Collins Conrad of the Conrad Theatre in Breaux Bridge opened in the existing Christman-Riseman Building on April 1, 1933 with “Louisiana” as the opening title. Conrad sold the venue for $10,000 transferring the remaining time on the 10-year lease on July 1, 1934 to new operators who changed its name to the Delta Theatre the next year in April of 1935.
Had a three manual Conn Connsonata organ. It closed at the end of lease on August 5, 1967 with “Poppy is also a Flower”. It continued with live events - mostly gospel music - through 1971 before becoming an auction house.
Arcitects Tuttle & Ross revealed the Elks Theatre plans in 1905. Work was suspended delaying the Elks launch to November of 1907. The Elks closed March 5, 1954 with “Kid from Amarillo” and “Northwest Territory” supposed by the last chapter go the “Black Hawk” serial. In October of 1954, the theater portion of the venue was converted to office space.
A.C. Austin built the post-War, 525-seat Fox Theatre likely using stimulus funds from the G.I. Bill. W.H. Currin was the architect of the $40,000 venue opening on July 10, 1947. Austin would add a drive-in in Ardmore operating the Fox seasonally.
Like many small town theaters, the Fox succumbed to pressures from free, over the air television. It was auctioned off in September of 1961. The venue continued briefly under new operators that December.
Rumblings about thirty minutes away in Huntsville changed the Fox’s course of history in the early 1970s. Under attack by the local Huntsville District Attorney, General Corp. - operators of the Fox Cinema in downtown Huntsville - decided to open a safer haven location of the Fox across the boarder in Ardmore. It launched on June 28, 1972 with unrated adult films.
The Fox in Huntsville was padlocked along with the two other porno chic era adult houses on January 10, 1973 in Huntsville. So folks had the chance to travel to Ardmore. Under Eastern Amusement Co. operation, “bumper to bumper” traffic was reported from Huntsville to Ardmore as “Deep Throat,” “The Devil in Miss Jones,” and “Behind the Green Door” proved to be huge hits. So a new Tennessee obscenity law was passed in March of 1974 within the milieu of the Supreme Court’s historic Miller v. California decisions.
George Echols, operator of the Fox, found the venue padlocked on July 8, 1974 - interestingly, at the same time that the folks doing the crackdown were running for office. Following a restraining order that reopened the venue, the Fox was padlocked during a double-feature of “Divorcee” and “Stag Maker” on July 17, 1974. The operator filed a $1 million lawsuit demanding return of both “Divorcee” and “Stag Maker,” and a request to reopen.
The theater prevailed and was set to reopen on August 18, 1974 but nobody could locate the keys used to open the lock. So the next day had to do. The Fox operated until end of lease on May 31, 1985 lasting into the video era and closing with three unrated adult features.
Address: 1015 West Lee Clarksdale, MS 38614 in the Westgate Shopping Center - still standing in the mid 2020s. The Westgate closed at the 15-year leasing opt out with “Making Contact” on September 1, 1986.
The origins of this venue was when A.N. Rossie held a naming contest for the African American theater and Curtis Commander Jr. came up with the New Roxy in time for the September 22, 1945 launch of the venue with “Calling Wild Bill.” The end of the Roxy Theatre’s movie run was a double feature of “Don’t Go into the Woods” and “Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks” on October 16, 1983.
R.W. Tyson of Jackson, Mississippi created the theater with its foundation poured in 1945 opening the next year. The first 26 years were good until it scuffled under new competitio from the Westgate Cinema during 1971 and, in 1973, began showing “adult films.” It was a policy it embraced from 1974 to 1975 before closing in May of 1975 with lawsuit brought for improper booking practices the next month.
The space reopened as a game room in 1976. Tom Boswell of the Westgate Cinema took on the venue as the Boswell Showcase on May 27, 1977 with “Smokey and the Bandit” running for ten years shortened to Showcase Cinema. It changed owners and became the Delta Cinema closing for films onJuly 27, 2003.
The venue continued with special event programming and film festivals until closure in 2018 along with a lawsuit.
A.N. Rossie held a naming contest for the African American theater and Curtis Commander Jr. came up with the New Roxy in time for the September 22, 1945 launch of the venue with “Calling Wild Bill.”
Charles A. Crute and Ackland Ragland opened the Lyric on Nov 15, 1911 with movies after an opening failed two nights prior. It was competing against The Picto.
This venue was cut in two losing the “Cinerama” namesake; it became the Westbury Twin Cinemas 1 & 2 on December 22, 1976 retaining that name until closure in 1983.
The Memory Lane closed for the season following two double features: “The Polar Express” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on one screen and “Wicked” and “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” on November 30, 2024. A decision was made to close permanently instead of launching a new season in April of 2025.
Closed for COVID-19 pandemic on March 16, 2020, the operators moved on deciding not to reopen the venue. It reopened on April 18, 2025 under new ownership with “King of Kings” and the second screen dedicated to live events. Locals were so surprised to hear of the Thomson Twin’s return that they shouted, “Hold me know; stay with me.”
The original address of the Carolina Theatre was 411 South Endor Street which contained the African American business district of Sanford. The street was widened in 1964 in the construction of U.S. 421 with the street renamed as (W.E.) Horner Boulevard in 1965.
The Star-Lite Drive-In opened March 4, 1976 with “Take A Hard Ride”. In 1978, it added a second screen. The Star-Lite closed August 18, 1985 with “The Goonies” on Screen 1 and “Between the Sheets” on Screen 2.
The Drive-In Theatre opened under that name with its first ad appearing on October 20, 1947 with “Till the Clouds Roll By” in Tramway, just three miles south of Sanford. Beginning in 1951, it changed to the Sanford Drive-In Theatre - likely due to two new ozoners operning. The last shows are in the 1967 season indicating the expiry of a 20-year leasing agreement - perhaps going with “Never Too Late” on April 22, 1967.
John W. Freeman used G.I. Bill stimulus funds to design and then open the Center Theatre launching on September 12, 1946 with “Sentimental Journey.” It closed at the end of a 25-year leasing agreement under Stewart and Everett with Potpourri on November 22, 1971. It was used until 1977 for sporadic live theaters offerings.
The Kendale Cinema 1 & 2 designed by Wheatley-Whisnant Associates of Charlotte contained two 360-seat auditoriums for 720 total seats. This version of the cinema opened with “The Deep” and “ Final Chapter: Walking Tall” on June 17, 1977.
Carmike took on Essantee Theatres operating the theatre as the Kendale Twin Theatres 1 & 2 until the expiry of its 30-year leasing agreement on April 26, 1987 closing with “Norbit” (a good enough reason to close any theater) and “Daddy’s Little Girl.” In March of 2008, it got one more chance as the Cinema Latino for the Cinema Latino Circuit playing Spanish language films.
Opened March 2, 1951 with “Dakota L'il.” Its final show was November 16, 1957 with a double feature of “Montana Belle” a One Body Too Many. It was demolished in March of 1958 and became a Go-Kart track.
A, Banks Wilkins opened the Wilrik Theatre for Stewart and Everett Theatres Circuit on August 27, 1953 with “Cruisin' Down the River.” It was then operated by Essantee Theatres until being purchased by Carmike Cinemas in late 1986. Carmike closed on January 29, 1988 at the expiry of 25-year leasing agreement
The new-build Temple Theatre was built in 1924 and completed in early 1925 opening March 2, 1925 with the film, “Janice Meredith” starring Marion Davies. The venue added sound to remain viable. It went out of business on August 26, 1961. It reopened as the New Temple Theatre on December 17, 1964 with “The Horror of Beach Party” and “The Curse of the Living Corpse.” It appears to have closed on September30. 1965 completing at second 20-year leasing agreement with “Pretty But Wicked,” Highway Pickup,“ and "Hollywood Report.”
It looks like Fox West Coast dropped the Astoria Theatre. D.C. Stewart took the equipment in 1931 to the Astoria Theatre in Medford, Oregon. That left an opening for the Viking Theater’s entry into the marketplace which occurred on November 6, 1931 with “Mother’s Millions.” In 1933, Fox Liberty took over the Viking so it wouldn’t compete with the local theaters. It was used for a seemingly unending group of sporadic events and one-off screenings until conversion to the Viking Roller Rink on October 23, 1959.
Collins Conrad of the Conrad Theatre in Breaux Bridge opened in the existing Christman-Riseman Building on April 1, 1933 with “Louisiana” as the opening title. Conrad sold the venue for $10,000 transferring the remaining time on the 10-year lease on July 1, 1934 to new operators who changed its name to the Delta Theatre the next year in April of 1935.
The Yam closed permanently on Fe. 9, 1982 with “Sizzling Seniors"and "Fight Rider.”
Seaford Cinemas was beached at the end of 25-year leasing period on April 28, 2025.
Had a three manual Conn Connsonata organ. It closed at the end of lease on August 5, 1967 with “Poppy is also a Flower”. It continued with live events - mostly gospel music - through 1971 before becoming an auction house.
Arcitects Tuttle & Ross revealed the Elks Theatre plans in 1905. Work was suspended delaying the Elks launch to November of 1907. The Elks closed March 5, 1954 with “Kid from Amarillo” and “Northwest Territory” supposed by the last chapter go the “Black Hawk” serial. In October of 1954, the theater portion of the venue was converted to office space.
A.C. Austin built the post-War, 525-seat Fox Theatre likely using stimulus funds from the G.I. Bill. W.H. Currin was the architect of the $40,000 venue opening on July 10, 1947. Austin would add a drive-in in Ardmore operating the Fox seasonally.
Like many small town theaters, the Fox succumbed to pressures from free, over the air television. It was auctioned off in September of 1961. The venue continued briefly under new operators that December.
Rumblings about thirty minutes away in Huntsville changed the Fox’s course of history in the early 1970s. Under attack by the local Huntsville District Attorney, General Corp. - operators of the Fox Cinema in downtown Huntsville - decided to open a safer haven location of the Fox across the boarder in Ardmore. It launched on June 28, 1972 with unrated adult films.
The Fox in Huntsville was padlocked along with the two other porno chic era adult houses on January 10, 1973 in Huntsville. So folks had the chance to travel to Ardmore. Under Eastern Amusement Co. operation, “bumper to bumper” traffic was reported from Huntsville to Ardmore as “Deep Throat,” “The Devil in Miss Jones,” and “Behind the Green Door” proved to be huge hits. So a new Tennessee obscenity law was passed in March of 1974 within the milieu of the Supreme Court’s historic Miller v. California decisions.
George Echols, operator of the Fox, found the venue padlocked on July 8, 1974 - interestingly, at the same time that the folks doing the crackdown were running for office. Following a restraining order that reopened the venue, the Fox was padlocked during a double-feature of “Divorcee” and “Stag Maker” on July 17, 1974. The operator filed a $1 million lawsuit demanding return of both “Divorcee” and “Stag Maker,” and a request to reopen.
The theater prevailed and was set to reopen on August 18, 1974 but nobody could locate the keys used to open the lock. So the next day had to do. The Fox operated until end of lease on May 31, 1985 lasting into the video era and closing with three unrated adult features.
The Paramount Twin Theatre closed with “Mackintosh & T.J.” on Screen I and “Exorcism’s Daughter” on Screen II.
Address: 1015 West Lee Clarksdale, MS 38614 in the Westgate Shopping Center - still standing in the mid 2020s. The Westgate closed at the 15-year leasing opt out with “Making Contact” on September 1, 1986.
The origins of this venue was when A.N. Rossie held a naming contest for the African American theater and Curtis Commander Jr. came up with the New Roxy in time for the September 22, 1945 launch of the venue with “Calling Wild Bill.” The end of the Roxy Theatre’s movie run was a double feature of “Don’t Go into the Woods” and “Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks” on October 16, 1983.
R.W. Tyson of Jackson, Mississippi created the theater with its foundation poured in 1945 opening the next year. The first 26 years were good until it scuffled under new competitio from the Westgate Cinema during 1971 and, in 1973, began showing “adult films.” It was a policy it embraced from 1974 to 1975 before closing in May of 1975 with lawsuit brought for improper booking practices the next month.
The space reopened as a game room in 1976. Tom Boswell of the Westgate Cinema took on the venue as the Boswell Showcase on May 27, 1977 with “Smokey and the Bandit” running for ten years shortened to Showcase Cinema. It changed owners and became the Delta Cinema closing for films onJuly 27, 2003.
The venue continued with special event programming and film festivals until closure in 2018 along with a lawsuit.
A.N. Rossie held a naming contest for the African American theater and Curtis Commander Jr. came up with the New Roxy in time for the September 22, 1945 launch of the venue with “Calling Wild Bill.”
Charles A. Crute and Ackland Ragland opened the Lyric on Nov 15, 1911 with movies after an opening failed two nights prior. It was competing against The Picto.
This venue was cut in two losing the “Cinerama” namesake; it became the Westbury Twin Cinemas 1 & 2 on December 22, 1976 retaining that name until closure in 1983.
The Memory Lane closed for the season following two double features: “The Polar Express” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on one screen and “Wicked” and “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” on November 30, 2024. A decision was made to close permanently instead of launching a new season in April of 2025.
March 23, 1941 reopening ad as the City Theater in photos.
Closed for COVID-19 pandemic on March 16, 2020, the operators moved on deciding not to reopen the venue. It reopened on April 18, 2025 under new ownership with “King of Kings” and the second screen dedicated to live events. Locals were so surprised to hear of the Thomson Twin’s return that they shouted, “Hold me know; stay with me.”
The original address of the Carolina Theatre was 411 South Endor Street which contained the African American business district of Sanford. The street was widened in 1964 in the construction of U.S. 421 with the street renamed as (W.E.) Horner Boulevard in 1965.
The Star-Lite Drive-In opened March 4, 1976 with “Take A Hard Ride”. In 1978, it added a second screen. The Star-Lite closed August 18, 1985 with “The Goonies” on Screen 1 and “Between the Sheets” on Screen 2.
The Drive-In Theatre opened under that name with its first ad appearing on October 20, 1947 with “Till the Clouds Roll By” in Tramway, just three miles south of Sanford. Beginning in 1951, it changed to the Sanford Drive-In Theatre - likely due to two new ozoners operning. The last shows are in the 1967 season indicating the expiry of a 20-year leasing agreement - perhaps going with “Never Too Late” on April 22, 1967.
John W. Freeman used G.I. Bill stimulus funds to design and then open the Center Theatre launching on September 12, 1946 with “Sentimental Journey.” It closed at the end of a 25-year leasing agreement under Stewart and Everett with Potpourri on November 22, 1971. It was used until 1977 for sporadic live theaters offerings.
The Kendale Cinema 1 & 2 designed by Wheatley-Whisnant Associates of Charlotte contained two 360-seat auditoriums for 720 total seats. This version of the cinema opened with “The Deep” and “ Final Chapter: Walking Tall” on June 17, 1977.
Carmike took on Essantee Theatres operating the theatre as the Kendale Twin Theatres 1 & 2 until the expiry of its 30-year leasing agreement on April 26, 1987 closing with “Norbit” (a good enough reason to close any theater) and “Daddy’s Little Girl.” In March of 2008, it got one more chance as the Cinema Latino for the Cinema Latino Circuit playing Spanish language films.
Opened March 2, 1951 with “Dakota L'il.” Its final show was November 16, 1957 with a double feature of “Montana Belle” a One Body Too Many. It was demolished in March of 1958 and became a Go-Kart track.
A, Banks Wilkins opened the Wilrik Theatre for Stewart and Everett Theatres Circuit on August 27, 1953 with “Cruisin' Down the River.” It was then operated by Essantee Theatres until being purchased by Carmike Cinemas in late 1986. Carmike closed on January 29, 1988 at the expiry of 25-year leasing agreement
The new-build Temple Theatre was built in 1924 and completed in early 1925 opening March 2, 1925 with the film, “Janice Meredith” starring Marion Davies. The venue added sound to remain viable. It went out of business on August 26, 1961. It reopened as the New Temple Theatre on December 17, 1964 with “The Horror of Beach Party” and “The Curse of the Living Corpse.” It appears to have closed on September30. 1965 completing at second 20-year leasing agreement with “Pretty But Wicked,” Highway Pickup,“ and "Hollywood Report.”
It looks like Fox West Coast dropped the Astoria Theatre. D.C. Stewart took the equipment in 1931 to the Astoria Theatre in Medford, Oregon. That left an opening for the Viking Theater’s entry into the marketplace which occurred on November 6, 1931 with “Mother’s Millions.” In 1933, Fox Liberty took over the Viking so it wouldn’t compete with the local theaters. It was used for a seemingly unending group of sporadic events and one-off screenings until conversion to the Viking Roller Rink on October 23, 1959.