The Royal Theatre opened its doors on September 8, 1933 with Lionel Barrymore in “Strangers Return” along with an unnamed Little Rascals short, and was first managed by L.L. Shaw Jr.
The Gem Theatre opened in 1914 and closed around 1930. The Gem then sat abandoned for more than a decade until it was renovated in mid-1943. It reopened in September of that same year by manager Joe Toma, and closed around 1949 (possibly due to the opening of the nearby Franroy Theatre).
The Alamo Theatre opened its doors on June 24, 1937 with the Marx Brothers in “A Day At The Races” (unknown if extras added), featuring Simplex projection and a Universal sound system. The building measures 40x110ft with the stage 20x40ft, and originally housed 380 seats when it opened.
The Lyric Theatre opened its doors on June 12, 1920 with Wallace Reid in “The Valley Of The Giants” and Fatty Arbuckle in “The Butcher’s Boy” along with a light show and music by a six-piece orchestra. Otherwise, unknown if any extras added. It was first managed by John Bartholomew.
The Fort Union Drive-In opened its gates on May 20, 1960 with Robert Taylor in “Killers of Kilimanjaro” and Audie Murphy in “No Name On The Bullet” (unknown if extras added).
I cannot find a single grand opening advertisement, but there was a surviving photo with a shot of both the marquee and sign taken around a day or two before grand opening.
The Northfield Cinemas opened its doors on Christmas Eve 1969 with “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” in Screen 1 and “The Reivers” in Screen 2.
Toby is 100% correct on its early ownership, because in its early years, the Northfield was a Cinemette theater for several years, and then it became independently-operated afterward. The Northfield Cinema closed for the final time in May 1999 due to the popularity over the nearby Cinemark as well as the Northfield Cinema’s building being worn-out.
It first opened with an unknown Hollywood sneak preview, but its first attraction was the following day with Bing Crosby in “Emperor Waltz” along with an unnamed Popeye, an unnamed Screen Song, and an unnamed musical short.
That abandoned building used to be a Walmart which opened on October 29, 1996 and closed on April 16, 2007 due to a Supercenter relocation. The original location later reopened a couple months later as The Fixture Place but that was closed by the end of the year.
I think operating a drive-in theater at a parking lot leading to an abandoned ex-Walmart building is both ridiculous and completely stupid at the same time.
The Sanyukan was renamed the Nikkatsukan in 1938, and was renamed the “Toho Plaza” in 1975 when it began screening under the Toho’s foreign film policy. It was twinned on March 26, 1981, and closed on August 31, 2011.
After its closure, the basement became a live music venue named the Messe Hall on site of the former Screen 2. That was renamed the BFH Hall on January 1, 2017. On July 22, 2020, a four-screen movie theater called the Satsugeki opened on the former site of the Toho Plaza.
The Super Twin Drive-Ins opened its gates on June 8, 1973 with “Shamus” and “Stand Up To Be Counted” in Screen 1 and “The Valachi Papers” and “The Burglars” in Screen 2.
The Super Twin housed 900 cars (with 450 in each screen), and featured RCA projection with 6,000-foot reels and X6000 Xenon lamps as well as a red and blue color scheme for both screens (red for Screen 1 and blue for Screen 2). It was first managed Les Hagwood who was also the former staff technician for then-primary CBS (now ABC) affiliate WTOK-TV in Meridian, Mississippi.
The main screen was blown by Hurricane Frederick on September 12, 1979, while the second screen survived the scenario. I’m very sure it closed afterward.
There is an another silent era movie house in Algonquin also operated by the Erst Brothers called the Grand Theatre. Unfortunately I don’t have any information about it. I only found information directly from a May 1917 article, so it’s unconfirmed that the name came from here or nearby.
The Yurakucho Center building on the site of the Nippon Gekijo Theatre (AKA the Japan Theatre) also housed a three-screen movie theater all directly operated by Toho, which will have its own Cinema Treasures page soon. The Nippon Gekijo Theatre also went under the name “Nichigeki Theatre” in its later years.
The actual address is 2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100.
The Blue Moon Theatre opened its doors on June 29, 1934 with ZaSu Pitts in “Private Scandal” along with an unnamed Popeye and an unnamed comedy.
The Royal Theatre opened its doors on September 8, 1933 with Lionel Barrymore in “Strangers Return” along with an unnamed Little Rascals short, and was first managed by L.L. Shaw Jr.
The Gem Theatre opened in 1914 and closed around 1930. The Gem then sat abandoned for more than a decade until it was renovated in mid-1943. It reopened in September of that same year by manager Joe Toma, and closed around 1949 (possibly due to the opening of the nearby Franroy Theatre).
Opened in the late-1940s.
The Alamo Theatre opened its doors on June 24, 1937 with the Marx Brothers in “A Day At The Races” (unknown if extras added), featuring Simplex projection and a Universal sound system. The building measures 40x110ft with the stage 20x40ft, and originally housed 380 seats when it opened.
The Lyric Theatre opened its doors on June 12, 1920 with Wallace Reid in “The Valley Of The Giants” and Fatty Arbuckle in “The Butcher’s Boy” along with a light show and music by a six-piece orchestra. Otherwise, unknown if any extras added. It was first managed by John Bartholomew.
Closed in May 1966.
Opened by National Theatre Corp on December 10, 1982.
Wow, I wonder what MGM technicolor movie they’re showing that day.
The Fort Union Drive-In opened its gates on May 20, 1960 with Robert Taylor in “Killers of Kilimanjaro” and Audie Murphy in “No Name On The Bullet” (unknown if extras added).
Is that Madison Skyway sign marquee located inside the Mentor Twin’s concession building?
The Stillwell Theatre opened its doors on March 5, 1942 with Jimmy Durante in “You’re In The Army Now” (unknown if extras added).
Opened either in or around Spring 1915.
I’m very sure that’s probably one of the smallest continuously-operating first-run movie houses in America.
The Northfield Cinemas opened its doors on Christmas Eve 1969 with “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” in Screen 1 and “The Reivers” in Screen 2.
Toby is 100% correct on its early ownership, because in its early years, the Northfield was a Cinemette theater for several years, and then it became independently-operated afterward. The Northfield Cinema closed for the final time in May 1999 due to the popularity over the nearby Cinemark as well as the Northfield Cinema’s building being worn-out.
It first opened with an unknown Hollywood sneak preview, but its first attraction was the following day with Bing Crosby in “Emperor Waltz” along with an unnamed Popeye, an unnamed Screen Song, and an unnamed musical short.
Opened on September 20, 1996.
Ex-Walmart building (1996-2007)
That abandoned building used to be a Walmart which opened on October 29, 1996 and closed on April 16, 2007 due to a Supercenter relocation. The original location later reopened a couple months later as The Fixture Place but that was closed by the end of the year.
I think operating a drive-in theater at a parking lot leading to an abandoned ex-Walmart building is both ridiculous and completely stupid at the same time.
The Sanyukan was renamed the Nikkatsukan in 1938, and was renamed the “Toho Plaza” in 1975 when it began screening under the Toho’s foreign film policy. It was twinned on March 26, 1981, and closed on August 31, 2011.
After its closure, the basement became a live music venue named the Messe Hall on site of the former Screen 2. That was renamed the BFH Hall on January 1, 2017. On July 22, 2020, a four-screen movie theater called the Satsugeki opened on the former site of the Toho Plaza.
The Super Twin Drive-Ins opened its gates on June 8, 1973 with “Shamus” and “Stand Up To Be Counted” in Screen 1 and “The Valachi Papers” and “The Burglars” in Screen 2.
The Super Twin housed 900 cars (with 450 in each screen), and featured RCA projection with 6,000-foot reels and X6000 Xenon lamps as well as a red and blue color scheme for both screens (red for Screen 1 and blue for Screen 2). It was first managed Les Hagwood who was also the former staff technician for then-primary CBS (now ABC) affiliate WTOK-TV in Meridian, Mississippi.
The main screen was blown by Hurricane Frederick on September 12, 1979, while the second screen survived the scenario. I’m very sure it closed afterward.
This closed in the 1990s (the theater name was still used in 1998 but was unconfirmed if it was opened at the time or not).
For a brief time, it became the Norris Performing Arts Center but that closed in the early-2010s.
There is an another silent era movie house in Algonquin also operated by the Erst Brothers called the Grand Theatre. Unfortunately I don’t have any information about it. I only found information directly from a May 1917 article, so it’s unconfirmed that the name came from here or nearby.
The Yurakucho Center building on the site of the Nippon Gekijo Theatre (AKA the Japan Theatre) also housed a three-screen movie theater all directly operated by Toho, which will have its own Cinema Treasures page soon. The Nippon Gekijo Theatre also went under the name “Nichigeki Theatre” in its later years.
The actual address is 2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100.