Ward Bennett, manager of the Archie Theatre, decided to build a new drive-in in August of 1952. Bennett used his namesake in calling the complex the Bennett Drive-In Theatre. The theatre launched January 21, 1953 with Van Heflin in “Tomahawk.”
This venue opened as The Magnet Theatre at 304 Fairhope Avenue on August 20, 1920. Playing mostly motion pictures, the venue also has some live, local theatre and the Magnet has a tagline marketing it as the “Community Playhouse.”
From 1924 to 1937, the theatre was known as The Playhouse and the Playhouse Theatre making the transition to sound films. The theatre closed for several months in 1937 re-emerging as the Fairhope Theatre in its grand re-opening on December 2, 1937.
In February of 1938, the operators of the competing Ritz Theatre – People’s Theatres Circuit – took over the Fairhope Theatre and closed the Ritz that same month.
Opened as the Penn Hills Theatre in October of 1966. Cinemmette Corporation Circuit ran the theatre for a period. Cinema World Circuit closed the Theatre in August of 1991. It reopened as the Penn Hills Cinemas in 1992 closing in 1993.
Under new operator David Bevilacqua, it reopened on December 14, 1995 as the Cinematropolis as a sub-run discount house. It closed October 12, 2000.
The venue reopened under the name of Penn Hills Cinemas on September 27, 2002 to screen both American and Indian films. The cinema plays primarily American films continuing past its 50th Anniversary in 2016.
It uses https://www.facebook.com/PennHillsCinemas/ as its online address.
Grand opening was February 21, 1951 opening with “The Milkman”. June 29, 1987 may be the last showing with “Dragnet.” Once operated by Cinemete Corporation Circuit.
Hirsh and Jones were the architects of the Houston Theatre which launched on July 3, 1930. The theater opened with the DeForest sound system. The opening film was “So This is London” with Will Rogers.
Opened August 18, 1949 with the film, “Unknown Island.” The theatre was designed by R.E. Bland for the Martin & Davis Circuit. The screen tower was 50' high and 58' wide with 10 ramps for the 400 cars. 9 ramp men were on duty to help with the parking.
The Pix Theatre launched December 24, 1936 with “More Than a Secretary.” The Pix had four restrooms with two for African American patrons along with a separate entrance for African American patrons.
The Dixie Theatre launched October 17, 1913. Under new operators, the theatre became the Artcraft Theatre operating as a silent theatre into 1931. On July 6, 1931, the theatre was offered at auction in a Sherriff’s Sale. On November 20, 1933, L.C. Worthington reopened the venue as the Eutaw Theatre now with sound films.
Roth Hook took on the theatre operating it until 1947 when he built the Hook Theatre. The two co-existed for just two months when the Hook closed with promises to re-open in the Fall. The theatre’s final showings were on June 14, 1947 with a double feature of “Flaming Bullets” and “The Scarlet Horesman”. The facility was entirely gutted and received a glass front becoming the Margaret Shop on Prairie Avenue.
Roth E. Hook had been operating the town’s Eutaw Theatre and decided the time for a more modern facility was after the War. Hook built the Hook Theatre. Architect Wilmot C. Douglas of Birmingham designed the facilty. It launched May 9, 1947 with “Song of the South.” With 760 seats, RCA sound, and Brenkert projectors, the Hook had a good run into the television age before closing.
Address 224 Washington Avenue, the theatre launched December22, 1940 with Bob Burns in “Alias the Deacon.” The Dixie Theatre dating back to 1907 was in the same spot as the new Lake.
The Martin Theatre opened for the Martin Circuit on May 6, 1949. The theatre ended the long run of the Strand Theatre. The first film was “The Noose Hangs High.”
The Pratt-Mont was built in 1949 and likely launched on April 20, 1950 with a showing of “Blue Lagoon.” It closed April 29, 1990 after its 40th anniversary with “Strike it Rich” and “The Hunt for Red October.” It was torn down within a year of closing.
ABC Theatre Circuit launched the Plaza Cinema across from the Greenville Mall on May 11, 1972 with John Wayne in “The Cowboys.” The cinema had 512 seats at opening.
After the original Strand Theatre burned down on January 22, 1940, this replacement theatre was to be the New Strand Theatre but instead launched as the Neely Theatre in November of 1940 named after its owner, L.M. Neely.
The original Strand Theatre burned down on January 22, 1940. The replacement theatre was to be the New Strand Theatre but appears to have launched as the Neely Theatre in November of 1940.
The name of this venue upon opening was the Cinema Theater at Regency Mall which launched January 20, 1970. Its first film was “Viva Max.” The Regency Mall had opened just months earlier in August of 1969. The 300-seat cinema was opened by Cinemette Corporation Circuit which was going with the automated mini-theatre concept.” Manos Circuit took on the location. It then became the Regency Cinema in 1980. The Regency was twinned becoming the Regency Mall Twin Cinema which finally closed on August 10, 2000 with “Nutty Professor 2” and “X-Men” splitting with “Scary Movie.”
Cinemas IV opened on May 9, 1980 with 4 theatres each with 325 seats or 1,500 total for Manos Enterprises Circuit. Auditorium One featured a stage for live presentations. Pumpkin-colored draperies provided sound deadening. Automated projection equipment made it simpler for employees and Dolby stereo was installed at the opening. “Little Darlings,” “Being There,” “The Nude Bomb” and “Where the Buffalo Roam” opened the cinema.
The Victory Theatre was opened by Southern Railway engineer I.R. Murphy on April 5, 1942 with the film, “Skylark” and a Superman cartoon. A grand opening shot is in photos. The Victory closed on June 27, 1971 with “The Wild Country.”
The Tivoli Theatre launched by Joseph W. Gutzweiler on August 16, 1924 with Gloria Swanson in “The Humming Bird” and live vaudeville. The venue was built on the site of Kunkel Hall which was built in 1884 and razed in favor of the theatre in 1923. Architect M.F. Durlauf designed a steel-structured building whose front was comprised of white buff brick and Bowling Green limestone trim which apparently made a nice upgrade to Kunkel’s. Gutzweiler would go on to create the long-running Astra Theatre, as well.
The facility also housed the popular Tivoli Soda Fountain and Drug Store. That store became Poe’s Drug Store followed by Beckmann’s during the theater’s run. The Tivoli ran until July 19, 1970 when it closed with “The Grasshopper.” Almost immediately thereafter, Kersteiens Construction removed the sloping floor and seats to transform the building for other retail purposes. It would become Schneider’s Furniture and Carpeting store which expanded into the former theater’s spot.
The Gem Theatre launched February 8, 1913 in downtown Jasper, Indiana promising 10 minutes of film for a nickel. Chris Winkenhoefer ran the theatre 40 years until his death in 1953. The theatre soldiered on continuously until April 24, 1956 with a showing of “Good Morning Miss Dove.” It was used for a few sporadic events until the building was repurposed for Ruttkar’s 5 and dime variety store.
Launched April 16, 1949 with “North to Klondike.” Original owner J. Wilmer Blincoe pledge to only screen films that were approved by the Legion of Decency.
Wade Enterprises opened this as the Cecil Drive-In Theatre on July 11, 1950 with Esther Williams in “On an Island With You.” The theatre was advertised as midway betwen Enterprise and New Brockton on Highway 84.
James Gaylord of the Troy Theatre took on the theatre in 1955 from the Wades calling it the Coffee Drive-In Theatre. The Coffee was equipped with widescreen for showing CinemaScope presentations beginning in April of 1955 under its new name.
Ward Bennett, manager of the Archie Theatre, decided to build a new drive-in in August of 1952. Bennett used his namesake in calling the complex the Bennett Drive-In Theatre. The theatre launched January 21, 1953 with Van Heflin in “Tomahawk.”
This venue opened as The Magnet Theatre at 304 Fairhope Avenue on August 20, 1920. Playing mostly motion pictures, the venue also has some live, local theatre and the Magnet has a tagline marketing it as the “Community Playhouse.”
From 1924 to 1937, the theatre was known as The Playhouse and the Playhouse Theatre making the transition to sound films. The theatre closed for several months in 1937 re-emerging as the Fairhope Theatre in its grand re-opening on December 2, 1937.
In February of 1938, the operators of the competing Ritz Theatre – People’s Theatres Circuit – took over the Fairhope Theatre and closed the Ritz that same month.
Opened as the Penn Hills Theatre in October of 1966. Cinemmette Corporation Circuit ran the theatre for a period. Cinema World Circuit closed the Theatre in August of 1991. It reopened as the Penn Hills Cinemas in 1992 closing in 1993.
Under new operator David Bevilacqua, it reopened on December 14, 1995 as the Cinematropolis as a sub-run discount house. It closed October 12, 2000.
The venue reopened under the name of Penn Hills Cinemas on September 27, 2002 to screen both American and Indian films. The cinema plays primarily American films continuing past its 50th Anniversary in 2016.
It uses https://www.facebook.com/PennHillsCinemas/ as its online address.
Grand opening was February 21, 1951 opening with “The Milkman”. June 29, 1987 may be the last showing with “Dragnet.” Once operated by Cinemete Corporation Circuit.
Launched January 1, 1951 with Abbott and Costello in “It Ain’t Hay.”
Escambia County in the upper west portion of Florida where the Drive-In was and named after the nearby Escambia River.
Hirsh and Jones were the architects of the Houston Theatre which launched on July 3, 1930. The theater opened with the DeForest sound system. The opening film was “So This is London” with Will Rogers.
Opened August 18, 1949 with the film, “Unknown Island.” The theatre was designed by R.E. Bland for the Martin & Davis Circuit. The screen tower was 50' high and 58' wide with 10 ramps for the 400 cars. 9 ramp men were on duty to help with the parking.
Martin and Davis Circuit launched the Ritz Theatre on December 20, 1943 in Dothan with “There’s Something About a Soldier.”
The Pix Theatre launched December 24, 1936 with “More Than a Secretary.” The Pix had four restrooms with two for African American patrons along with a separate entrance for African American patrons.
The Dixie Theatre launched October 17, 1913. Under new operators, the theatre became the Artcraft Theatre operating as a silent theatre into 1931. On July 6, 1931, the theatre was offered at auction in a Sherriff’s Sale. On November 20, 1933, L.C. Worthington reopened the venue as the Eutaw Theatre now with sound films.
Roth Hook took on the theatre operating it until 1947 when he built the Hook Theatre. The two co-existed for just two months when the Hook closed with promises to re-open in the Fall. The theatre’s final showings were on June 14, 1947 with a double feature of “Flaming Bullets” and “The Scarlet Horesman”. The facility was entirely gutted and received a glass front becoming the Margaret Shop on Prairie Avenue.
Roth E. Hook had been operating the town’s Eutaw Theatre and decided the time for a more modern facility was after the War. Hook built the Hook Theatre. Architect Wilmot C. Douglas of Birmingham designed the facilty. It launched May 9, 1947 with “Song of the South.” With 760 seats, RCA sound, and Brenkert projectors, the Hook had a good run into the television age before closing.
Address 224 Washington Avenue, the theatre launched December22, 1940 with Bob Burns in “Alias the Deacon.” The Dixie Theatre dating back to 1907 was in the same spot as the new Lake.
The Martin Theatre opened for the Martin Circuit on May 6, 1949. The theatre ended the long run of the Strand Theatre. The first film was “The Noose Hangs High.”
The Pratt-Mont was built in 1949 and likely launched on April 20, 1950 with a showing of “Blue Lagoon.” It closed April 29, 1990 after its 40th anniversary with “Strike it Rich” and “The Hunt for Red October.” It was torn down within a year of closing.
ABC Theatre Circuit launched the Plaza Cinema across from the Greenville Mall on May 11, 1972 with John Wayne in “The Cowboys.” The cinema had 512 seats at opening.
After the original Strand Theatre burned down on January 22, 1940, this replacement theatre was to be the New Strand Theatre but instead launched as the Neely Theatre in November of 1940 named after its owner, L.M. Neely.
The original Strand Theatre burned down on January 22, 1940. The replacement theatre was to be the New Strand Theatre but appears to have launched as the Neely Theatre in November of 1940.
The name of this venue upon opening was the Cinema Theater at Regency Mall which launched January 20, 1970. Its first film was “Viva Max.” The Regency Mall had opened just months earlier in August of 1969. The 300-seat cinema was opened by Cinemette Corporation Circuit which was going with the automated mini-theatre concept.” Manos Circuit took on the location. It then became the Regency Cinema in 1980. The Regency was twinned becoming the Regency Mall Twin Cinema which finally closed on August 10, 2000 with “Nutty Professor 2” and “X-Men” splitting with “Scary Movie.”
Cinemas IV opened on May 9, 1980 with 4 theatres each with 325 seats or 1,500 total for Manos Enterprises Circuit. Auditorium One featured a stage for live presentations. Pumpkin-colored draperies provided sound deadening. Automated projection equipment made it simpler for employees and Dolby stereo was installed at the opening. “Little Darlings,” “Being There,” “The Nude Bomb” and “Where the Buffalo Roam” opened the cinema.
The Victory Theatre was opened by Southern Railway engineer I.R. Murphy on April 5, 1942 with the film, “Skylark” and a Superman cartoon. A grand opening shot is in photos. The Victory closed on June 27, 1971 with “The Wild Country.”
The Tivoli Theatre launched by Joseph W. Gutzweiler on August 16, 1924 with Gloria Swanson in “The Humming Bird” and live vaudeville. The venue was built on the site of Kunkel Hall which was built in 1884 and razed in favor of the theatre in 1923. Architect M.F. Durlauf designed a steel-structured building whose front was comprised of white buff brick and Bowling Green limestone trim which apparently made a nice upgrade to Kunkel’s. Gutzweiler would go on to create the long-running Astra Theatre, as well.
The facility also housed the popular Tivoli Soda Fountain and Drug Store. That store became Poe’s Drug Store followed by Beckmann’s during the theater’s run. The Tivoli ran until July 19, 1970 when it closed with “The Grasshopper.” Almost immediately thereafter, Kersteiens Construction removed the sloping floor and seats to transform the building for other retail purposes. It would become Schneider’s Furniture and Carpeting store which expanded into the former theater’s spot.
The Gem Theatre launched February 8, 1913 in downtown Jasper, Indiana promising 10 minutes of film for a nickel. Chris Winkenhoefer ran the theatre 40 years until his death in 1953. The theatre soldiered on continuously until April 24, 1956 with a showing of “Good Morning Miss Dove.” It was used for a few sporadic events until the building was repurposed for Ruttkar’s 5 and dime variety store.
Launched April 16, 1949 with “North to Klondike.” Original owner J. Wilmer Blincoe pledge to only screen films that were approved by the Legion of Decency.
Wade Enterprises opened this as the Cecil Drive-In Theatre on July 11, 1950 with Esther Williams in “On an Island With You.” The theatre was advertised as midway betwen Enterprise and New Brockton on Highway 84.
James Gaylord of the Troy Theatre took on the theatre in 1955 from the Wades calling it the Coffee Drive-In Theatre. The Coffee was equipped with widescreen for showing CinemaScope presentations beginning in April of 1955 under its new name.