The Lake Park Drive-In Theatre launched June 6, 1953 with “Horizons West” and “No Room for the Groom” along with a cartoon. It was marketed additionally with the name of the L.P. Drive-In in the 1950s. The Lake Park closed on September 7, 1981 with “The Prowler” and “The Evil” on Screen One and “Student Bodies” and “Eye for an Eye” On Screen Two.
The Isis made news on July 9, 1960 when African American patrons decided to test the Fox Midwest’s policy of the Isis to serve only White customers in an organized demonstration. With dollar bills in hand, the Isis refused to sell tickets or allow entry. The theatre closed an hour and half later - two hours early - refusing entry.
This address was home to two 12th Street Theatres. The original 650-seat venue launched on April 22, 1911 at a cost of $30,000. It went out of business a year later but reopened to much greater success with new management. So popular was the 12th Street Theater that Richards & Flynn decided to construct a larger theater on the same spot at the same time that Pantages was building a vaudeville house nearby. A final October 5, 1919 show at the 12th Street was followed by a salvage sale the next day and the building was razed two weeks late.
Richards & Flynn hired Edgar P. Madorie providing architectural drawings for the New 12th Street Theatre. During the construction phase, Frank L. Newman took on the project. It opened with the unwieldy name of Frank L. Newman’s New 12th Street Theatre on June 20, 1920 with Anita Stewart in “The Yellow Typhoon.” The name would become the 12th Street Theater.
In 1932, the theater briefly took on the name of the Wonderland - a theatre that was located in the Rookery Building from 1912 to 1925 a block away - but reverted quickly to the 12th Street Theater until changing its name to the Downtown Theatre. That was a sub-run operation playing deep discount double features continuously. Fox Midwest took on the venue and the neighboring Tower Theatre. On August 18, 1938, it rebranded the Downown as the Esquire Theatre with “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.”
Fox closed the venue on January 8, 1955 as television and suburban houses with free parking took their toll on business. When Fox installed Todd-AO at the Tower in 1956, it reopened the Esquire in September of 1956. The venue bowed out as a grindhouse under the moniker of the New Esquire Theatre on January 28, 1960 with continuous showings of a triple feature with Brigitte Bardot in “… and God Created Woman,” Jane Russell in “The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown,” and Dean Martin in “Ten Thousand Bedrooms.”
The New 12th Street and Pantages (turned Tower) theatres came in to downtown Kansas City together both built in 1920 and they would both exit together 40 years later in 1960. Cleveland Wrecking Company razed both buildings in the summer of 1960 after salvage sales.
The Wallis Brothers launched the MainStreet Theatre on August 4, 1924 With Rex Beach’s “Flowing Gold.” Audiences were impressed with the pipe organ, the special orchestra concert and the projection that had a new Gardiner screen and Simplex projectors.
The new theatre replaced their Isis Theatre that had launched elsewhere on Main Street in a new-build structure on May 5, 1911 by Edward Elza Smith and Earnest Maag. The Isis closed prior to the opening of the MainStreet.
Iliad Amusement Company opened the Broadmour Theatre on November 14, 1912 with “The Lion Tamer’s Revenge.” Joseph H. Gilday was in charge of both it and the Iliad Theatre on Troost Avenue. Two years later, Dominick Donnici took on the venue. The Broadmour made the transition to sound in late 1929 going dark on May 3, 1930.
Under new management, the theatre relaunched as the New Broadmour on March 29, 1932. That was short-lived and the theatre returned to closed and offered for sale in 1933. The theatre re-emerged very briefly as the LaSalle Theatre. The theatre was redesigned to the plans of architect James F. Terney in 1938 relaunching as the Vogue Theatre on April 17, 1938. It rebranded as the Vogue Art Theatre in 1952. It closed as the Vogue Art Theatre with “War and Peace” in 1956 then transitioned back to discount double feature sub-runs as the Vogue Theatre. It closed on February 2, 1957 with Humphrey Bogart in “Oklahoma Kid” and George Montgomery in “Huk!”
The venue reopened one final time as the Vogue Theatre in October of 1959 closing for good on February 28, 1960 with Gary Cooper in “They Came to Codura” and Jane Wyman in “Holiday for Lovers.”
Louis Israel of the Heights and Standard Theatre went “all in” on the Cinema Theater on Euclid. It launched on October 14, 1928 as a sub-run theatre with Richard Barthelmess in “The Patent Leather Kid.“ The large 1,000-seat theater featured a Wurlitzer organ and was bathed boldly in blue and gold. Israel had sold off the Heights and, just a year later sold, the Standard. The theatre was happily branded as “the best of the second run” films but stooped to exploitation fare as chain operated sound films took their toll on the Cinema.
Israel even booked the infamous, “Ingagi” banned for nature faking by censors in New York State and then by the Hays Office. Badly positioned technology-wise, the Cinema struggled into the Depression. Fortunately, Israel found a taker in the Warner Brothers Circuit which announced it would be closed for for “a fortnight” on November 18, 1930. The venue re-emerged as Warner’s Lake Theater on Christmas Day 1930 wiring it for Western Electric sound and positioned as a first-run house. The opening film was Otis Skinner starring in “Kismet.” When Warner took on the Hippodrome Theatre, the Lake was back where it started now as a discount, sub-run, double-feature house on November 21, 1933.
Community Theatres Circuit took on the venue changing its name to the Esquire. It shedded seats - now cushioned - in a redesign and opening with Dane Clark in “Moonrise.“ The streamlined 1948 renovation added turquoise and beige to the color pallet. But the Esquire failed to find its audience closing May 28, 1951 with Susan Hayward in “I Can Get It For You Wholesale.”
It became the studios of WJW-TV Channel 8 and was saved from demolition after the station departed serving as the live, Center Repertory Theatre after a costly refurbishing. But when they moved out in 1980, Playhouse Square took on the venue in 1981 but was unable to raise funding in excess of three million dollars to use the space. They sold off the theatre to a developer who demolished the building.
The Rex Theatre launched on June 11, 1915 by O.E. Simon. Simon made some news in 1927 by not only converting to sound but by creating his own sound system. In 1932, Simon sold the theatre and it was renamed the Cave Theatre. Simon re-acquired the theatre and, after a major refresh, he renamed it the Roxy Theatre with a grand opening on November 25, 1937.
Rose and Merle Burns ran it from 1952 to 1979. In 1953, Corporal Luverne Luthmiller appeared in a newsreel when, arriving home on a furlough was honored by the Roxy with a showing of the newsreel. He was then given the newsreel. The Burns' Frosty Shop also sold candy and ice cream to patrons.
In 1954, the theatre converted from its 10x12' screen to a widescreen 14.5x41' screen to show CinemaScope films. In 1965, the theatre celebrated its 50th anniversary with throwback 1915 pricing and honoring O.E. Simon. Former Major League Baseball Player Kevin Maas once was a projectionist there for four years. The Roxy ceased operations in 1979.
The Emagine Woodhaven closed in January of 2017. On December 15, 2017, AMC took on the venue renaming it as the AMC Woodhaven Village 10. On March 16, 2020, the theatre closed along with most other theaters during the COVID-19 pandemic. When Michigan theaters were allowed to reopen in early October 2020, AMC decided against reopening the Woodhaven Village and made the closure permanent.
The AMC Studio 30 was closed on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on August 20, 2020 along with a number of locations offering throw-back 15 cents ticket prices as AMC tried to celebrate its 100th Anniversary. But with revenues reportedly off more than 90% year-to-year, AMC made the closure permanent after shows of November 8, 2020. It was one of many locations closed permanently by the circuit in a second wave of closures it announced in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The AMC Hamilton closed along with the rest of the circuit on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre was reopened on September 10, 2020. However, it was one of many theatres the circuit permanently closed on November 8, 2020 - a second major wave of closures it announced late in 2020 due to the pandemic. Although rent was a factor undoubtedly, AMC said the Hamilton 24’s closure was a result of the ongoing pandemic reporting revenue at theatre down in excess of 90% year over year.
AMC Oakview Plaza 24 was located as an outparcel building near Oak View Mall. The theatre reopened August 27, 2020 after being closed for the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it was one of many theatres the circuit closed permanently on November 8, 2020 - a second major wave of closures it announced late in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The Cache Valley Mall opened July 28, 1976. Not far behind was the Grand Opening of the Cache Valley Mall Triplex Theatres likely on a 30-year lease. The Triplex launched August 6, 1976 after a ribbon cutting with the films, “Lifeguard,” “Bingo Long and the Traveling All-Stars, and “Swashbuckler.” Under new opeators, it would become the Cache Valley 3 Theatres operating just past its 30-year leasing cycle.
H.C. Heninger of the Cache Drive-In Theatre launched the Redwood Family Theatre after a $100,000 remodeling of the former Steed’s Dairy Bar building on March 3, 1976. Theatre Operators Inc. changed the name to the Redwood Theatre arranging screenings of R-rated features at discount prices for the nearby college crowd. It likely ceased operations in 1982. It later became the Reel Time and Logan Art House & Cinema.
The Roxy Theatre opened October 23, 1935 with Alice Faye and George Raft in “Every Night at Eight” supported by selected shorts. After an ownership change a new 20-year lease, the theatre became the Utah Theatre on January 14, 1956 with Victor Mature in “The Last Frontier.”
Consolidated Theatres Circuit and the Thatcher Brothers opened the New-build Lyric Theatre replacing a previous Lyric Theatre. It opened September 22, 1913 with Lottie Pickford in “The House of Bondage” supported by four shorts and live music.
It might be noted that the Skydome had little in common with Springfield’s Air-Dome (1906-1908) and the Airdome (1909-1914) on East Walnut. Both were open live theaters which never were used for any cinematic purposes. But for the curious about those locations, here is some information.
Air-Dome had opened as a summer location for the Diemer Theatre four blocks away and was located in the former Central Park showgrounds. B.J. Diemer’s opening play was “For Love and Honor” on June 17, 1906. The open air theater ran three summer seasons with live plays ending in September of 1908.
Airdome on East Walnut was opened by the Bell, Olendorf & Ballard Amusement Circuit out of Kansas that purportedly programmed as many as 73 such airdomes and tent shows in the central states. Airdome launched with live shows on May 17, 1909 after a two-day weather delay with “The Great White Way.” Across the street was Fink’s Theater Pharmacy which served as the de facto concession stand with full soda fountain and candy options for patrons. Airdome ran six seasons through September 13, 1914 deciding not to reopen for Summer of 1915. Both Skydome and Airdome were demolished in 1915.
Though the Baldwin Theatre was known for live events, in 1898 the theatre began showing sporadic exhibitions of continuous motion pictures using two projectors to avoid breaks. And though the Baldwin wasn’t a regular movie theater, regular motion pictures were found within the larger, multi-purpose Baldwin Theatre Building for two months in 1907.
From May to June of 1907, the Nickelodeon took over a retail spot to show full-time movies in the “Store Show” era of film exhibition. The Nickelodeon opened May 3, 1907 with the Lubin film, “The Unwritten Law: A Thrilling Drama Based on the Thaw-White Case.” It closed with the Pathé Frères film, “Life and Passion of Christ” with the 44-minute film broken into three parts that required three separate nickel attendances over three days. The 15-minute screenings also saved on eye strain.
Meanwhile, the Baldwin remained true to is mission of providing live performances. However, an appearance by journalist Opie Read on January 5, 1909 ended the run of the venue which was completely destroyed by fire the next day. The Landers Theatre was the replacement for the Baldwin.
Though the Baldwin Theatre was known for live events, in 1898 the theatre began showing sporadic exhibitions of continuous motion pictures using two projectors to avoid breaks. From May to June of 1907 the Nickelodeon took over a retail spot within the Baldwin complex to show full-time movies. It opened May 3, 1907 with the Lubin film, “The Unwritten Law: A Thrilling Drama Based on the Thaw-White Case.”
Meanwhile, the Baldwin opted to go with live performances. But an appearance by journalist Opie Read on January 5, 1909 ended the run of the Baldwin which was completely destroyed by fire the next day. The Landers Theatre was the replacement for the Baldwin.
Captain Peabody brought his show business craft dating back to the “museums” of 1870s Kansas City to Springfield shepherding motion picture presentation at the Majestic, the Gem, and here at the Mecca. Combining motion pictures, tableau vivant/poses plastiques, illusion, and vaudeville, the Mecca launched as a family resort theatre experience on September 5, 1908.
Peabody would also program the Gem Theatre at its opening a year later. Professor Steora was installed as the full time magician and he along with motion pictures carried the Mecca only until 1910 when Professor Steora and the Mecca appear to have vanished for the last time. It was replaced by a meat market in 1911.
Ge orge and Anna Nagle moved to Shawano in 1914 and built the Crescent Theatre that year opening in 1915. George died prior to opening. Anna ran the theatre 47 years passing away at age 91 while working in the office of the Crescent. The Crescent continued to 1988 when Cinema I and II launched on East Green Bay. The theater’s second life was as the Crescent Pitcher Show from 1996 to 2013. It was being renovated to became a microbrewery potentially reopening in the early 2020s. The Nagle name is still at the top of the building.
If the trade press is correct, this opened as the Arcade Theatre in the early 1900s and was purchased by the operator of the Palace changing name to the Palace and going out of business without converting to sound. Independent Theaters, Inc., spent $15,000 refreshing the venue and wiring it for sound at a cost of $15,000 rebranding it as the Shawano Theatre in 1931.
The Lake Park Drive-In Theatre launched June 6, 1953 with “Horizons West” and “No Room for the Groom” along with a cartoon. It was marketed additionally with the name of the L.P. Drive-In in the 1950s. The Lake Park closed on September 7, 1981 with “The Prowler” and “The Evil” on Screen One and “Student Bodies” and “Eye for an Eye” On Screen Two.
The Isis made news on July 9, 1960 when African American patrons decided to test the Fox Midwest’s policy of the Isis to serve only White customers in an organized demonstration. With dollar bills in hand, the Isis refused to sell tickets or allow entry. The theatre closed an hour and half later - two hours early - refusing entry.
This address was home to two 12th Street Theatres. The original 650-seat venue launched on April 22, 1911 at a cost of $30,000. It went out of business a year later but reopened to much greater success with new management. So popular was the 12th Street Theater that Richards & Flynn decided to construct a larger theater on the same spot at the same time that Pantages was building a vaudeville house nearby. A final October 5, 1919 show at the 12th Street was followed by a salvage sale the next day and the building was razed two weeks late.
Richards & Flynn hired Edgar P. Madorie providing architectural drawings for the New 12th Street Theatre. During the construction phase, Frank L. Newman took on the project. It opened with the unwieldy name of Frank L. Newman’s New 12th Street Theatre on June 20, 1920 with Anita Stewart in “The Yellow Typhoon.” The name would become the 12th Street Theater.
In 1932, the theater briefly took on the name of the Wonderland - a theatre that was located in the Rookery Building from 1912 to 1925 a block away - but reverted quickly to the 12th Street Theater until changing its name to the Downtown Theatre. That was a sub-run operation playing deep discount double features continuously. Fox Midwest took on the venue and the neighboring Tower Theatre. On August 18, 1938, it rebranded the Downown as the Esquire Theatre with “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.”
Fox closed the venue on January 8, 1955 as television and suburban houses with free parking took their toll on business. When Fox installed Todd-AO at the Tower in 1956, it reopened the Esquire in September of 1956. The venue bowed out as a grindhouse under the moniker of the New Esquire Theatre on January 28, 1960 with continuous showings of a triple feature with Brigitte Bardot in “… and God Created Woman,” Jane Russell in “The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown,” and Dean Martin in “Ten Thousand Bedrooms.”
The New 12th Street and Pantages (turned Tower) theatres came in to downtown Kansas City together both built in 1920 and they would both exit together 40 years later in 1960. Cleveland Wrecking Company razed both buildings in the summer of 1960 after salvage sales.
The Wallis Brothers launched the MainStreet Theatre on August 4, 1924 With Rex Beach’s “Flowing Gold.” Audiences were impressed with the pipe organ, the special orchestra concert and the projection that had a new Gardiner screen and Simplex projectors.
The new theatre replaced their Isis Theatre that had launched elsewhere on Main Street in a new-build structure on May 5, 1911 by Edward Elza Smith and Earnest Maag. The Isis closed prior to the opening of the MainStreet.
Iliad Amusement Company opened the Broadmour Theatre on November 14, 1912 with “The Lion Tamer’s Revenge.” Joseph H. Gilday was in charge of both it and the Iliad Theatre on Troost Avenue. Two years later, Dominick Donnici took on the venue. The Broadmour made the transition to sound in late 1929 going dark on May 3, 1930.
Under new management, the theatre relaunched as the New Broadmour on March 29, 1932. That was short-lived and the theatre returned to closed and offered for sale in 1933. The theatre re-emerged very briefly as the LaSalle Theatre. The theatre was redesigned to the plans of architect James F. Terney in 1938 relaunching as the Vogue Theatre on April 17, 1938. It rebranded as the Vogue Art Theatre in 1952. It closed as the Vogue Art Theatre with “War and Peace” in 1956 then transitioned back to discount double feature sub-runs as the Vogue Theatre. It closed on February 2, 1957 with Humphrey Bogart in “Oklahoma Kid” and George Montgomery in “Huk!”
The venue reopened one final time as the Vogue Theatre in October of 1959 closing for good on February 28, 1960 with Gary Cooper in “They Came to Codura” and Jane Wyman in “Holiday for Lovers.”
1924 letter as the Broadmour Theatre in Kansas City.
Louis Israel of the Heights and Standard Theatre went “all in” on the Cinema Theater on Euclid. It launched on October 14, 1928 as a sub-run theatre with Richard Barthelmess in “The Patent Leather Kid.“ The large 1,000-seat theater featured a Wurlitzer organ and was bathed boldly in blue and gold. Israel had sold off the Heights and, just a year later sold, the Standard. The theatre was happily branded as “the best of the second run” films but stooped to exploitation fare as chain operated sound films took their toll on the Cinema.
Israel even booked the infamous, “Ingagi” banned for nature faking by censors in New York State and then by the Hays Office. Badly positioned technology-wise, the Cinema struggled into the Depression. Fortunately, Israel found a taker in the Warner Brothers Circuit which announced it would be closed for for “a fortnight” on November 18, 1930. The venue re-emerged as Warner’s Lake Theater on Christmas Day 1930 wiring it for Western Electric sound and positioned as a first-run house. The opening film was Otis Skinner starring in “Kismet.” When Warner took on the Hippodrome Theatre, the Lake was back where it started now as a discount, sub-run, double-feature house on November 21, 1933.
Community Theatres Circuit took on the venue changing its name to the Esquire. It shedded seats - now cushioned - in a redesign and opening with Dane Clark in “Moonrise.“ The streamlined 1948 renovation added turquoise and beige to the color pallet. But the Esquire failed to find its audience closing May 28, 1951 with Susan Hayward in “I Can Get It For You Wholesale.”
It became the studios of WJW-TV Channel 8 and was saved from demolition after the station departed serving as the live, Center Repertory Theatre after a costly refurbishing. But when they moved out in 1980, Playhouse Square took on the venue in 1981 but was unable to raise funding in excess of three million dollars to use the space. They sold off the theatre to a developer who demolished the building.
The Rex Theatre launched on June 11, 1915 by O.E. Simon. Simon made some news in 1927 by not only converting to sound but by creating his own sound system. In 1932, Simon sold the theatre and it was renamed the Cave Theatre. Simon re-acquired the theatre and, after a major refresh, he renamed it the Roxy Theatre with a grand opening on November 25, 1937.
Rose and Merle Burns ran it from 1952 to 1979. In 1953, Corporal Luverne Luthmiller appeared in a newsreel when, arriving home on a furlough was honored by the Roxy with a showing of the newsreel. He was then given the newsreel. The Burns' Frosty Shop also sold candy and ice cream to patrons.
In 1954, the theatre converted from its 10x12' screen to a widescreen 14.5x41' screen to show CinemaScope films. In 1965, the theatre celebrated its 50th anniversary with throwback 1915 pricing and honoring O.E. Simon. Former Major League Baseball Player Kevin Maas once was a projectionist there for four years. The Roxy ceased operations in 1979.
The Cowtown closed playing Spanish language films and also hosting a weekend flea market in 1984.
The Emagine Woodhaven closed in January of 2017. On December 15, 2017, AMC took on the venue renaming it as the AMC Woodhaven Village 10. On March 16, 2020, the theatre closed along with most other theaters during the COVID-19 pandemic. When Michigan theaters were allowed to reopen in early October 2020, AMC decided against reopening the Woodhaven Village and made the closure permanent.
Not sure what this picture represents - a movie that didn’t play at the Bow-Tie Cinemas at Greenwich Plaza because it was already out of business?
The AMC Studio 30 was closed on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on August 20, 2020 along with a number of locations offering throw-back 15 cents ticket prices as AMC tried to celebrate its 100th Anniversary. But with revenues reportedly off more than 90% year-to-year, AMC made the closure permanent after shows of November 8, 2020. It was one of many locations closed permanently by the circuit in a second wave of closures it announced in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The AMC Hamilton closed along with the rest of the circuit on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre was reopened on September 10, 2020. However, it was one of many theatres the circuit permanently closed on November 8, 2020 - a second major wave of closures it announced late in 2020 due to the pandemic. Although rent was a factor undoubtedly, AMC said the Hamilton 24’s closure was a result of the ongoing pandemic reporting revenue at theatre down in excess of 90% year over year.
AMC Oakview Plaza 24 was located as an outparcel building near Oak View Mall. The theatre reopened August 27, 2020 after being closed for the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it was one of many theatres the circuit closed permanently on November 8, 2020 - a second major wave of closures it announced late in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The Cache Valley Mall opened July 28, 1976. Not far behind was the Grand Opening of the Cache Valley Mall Triplex Theatres likely on a 30-year lease. The Triplex launched August 6, 1976 after a ribbon cutting with the films, “Lifeguard,” “Bingo Long and the Traveling All-Stars, and “Swashbuckler.” Under new opeators, it would become the Cache Valley 3 Theatres operating just past its 30-year leasing cycle.
H.C. Heninger of the Cache Drive-In Theatre launched the Redwood Family Theatre after a $100,000 remodeling of the former Steed’s Dairy Bar building on March 3, 1976. Theatre Operators Inc. changed the name to the Redwood Theatre arranging screenings of R-rated features at discount prices for the nearby college crowd. It likely ceased operations in 1982. It later became the Reel Time and Logan Art House & Cinema.
The Rex Theatre launched by Harvey Johnson on November 2, 1914 with Lillian Worth in “The Pearl of Punjab.”
The Roxy Theatre opened October 23, 1935 with Alice Faye and George Raft in “Every Night at Eight” supported by selected shorts. After an ownership change a new 20-year lease, the theatre became the Utah Theatre on January 14, 1956 with Victor Mature in “The Last Frontier.”
Consolidated Theatres Circuit and the Thatcher Brothers opened the New-build Lyric Theatre replacing a previous Lyric Theatre. It opened September 22, 1913 with Lottie Pickford in “The House of Bondage” supported by four shorts and live music.
It might be noted that the Skydome had little in common with Springfield’s Air-Dome (1906-1908) and the Airdome (1909-1914) on East Walnut. Both were open live theaters which never were used for any cinematic purposes. But for the curious about those locations, here is some information.
Air-Dome had opened as a summer location for the Diemer Theatre four blocks away and was located in the former Central Park showgrounds. B.J. Diemer’s opening play was “For Love and Honor” on June 17, 1906. The open air theater ran three summer seasons with live plays ending in September of 1908.
Airdome on East Walnut was opened by the Bell, Olendorf & Ballard Amusement Circuit out of Kansas that purportedly programmed as many as 73 such airdomes and tent shows in the central states. Airdome launched with live shows on May 17, 1909 after a two-day weather delay with “The Great White Way.” Across the street was Fink’s Theater Pharmacy which served as the de facto concession stand with full soda fountain and candy options for patrons. Airdome ran six seasons through September 13, 1914 deciding not to reopen for Summer of 1915. Both Skydome and Airdome were demolished in 1915.
Though the Baldwin Theatre was known for live events, in 1898 the theatre began showing sporadic exhibitions of continuous motion pictures using two projectors to avoid breaks. And though the Baldwin wasn’t a regular movie theater, regular motion pictures were found within the larger, multi-purpose Baldwin Theatre Building for two months in 1907.
From May to June of 1907, the Nickelodeon took over a retail spot to show full-time movies in the “Store Show” era of film exhibition. The Nickelodeon opened May 3, 1907 with the Lubin film, “The Unwritten Law: A Thrilling Drama Based on the Thaw-White Case.” It closed with the Pathé Frères film, “Life and Passion of Christ” with the 44-minute film broken into three parts that required three separate nickel attendances over three days. The 15-minute screenings also saved on eye strain.
Meanwhile, the Baldwin remained true to is mission of providing live performances. However, an appearance by journalist Opie Read on January 5, 1909 ended the run of the venue which was completely destroyed by fire the next day. The Landers Theatre was the replacement for the Baldwin.
Though the Baldwin Theatre was known for live events, in 1898 the theatre began showing sporadic exhibitions of continuous motion pictures using two projectors to avoid breaks. From May to June of 1907 the Nickelodeon took over a retail spot within the Baldwin complex to show full-time movies. It opened May 3, 1907 with the Lubin film, “The Unwritten Law: A Thrilling Drama Based on the Thaw-White Case.”
Meanwhile, the Baldwin opted to go with live performances. But an appearance by journalist Opie Read on January 5, 1909 ended the run of the Baldwin which was completely destroyed by fire the next day. The Landers Theatre was the replacement for the Baldwin.
Captain Peabody brought his show business craft dating back to the “museums” of 1870s Kansas City to Springfield shepherding motion picture presentation at the Majestic, the Gem, and here at the Mecca. Combining motion pictures, tableau vivant/poses plastiques, illusion, and vaudeville, the Mecca launched as a family resort theatre experience on September 5, 1908.
Peabody would also program the Gem Theatre at its opening a year later. Professor Steora was installed as the full time magician and he along with motion pictures carried the Mecca only until 1910 when Professor Steora and the Mecca appear to have vanished for the last time. It was replaced by a meat market in 1911.
Ge orge and Anna Nagle moved to Shawano in 1914 and built the Crescent Theatre that year opening in 1915. George died prior to opening. Anna ran the theatre 47 years passing away at age 91 while working in the office of the Crescent. The Crescent continued to 1988 when Cinema I and II launched on East Green Bay. The theater’s second life was as the Crescent Pitcher Show from 1996 to 2013. It was being renovated to became a microbrewery potentially reopening in the early 2020s. The Nagle name is still at the top of the building.
If the trade press is correct, this opened as the Arcade Theatre in the early 1900s and was purchased by the operator of the Palace changing name to the Palace and going out of business without converting to sound. Independent Theaters, Inc., spent $15,000 refreshing the venue and wiring it for sound at a cost of $15,000 rebranding it as the Shawano Theatre in 1931.