Per the Overview: “Today a Hobby Lobby and Lawton Mall occupy the property.” Which is still the case.
The later SW 11th St & Coombs Road location appears to still be vacant.
With what could be faint remains of the drive-in property per the March 2024 Google Street View.
Sometimes this site is really slow.
I’ve in the past had to convert photos from JPEG to PNG or back again to get them to post.
To get CT to read them differently or something.
Address appears to be 110 N. Second Street, which is US-522.
Building is still standing to the right of an F&M Trust drive thru facility.
July 1946 print ad added to gallery.
CinemaTour indicates it originally opened in 1938 on Main Street.
Did a Google street view and there are multiple buildings in which it could have been located.
Additional history and photo added credit The Windsor Star.
“A fire believed to have started from faulty wiring in the switch room destroyed the drive-in theatre. Estimate loss of $50,000 (about $515,000 in 2023 dollars).
The image shows the living quarters on fire below the theatres screen (back of) which also burned down. Three children and 2 adult parents (father was the projectionist) lived in the dwelling but were all safe. It was owned by John Dydzak for 11 years at that time. He lived next door to the drive-in.
It took 3 hours to extinguish the fire as Firefighters were hampered by water problems, experiencing freezing fire hose lines with minus -4 Celsius (28.4 Fahrenheit) weather that morning.
The theatre was covered by insurance and re-opened that spring.”
No announcement or schedule as of yet on their official website or Facebook page below.
I have reached out to them for confirmation.
Nothing in the news since a grant they received in mid June.
All links below.
This is the last paragraph.
Do they have the time line wrong?
I now remember seeing “Xanadu” the stage play there in 2007.
In the round, or half round maybe…
“In May of 2005, the former 5-7 screens of the movie house on Chestnut Street were reopened after a conversion into a single auditorium seating 549 as the Drury Lane Water Tower Theatre. Like the other Drury Lane Theatre in suburban Oakbrook Terrace, the theatre will present live musical theatre. In September 2010 it was renamed Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and is operated by Broadway in Chicago.”
Thank you.
Your updates help the Admins fix the Overviews with ownership changes.
I just chimed in so that the opening date gets reviewed by them before making changes if needed.
In this case I’d say it does not.
Thank you for all your posts.
Although the link I posted in 2022 has the May 22, 1947 date listed below the article and not on it, and “A Night in Casablanca” was released May 10, 1946, May 22, 1947 is confirmed as a Thursday as the article states. I tend to believe the Boone County Register.
There was a preview that Wednesday night.
We might have to search other local newspapers for those dates to confirm 1947 over 1946.
But my guess is someone at Boxoffice at the time looked up what year that film was released, and went with it as the opening year.
1937 Bijou calendar image added to gallery with interior photos, credit John Kehler.
Also additional history in Heritage Winnipeg link below.
It opened January 1906.
Comic actor Bill Hader worked there in 1998. He tells a story in this Facebook reels link below. Highlighting and opening in a new tab works if you are already logged into Facebook.
The photo added on 5/25/24 is not from May 25, 1977. The photo is from Waukegan’s Scoop The Loop car cruise, the night that footage was shot for a teaser trailer for the film “5-25-77” per the film’s writer and director Patrick Read Johnson. That marquee pictured was replaced for it’s 2004 reopening, and the Mustang pictured is an `89. “Star Wars” did not open there on that date either. It opened at the Genesee Theatre on June 15, 1977.
It is also a crisper version of the below duplicate 2017 posting which should be removed.
Per the Overview: “Today a Hobby Lobby and Lawton Mall occupy the property.” Which is still the case. The later SW 11th St & Coombs Road location appears to still be vacant. With what could be faint remains of the drive-in property per the March 2024 Google Street View.
Correct. Demolished in March 2023. I posted this link with demolition story and photos that November..
https://wgrd.com/demolition-of-the-legendary-orbit-room-in-grand-rapids-has-begun/
Updated website for The Ritz below. (original link not working above)
https://www.theritztheater.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFg-p1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHW57GR6lhJFgUNeCSLGeMU6ZJdEGepGYZZXDQylAY_o__aKBXG0salpNYQ_aem_e6rZsFsGYKW8AxUzxMZvbQ
Update: 06/26/63 photo credit John Chuckman Collection. “Cleopatra” ran 06/26/63-02/04/64.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/chuckmans-collection-chicago-postcards-volume-16-photo-chicago-state-lake-theater-state-and-lake-ni–509399407827748539/
“The Side Show of Life” was released 7/21/24.
It is still Fellowship Bible Church today. Marquee appears restored since the 2010 photo.
Sometimes this site is really slow. I’ve in the past had to convert photos from JPEG to PNG or back again to get them to post. To get CT to read them differently or something.
Address appears to be 110 N. Second Street, which is US-522. Building is still standing to the right of an F&M Trust drive thru facility. July 1946 print ad added to gallery.
Per Double Door owners tonight: “Not yet! But soon.”
CinemaTour indicates it originally opened in 1938 on Main Street. Did a Google street view and there are multiple buildings in which it could have been located.
Photo taken January 3, 1978.
The Follies burned down the next day.
Additional history and photo added credit The Windsor Star.
“A fire believed to have started from faulty wiring in the switch room destroyed the drive-in theatre. Estimate loss of $50,000 (about $515,000 in 2023 dollars). The image shows the living quarters on fire below the theatres screen (back of) which also burned down. Three children and 2 adult parents (father was the projectionist) lived in the dwelling but were all safe. It was owned by John Dydzak for 11 years at that time. He lived next door to the drive-in. It took 3 hours to extinguish the fire as Firefighters were hampered by water problems, experiencing freezing fire hose lines with minus -4 Celsius (28.4 Fahrenheit) weather that morning. The theatre was covered by insurance and re-opened that spring.”
No announcement or schedule as of yet on their official website or Facebook page below. I have reached out to them for confirmation. Nothing in the news since a grant they received in mid June. All links below.
https://www.doubledoor.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0f31MMKG75VrgQm8Tyea3938h95GXZohe0VNa6XfCwNVDmFRuX-_kf4SA_aem_B-mMnyL-Mv4PCnIrfCZ0iw
https://www.facebook.com/DoubleDoorChi
https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/06/17/double-door-theater-restoration-in-uptown-gets-5-million-city-grant/
This is the last paragraph. Do they have the time line wrong? I now remember seeing “Xanadu” the stage play there in 2007. In the round, or half round maybe…
“In May of 2005, the former 5-7 screens of the movie house on Chestnut Street were reopened after a conversion into a single auditorium seating 549 as the Drury Lane Water Tower Theatre. Like the other Drury Lane Theatre in suburban Oakbrook Terrace, the theatre will present live musical theatre. In September 2010 it was renamed Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and is operated by Broadway in Chicago.”
It is mentioned in the Overview and Previous Names in the right hand column. I believe I saw “Vanities” there among others circa `81.
Thank you. Your updates help the Admins fix the Overviews with ownership changes. I just chimed in so that the opening date gets reviewed by them before making changes if needed. In this case I’d say it does not. Thank you for all your posts.
Although the link I posted in 2022 has the May 22, 1947 date listed below the article and not on it, and “A Night in Casablanca” was released May 10, 1946, May 22, 1947 is confirmed as a Thursday as the article states. I tend to believe the Boone County Register. There was a preview that Wednesday night. We might have to search other local newspapers for those dates to confirm 1947 over 1946. But my guess is someone at Boxoffice at the time looked up what year that film was released, and went with it as the opening year.
Appears to have been Demolished based on Street View.
Update: Photo credit George Krambles.
July 1954 35mm slide credit Vintage Roadside added via their Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=905036128090999&set=a.538211384773477
Demolition is imminent per this May 27, 2024 KSL.com article.
https://www.ksl.com/article/51023660/end-of-an-era-motor-vu-drive-in-will-soon-be-demolished-to-make-way-for-housing?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=news&utm_content=weber&utm_id=120208308405220784&utm_term=120208308405300784&fbclid=IwAR2wNgUApsXVGNmt-vnR95Pbu5_-Ol-FX_Kfo_81woVEmw8xYkrQZduKe4g_aem_AU4582yfGQdwFQdr7lyncwCVUVrnLHUcL1_xVtmOtRCBc4LLoH8rTHM6XFRyCjAFqOn1g5AN_LxB20Yca_rAeBtn
1960s photo added credit John Kehler.
1937 Bijou calendar image added to gallery with interior photos, credit John Kehler. Also additional history in Heritage Winnipeg link below. It opened January 1906.
https://heritagewinnipeg.com/blogs/bijou-theatre-burning-down-the-house/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0qx7Xc75V5u-tXtfMjzdGTXV8Lh3EAYm1ow5GoNpVhbT3WiGWnpF7HxGs_aem_AfqFJFvB_Dhef24yRjOS4QJ6goj4VlyrvdcEnYFhanV1atjLVFH8ccU7kQH9lkkUl-42MFDVajZoh1UeWdOFEdyk
Comic actor Bill Hader worked there in 1998. He tells a story in this Facebook reels link below. Highlighting and opening in a new tab works if you are already logged into Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1126734285331074
The photo added on 5/25/24 is not from May 25, 1977. The photo is from Waukegan’s Scoop The Loop car cruise, the night that footage was shot for a teaser trailer for the film “5-25-77” per the film’s writer and director Patrick Read Johnson. That marquee pictured was replaced for it’s 2004 reopening, and the Mustang pictured is an `89. “Star Wars” did not open there on that date either. It opened at the Genesee Theatre on June 15, 1977. It is also a crisper version of the below duplicate 2017 posting which should be removed.
https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/299/photos/196617