Dallas, I have a question to ask you. How many classic movie theaters (downtown theaters and classic shoeboxes) are still running movies in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex to this very day? I know that there’s not a lot left, but its not just because on how the Dallas-Fort Worth area is under a growth war.
The Family Theatre in Wilkes-Barre opened on August 26, 1907. This has nothing to be confused with a few other nearby theaters also named the Family Theatre.
The Diamond Theatre launched in late-1914 and closed around 1932. This has nothing to be confused with the Diamond Theatre in Hazleton, which operated around the same time.
The Irving Theatre launched on September 2, 1923 with Taylor Holmes in “Dust” (unknown if extras added). Movies ended at the Irving in 1942 but continued to operate as a popular special events house until the end of the war. It was dismantled in June 1953 and demolished in August 1957.
This operated as early as before World War I. The Crystal Theatre however, did survive a flooding event in June 1916, which prompted hundreds to shelter inside the Crystal auditorium.
The Milford Theatre opened as early as 1924, and closed as a movie theater on October 25, 1962 with Rock Hudson in “The Spiral Road” along with the first chapter of the “Batman & Robin” serial, an unnamed cartoon, and a newsreel. It reopened as a seasonal performing arts theater afterward.
The Casino Theatre opened in 1968 as a seasonal family-oriented theater, running a mix of first and second-run films. Its format would later flip to just first-run films only. In its later years, films were shown four-to-five-days-a-week instead of the usual seven-days in the 1980s.
The Hersker Theatre once originally planned to convert the original 650-seat single-screener into a 500-seat twin-screener with 250 seats in each screen by the end of 1988, but that idea was scrapped.
The Millville Theatre opened its doors on October 11, 1947 with “Stallion Road” (unknown if extras added). It was renamed the Roy Theatre in 1949, and closed on April 1, 1956 with the matinee of “Yellow Rose Of Texas” along with an unnamed Three Stooges comedy and four unnamed cartoons. The last normal attraction is “Three Stripes In The Sun” one day beforehand.
Very interesting! Thanks!
Dallas, I have a question to ask you. How many classic movie theaters (downtown theaters and classic shoeboxes) are still running movies in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex to this very day? I know that there’s not a lot left, but its not just because on how the Dallas-Fort Worth area is under a growth war.
Closed on November 18, 1993.
The Vogue Theatre closed on April 29, 1984 with “Terms Of Endearment”. It was once operated by RKO Stanley-Warner, and last operated as independent.
Closed by Loews on December 30, 1987 with “Baby Boom”.
The Family Theatre in Wilkes-Barre opened on August 26, 1907. This has nothing to be confused with a few other nearby theaters also named the Family Theatre.
The Diamond Theatre launched in late-1914 and closed around 1932. This has nothing to be confused with the Diamond Theatre in Hazleton, which operated around the same time.
The Irving Theatre launched on September 2, 1923 with Taylor Holmes in “Dust” (unknown if extras added). Movies ended at the Irving in 1942 but continued to operate as a popular special events house until the end of the war. It was dismantled in June 1953 and demolished in August 1957.
This operated as early as before World War I. The Crystal Theatre however, did survive a flooding event in June 1916, which prompted hundreds to shelter inside the Crystal auditorium.
Closed on June 26, 1976 with “The Great Scout And Cathouse Thursday”.
Closed on January 8, 1984 with “D.C. Cab”.
Closed in August 1970.
Closed by GCC on May 26, 1991 with “One Good Cop” in Screen 1 and “Dances With Wolves” in Screen 2.
Opened with “Only Two Can Play”.
It actually closed on September 27, 1980 with “When A Stranger Calls” and “Hollywood Knights”. The screen is already gone by 1985.
Closed on January 1, 2008.
The Milford Theatre opened as early as 1924, and closed as a movie theater on October 25, 1962 with Rock Hudson in “The Spiral Road” along with the first chapter of the “Batman & Robin” serial, an unnamed cartoon, and a newsreel. It reopened as a seasonal performing arts theater afterward.
Closed as a movie theater in the early-1960s.
The Casino Theatre opened in 1968 as a seasonal family-oriented theater, running a mix of first and second-run films. Its format would later flip to just first-run films only. In its later years, films were shown four-to-five-days-a-week instead of the usual seven-days in the 1980s.
The original closing date is August 14, 1988 with “Big” and “License To Drive”.
The Hersker Theatre once originally planned to convert the original 650-seat single-screener into a 500-seat twin-screener with 250 seats in each screen by the end of 1988, but that idea was scrapped.
The Millville Theatre opened its doors on October 11, 1947 with “Stallion Road” (unknown if extras added). It was renamed the Roy Theatre in 1949, and closed on April 1, 1956 with the matinee of “Yellow Rose Of Texas” along with an unnamed Three Stooges comedy and four unnamed cartoons. The last normal attraction is “Three Stripes In The Sun” one day beforehand.
Closed on January 7, 1956 with William Holden in “Love Is A Many Splendored Thing”, and became a church the following month.
The Strand closed in 1957 and was purchased in February 1958.
Actual closing date is April 4, 1978.