Minor note: it should likely be listed as the Baronet Theatre as twenty of its 23 years were as the Baronet and only a handful of screenings were as the short-lived Boulevard Cinema.
The new Hope Theatre launched inside the Modern Hotel Building on April 18, 1936 with the film, “Shipmates Forever” with Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. It essentially replaced the former Cozy Theatre that burned down on October 27, 1935. It closed December 15, 1957 with Danny Kaye in “Knock on Wood.” It was torn down on July 2, 1959. BTW: It was never known as the Bijou or the Cozy Theatre.
Opened as the Valley West Theatre playing art films in 1962 with 300 seats, new architectural plans were rushed when the theatre was more successful than anticipated. It was expanded and relaunched with “Tom Jones” on April 12, 1964 to 500 seats. It relaunched on November 19, 1965 as the Baronet Theatre with “Zorba, the Greek.” It closed in 1985 and remodeled as the Boulevard Cinema as a sub-run discount house with 450 seats and one screen launching July 6, 1985 with “Shock Treatment” and “Phantom of the Paradise.”
Architect – Richard L. Crother & Associated of Denver with associate and local architect J.A. Dickerson of Topeka. The first indoor movie theater since 1932, it cost north of $500,000.
The Loew’s theatre indeed boasted of its 10-channel stereo sound system with “The Ugly Dachshund” as its opening 70mm film on their 60' screen on April 8, 1966.
The south side Valley Theatre operated on King Hill Avenue from the silent era and didn’t covert to sound closing in 1930. The Dubinsky Brothers relaunched a new Valley Theatre across the street at the this former factory location on May 19, 1934. The theater immediately made headlines for running low-cost shows with non-union projectionists. The theatre was then the subject of a monopoly suit in 1940 by the competing Rialto Theatre owners who alleged that the Valley Theatre was merely a loss leader aimed at driving their independent theater out of business.
The theatre was closed. A new independent operator took on the theatre calling it the Nickel-O-Dion Grand Theatre on July 1, 1940. A year later, prices increased to 10 cents and the truncated new name, the Grand Theatre. It closed at the end of July 1941 and reopened under new management on November 15, 1941 closing after just a month of operation. The following August, the theatre relaunched as the King Theatre on August 22, 1942 with the fine double-feature of “Jesse James” and “The Return of Jesse James.”
The King Theatre was closed on May 4, 1953 with a double feature of “White Savage” and “Last of the Buccaneers.” The Dickinson Theatre would only offer the theater building with a “non-compete” clause ending the theater’s operation.
BTW: It was never called the Great Plains Grand Theatre.
The Rivoli Theatre opened on August 15, 1925 with a Reproduco Expression Pipe Organ. The theatre relaunched on January 22, 1941 as the Uptown with the film, “Rhythm on the River.”
The Electric Theatre launched September 23, 1915 with “Trilby”. The previous Majestic Theatre had been razed on May 14, 1915. A $225,000 new Electric Theatre was built using elements of the original in an expansion project culminating with its relaunch on October 21, 1926 with “Subway Sadie.” The new-look Moorish design included a $35,000 Wurlitzer organ and another $200,000 plus in improvements.
The theatre was closed on October 28, 1961 with a double-feature of “"The Snake Woman” and “Doctor Blood’s Coffin.” The theatre was stripped with the auditorium razed in 1962. The facade, lobby and other elements remained after being retrofitted for retail use. The remainder of the building was subsequently demolished on November 19, 1977.
The Paradise closed October 25, 1981 with two Hispanic films, “Un Quijote Sin Mancha” and “Ilegales y mojados.” It was known very briefly as Cine Paradise.
Appears to have closed after a January 11; 1925 showing of “The Sunset Trail” with William Desmond. On June 25, 1926, the A&P Grocery chain had leased the former Lyric Theatre, expanding into the former theatre and using the space of a previous neighboring grocery store.
The Lyric Theatre was closed by the local constable, C.W. Wright on August 7, 1923. A sheriff’s sale included the theater’s Bennett pipe organ and its two projectors soon thereafter. When no buyers purchased the equipment, it was offered again in another sale held August 28, 1923. The Holland Dairy Company opened its new store in the remodeled and former Lyric Theatre on March 24, 1926.
The Studio Theatre (aka the Studio Adult Video Center) was purchased by the city closing in August 2005. The adult video theater moved less than three blocks away that month.
The Plaza Theatre launched November 11, 1915 on the grounds of one of Moline’s four former airdomes. The opening film was “Doc” with Sydney Seaward. F.A. Lundahl & Son operated the theatre with its Powers 6-A projectors. The theatre discontinued ads after the June 27, 1927 showing of “The Sea Tiger” with Milton Sills.
The Elite Vaudeville Theatre and, later, Barrymore Theatre was at 1607-1611 Third Avenue (now River Road). The Elite Theatre launched on January 20, 1908 for Berkell & Friedenwald who also operated the Elite Theaters in Davenport and Rock Island. The Elite rebranded on September 12, 1909 as the Barrymore Theatre. All listings end in 1917. Manufacturers' Garage opened an auto repair garage in the former Barrymore Theatre on March 10, 1924. The property was said to be in use by the Smith Filter Company into the 1990s but the building was destroyed by vandals in March of 1995.
The Avoy Theatre launched by the Shallberg Brothers on November 25, 1914 with D.W. Griffith’s “Though Shall Not Kill (aka “The Avenging Conscience).” In November of 1926, Micahel Brotman and Sons Circuit took on the venue later equipping it for sound. The theatre closed after a projection booth fire on February 17, 1932 ending its run under the Avoy moniker. Though the theatre was repaired by September of 1932, the Brotmans did not elect to reopen it at that time as the original lease lapsed.
However, Buster Brotman re-equipped and updated the theatre as the Roxy Theatre on a new lease relaunching on January 6, 1934 with “College Humor” starring Bing Crosby. The theatre closed after ownership changes after showings of “el Analfabeto” and “el Halcon Blanco” on April 2, 1978.
According to the local newspaper, this location opened as the Crystal Theatre on Christmas Day, December 25, 1905. J.C. Sodini bought the Crystal in 1907 hiring architects Hanssen & Harfst of Davenport to improve seating and extend the stage. The theatre reopens as the Family Theatre in 1907.
On November 25, 1915, the theatre rebooted as the Spencer Square Theatre to the plans of architect G.P. Stauduhar. It launched with Theda Bara in “Carmen” and a new $15,000 pipe organ by the Bennett Organ Company. The Spencer Square transitioned to sound and often went by the name the Spencer Theatre. The film switched to art films in 1951 and its “adult only” policy rankled the city which made the Spencer Theatre owners pledge to show “better” films in December of 1951. The Spencer appears to have closed instead of abiding by the policy.
In 1952, a proposal to bulldoze the theatre in favor of a parking garage was scrapped by Mayor Carl Bauer in 1953. The Spencer sat vacant until August of 1955 when a permit to raze the theatre was approved. The former theatre was demolished in September of 1955. The Spencer Square green space park and bandstand were torn away the following summer with dynamite used to blast away the bedrock below allowing for the creation of a government building.
Isadore Brotman launched the New Ritz Theatre on February 20, 1942 with “Broadway Limited” and “Reg'lar Fellas.” Brotman replaced the former Ritz Theatre across the street which had launched previously on November 3, 1935 with the film, “Caliente.” It closed February 19, 1942 with “You’ll Never Get Rich.”
Opened with vaudeville as the Majestic Theatre on August 28, 1910. The theatre transitioned to film closing as a silent house in December of 1928 and was acquired by John G. Koletis of the American. Koletis remodeled it reopening on August 1, 1929 with live entertainment. The theatre installed Vitaphone and signed a deal with Warner Bros. switching to full-time film theatre on February 15, 1930. Koletis remodeled the venue again in 1936 with a new neon sign.
The Lyric Theatre launched February 2, 1909 as a motion picture house. On February 1, 1913, the theatre was renamed the American Theatre. Its opening film was the short, “From Sing-Sing to Liberty.” While other theatres converted to sound, the American stayed silent into the Depression.
In 1931, the American was playing silent exploitation films including “The Red Kimono” starring Priscilla Bonner before closing on October 29, 1931 with a double-feature of “The Pace That Kills” (starring Virginia Roye introducing a farm boy to opium and cocaine) and “The Road to Ruin” (with Helen Foster whose life is forever altered by sex and drugs). The American did not make the conversion to sound.
The Rialto was closed by the city on complaints of safety issues on November 29, 1966. The theatre was owned by Barney Brotman who commissioned an architect to make changes that may not have been made as no further listings appear for the venue. The City of Rock Island announced the demolition plans for the former theatre on Nov. 1, 1972. A Salvation Army store occupied the space up to its demolition in January of 1973.
The theater’s name was changed to the Sierra Cinema. It was operated by National Amusements / Showcase Cinemas which closed it on February 20, 1992 with Warren Beatty in “Bugsy.” The theatre was auctioned off on January 9, 1993.
December 20, 1963 opening Circuits: ABC Paramount, New England Theatres Circuit (NET)
Architect – G.N. Limbert
Minor note: it should likely be listed as the Baronet Theatre as twenty of its 23 years were as the Baronet and only a handful of screenings were as the short-lived Boulevard Cinema.
The new Hope Theatre launched inside the Modern Hotel Building on April 18, 1936 with the film, “Shipmates Forever” with Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. It essentially replaced the former Cozy Theatre that burned down on October 27, 1935. It closed December 15, 1957 with Danny Kaye in “Knock on Wood.” It was torn down on July 2, 1959. BTW: It was never known as the Bijou or the Cozy Theatre.
Opened as the Valley West Theatre playing art films in 1962 with 300 seats, new architectural plans were rushed when the theatre was more successful than anticipated. It was expanded and relaunched with “Tom Jones” on April 12, 1964 to 500 seats. It relaunched on November 19, 1965 as the Baronet Theatre with “Zorba, the Greek.” It closed in 1985 and remodeled as the Boulevard Cinema as a sub-run discount house with 450 seats and one screen launching July 6, 1985 with “Shock Treatment” and “Phantom of the Paradise.”
Architect – Richard L. Crother & Associated of Denver with associate and local architect J.A. Dickerson of Topeka. The first indoor movie theater since 1932, it cost north of $500,000.
The Loew’s theatre indeed boasted of its 10-channel stereo sound system with “The Ugly Dachshund” as its opening 70mm film on their 60' screen on April 8, 1966.
Architect was Joseph Schuler.
The south side Valley Theatre operated on King Hill Avenue from the silent era and didn’t covert to sound closing in 1930. The Dubinsky Brothers relaunched a new Valley Theatre across the street at the this former factory location on May 19, 1934. The theater immediately made headlines for running low-cost shows with non-union projectionists. The theatre was then the subject of a monopoly suit in 1940 by the competing Rialto Theatre owners who alleged that the Valley Theatre was merely a loss leader aimed at driving their independent theater out of business.
The theatre was closed. A new independent operator took on the theatre calling it the Nickel-O-Dion Grand Theatre on July 1, 1940. A year later, prices increased to 10 cents and the truncated new name, the Grand Theatre. It closed at the end of July 1941 and reopened under new management on November 15, 1941 closing after just a month of operation. The following August, the theatre relaunched as the King Theatre on August 22, 1942 with the fine double-feature of “Jesse James” and “The Return of Jesse James.”
The King Theatre was closed on May 4, 1953 with a double feature of “White Savage” and “Last of the Buccaneers.” The Dickinson Theatre would only offer the theater building with a “non-compete” clause ending the theater’s operation.
BTW: It was never called the Great Plains Grand Theatre.
The Rivoli Theatre opened on August 15, 1925 with a Reproduco Expression Pipe Organ. The theatre relaunched on January 22, 1941 as the Uptown with the film, “Rhythm on the River.”
The Electric Theatre launched September 23, 1915 with “Trilby”. The previous Majestic Theatre had been razed on May 14, 1915. A $225,000 new Electric Theatre was built using elements of the original in an expansion project culminating with its relaunch on October 21, 1926 with “Subway Sadie.” The new-look Moorish design included a $35,000 Wurlitzer organ and another $200,000 plus in improvements.
The theatre was closed on October 28, 1961 with a double-feature of “"The Snake Woman” and “Doctor Blood’s Coffin.” The theatre was stripped with the auditorium razed in 1962. The facade, lobby and other elements remained after being retrofitted for retail use. The remainder of the building was subsequently demolished on November 19, 1977.
The Paradise closed October 25, 1981 with two Hispanic films, “Un Quijote Sin Mancha” and “Ilegales y mojados.” It was known very briefly as Cine Paradise.
The Hiland closed April 13, 1952 “The Man Who Cheated Himself.” The next week, seats were move to the Paradise and the floor leveled for apartments.
Opened August 1, 1910. Closed April 16, 1916 with “Her Painted Hero” “The Home Breakers,” and “Saved By the Wireless.”
Appears to have closed after a January 11; 1925 showing of “The Sunset Trail” with William Desmond. On June 25, 1926, the A&P Grocery chain had leased the former Lyric Theatre, expanding into the former theatre and using the space of a previous neighboring grocery store.
The Lyric Theatre was closed by the local constable, C.W. Wright on August 7, 1923. A sheriff’s sale included the theater’s Bennett pipe organ and its two projectors soon thereafter. When no buyers purchased the equipment, it was offered again in another sale held August 28, 1923. The Holland Dairy Company opened its new store in the remodeled and former Lyric Theatre on March 24, 1926.
The Studio Theatre (aka the Studio Adult Video Center) was purchased by the city closing in August 2005. The adult video theater moved less than three blocks away that month.
The Plaza Theatre launched November 11, 1915 on the grounds of one of Moline’s four former airdomes. The opening film was “Doc” with Sydney Seaward. F.A. Lundahl & Son operated the theatre with its Powers 6-A projectors. The theatre discontinued ads after the June 27, 1927 showing of “The Sea Tiger” with Milton Sills.
The Elite Vaudeville Theatre and, later, Barrymore Theatre was at 1607-1611 Third Avenue (now River Road). The Elite Theatre launched on January 20, 1908 for Berkell & Friedenwald who also operated the Elite Theaters in Davenport and Rock Island. The Elite rebranded on September 12, 1909 as the Barrymore Theatre. All listings end in 1917. Manufacturers' Garage opened an auto repair garage in the former Barrymore Theatre on March 10, 1924. The property was said to be in use by the Smith Filter Company into the 1990s but the building was destroyed by vandals in March of 1995.
The Avoy Theatre launched by the Shallberg Brothers on November 25, 1914 with D.W. Griffith’s “Though Shall Not Kill (aka “The Avenging Conscience).” In November of 1926, Micahel Brotman and Sons Circuit took on the venue later equipping it for sound. The theatre closed after a projection booth fire on February 17, 1932 ending its run under the Avoy moniker. Though the theatre was repaired by September of 1932, the Brotmans did not elect to reopen it at that time as the original lease lapsed.
However, Buster Brotman re-equipped and updated the theatre as the Roxy Theatre on a new lease relaunching on January 6, 1934 with “College Humor” starring Bing Crosby. The theatre closed after ownership changes after showings of “el Analfabeto” and “el Halcon Blanco” on April 2, 1978.
According to the local newspaper, this location opened as the Crystal Theatre on Christmas Day, December 25, 1905. J.C. Sodini bought the Crystal in 1907 hiring architects Hanssen & Harfst of Davenport to improve seating and extend the stage. The theatre reopens as the Family Theatre in 1907.
On November 25, 1915, the theatre rebooted as the Spencer Square Theatre to the plans of architect G.P. Stauduhar. It launched with Theda Bara in “Carmen” and a new $15,000 pipe organ by the Bennett Organ Company. The Spencer Square transitioned to sound and often went by the name the Spencer Theatre. The film switched to art films in 1951 and its “adult only” policy rankled the city which made the Spencer Theatre owners pledge to show “better” films in December of 1951. The Spencer appears to have closed instead of abiding by the policy.
In 1952, a proposal to bulldoze the theatre in favor of a parking garage was scrapped by Mayor Carl Bauer in 1953. The Spencer sat vacant until August of 1955 when a permit to raze the theatre was approved. The former theatre was demolished in September of 1955. The Spencer Square green space park and bandstand were torn away the following summer with dynamite used to blast away the bedrock below allowing for the creation of a government building.
Isadore Brotman launched the New Ritz Theatre on February 20, 1942 with “Broadway Limited” and “Reg'lar Fellas.” Brotman replaced the former Ritz Theatre across the street which had launched previously on November 3, 1935 with the film, “Caliente.” It closed February 19, 1942 with “You’ll Never Get Rich.”
Architect was Benjamin A. Horn.
Opened with vaudeville as the Majestic Theatre on August 28, 1910. The theatre transitioned to film closing as a silent house in December of 1928 and was acquired by John G. Koletis of the American. Koletis remodeled it reopening on August 1, 1929 with live entertainment. The theatre installed Vitaphone and signed a deal with Warner Bros. switching to full-time film theatre on February 15, 1930. Koletis remodeled the venue again in 1936 with a new neon sign.
The Lyric Theatre launched February 2, 1909 as a motion picture house. On February 1, 1913, the theatre was renamed the American Theatre. Its opening film was the short, “From Sing-Sing to Liberty.” While other theatres converted to sound, the American stayed silent into the Depression.
In 1931, the American was playing silent exploitation films including “The Red Kimono” starring Priscilla Bonner before closing on October 29, 1931 with a double-feature of “The Pace That Kills” (starring Virginia Roye introducing a farm boy to opium and cocaine) and “The Road to Ruin” (with Helen Foster whose life is forever altered by sex and drugs). The American did not make the conversion to sound.
The Rialto was closed by the city on complaints of safety issues on November 29, 1966. The theatre was owned by Barney Brotman who commissioned an architect to make changes that may not have been made as no further listings appear for the venue. The City of Rock Island announced the demolition plans for the former theatre on Nov. 1, 1972. A Salvation Army store occupied the space up to its demolition in January of 1973.
The theater’s name was changed to the Sierra Cinema. It was operated by National Amusements / Showcase Cinemas which closed it on February 20, 1992 with Warren Beatty in “Bugsy.” The theatre was auctioned off on January 9, 1993.