and the circuit which only had three remaining location in Winchester, Indiana and Troy and Greenville, Ohio.
This nondescript 8-plex theatre began as part of one of the nation’s fastest growing chains in the 1980’s, Rand Theatres based in Little Rock. It opened December 16, 1988. The theatre was ensconced from the busy 114 Highway with one’s only hope of visibility being its frontage road attractor. Operator Tony Rand was trying to go from around 60 screens to 300 in Dallas using distinctive practices which ultimately led in the shuttering of the chain in late 1989 and just into 1990.
This Rand Theatre closed with a flourish worthy of the big screen after a police raid was launched in hopes of trying to collect back taxes followed by a lock out on October 7, 1989. The features were not the freshest - Hollywood was onto the circuit - and the newspaper stopped carrying their ads “on account” that weekend so the till was probably a bit sparse. All three Rands closed that night with lockout notices for failing to pay taxes. But the theatre wasn’t done yet.
Hollywood Theatres continued the operation as Grapevine 8 on April 27, 1990 as a first-run theatre. In December of 1995, Cinemark dropped a 17-screen megaplex across the labyrinthian highway forcing Hollywood to drop the theater to sub-run, discount status at that point. The theater closed on May 18, 2000.
The venue officially became part of Wallace Theatres still as a discount house on November 2, 2000 closing quickly as every dollar bill had been wrung from the facility. Starplex Theatres reopened with one final business plan to wrest every quarter it could with super discount, all seats all times 50 cent admission as Starplex Movies 8 on December 21, 2001. It was the best theater in DFW for those on a budget. But less than a year into the plan, Starplex dumped the facility with a nice sign off on its telephone answering machine. That message stayed almost a year after its closure. Though one hoped that another circuit would attempt to revive the facility with 25 cent or even dime pricing, it just wasn’t meant to be.
The theatre was home to the Hope Church for a brief period. A 2006 revision plan was signed allowing the theater / church to be razed in favor of a chain Tex-Mex restaurant that opened in 2007.
As a Rand operation, the Garden Park Cinema 10 was closed by local authorities due to back tax evasion on October 7, 1989. Appears to have closed for good by Silver Cinemas as the Super Saver 10 on March 27, 1997.
The not-so-imaginatively-titled Rand South Freeway Cinema 8 had an opening set in the summer of 1989 to coincide with the blockbuster “Batman” film. But that moment came and went. That’s not too unusual as delays happen in construction but when the South Freeway 8 did launch for Little Rock-based Rand Theatres Circuit on September 1st without a phone number, that was odd in 1989. It turned out it was because Rand Theatres was performing creative accounting and not paying for much of anything including taxes, Hollywood studios, newspapers, utilities…. well you get the picture.
The South Freeway 8 was the last theatre to actually open for the Circuit which was furiously trying to mount many other theaters in Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, Florida and Tennessee. The theatre did get phone service but Hollywood studios were wise to the situation. New films dried up fast. Rand’s financial dealings in other states were coming into light and local police raided the theater’s box office and concession stand on October 7, 1989 to grab whatever cash was on hand. Given that the local paper had stopped giving away ads that weekend “on account” and Hollywood no longer providing first run product to the venue, It’s likely that amount was so embarrassing low that the staff were said to have offered free concessions to augment the kitty. Raids occurred at all of Rand’s area theatres. And with that, the DFW market was Rand-less and the South Freeway 8 had closed after just five weeks.
Rand was able to keep the charade going in New Mexico because news didn’t travel quite so fast pre Internet. The New Mexico Tramway Rand was reaching the finish line with a November 17, 1989 announced Grand Opening. But on November 12, 1989, local officials stepped in and the Rand Circuit began a quick descent ending with foreclosure auctions and landing Tony Rand in prison.
The Burleson cinema re-emerged just a month later with a November 3, 1989 soft launch and November 17, 1989 re-grand opening. It continued under various operators all the way to the 2020s when AMC was operating it as the Burleson 14..
This venue became the Chapel Hill Mall 1-II-III on November 2, 1973. On June 3, 1983, it became the Chapel Hill Mall V. General Cinema closed it as the Chapel Hill Mall V on September 24, 1988 when it opened its new 8-plex the next day.
The Rolling Acres Mall Cinema stopped rolling on August 30, 2007. The entire mall was demolished in 2017.
The venue closed permanently on December 21, 2008 at the end of a 20-year lease. AMC decided no renewal was in order.
National Theatre Corporation of Cleveland closed the Akron Square Ciné 6 on March 24, 1994. The 1,800 seat facility was operated by the same firm although opening with the company known as Ntional Drive-In Theatre / Selected Theatre Management.
Announced in 1987, the North Hills Village Shopping Center would have Little Rock-based Rand Theatres at the outset. The fast-growing movie theatre circuit would compete with the General Cinemas North Hills 7 across the street. The Rand North Hills Village 8 had 1,850 seats in its 8-plex. Before year’s end, the circuit would add theaters in Grapevine and Lewisville. Burleson would get one in 1989 but a lot of bad news was coming related to the Rand Circuit. 1) They weren’t paying taxes. 2) They weren’t playing for newspaper ads. 3) They weren’t paying utilities. 4) Their projects were coming under scrutiny for questionable business practices. 5) They weren’t paying Hollywood studios what they felt was their fair share of the revenue.
Though a first-run theatre charging first-run prices, Rand wasn’t able to fill all of the screens at many theaters that Fall. The North Hills Village 8 had films that had already left dollar houses in addition to a few contemporary films in early October. And October 7, 1989 turned out to be the most unusual day for the DFW Rand Theatres. Tired of being ignored for sales tax revenue, police were instructed to go to the theatres that night and demand that all box office and concession dollars be turned over to them. An unusual request - and employees were said to have been polite and even offered concessions for no cost. The theatres were foreclosed upon and ended that night.
For weeks, the theatre was still listed as “showtimes not available” but lock-out notices at each of the venues told the real tale. News quickly spread to the theaters in Arkansas, downstate in Texas, Tennessee, and projects in Illinois and New Mexico. The Rand Circuit was shuttered and Tony Rand went to prison in the first of two high-profile financial schemes gone awry. Cinemark took on the North Hills Village 8 facility as a discount sub-run location rebranded as Movies 8 on February 23, 1990 running until 2016.
Located at 102 West First Street, the cornerstone to the Camera Opera House was created and placed June 14, 1899. the Auditorium Opera House was converted to the Cameron Auditorium Hotel - later, just the Cameron Hotel. In 1972, the theatre was razed as part of urban renewal. A time capsule was discovered in the demolition process. Both the cornerstone and time capsule were preserved.
All that remained of the Cameron Auditorium Opera House in 1972 after it was razed was this cool time capsule filled with treasures or, perhaps more appropriately, near-treasures.
This was opened by Sam Hefley in 1910 as the Wonderland likely with a 20-year lease. In 1916, presentation improved with the addition of a Style “K” Wurlitzer Photoplayer that automated playback. In 1920, Helfley built a new-build facility called the New Hefley Theatre which became the “A” theatre and the Wonderland was downgraded to the “B” theatre. A projection booth fire at the New Hefley 1927 led to “A” bookings going to the Wonderland while the other theater was repaired. In 1928, the Wonderland was modernized with a new look.
In 1930, Hefley sold both theaters to Stanley H. Swift of Waco, Texas. The theatre was likely on a 25-year lease. The house got a major refresh including a new Vitaphone sound system in 1930. The Depression was a challenging time and the Wonderland closed in March of 1931. However, business conditions improved and, after a refresh, it was rebranded as the Cameron Theatre re-opening September 2, 1933 with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in “Morning Glory”.
A second fire that almost destroyed the Milam Theatre in 1941 led to the Wonderland becoming the “A” house until the Milam rebuilding project was completed. On October 15, 1944, Rowley Theatre Circuit took on both the Milam and the Cameron theaters from Swift. The Milam then all but burned down in its third major fire on May 13, 1948 leading to the Wonderland being the “A” house again until the New Milam was opened in November of 1948.
In the television age, the town couldn’t support both hardtop theatres and the new 77-Drive-In. At end of lease, the Wonderland closed in March of 1955. Its bookings were essentially booked at the 77 Drive-In for the Spring. The Cameron got one last chance reopening in August of 1955 very briefly before closing permanently on August 14, 1955 with Dane Clark in “Thunder Pass.”
An unrelated, New Cameron Theatre came about a block away essentially replacing the Milam Theatre whose fourth major fire proved to be a theater-ender. The New Cameron showed both English language and Spanish language films and stayed at 118 South Houston Street until closing in the video age in 1984.
Sam Hefley announced this project in June of 1920 to replace Avera’s Drug Store and the new-build facility would cost $15,000. He opened the New Hefley Theatre at the address on November 15, 1920. It had a well-placed neighbor in the Palace of Sweets confectioner. In December of 1929, Hefley installed Vitaphone to show sound films at the New Hefley. But at the end of a 10-year lease, he sold it to Stanley H. Swift. Under his new operation, it changed names to the Milam Theatre late in 1930 named after the Texas Revolution military leader Benjamin Rush Milam. A fire in 1941 that almost destroyed the entire theater led to a major change that brought the theatre its streamlined modern look and new signage. On October 15, 1944, Rowley Theatre Circuit took on both the Milam and the Cameron Theatre.
The facility burned down on May 13, 1948 taking down the long-running Palace of Sweets in the process. However, a new Milam Theatre reopened on the spot likely using some elements of its foundation for a grand reopening of a New Milam Theatre on November 27, 1948. That Milam was gutted by fire on July 27, 1961 ending its run. The building stood gutted until tornado-like winds toppled one of its walls in March of 1972. It was razed shortly thereafter.
It appears to have closed after the March 27, 1983 with “Time Rider.” It was then listed as for sale in the local paper’s classifieds.
Landmark closed the River Oaks closed on March 25, 2021 with Oscar contenders, “Minari,” “The Father,” and “Nomadland.”
The Marcus Safari 7 Cinema closed March 17, 2020 along with the rest of the Marcus' locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtually every discount, sub-run theatre was closed permanently in the United States during the pandemic due to both lack of product and very uncertain marketplace for second-run theaters in a streaming world. Marcus dropped the cinema from its webpage and disconnected its telephone permanently closing the theater in October of 2020 followed by an announcement that the theatre was sold to Ignite Church.
It closed as the the Marcus Safari 7 Cinema.
The Waco Square Premiere Cinema 6 closed March 16, 2020 along with the rest of the Premiere Cinemas' locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtually every discount, sub-run theatre was closed permanently in the United States during the pandemic. Premiere dropped the cinema from its webpage and disconnected its telephone almost assuredly leading to the location’s permanent closure.
Thanks much! BTW: The Montwood was also part of the Silver Cinemas Circuit as Montwood Movies 7 with $1 movies and even $1 concessions for a period. They got it when Movies One went bankrupt. Silver closed up in January of 2003. Interstate Theatres took on the venue after Silver on on March 12, 2004 with $1.75 / $1.25 discount, sub-run pricing. It also took on the East Pointe 12 with a slightly more expensive sub-run $2 policy ($1 on Tuesdays).
On December 8, 2006, the same company now was doing business as Starplex Theatres Montwood Movies 7 and also rebranded its East Pointe slightly, as well. Starplex would close the Montwood Movies 7 on June 19, 2007. Premiere Cinemas then took on the operation giving it a major refresh. It relaunched with an invitation-only relaunch on November 15, 2007 and a grand opening on November 16, 2007.
Premiere mad a name change but continued the discount house to March 16, 2000 when Premiere closed this and all of its locations for COVID-19. But the discount houses had no product when theaters reopened and most, including the Premiere Montwood Movies 7.
And this wasn’t ever associated with Premier Theaters. It never had the Premier in its name (just Premiere) and was part of the Premiere Cinemas Circuit.
On May 11, 1998, Silver Cinemas bought the venue at the Movie One bankruptcy proceeding for $3.4 million taking over on this date. That gave Silver three discount houses with the Montwood and the University Cinema. The Movie One signage remained and the theater continued until changing names to the Eastpoint Village Theaters 12. It would shed the University Cinema in 2000. Silver closed the theatre likely opting out at the ten-year point of a least on August 4, 2002.
Interstate Theatres took on the venue beginning on March 12, 2004 with a sub-run $2 policy ($1 on Tuesdays) operating as East Pointe Movies 12. It also acquired the Montwood Movies 7 which it ran at even lower prices (50 cents on Tuesdays). On December 8, 2006, the same company now was doing business as Starplex Theatres. Starplex would close the Montwood Movies 7 on June 19, 2007. AMC took on the venue buying out Starplex for $172 million in July of 2015.
After a refresh which included a McGuffin’s Bar, it was rebranded as the AMC Classic East Pointe 12 in 2017 with AMC taking the theater to a first-run policy after 19 years of discount operation. The theatre closed along with the rest of the circuit’s location on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The AMC Classic East Pointe 12 then resumed operations on September 3, 2020.
The three-year old, El Paso-based American Star Cinemas Circuit was founded by Chris Cummings, E.G. Emmett and Robert Simpson. In addition to its flagship American Star Cinema, the trio added the westside University Cinema 4 on May 9, 1980 and the eastside Vista Hills also in 1980. Commonwealth Amusement Circuit bought out the theaters in December of 1981. United Artists took over the units in a late 1988 buyout operating them officially beginning in 1989.
United Artists began to pare down twin and quads moving to 6- and 8-screen multiplexes. It shed the former American Star locations. Movie One Theaters, Inc. took on the venue as a sub-run, discount location adding it to the discount Montwood operation. Silver Cinemas took on the venue continuing it as discount location in November of 1996. Silver even went to all $1 concessions in May of 1999 here and at Montwood to generate foot traffic. Silver closed the University Cinema venue as a sub-run discount house on March 23, 2000 at the end of a 20-year leasing agreement. The last film to finish that night was “Sleepy Hollow.”
Located in the former S.S. Kresge’s spot in Northgate turned NorthPark mall was a family fun center known as the NorthPark 4 Theatre and sometimes Boomerangs Theatre, and sometimes Northeast 4 Theatre, and sometimes North Park 4 Theatre. Well, you get the idea. It was a sub-run discount theatre that launched August 31, 1990 and was the replacement for the UA Northgate Theatre, itself a sub-run discount house on the mall’s exterior. UA was playing out its lease and leaving in 1990. But surprise, surprise to Boomerangs, UA was enticed to stay with likely a near rent free option. That left two discount houses in ostensibly the same complex. It was not uncommon to have two movie houses in the same mall complex, especially an interior and an exterior… but both with discount policies was a bit strange. Obviously, one of the two theaters had to go.
The first to blink was the exterior theater. UA left the Northgate in 1994 citing lack of audiences. But Take One came on board to operate the discount house. In 1995, Boomerangs sold the interior theatre to Hollywood Entertainment Circuit. The theatre closed March 31, 1996 with unpaid bills. The theatre was vacant but was said to have been undergoing some remodeling as the fledgling Take One / Unicomm planned to reopen the theatre as a ten-screen, first-run house. Signs went up in 1996 with the coming soon announcement for Fall 1996. But 1996 passed, as did 1997, and so did 1998. That’s the year that the company announced bankruptcy. Not surprisingly, the company closed its outdoor complex (the former Northgate turned Take One) and stopped its remodeling plans on the interior there in 1999.
A video shot in 2011 shows that virtually no remodeling appears to have taken place other than possibly the concession area as the final 1996 movie showings were still listed on the four auditoriums' signage overhangs some 15 years after the theater had closed. The entire mall was razed in 2011/2012 ending the “coming soon” dreams at the NorthPark 4.
The Morningside Mall was announced in February of 1973 by Browne and Kink Company. One of the original 60 tenants signed on was a new Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema by Network Theatre Corporation and franchisee Lou Johns. It was to have been the second Lewis Cinema in El Paso. But, as was the case with many of the Jerry Lewis locations, some of them just never opened and others were taken over by other circuits. As the Lewis concept was cratering and lawsuits piling up, Johns was taking Lewis' parent company to court in 1972 saying he got nothing for $50,000 in franchising costs. He was likely to deep in line to collect as Network Cinema hastily terminated operations leaving Johns and El Paso Jerry Lewis-less.
ABC Interstate Theatres was next in court over the location in 1973 trying to get permission to take on the Morningside cinema project. Because the circuit was in violation of antitrust / anti-competitive practices, they needed clearance from a federal judge to add a new theater in El Paso. The court said “yes” and the Morningside project moved forward with Dallas-based architect, La Vere Brooks of Brooks and Orendain, drawing the plans. The theatre opened along with many merchants on March 28, 1974 as the ABC Cinema Twin 1 & 2 - Morningside Mall. Opening films were “The Sting” and “The Way We Were.” And the Morningside Mall celebrated its grand opening on August 1, 1974 with virtually all of the other original merchants, which had dwindled to just 40, then ready to go.
The theatre had two screens with Auditorium 1 having 500 seats and Audi 2 with 300 seats for a total count of 800. Norelco Rotomatic automation with Century projectors using RCA soundheads and Technikote screens were among the features there. In September of 1979, the facility became the Plitt Cinema Twin 1 & 2 - Morningside Mall when Plitt acquired the ABC Theatres. Unlike major malls that might request 20- and 30-year leasing agreements, the Morningside was a minor mall and only had 10-year leasing agreements. In May of 1982, Commonwealth Amusements had the unfortunate timing in acquiring the Cinema Twin in addition to Towne East, Northgate, and Pershing. That summer, the Morningside Mall’s air conditioning failed - not good in El Paso - and many vendors had seen enough and simply bolted. Then foreclosure occurred in November of 1982 and the Mall was essentially all done prior to reaching its 10th Anniversary. The Cinema Twin lasted until September 29, 1983 closing with “The Outsiders” and “Porky’s II.”
The city acquired the property for the School District’s administration staff and facility for the Ysleta Independent School District.
The $4.5 million Bassett 6 theatre replaced the Fox Bassett exterior twin. The Bassett 6 had auditoirums ranging from 210 to 450 seats for a total of 1,723 seats at opening. The concession stand cost $60,000, alone.
As the theatre was reaching the end of its 20 year lease as an outparcel, Commonwealth created a $4.5 million, six-screen interior Bassett seating 1,723 patrons that launched December 13, 1985. The exterior Fox Basset Twin closed December 11, 1985 with “Santa Claus-The Movie” and “King Solomon’s Mines.” Both films were moved to the interior six-screen theater’s projection booth.
It did close permanently (in addition to being removed from website, its content has been removed from Facebook and its phones are disconnected). Sadly, virtually every discount cinema that was still operating prior to COVID-19 has been permanently closed.