The Star Theatre was located on 112 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548, and it actually closed for the final time after the February 1, 1967 fire which destroyed the entirety of the building. The rest of the building was demolished on April 20, 1967. The site was left abandoned until November 1971 when Smith’s Town Shop will occupy the former site of the theater that was now occupied by Hardbody Fitness.
The actual opening date is February 25, 1976 with “Earthquake” at Screen 1, “The Hindenburg” at Screen 2, and “Shampoo” at Screen 3. Yes it was first operated by Ogden-Perry Theatres. It was first known as Santa Rosa Cinema 3.
With the exception of its closing, the entire history is completely wrong. Here’s the real story.
Fort Walton Beach’s first multiplex indoor theater, known as the “Cinco Cinema III”, opened its doors by Gulf State Theatres on March 27, 1975 with “Young Frankenstein” in Screen 1, “The Towering Inferno” in Screen 2, and “Freebie And The Bean” in Screen 3. It was later taken over by Ogden-Perry Theatres by the end of the decade, and a fourth screen was added in the early-1980s (renaming it Cinco Cinema IV).
The only correct information is its closing, which the theater itself closed in December 1999 and became a church in 2000. With the best of my luck, I cannot find who operated the Cinco Cinema after Ogden-Perry.
NOTE: It was never known as both Santa Rosa Cinema 3 or Cinco Cinema II. Judging by the information I looked up, it was only known as both Cinco Cinema III and Cinco Cinema IV.
ALSO: I accidentally added a duplicate page on this theater.
The Texas Theatre started life as the Palace Theatre in 1926, and was renamed Texas Theatre in 1936. It was twinned sometime in the early-1980s and closed as a movie house in 2001.
A 27-year-old Canton man was shot and killed by a 20-year-old Jackson Township man inside the Stadium 12 last night. The 20-year-old is in custody as of this afternoon.
The Airdome was originally planned four years prior to its 1914 construction. On April 19, 1910, E.N. Bell of Centralia was contemplating building an airdome on his lots in the east part of town between both Centralia and Mexico. While he has not fully decided upon building but the plans he has in contemplation would make a large convenient showplace. He contemplates making the enclosure in a circle with the stage and the box office located both at opposite sides. The stage will be made to accommodate standard size scenery with both drops and flats and the general plan of the building for convenience and comfort, including lots being located convenient to the business and central portion of Centralia.
It took at approximately four years for them to make a discussion. Finally on the morning hours of June 23, 1914, erection was made and the construction starts for the airdome led by C.E. Shock and Ross McVey of St. Louis after giving permission to erect on the Odd Fellows lots. The building though was rushed, and the airdome’s original name was given by the management as the “Princess Airdome”.
The Princess Airdome (or the Princess Theatre) on the Odd Fellow Lots in the northeast corner square of Centralia opened its doors on July 7, 1914 with Ford Sterling in “In the Clutches of the Gang” along with two drama shorts (films unlisted on grand opening advertisement), and had a total capacity of 650 seats. The management replied to the Centralia Fireside Guard that they had billed the opening very strongly but up to 7:30 PM that evening is when the electricians had not gotten the juice up to the projection owing to a defect in the new rheostat so they decided that they would not open up the film until the following evening. Both Rafferty and Shock were able to work with the projector until they finally got it working. The lights had not been wired up to the piano and it was impossible to give any music but the crowd was interested in the program without its entirety of the piano player. It was a success for the patrons despite having a very harsh start for the management.
Unfortunately, the 650-seat Princess Airdome did not last long at all. After two full months of operation, Shock and McVey closed the theater on September 11, 1914 with a Kaiser & Lucas attraction following severe weather in the area but was then determined that the theater closed for good due to poor management despite having good business. They managed to put the picture up in the town’s Opera House (which Centralia also already had the operating Gem Theatre at the time). The Princess Airdome was demolished the following week and portions of the steel walls were given to the farmers.
On the very early morning hours of January 23, 1945, the entirety of the then-1,100-seat Central Theater building was completely destroyed by a massive fire, causing an estimate $125,000 to $150,000 in damage (including $75,000 in sound and projection equipment). According to manager George F. Friary, the fire apparently started at 2:57 AM that morning in the furnace room right after both Friary and box office worker Raymond Davis left the theater for the night. District Manager George Carroll of the M&P Theaters' circuit chain following conference with Acting Chief Frank Cantara and other officials reported that they indicated that the total loss would likely reach $150,000.
Other business were also devastated, including a jewelry store operated by Louis A. Menards, the A. Turcotte barber shop, and a quarter shop used by J. Hervey Salvas. Luckily enough, they managed to rescue some of the jewelry in the store. While various neighboring departments (Wells, Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach just to name a few) fight the blaze, only one hot-air explosion was reported. Eleven lines of hose were used by three departments from other areas.
Because of World War II started to die out later that year, reconstruction of the theater was halted multiple times. They managed to fully-reconstructed the theater right after the death of the war. After all the waiting and reconstruction, the M&P chain reopened the Central Theater on May 23, 1946 with Alan Ladd in “The Blue Dahlia” along with a few short subjects and a newsreel. Then-Mayor Louis B. Lausier was the first person to turn the key to open the theater.
Some of these installations include a larger inner lobby lighted by chandeliers, as well as updated restrooms and the refreshment booth located off the inner lobby. A gradually sloping arrangement of the seats from the three-quarters of the way back section, forward to the stage, which runs parallel with Foss Street, assures an unobstructed view of the stage. The seats (all metal-framed upholstered in soft leather with corduroy backs) from the three-quarters division line back to the sectional wall housing the projection booths have also been placed on a graduated slope all the way back to the rear of the theater which faces Alfred Street. Natural wood in polished panels were used on the lower part of the walls in the lobby and in the auditorium, and the walls above have been tinted in two contrasting colors. The facade/marquee was also updated and the use of an abundance of the vari-typed lights in all parts of the theater and throughout the lobby is apparent to those inspecting the new structure.
The Central Theater closed for the final time on May 14, 1972.
The Wells Beach Theatre opened in August 1931 and was constructed by the Island Ledge Casino company. It was originally planned to be built with a capacity of 522 seats, but was unknown yet.
The Wells Beach Theatre was later operated by Loew’s Inc., but on May 30, 1961, an early evening fire damaged the theater which caused a short closure. It reopened less than several weeks later and was renamed the Wells Beach Casino Theatre a short time later. It was closed in the late-1970s.
Once known as “Ellis Theatre 1 & 2” when it was twinned in 1983. The Ellis name lasted for many years until it was renamed back the Springfield Theatre in 2004.
First managed by William H. Crosby of Concord, the Vogue Theater opened its doors on February 20, 1948 with Dennis O'Keefe in “T-Men” along with the musical short “Champagne For Two”, the short “Teed Lightning”, the Barney Bear cartoon “The Bear and the Bean”, and a newsreel.
On February 7, 1969, the Vogue Theater began screening Spanish movies.
The Star Theatre was located on 112 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548, and it actually closed for the final time after the February 1, 1967 fire which destroyed the entirety of the building. The rest of the building was demolished on April 20, 1967. The site was left abandoned until November 1971 when Smith’s Town Shop will occupy the former site of the theater that was now occupied by Hardbody Fitness.
The actual opening date is February 25, 1976 with “Earthquake” at Screen 1, “The Hindenburg” at Screen 2, and “Shampoo” at Screen 3. Yes it was first operated by Ogden-Perry Theatres. It was first known as Santa Rosa Cinema 3.
Grand opening ad posted.
Last operated by Regal.
With the exception of its closing, the entire history is completely wrong. Here’s the real story.
Fort Walton Beach’s first multiplex indoor theater, known as the “Cinco Cinema III”, opened its doors by Gulf State Theatres on March 27, 1975 with “Young Frankenstein” in Screen 1, “The Towering Inferno” in Screen 2, and “Freebie And The Bean” in Screen 3. It was later taken over by Ogden-Perry Theatres by the end of the decade, and a fourth screen was added in the early-1980s (renaming it Cinco Cinema IV).
The only correct information is its closing, which the theater itself closed in December 1999 and became a church in 2000. With the best of my luck, I cannot find who operated the Cinco Cinema after Ogden-Perry.
NOTE: It was never known as both Santa Rosa Cinema 3 or Cinco Cinema II. Judging by the information I looked up, it was only known as both Cinco Cinema III and Cinco Cinema IV.
ALSO: I accidentally added a duplicate page on this theater.
Once operated by Gulf State Theatres.
Once operated by Gulf State Theatres.
Once operated by Gulf State Theatres.
The Texas Theatre started life as the Palace Theatre in 1926, and was renamed Texas Theatre in 1936. It was twinned sometime in the early-1980s and closed as a movie house in 2001.
A 27-year-old Canton man was shot and killed by a 20-year-old Jackson Township man inside the Stadium 12 last night. The 20-year-old is in custody as of this afternoon.
Opened in Spring 1979, closed on August 21, 2012.
A 1981 aerial view shows the theater appearing to be in operation, but was completely gone by 1988.
The Airdome was originally planned four years prior to its 1914 construction. On April 19, 1910, E.N. Bell of Centralia was contemplating building an airdome on his lots in the east part of town between both Centralia and Mexico. While he has not fully decided upon building but the plans he has in contemplation would make a large convenient showplace. He contemplates making the enclosure in a circle with the stage and the box office located both at opposite sides. The stage will be made to accommodate standard size scenery with both drops and flats and the general plan of the building for convenience and comfort, including lots being located convenient to the business and central portion of Centralia.
It took at approximately four years for them to make a discussion. Finally on the morning hours of June 23, 1914, erection was made and the construction starts for the airdome led by C.E. Shock and Ross McVey of St. Louis after giving permission to erect on the Odd Fellows lots. The building though was rushed, and the airdome’s original name was given by the management as the “Princess Airdome”.
The Princess Airdome (or the Princess Theatre) on the Odd Fellow Lots in the northeast corner square of Centralia opened its doors on July 7, 1914 with Ford Sterling in “In the Clutches of the Gang” along with two drama shorts (films unlisted on grand opening advertisement), and had a total capacity of 650 seats. The management replied to the Centralia Fireside Guard that they had billed the opening very strongly but up to 7:30 PM that evening is when the electricians had not gotten the juice up to the projection owing to a defect in the new rheostat so they decided that they would not open up the film until the following evening. Both Rafferty and Shock were able to work with the projector until they finally got it working. The lights had not been wired up to the piano and it was impossible to give any music but the crowd was interested in the program without its entirety of the piano player. It was a success for the patrons despite having a very harsh start for the management.
Unfortunately, the 650-seat Princess Airdome did not last long at all. After two full months of operation, Shock and McVey closed the theater on September 11, 1914 with a Kaiser & Lucas attraction following severe weather in the area but was then determined that the theater closed for good due to poor management despite having good business. They managed to put the picture up in the town’s Opera House (which Centralia also already had the operating Gem Theatre at the time). The Princess Airdome was demolished the following week and portions of the steel walls were given to the farmers.
Opened with “Jenny” and “Hell In The Pacific”.
On the very early morning hours of January 23, 1945, the entirety of the then-1,100-seat Central Theater building was completely destroyed by a massive fire, causing an estimate $125,000 to $150,000 in damage (including $75,000 in sound and projection equipment). According to manager George F. Friary, the fire apparently started at 2:57 AM that morning in the furnace room right after both Friary and box office worker Raymond Davis left the theater for the night. District Manager George Carroll of the M&P Theaters' circuit chain following conference with Acting Chief Frank Cantara and other officials reported that they indicated that the total loss would likely reach $150,000.
Other business were also devastated, including a jewelry store operated by Louis A. Menards, the A. Turcotte barber shop, and a quarter shop used by J. Hervey Salvas. Luckily enough, they managed to rescue some of the jewelry in the store. While various neighboring departments (Wells, Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach just to name a few) fight the blaze, only one hot-air explosion was reported. Eleven lines of hose were used by three departments from other areas.
Because of World War II started to die out later that year, reconstruction of the theater was halted multiple times. They managed to fully-reconstructed the theater right after the death of the war. After all the waiting and reconstruction, the M&P chain reopened the Central Theater on May 23, 1946 with Alan Ladd in “The Blue Dahlia” along with a few short subjects and a newsreel. Then-Mayor Louis B. Lausier was the first person to turn the key to open the theater.
Some of these installations include a larger inner lobby lighted by chandeliers, as well as updated restrooms and the refreshment booth located off the inner lobby. A gradually sloping arrangement of the seats from the three-quarters of the way back section, forward to the stage, which runs parallel with Foss Street, assures an unobstructed view of the stage. The seats (all metal-framed upholstered in soft leather with corduroy backs) from the three-quarters division line back to the sectional wall housing the projection booths have also been placed on a graduated slope all the way back to the rear of the theater which faces Alfred Street. Natural wood in polished panels were used on the lower part of the walls in the lobby and in the auditorium, and the walls above have been tinted in two contrasting colors. The facade/marquee was also updated and the use of an abundance of the vari-typed lights in all parts of the theater and throughout the lobby is apparent to those inspecting the new structure.
The Central Theater closed for the final time on May 14, 1972.
The Wells Beach Theatre opened in August 1931 and was constructed by the Island Ledge Casino company. It was originally planned to be built with a capacity of 522 seats, but was unknown yet.
The Wells Beach Theatre was later operated by Loew’s Inc., but on May 30, 1961, an early evening fire damaged the theater which caused a short closure. It reopened less than several weeks later and was renamed the Wells Beach Casino Theatre a short time later. It was closed in the late-1970s.
Now known as “Flagship Premium Cinemas Wells”.
Correction: This is July 27, 2007, not July 21.
Once known as “Ellis Theatre 1 & 2” when it was twinned in 1983. The Ellis name lasted for many years until it was renamed back the Springfield Theatre in 2004.
First managed by William H. Crosby of Concord, the Vogue Theater opened its doors on February 20, 1948 with Dennis O'Keefe in “T-Men” along with the musical short “Champagne For Two”, the short “Teed Lightning”, the Barney Bear cartoon “The Bear and the Bean”, and a newsreel.
On February 7, 1969, the Vogue Theater began screening Spanish movies.
Closed on October 15, 1960 with “The Story Of Ruth”, “Our Man In Havana”, and “Dog Of Flanders” as a triple feature.
The Starlight opened as early as 1952, and was short-lived. It was closed by the end of the decade.
Any info about the fire? It probably had a very short-closure because it was still operating throughout the entirety of 1961.
The Circle Drive-In is a later drive-in, which probably opened either around or after the M&O Drive-In nearby closed in 1969.
The indoor theater was called Rainbow Cinemas, which became Rainbow Cinemas 8. It has its own page on Cinema Treasures.