John Travis, who owned the Plaza Theatre in Crane, launched the Tile Theatre on December 6, 1938. The theatre was the first to feature sound and was housed in a former high school used auditorium venue. In 1939, J. B. Horosko took over the theatre renaming it. Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser took on the venue renaming it the Silver Theatre who sold it to Alvah “Al” Cox on December 27, 1945. It likely closed in 1951. The local paper has no mention or ad as the Silva Theatre.
The 750-seat Go-Sho Theatre opened on November 24, 1947 with “It Happened on Fifth Avenue in downtown Clinton, Mo. The theatre architect was Robert Boller and was opened by the J. T. Ghosen circuit who named it after himself. The theatre replaced the Uptown Theatre which had been destroyed in a fire in 1946. The original design for the venue by Boller was under the name “new” Uptown Theatre; but Ghosen renamed the project during the planning stages.
In 1959, a contest was held to rename the theatre which was updated. Jerry Hyde chose the Crest Theatre as the name which was in place when it relaunched on November 11, 1959 with the film, “The Big Circus.” That also was the final day for the Lee Theatre. The theatre was triplexed becoming the Crest Cinema 3 before closing in 2003. It was replaced with a larger six-screen complex elsewhere in town.
ohn N. Bixman opened his Bixman Theatre at 103 West Franklin in downtown Clinton, Missouri on October 20, 1903 with live entertainment. The theatre / opera house initially had 1,100 seats with 700 on the main floor and 400 in the balcony. The theatre switched from live entertainment primarily to films.
In 1925, the Bixman became the Clinton Theatre – a full-time movie theater. On May 29, 1937, the theatre received a $30,000 streamlined makeover. Renamed the New Clinton Theatre with 750 seats and a and a Rainbow Vari-Colored lighting system from Russia, it launched with the film, “Oh Doctor.” Blonde Nu-Wood paneling hid the Bixman’s dated features. On November 11, 1937 a new marquee hailing the new name, the Uptown Theatre was ordered.
On July 11, 1946, the Uptown Theatre was destroyed along with a number of other businesses in a spectacular blaze. Saved was the original 1903 cornerstone which had a time capsule with many great artifacts from the 1903 time period. It was replaced by a new building housing Sears & Roebuck.
Lee L. Jones of Kansas City bought the Crancer Building in 1926 for conversion to what was going to be the Liberty Theatre. Architect W.W. Walther only left the from and side walls of the building in expanding the building’s rear to create an 885 seat theatre at opening with 560 main floor seats and 325 balcony seats. At opening Jones changed the name to the Lee Theatre which launched March 16, 1927. Its first sound film was “On With the Show” in 1927.
Ten years later, the Commonwealth Circuit took on the theatre. It closed November 10, 1959 with “Hound Dog Man.” When the updated Go-Sho Theater elsewhere in downtown was renamed the Crest Theatre, Commonwealth closed the Lee.
When the lease expired on the Lee at the end of August of 1962, its chairs were removed and moved to the Lyric Theatre in Harrison, Arkansas. On April 10, 1965, it was reopened as a live Country Music event venue still using the Lee Theatre nameplate. That lasted just three months with the Lee Theatre closing June 12, 1965.
The Palace Theatre was the African-American move theatre launched at 224 E. Third Street on April, 1, 1946 opening with the 1939 film, “Double Deal.” The Palace landed on the delinquent tax at the end of 1952 likely indicating the end of its run.
The Hope Drive-In Theatre launched on May 15, 1952 with the film, “Tomahawk.“ The Dixie may have closed as ads are discontinued after the September 18, 1977 showing of "Bingo Long and the Traveling All-Stars”
The Grand Theatre dates back to at least 1920. When it was purchased by Malco in 1930, the New Grand was closed and reopened October 29, 1930 as the Rialto. It was then closed during the Depression.
After a $15,000 makeover, Malco – citing improved business conditions – reopened the theatre Rialto Theatre on February 1, 1937. In 1952, Malco sold the New, Saenger and Rialto to M.S. McCord & Associates operated under the United Theatre Corporation circuit.
The final film at the Rialto was the exploitation film, “Mom and Dad” which played on November 14, 1957. After midnight, the theatre was gutted by a fire. A salvage sale the following February offered the theatre seats just prior to the building being converted for other retail purposes.
The Saenger Theatre opened September 25, 1927 with the film, “Stolen Brides.” That building burned down on Easter Sunday 1944 only the outer walls remaining intact. Due to WW2 shortages, a replacement theater was delayed until well after the War. This new streamlined version of the previous Saenger opened January 7, 1948 with Bob Hope starring in, “Where There’s Life.” The original 34.5' by 15' vertical sign was salvaged from the old theatre and rewired in neon for the new Saenger.
This venue opened as the Exchange Theatre on October 16, 1916 with Lillian Gish in “Sold for Marriage.” The architect was M. E. Worcester of Cape Girardeau, Mo. It was renamed during World War I as the more patriotic Liberty Theatre beginning on March 1, 1918. In 1927, the pipe organ from the Rodgers Circuit’s Carbondale, Illinois location was brought to the Liberty.
On November 1, 1937, the Liberty was renamed as the Rodgers Theatre. Rodgers had shut down the Bijou Theatre the prior day. In October of 1954, the Rodgers converted to widescreen for showing CinemaScope productions.
The last film show at the Rodgers Theatre was on January 29, 1956 with Ray Milland in “A Man Alone.” An ad later in 1956 sold off the 770 theatre chairs from the Rodgers.
For the 1955 to 1958 seasons, the theatre was renamed the Moonlight Drive-In Theatre. The theatre was purchased with the two indoor theaters as a group and does not have appeared to re-opened after the 1958 season.
L.W. Rodgers & Co. Theatre Circuit launched the Gem Theatre on January 15, 1942 with the film, “Tuxedo Junction.” The venue was built in the Pierce Building – formerly a grocery store – which was gutted and expanded for the Gem. The Rodgers Theatre became the second-run house operating primarily on weekends.
The Pierce Building conversion project actually dated back to the Strand Amusement Company of Tennessee acquiring the property in 1937 to build a theater. That project stalled and Rodgers – who was in the process of building a completely new theater – took on the languishing Pierce project.
Henry C. Tuttle launched the Cuba, Missouri’s first movie theater under the name of “Just-A-Mere Theatre” on January 23, 1921. Tuttle created a wrap-a-around ad with an Extra edition headline promoting the theatre and used newsboys to disseminate the information with cries of, “Extra, extra read all about it.” R.H. Finley took on the venue but closed it on May 30, 1925 with the equipment removed.
One year later, the Nicalee Theatre (Deluxe) opened in May of 1926 named in a contest by local resident Susan Everson. The silent theatre dropped “Deluxe” from its ads and converted to sound in April of 1930 rebranding briefly as the Cuba Theatre. In September of 1930, the name reverted to the Nicalee Theatre likely due to comments of loyal patrons. The Nicalee closed during the Depression in 1932. According to the local paper, it reopened under new operators on September 13, 1934 as the long-running Cuba Theatre.
Closed on November 4, 2018 awaiting a decision/vote on its designation as an historic landmark. If it isn’t designated as such, the theater would likely re-open.
According to the local newspaper and the trade press, that’s the original Fox Theatre Thomas Lamb architectural sketch proposal for Hackensack in 1929 with his signature. The $1.5 million, 3,500 seat theatre proposed project in 1929 was revised (see next photo’s inset for that sketch) to a more modest $500,000 theatre during 1930/1 likely due to the impact of the Depression.
Bert Wheeler of Wheeler and Woolsey made his first vaudeville appearance at the Lyric Theatre in Hackensack under the dancing act of Bert and Betty Wheeler. The Fabian Theatre Circuit took on the Lyric in 1926. But the theatre didn’t convert to sound and tried to hold on with live plays, events and vaudeville from 1928 until closing early in 1930.
In 1930, the Lyric was converted into two retail stores with office space above. The building housing the former Lyric was sold at auction for just $500 at a sheriff’s auction on March 13, 1935.
Launched as the United Theatre on December 25, 1917. C.V.R. Bogart was the architect. It became the Eureka Theatre relaunching March 10, 1919 with the film, “Out of the Fog.” Audiences were impressed by the Hope Jones Unite Wurlitzer organ and Simplex projection. The theatre appears to have closed June 10, 1950 after showings of “Destination Tokyo” and “God is My Co-Pilot.” The venue was retrofitted for office space use.
Architect Hector Hamilton called this a Roman-styled theatre. It launched with a $30,000 Marr and Colton Three-Manual organ. The 1,400-seat theatre’s grand opening was April 29, 1928 with the film, “Their Hour.”
Opened May 6, 1926 with “Lady Windermere’s Fan.” Architects David and William E. Lehman called it an 18th Century Chatham styled building. The million dollar theater had a $60,000 Moeller Four-Manual Console Organ designed by Robert Hope-Jones.
Appears to have closed after a September 5, 1987 Arnold triple feature of Commando, Predator and Raw Deal. The Dickinson chain decided not open for the 1988 season.
Opened as the Delharco Theatre on August 19, 1929 in the Lindeham Building with the film, “Lucky Boy.” It was likely a 20-year lease. The venue relaunched just months later as the Jayhawk Theatre, February 10, 1930. Movie listings stop in November of 1949 with assorted live events into 1953. The building was sold and the neighboring Gamble’s store retrofitted the space moved doubling its store size beginning in April of 1955.
Convention Hall was built in 1906 with a seating capacity of 2000 and said to be the largest stage in the state. On April 1, 1921, owner Joe Yeager took on the hall converting it to the Grand Theatre. John E. Kreger was the house artist. In 1930, the Strand and the Grand converted to Western Electric sound.
May 10, 1916 was the grand opening of the Strand launching with, “The Crippled Hand.” Appears to have completed its run July 4, 1966. A 1967 article says the space was converted for retail use.
The Rialto Theatre opened in May 28, 1921 with Tom Mix in “The Texan.” It had a Hope Jones Wurlitzer organ at its opening. But it went to a more compact Johnson organ when the Wurlitzer proved to be too large for the venue. The theatre got a $1,500 refresh in 1926 and was rechristened as the New Oakdale Theatre launching March 27, 1926. Fred Lahm bought the theatre in 1928.
On November 1, 1928, the venue became the Strand Theatre as it had both new operators and converted to talkies with a Russell Photophore sound system. Lahm switched the Strand to an RCA Photophone sound system on June 19, 1930.
Harvey Amusement bought the location from Lahm in June of 1936 as the venue was renamed the Oakdale Theatre on June 2, 1936. It was sold several times including to the Blumenfeld Theatre Circuit. Blumenfeld sold it in 1951 to Maurice A. Lathrop. In 1952, Lathrop converted the auditorium to a wider screen.
In June of 1963, the Oakdale Theatre was closed as unsafe. New operators reopened the venue in October of 1963. The theatre was closed on June 24, 1967 permanently. In 1968, the theatre was razed for a new bank.
The opening gala at the Walnut Wood Holiday Cinema 1 & 2 was held on November 30, 1979. The official grand opening was held on December 1, 1979 with the films, “The Villain,” and “Hot Stuff.” It was located in what was originally known as the Walnut Wood Shopping Center. The theatre appears to have opened and closed eight different times under a variety of operators. The architect of the theatre was John Elphick and launched with 476 seats (224 Cinema I and 252 in Cinema II).
Under new owners, the theatre relaunched as the Oakdale Cinema 1 and 2 on May 27, 1981 known as the Oakdale Cinemas. In 1982, the Walnut Wood Shopping Center signage was removed as the plaza became known as the Oakdale Plaza. Though the theatre retained its original Walnut Wood Cinema attractor, the operation became known as the Oakdale Plaza Cinema 1 & 2. The owners of the cinema went bankrupt and the theatre closed in the Spring of 1983.
The theatre had a grand re-opening May 27, 1983 under new operators. The cinema closed again at the end of its lease on September 28, 1986. But the theatre would relaunch on October 24, 1986 under new operators. Those operators closed the theatre on September 30, 1997. On February 13, 1998, the cinema reopened under new operators. The cinema closed on September 8, 1999.
The cinema re-emerged as noted above operating from July 16, 2004 to its next closing on September 4, 2005. Then the theatre was opened from 2007 to closing in 2013.
John Travis, who owned the Plaza Theatre in Crane, launched the Tile Theatre on December 6, 1938. The theatre was the first to feature sound and was housed in a former high school used auditorium venue. In 1939, J. B. Horosko took over the theatre renaming it. Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser took on the venue renaming it the Silver Theatre who sold it to Alvah “Al” Cox on December 27, 1945. It likely closed in 1951. The local paper has no mention or ad as the Silva Theatre.
The 750-seat Go-Sho Theatre opened on November 24, 1947 with “It Happened on Fifth Avenue in downtown Clinton, Mo. The theatre architect was Robert Boller and was opened by the J. T. Ghosen circuit who named it after himself. The theatre replaced the Uptown Theatre which had been destroyed in a fire in 1946. The original design for the venue by Boller was under the name “new” Uptown Theatre; but Ghosen renamed the project during the planning stages.
In 1959, a contest was held to rename the theatre which was updated. Jerry Hyde chose the Crest Theatre as the name which was in place when it relaunched on November 11, 1959 with the film, “The Big Circus.” That also was the final day for the Lee Theatre. The theatre was triplexed becoming the Crest Cinema 3 before closing in 2003. It was replaced with a larger six-screen complex elsewhere in town.
ohn N. Bixman opened his Bixman Theatre at 103 West Franklin in downtown Clinton, Missouri on October 20, 1903 with live entertainment. The theatre / opera house initially had 1,100 seats with 700 on the main floor and 400 in the balcony. The theatre switched from live entertainment primarily to films.
In 1925, the Bixman became the Clinton Theatre – a full-time movie theater. On May 29, 1937, the theatre received a $30,000 streamlined makeover. Renamed the New Clinton Theatre with 750 seats and a and a Rainbow Vari-Colored lighting system from Russia, it launched with the film, “Oh Doctor.” Blonde Nu-Wood paneling hid the Bixman’s dated features. On November 11, 1937 a new marquee hailing the new name, the Uptown Theatre was ordered.
On July 11, 1946, the Uptown Theatre was destroyed along with a number of other businesses in a spectacular blaze. Saved was the original 1903 cornerstone which had a time capsule with many great artifacts from the 1903 time period. It was replaced by a new building housing Sears & Roebuck.
Lee L. Jones of Kansas City bought the Crancer Building in 1926 for conversion to what was going to be the Liberty Theatre. Architect W.W. Walther only left the from and side walls of the building in expanding the building’s rear to create an 885 seat theatre at opening with 560 main floor seats and 325 balcony seats. At opening Jones changed the name to the Lee Theatre which launched March 16, 1927. Its first sound film was “On With the Show” in 1927.
Ten years later, the Commonwealth Circuit took on the theatre. It closed November 10, 1959 with “Hound Dog Man.” When the updated Go-Sho Theater elsewhere in downtown was renamed the Crest Theatre, Commonwealth closed the Lee.
When the lease expired on the Lee at the end of August of 1962, its chairs were removed and moved to the Lyric Theatre in Harrison, Arkansas. On April 10, 1965, it was reopened as a live Country Music event venue still using the Lee Theatre nameplate. That lasted just three months with the Lee Theatre closing June 12, 1965.
The Palace Theatre was the African-American move theatre launched at 224 E. Third Street on April, 1, 1946 opening with the 1939 film, “Double Deal.” The Palace landed on the delinquent tax at the end of 1952 likely indicating the end of its run.
(Picture above is not the Palace Theatre.)
The Hope Drive-In Theatre launched on May 15, 1952 with the film, “Tomahawk.“ The Dixie may have closed as ads are discontinued after the September 18, 1977 showing of "Bingo Long and the Traveling All-Stars”
The Grand Theatre dates back to at least 1920. When it was purchased by Malco in 1930, the New Grand was closed and reopened October 29, 1930 as the Rialto. It was then closed during the Depression.
After a $15,000 makeover, Malco – citing improved business conditions – reopened the theatre Rialto Theatre on February 1, 1937. In 1952, Malco sold the New, Saenger and Rialto to M.S. McCord & Associates operated under the United Theatre Corporation circuit.
The final film at the Rialto was the exploitation film, “Mom and Dad” which played on November 14, 1957. After midnight, the theatre was gutted by a fire. A salvage sale the following February offered the theatre seats just prior to the building being converted for other retail purposes.
The Saenger Theatre opened September 25, 1927 with the film, “Stolen Brides.” That building burned down on Easter Sunday 1944 only the outer walls remaining intact. Due to WW2 shortages, a replacement theater was delayed until well after the War. This new streamlined version of the previous Saenger opened January 7, 1948 with Bob Hope starring in, “Where There’s Life.” The original 34.5' by 15' vertical sign was salvaged from the old theatre and rewired in neon for the new Saenger.
This venue opened as the Exchange Theatre on October 16, 1916 with Lillian Gish in “Sold for Marriage.” The architect was M. E. Worcester of Cape Girardeau, Mo. It was renamed during World War I as the more patriotic Liberty Theatre beginning on March 1, 1918. In 1927, the pipe organ from the Rodgers Circuit’s Carbondale, Illinois location was brought to the Liberty.
On November 1, 1937, the Liberty was renamed as the Rodgers Theatre. Rodgers had shut down the Bijou Theatre the prior day. In October of 1954, the Rodgers converted to widescreen for showing CinemaScope productions.
The last film show at the Rodgers Theatre was on January 29, 1956 with Ray Milland in “A Man Alone.” An ad later in 1956 sold off the 770 theatre chairs from the Rodgers.
For the 1955 to 1958 seasons, the theatre was renamed the Moonlight Drive-In Theatre. The theatre was purchased with the two indoor theaters as a group and does not have appeared to re-opened after the 1958 season.
L.W. Rodgers & Co. Theatre Circuit launched the Gem Theatre on January 15, 1942 with the film, “Tuxedo Junction.” The venue was built in the Pierce Building – formerly a grocery store – which was gutted and expanded for the Gem. The Rodgers Theatre became the second-run house operating primarily on weekends.
The Pierce Building conversion project actually dated back to the Strand Amusement Company of Tennessee acquiring the property in 1937 to build a theater. That project stalled and Rodgers – who was in the process of building a completely new theater – took on the languishing Pierce project.
Henry C. Tuttle launched the Cuba, Missouri’s first movie theater under the name of “Just-A-Mere Theatre” on January 23, 1921. Tuttle created a wrap-a-around ad with an Extra edition headline promoting the theatre and used newsboys to disseminate the information with cries of, “Extra, extra read all about it.” R.H. Finley took on the venue but closed it on May 30, 1925 with the equipment removed.
One year later, the Nicalee Theatre (Deluxe) opened in May of 1926 named in a contest by local resident Susan Everson. The silent theatre dropped “Deluxe” from its ads and converted to sound in April of 1930 rebranding briefly as the Cuba Theatre. In September of 1930, the name reverted to the Nicalee Theatre likely due to comments of loyal patrons. The Nicalee closed during the Depression in 1932. According to the local paper, it reopened under new operators on September 13, 1934 as the long-running Cuba Theatre.
Closed on November 4, 2018 awaiting a decision/vote on its designation as an historic landmark. If it isn’t designated as such, the theater would likely re-open.
According to the local newspaper and the trade press, that’s the original Fox Theatre Thomas Lamb architectural sketch proposal for Hackensack in 1929 with his signature. The $1.5 million, 3,500 seat theatre proposed project in 1929 was revised (see next photo’s inset for that sketch) to a more modest $500,000 theatre during 1930/1 likely due to the impact of the Depression.
Bert Wheeler of Wheeler and Woolsey made his first vaudeville appearance at the Lyric Theatre in Hackensack under the dancing act of Bert and Betty Wheeler. The Fabian Theatre Circuit took on the Lyric in 1926. But the theatre didn’t convert to sound and tried to hold on with live plays, events and vaudeville from 1928 until closing early in 1930.
In 1930, the Lyric was converted into two retail stores with office space above. The building housing the former Lyric was sold at auction for just $500 at a sheriff’s auction on March 13, 1935.
Launched as the United Theatre on December 25, 1917. C.V.R. Bogart was the architect. It became the Eureka Theatre relaunching March 10, 1919 with the film, “Out of the Fog.” Audiences were impressed by the Hope Jones Unite Wurlitzer organ and Simplex projection. The theatre appears to have closed June 10, 1950 after showings of “Destination Tokyo” and “God is My Co-Pilot.” The venue was retrofitted for office space use.
Architect Hector Hamilton called this a Roman-styled theatre. It launched with a $30,000 Marr and Colton Three-Manual organ. The 1,400-seat theatre’s grand opening was April 29, 1928 with the film, “Their Hour.”
Opened May 6, 1926 with “Lady Windermere’s Fan.” Architects David and William E. Lehman called it an 18th Century Chatham styled building. The million dollar theater had a $60,000 Moeller Four-Manual Console Organ designed by Robert Hope-Jones.
Closed on September 28, 2018. Box office phone was disconnected.
Appears to have closed after a September 5, 1987 Arnold triple feature of Commando, Predator and Raw Deal. The Dickinson chain decided not open for the 1988 season.
Opened as the Delharco Theatre on August 19, 1929 in the Lindeham Building with the film, “Lucky Boy.” It was likely a 20-year lease. The venue relaunched just months later as the Jayhawk Theatre, February 10, 1930. Movie listings stop in November of 1949 with assorted live events into 1953. The building was sold and the neighboring Gamble’s store retrofitted the space moved doubling its store size beginning in April of 1955.
Convention Hall was built in 1906 with a seating capacity of 2000 and said to be the largest stage in the state. On April 1, 1921, owner Joe Yeager took on the hall converting it to the Grand Theatre. John E. Kreger was the house artist. In 1930, the Strand and the Grand converted to Western Electric sound.
May 10, 1916 was the grand opening of the Strand launching with, “The Crippled Hand.” Appears to have completed its run July 4, 1966. A 1967 article says the space was converted for retail use.
The Rialto Theatre opened in May 28, 1921 with Tom Mix in “The Texan.” It had a Hope Jones Wurlitzer organ at its opening. But it went to a more compact Johnson organ when the Wurlitzer proved to be too large for the venue. The theatre got a $1,500 refresh in 1926 and was rechristened as the New Oakdale Theatre launching March 27, 1926. Fred Lahm bought the theatre in 1928.
On November 1, 1928, the venue became the Strand Theatre as it had both new operators and converted to talkies with a Russell Photophore sound system. Lahm switched the Strand to an RCA Photophone sound system on June 19, 1930.
Harvey Amusement bought the location from Lahm in June of 1936 as the venue was renamed the Oakdale Theatre on June 2, 1936. It was sold several times including to the Blumenfeld Theatre Circuit. Blumenfeld sold it in 1951 to Maurice A. Lathrop. In 1952, Lathrop converted the auditorium to a wider screen.
In June of 1963, the Oakdale Theatre was closed as unsafe. New operators reopened the venue in October of 1963. The theatre was closed on June 24, 1967 permanently. In 1968, the theatre was razed for a new bank.
The opening gala at the Walnut Wood Holiday Cinema 1 & 2 was held on November 30, 1979. The official grand opening was held on December 1, 1979 with the films, “The Villain,” and “Hot Stuff.” It was located in what was originally known as the Walnut Wood Shopping Center. The theatre appears to have opened and closed eight different times under a variety of operators. The architect of the theatre was John Elphick and launched with 476 seats (224 Cinema I and 252 in Cinema II).
Under new owners, the theatre relaunched as the Oakdale Cinema 1 and 2 on May 27, 1981 known as the Oakdale Cinemas. In 1982, the Walnut Wood Shopping Center signage was removed as the plaza became known as the Oakdale Plaza. Though the theatre retained its original Walnut Wood Cinema attractor, the operation became known as the Oakdale Plaza Cinema 1 & 2. The owners of the cinema went bankrupt and the theatre closed in the Spring of 1983.
The theatre had a grand re-opening May 27, 1983 under new operators. The cinema closed again at the end of its lease on September 28, 1986. But the theatre would relaunch on October 24, 1986 under new operators. Those operators closed the theatre on September 30, 1997. On February 13, 1998, the cinema reopened under new operators. The cinema closed on September 8, 1999.
The cinema re-emerged as noted above operating from July 16, 2004 to its next closing on September 4, 2005. Then the theatre was opened from 2007 to closing in 2013.