The Rook Theatre, named after owner Mr. Elmer D. Rook (formerly of Sayre and partially raised in Missouri), opened its doors on April 23, 1940 with Spencer Tracy in “Northwest Passage” along with the Rudolf Ising MGM cartoon “Home On The Range”, and was also the replacement of the nearby Lyric Theatre which closed two days before the opening of the Rook.
Information about the Rook as of 1940 goes as follows: The Rook is a 25x140ft structure built of tile, brick, and stucco as well as it being nearly fireproof. In color, the tall front is in oriental white with a trim of blue, orange, yellow, and wine which makes the front an unusual attractiveness. The marquee in color is made out of steel construction with neon lighting in blue, red, green, rose, and white. The projection booth is also structed fireproof. In the lobby is the glass enclosed ticket office, and on each side of the lobby are double swinging doors lead into the foyer off of which are the restrooms, powder nook, and the stairway leading to the second floor. The foyer featured mantle, and in the inside foyer or standee is the drinking fountains. The standee opens into the main auditorium, and in the second floor are the projection room, the office, and the observation parlor or guest room. The basement housed the heating unit below the auditorium.
The carpeting used was underlaid with 3-4in feit covering the entire floor, with neutral shades while the draperies are chartreuse and gold in color. The lighting design featured a total of three 6ft tubing with purple neon lights and each tube supports a bright light decorate on each wall. The art featured a striking feature, with decorations dedicating to Indians, which featured the combinations of the Incas, Aztecs, and the Mayans, with most of those decorations are the original work of Kenneth Watson, an Oklahoma City resident who studied at the Art Institute in Chicago, and Ralph Taylor, who acquired his education in art at the University of Oklahoma and the Columbia University. The walls of the outside foyer are bordered with Aztec designs against a dusty pink background. The same design was also carried out in the ceiling of the foyer. The powder room which opens off the outside foyer is decorated with a fan and powder puff design. Decorating the low partition wall which separates the inside foyer form the auditorium is the design of an Indian face on a knife with Indian wampum trim.
Inside the auditorium contains ivory celatex ceiling background and down the center of the ceiling are designs of Indian faces and the fish design used in Indian art. Those walls are also bordered with an Indian wampum design at the top against burnt slena in three colors, while the base of the wall are purple bordered walls being centered with panels painted in buff colors. On the sides of these panels are Indian pueblo, scenes of cactus, a campfire, and the setting sun. At the base of the columns on each side of the stage is an Indian drum design above which are zigzag lighting designs. And finally, at the top, are painted sunflowers. The theater was built with an estimate $15,000 in construction.
An auditorium fire destroyed the theater in 1972, and was rebuilt. The Rook was later renamed the Rook Cinema, followed by a short stint as the “Mervin’s Video & Theater” before its closing in the mid-2010s. The original 1940 marquee made a return to the Rook Theatre shortly after its closure.
50sSNIPES
commented about
Workzon
Feb 15, 2025 at 3:54 pm
The Cornell Theatre opened around 1916 and closed in 2005. It started life as the Lyric Theatre, and later the Gem Theatre, before officially renaming it the Cornell Theatre in the late-1940s.
After screening “Tomorrow Never Dies” just before Christmas in December 1997, the Cornell Theatre closed and sat abandoned for several months. It wasn’t until the husband-and-wife team of Tim and Susan Smith renovated the theater and reopened on May 1, 1998 with a 14-day run of the smash “Titanic”. In June 1999, Jay and Rusty Simmons took over as owners.
The Plaza Theatre building also housed a live performance house called the “D'Jais” which later became the Copa Club on January 25, 1953. It was still operating as a movie theater at the time. Unfortunately I cannot find as much detail.
Ella Fitzgerald once appeared at the “D'Jais” shortly after the death of the war in October 1945.
50sSNIPES
commented about
Workzon
Feb 14, 2025 at 3:34 pm
Opened with Walt Disney’s “The Fighting Price Of Donegal” in Screen 1 (it was completely unknown if “Winnie The Pooh And The Honey Tree” was added as a return engagement there despite the short being reissued from the same attraction and that being unlisted in the advertisements) and William Holden in “Alvarez Kelly” in Screen 2.
The Shawano Cinema I & II opened its doors on June 30, 1989 with “Honey I Shrunk The Kids” and “Tummy Trouble” in Screen 1 and “Il Pet Seminary” in Screen 2. A third screen was added a short time later.
On July 20, 1996, the locally-based Keller Structures Incorporated had announced that the theater will expand to six screens. But unfortunately it later turned out to be just one screen in the late-1990s, making a total to four screens.
The 150-car Moonlight Drive-In opened its gates on September 30, 2000, with its 34x88ft screen being salvaged from the now-razed 57 Outdoor Theatre in Grafton which closed after the 1985 season.
It appears that this closed on September 7, 1966 with “Dear John” and “S*x And The Single Girl”. This was later known as the Fly-In Drive-In #1, due to a second Fly-In opening nearby. It was last operated by Walter Reede who operated the theater since April 1958.
Correction: The Village Twin Theatre closed for the final time on January 31, 1998, not October 5, 1995.
It was last owned by Ted Bare alongside his company known as “Dan Marchetta Realty Inc.”, who also operated several other movie houses across Northeast Ohio including the Garrettsville Cinemas, the Medina Twin Theatre, the Highland Square Theatre in Akron, the Linda Theatre in Goodyear Heights, and the Falls Theatre in Cuyahoga Falls.
There are two Mooreland Theatres in its history. The first Mooreland Theatre opened its doors on March 13, 1936 with Ross Alexander in “Boulder Dam” along with an unnamed comedy and novelty, but that was closed in January 1941 when it was purchased by the undersigned and became a drug store.
The second Mooreland Theatre was built next door to the drug store that was once the first Mooreland Theatre. It first had a soft opening on February 8, 1946, followed by an official grand opening two days later on February 10, 1946 with Jack Haley in “Sing Your Way Home” (unknown if extras added).
Information about the Mooreland Theatre as of 1946 goes as follows: The theater was built with an estimate $20,000 in construction. The front of the building was finished in tan colored tile laid up in 4in squares with light brown border of the same material, blending into the tan colored face brick above with an marquee over the entrance. That was also decorated with a face brick of brown. The ticket booth reaches out in the center of the entrance vestibule and double entrance leading in on either side to the spacious foyer or lobby. Two doors then lead into the auditorium. The entrance outside the ticket booth is laid with tile flooring with the two walls curving from the two sides to the recessed front doors on either side. One steps from the tile floor into the rich green rug of the lobby. Comfort facilities at the lobby include a men’s bathroom on the left and the women’s lounge and bathroom on the right. There are also drinking fountains placed at the left wall of the lobby.
Inside the auditorium features heavily draped entrances leading to the double aisles, and seating arrangements are made up with the center section with staggering chair placement. There is a side section in both directions (left and right) placed on an angle making less interference with screen vision from the patron ahead. The seats are shaped and cushioned in green leather upholstery mounted on the sloping auditorium floor of the correct slope to make for comfort in viewing the 11x14ft Valencia-shielded silver screen. The entire interior is finished in modernistic design with the base of the walls in deep green coloring blending in to lighter and lighter hues until melting away into the ivory ceiling. Silver strips separate the various blends of green. A rainbow type lighting indirects of light diffusion. The gallery which featured a 10x12ft projection booth with Century projection, a spacious office room, and storage room is fireproof-built.
Opened as early as 1913, still open in 1921.
The Rook Theatre, named after owner Mr. Elmer D. Rook (formerly of Sayre and partially raised in Missouri), opened its doors on April 23, 1940 with Spencer Tracy in “Northwest Passage” along with the Rudolf Ising MGM cartoon “Home On The Range”, and was also the replacement of the nearby Lyric Theatre which closed two days before the opening of the Rook.
Information about the Rook as of 1940 goes as follows: The Rook is a 25x140ft structure built of tile, brick, and stucco as well as it being nearly fireproof. In color, the tall front is in oriental white with a trim of blue, orange, yellow, and wine which makes the front an unusual attractiveness. The marquee in color is made out of steel construction with neon lighting in blue, red, green, rose, and white. The projection booth is also structed fireproof. In the lobby is the glass enclosed ticket office, and on each side of the lobby are double swinging doors lead into the foyer off of which are the restrooms, powder nook, and the stairway leading to the second floor. The foyer featured mantle, and in the inside foyer or standee is the drinking fountains. The standee opens into the main auditorium, and in the second floor are the projection room, the office, and the observation parlor or guest room. The basement housed the heating unit below the auditorium.
The carpeting used was underlaid with 3-4in feit covering the entire floor, with neutral shades while the draperies are chartreuse and gold in color. The lighting design featured a total of three 6ft tubing with purple neon lights and each tube supports a bright light decorate on each wall. The art featured a striking feature, with decorations dedicating to Indians, which featured the combinations of the Incas, Aztecs, and the Mayans, with most of those decorations are the original work of Kenneth Watson, an Oklahoma City resident who studied at the Art Institute in Chicago, and Ralph Taylor, who acquired his education in art at the University of Oklahoma and the Columbia University. The walls of the outside foyer are bordered with Aztec designs against a dusty pink background. The same design was also carried out in the ceiling of the foyer. The powder room which opens off the outside foyer is decorated with a fan and powder puff design. Decorating the low partition wall which separates the inside foyer form the auditorium is the design of an Indian face on a knife with Indian wampum trim.
Inside the auditorium contains ivory celatex ceiling background and down the center of the ceiling are designs of Indian faces and the fish design used in Indian art. Those walls are also bordered with an Indian wampum design at the top against burnt slena in three colors, while the base of the wall are purple bordered walls being centered with panels painted in buff colors. On the sides of these panels are Indian pueblo, scenes of cactus, a campfire, and the setting sun. At the base of the columns on each side of the stage is an Indian drum design above which are zigzag lighting designs. And finally, at the top, are painted sunflowers. The theater was built with an estimate $15,000 in construction.
An auditorium fire destroyed the theater in 1972, and was rebuilt. The Rook was later renamed the Rook Cinema, followed by a short stint as the “Mervin’s Video & Theater” before its closing in the mid-2010s. The original 1940 marquee made a return to the Rook Theatre shortly after its closure.
Once operated by National Theatre Corp.
The Cornell Theatre opened around 1916 and closed in 2005. It started life as the Lyric Theatre, and later the Gem Theatre, before officially renaming it the Cornell Theatre in the late-1940s.
After screening “Tomorrow Never Dies” just before Christmas in December 1997, the Cornell Theatre closed and sat abandoned for several months. It wasn’t until the husband-and-wife team of Tim and Susan Smith renovated the theater and reopened on May 1, 1998 with a 14-day run of the smash “Titanic”. In June 1999, Jay and Rusty Simmons took over as owners.
Converted into both a chapel and a school in January 1964.
The Plaza Theatre building also housed a live performance house called the “D'Jais” which later became the Copa Club on January 25, 1953. It was still operating as a movie theater at the time. Unfortunately I cannot find as much detail.
Closed in 1990.
Opened with Walt Disney’s “The Fighting Price Of Donegal” in Screen 1 (it was completely unknown if “Winnie The Pooh And The Honey Tree” was added as a return engagement there despite the short being reissued from the same attraction and that being unlisted in the advertisements) and William Holden in “Alvarez Kelly” in Screen 2.
The Gilman Theatre was renamed the Grand Gilman Theatre in 2022 and began screening first-run films for the first time since the 1984 fire.
The Shawano Cinema I & II opened its doors on June 30, 1989 with “Honey I Shrunk The Kids” and “Tummy Trouble” in Screen 1 and “Il Pet Seminary” in Screen 2. A third screen was added a short time later.
On July 20, 1996, the locally-based Keller Structures Incorporated had announced that the theater will expand to six screens. But unfortunately it later turned out to be just one screen in the late-1990s, making a total to four screens.
The 150-car Moonlight Drive-In opened its gates on September 30, 2000, with its 34x88ft screen being salvaged from the now-razed 57 Outdoor Theatre in Grafton which closed after the 1985 season.
The Palace became the Shawano on November 27, 1931.
Closed on December 1, 1976 with “Silent Movie”.
Opened on September 9, 2005.
Closed on June 22, 1996.
It appears that this closed on September 7, 1966 with “Dear John” and “S*x And The Single Girl”. This was later known as the Fly-In Drive-In #1, due to a second Fly-In opening nearby. It was last operated by Walter Reede who operated the theater since April 1958.
Um, are you sure that this is appropriate enough for an advertisement?
Edited from my October 2, 2020 (10:30 AM) comment:
Walter Reade took over the theater on September 19, 1968. The Neptune City Theatre closed for the final time on May 31, 1985 with “Beverly Hills Cop”.
Cleveland Cinemas operated the Center Mayfield from 1985 until 1995.
Correction: The Village Twin Theatre closed for the final time on January 31, 1998, not October 5, 1995.
It was last owned by Ted Bare alongside his company known as “Dan Marchetta Realty Inc.”, who also operated several other movie houses across Northeast Ohio including the Garrettsville Cinemas, the Medina Twin Theatre, the Highland Square Theatre in Akron, the Linda Theatre in Goodyear Heights, and the Falls Theatre in Cuyahoga Falls.
The actual closing date is April 30, 2000. It was last operated by Cleveland Cinemas and was last managed by Crystal Knight.
Opened on May 22, 1969.
Opened on February 8, 2001.
Opened on September 24, 1950 with Glenn Ford in “The Return Of October” (unknown if extras added).
There are two Mooreland Theatres in its history. The first Mooreland Theatre opened its doors on March 13, 1936 with Ross Alexander in “Boulder Dam” along with an unnamed comedy and novelty, but that was closed in January 1941 when it was purchased by the undersigned and became a drug store.
The second Mooreland Theatre was built next door to the drug store that was once the first Mooreland Theatre. It first had a soft opening on February 8, 1946, followed by an official grand opening two days later on February 10, 1946 with Jack Haley in “Sing Your Way Home” (unknown if extras added).
Information about the Mooreland Theatre as of 1946 goes as follows: The theater was built with an estimate $20,000 in construction. The front of the building was finished in tan colored tile laid up in 4in squares with light brown border of the same material, blending into the tan colored face brick above with an marquee over the entrance. That was also decorated with a face brick of brown. The ticket booth reaches out in the center of the entrance vestibule and double entrance leading in on either side to the spacious foyer or lobby. Two doors then lead into the auditorium. The entrance outside the ticket booth is laid with tile flooring with the two walls curving from the two sides to the recessed front doors on either side. One steps from the tile floor into the rich green rug of the lobby. Comfort facilities at the lobby include a men’s bathroom on the left and the women’s lounge and bathroom on the right. There are also drinking fountains placed at the left wall of the lobby.
Inside the auditorium features heavily draped entrances leading to the double aisles, and seating arrangements are made up with the center section with staggering chair placement. There is a side section in both directions (left and right) placed on an angle making less interference with screen vision from the patron ahead. The seats are shaped and cushioned in green leather upholstery mounted on the sloping auditorium floor of the correct slope to make for comfort in viewing the 11x14ft Valencia-shielded silver screen. The entire interior is finished in modernistic design with the base of the walls in deep green coloring blending in to lighter and lighter hues until melting away into the ivory ceiling. Silver strips separate the various blends of green. A rainbow type lighting indirects of light diffusion. The gallery which featured a 10x12ft projection booth with Century projection, a spacious office room, and storage room is fireproof-built.
This started life as the Folly Theatre as early as the 1920s, and was renamed the Rex Theatre in February 1939.