Woodyatt’s Bio Theatre was a new-build movie theater opened on December 12, 1912 by Albert C. Woodyatt with help from his two sons. Woodyatt had operated the Auditorium in the 1890s and opened the Lyric Theatre with his son, Lee, in 1910. The Bio became a second-run discount house and was known as “the only dime movie theater in Moline.”
Woodyatt closed the Bio on August 4, 1929 suggesting that collusion within the movie industry by chain circuits was a monopoly designed to harm independent operators. The location was converted to a Baker Furniture store.
The Mirror Theatre launched December 17, 1910 with movies shown on a giant 1,700 pound plate glass mirror measuring 11'x14'. The theatre was operated by George “Daddy” Diehl who would open the Orpheum and a Mr. Crandall.
The final screening was “Dance Magic” with Pauline Starke and Ben Lyon on December 17, 1927 – the theatre’s 17th anniversary. The Mirror’s entire interior was destroyed by fire early the next morning, December 18, 1927. A year later, architectural plans were submitted to built a replacement theatre. Those were scrapped in favor of a location for a new Montgomery Ward store.
George “Daddy” Diehl of the Mirror Theatre opened the Orpheum Theatre on the city’s West Side neighborhood on April 4, 1916. The first film was “The Strength of the Weak” with Mary Fuller. Though the theatre closed at end of lease in May of 1956, it was reopened by Barry Shlaes on weekends only in January of 1957 with Spanish language films on Saturdays and Hollywood second-run films on Sundays. In 1958, Saturday screenings were Greek films as charity screenings. The last film at the Orpheum appears to be October 4, 1958 with “Protevousianikes Peripeteies” (aka “The Girl from Corfu”) shown in Greek with English subtitles.
The LeClaire (no spaces) Theatre closed April 27, 1952 at the end of a 30-year lease. After being vacant for 20 months, the nearby Illini Theatre – hoping to go to widescreen – closed on December 18, 1953. The Illini moved its operation to the former LeClaire operating as the New Illini Theatre there from its launch on December 25, 1953 with “Here Come the Girls” on its curved panoramic screen to closing on January 12, 1957.
The vacant property’s demolition project started Oct 1, 1973 and was completed Dec 12, 1973.
The Illini Theatre closed December 20, 1953 with “Vicki” and “Miss Robin Crusoe.” Five days later the theatre moved to the former LeClaire Theatre as the New Illini Theatre on December 25, 1953. The former Illini was retrofitted for other retail purposes.
Launched September 30, 1948 as the SeaVue Theatre, a quonset hut style theatre built in 1948. It likely closed on March 30, 1987 as ads are discontinued after showings of “Babe” and “Lose Times at Ridley High”
Very technically, the name of the theatre operation according to multiple sources is the Marlow Mobil-In operated by John Rohr of the Marlow Theatre in Pine River. He decided to create a mobile drive-in operation in 1948 beginning June 17, 1948 in Crosslake. In July and August, Rohr created two more locations of the Marlow Mobil-In Theatre Circuit in Longville and a spot between Backus and Hackensack.
According to the trade press, W.H. Lee was the architect of this venue, originally, the Strand Theatre launching in 1925 for Benny Freed on a 30-year lease. It competed with the existing and smaller Newton Theatre in the silent era. The theatre converted to sound in 1929 becoming the Roxy Theatre. At the end of its lease, the theatre was renewed and was given a major makeover including new lobby, new seating, new projection and screen to accommodate widescreen CinemaScope presentations and air conditioning.
The El Rancho closed for the summer in 1979. It was refurbished becoming the Sunn Cinema on October 5, 1979. The Sunn set closing April 30, 1983. It became a youth center and boxing club before being retrofitted for other retail purposes.
BTW: It was owned by the Deming Theatre Co. though never was the Deming Theatre. It operated part-year with the Deming Company’s Mimbres Drive-In when both were in operation.
The Lyric Theatre launched October 3, 1910. The 1,000-seat venue was managed by Frank D. Hill who programmed three acts of live vaudeville followed by four reels of motion pictures in the formative years of the Lyric. On July 12, 1912, blind organist W.A. Wallace played the new M.P. Moller pipe organ with Hill singing Irish ballads with illustrated lantern slides projected. On October 8, 1925, the theatre was gutted by fire ending its run. Some elements of the theatre were incorporated into a furniture store thereafter. That building burned down on February 10, 1928.
The Strand Theatre launched September 27, 1935 with “The Woman in Red" on a 20-year lease. It closed after a May 15, 1954 showing of “Lone Star Vigilante.” It was retrofitted soon thereafter becoming a retail store in December of 1954.
Whyte Bedford of the Marion Theatre launched the Ford Drive-In Theatre on August 13, 1953 with “Thunderbirds.” The Drive-In likely closed after the 1958 season as ads are discontinued.
Dave Hamilton and his son, Mack, launched Hamilton’s Drive-In Theatre on May 18, 1950 with the film, “It’s a Grand Feeling.” On hand that night was radio station WFPA broadcasting from the grand opening. Local Boy Scouts helped direct cars to the theatre and ramps which held 400 cars at opening. DeLuxe Hot Dogs, malted milks, and cheese sandwiches were among the offerings at the snack bar.
The New Cricket launched on February 12, 1946 with the film, “The Stork Club.” The $60,000 theatre opened with a capacity of 850 – 570 on the main floor for White patrons and 270 in the balcony for African American customers.
Regal Theatres took on this venue in 2017 from Southern Circuit and rebranded it as the Cinebarre Canal Place 9. But the theatre’s dine-in concept proved challenging and Regal closed it on May 23, 2019.
Woodyatt’s Bio Theatre was a new-build movie theater opened on December 12, 1912 by Albert C. Woodyatt with help from his two sons. Woodyatt had operated the Auditorium in the 1890s and opened the Lyric Theatre with his son, Lee, in 1910. The Bio became a second-run discount house and was known as “the only dime movie theater in Moline.”
Woodyatt closed the Bio on August 4, 1929 suggesting that collusion within the movie industry by chain circuits was a monopoly designed to harm independent operators. The location was converted to a Baker Furniture store.
The Mirror Theatre launched December 17, 1910 with movies shown on a giant 1,700 pound plate glass mirror measuring 11'x14'. The theatre was operated by George “Daddy” Diehl who would open the Orpheum and a Mr. Crandall.
The final screening was “Dance Magic” with Pauline Starke and Ben Lyon on December 17, 1927 – the theatre’s 17th anniversary. The Mirror’s entire interior was destroyed by fire early the next morning, December 18, 1927. A year later, architectural plans were submitted to built a replacement theatre. Those were scrapped in favor of a location for a new Montgomery Ward store.
George “Daddy” Diehl of the Mirror Theatre opened the Orpheum Theatre on the city’s West Side neighborhood on April 4, 1916. The first film was “The Strength of the Weak” with Mary Fuller. Though the theatre closed at end of lease in May of 1956, it was reopened by Barry Shlaes on weekends only in January of 1957 with Spanish language films on Saturdays and Hollywood second-run films on Sundays. In 1958, Saturday screenings were Greek films as charity screenings. The last film at the Orpheum appears to be October 4, 1958 with “Protevousianikes Peripeteies” (aka “The Girl from Corfu”) shown in Greek with English subtitles.
The LeClaire (no spaces) Theatre closed April 27, 1952 at the end of a 30-year lease. After being vacant for 20 months, the nearby Illini Theatre – hoping to go to widescreen – closed on December 18, 1953. The Illini moved its operation to the former LeClaire operating as the New Illini Theatre there from its launch on December 25, 1953 with “Here Come the Girls” on its curved panoramic screen to closing on January 12, 1957.
The vacant property’s demolition project started Oct 1, 1973 and was completed Dec 12, 1973.
The Illini Theatre closed December 20, 1953 with “Vicki” and “Miss Robin Crusoe.” Five days later the theatre moved to the former LeClaire Theatre as the New Illini Theatre on December 25, 1953. The former Illini was retrofitted for other retail purposes.
The Roseland Theatre was built for Roland Somers. Bernard Spigel, architect of Norfolk, Virginia, drew the plans in 1950.
Launched September 30, 1948 as the SeaVue Theatre, a quonset hut style theatre built in 1948. It likely closed on March 30, 1987 as ads are discontinued after showings of “Babe” and “Lose Times at Ridley High”
The trade press reports a grand opening of this venue on July 7, 1950.
The Spindletop launched with space for 500 cars in 1950 with owners Dr. G.F. Swarfs and Garrett Parker
Very technically, the name of the theatre operation according to multiple sources is the Marlow Mobil-In operated by John Rohr of the Marlow Theatre in Pine River. He decided to create a mobile drive-in operation in 1948 beginning June 17, 1948 in Crosslake. In July and August, Rohr created two more locations of the Marlow Mobil-In Theatre Circuit in Longville and a spot between Backus and Hackensack.
The apartment is located below the screen.
Launched June 22, 1955 with “Rhapsody” and boasting a 120' screen.
According to the trade press, W.H. Lee was the architect of this venue, originally, the Strand Theatre launching in 1925 for Benny Freed on a 30-year lease. It competed with the existing and smaller Newton Theatre in the silent era. The theatre converted to sound in 1929 becoming the Roxy Theatre. At the end of its lease, the theatre was renewed and was given a major makeover including new lobby, new seating, new projection and screen to accommodate widescreen CinemaScope presentations and air conditioning.
The demolished Drive-In was the Spindletop Drive-In Theatre on Spindletop Drive.
The El Rancho closed for the summer in 1979. It was refurbished becoming the Sunn Cinema on October 5, 1979. The Sunn set closing April 30, 1983. It became a youth center and boxing club before being retrofitted for other retail purposes.
BTW: It was owned by the Deming Theatre Co. though never was the Deming Theatre. It operated part-year with the Deming Company’s Mimbres Drive-In when both were in operation.
Launched October 10, 1951. The screen was removed in 1986 and the remaining tower was toppled in February 1987.
The Lyric Theatre launched October 3, 1910. The 1,000-seat venue was managed by Frank D. Hill who programmed three acts of live vaudeville followed by four reels of motion pictures in the formative years of the Lyric. On July 12, 1912, blind organist W.A. Wallace played the new M.P. Moller pipe organ with Hill singing Irish ballads with illustrated lantern slides projected. On October 8, 1925, the theatre was gutted by fire ending its run. Some elements of the theatre were incorporated into a furniture store thereafter. That building burned down on February 10, 1928.
The Strand Theatre launched September 27, 1935 with “The Woman in Red" on a 20-year lease. It closed after a May 15, 1954 showing of “Lone Star Vigilante.” It was retrofitted soon thereafter becoming a retail store in December of 1954.
After a June 28, 1935 free open house, the Dekalb Theatre launched July 1, 1935 with “Naughty Marietta.”
Whyte Bedford of the Marion Theatre launched the Ford Drive-In Theatre on August 13, 1953 with “Thunderbirds.” The Drive-In likely closed after the 1958 season as ads are discontinued.
Dave Hamilton and his son, Mack, launched Hamilton’s Drive-In Theatre on May 18, 1950 with the film, “It’s a Grand Feeling.” On hand that night was radio station WFPA broadcasting from the grand opening. Local Boy Scouts helped direct cars to the theatre and ramps which held 400 cars at opening. DeLuxe Hot Dogs, malted milks, and cheese sandwiches were among the offerings at the snack bar.
The New Cricket launched on February 12, 1946 with the film, “The Stork Club.” The $60,000 theatre opened with a capacity of 850 – 570 on the main floor for White patrons and 270 in the balcony for African American customers.
Regal Theatres took on this venue in 2017 from Southern Circuit and rebranded it as the Cinebarre Canal Place 9. But the theatre’s dine-in concept proved challenging and Regal closed it on May 23, 2019.
Demolished May 2019
Closed April 3, 1997 with Star Wars, Cats Don’t Dance, Selena and Jungle 2 Jungle. Demolished in November of 2007.