The March 4, 1922 issue of Moving Picture World said that the plans for the new theater to be erected at Lincoln, Illinois by Steve Bennis were being prepared by “…the Levine Company, 217 Chamber of Commerce Building, Chicago….” This must have been R. Levine & Co., the Chicago design-construction firm for whom Edward P. Rupert served as principal architect during this period. The Lincoln Grand bears a strong resemblance to the Washington Theatre at Quincy, Illinois, which was designed by Rupert.
The Olive Theatre first appears in the FDY’s 1931 edition, which means a likely 1930 opening. The house is mentioned in the September 14, 1935 issue of Universal Weekly with the name of the manager, Ed Lewis. The Olive had been receiving Universal’s film service for five years, also indicating a 1930 opening.
The Olive Theatre was at the north end of a short row of stores on the west side of the 100 block of Barnes Avenue (Highway 395.) The entire row has been demolished. The address of the theater would probably have been approximately 105 N. Barnes Avenue.
This 10-page pdf file has a photo of the store building, with the theater at far right, on its fourth page and a photo of the theater interior on the fifth page.
Here is an early notice about the Malco Theatre from the July 19, 1938 issue of Film Daily:
“Malco Plans New House
“Hot Springs, Ark.—It has been announced here that Malco Theaters, Inc., plan to construct a $100,000 film theater on the site of the old Princess Theater which was destroyed by fire in 1935. Malco now operates four theaters in this city. Work on the new building will probably start next April or May. The new house will seat between 1,200 and 1,500, according to the announcement.”
According to the June 21, 1952 issue of Boxoffice, a contract to demolish the Annex Theatre had just been let by the city. The house had been closed for about a year, and was to be replaced by a parking lot.
The January 24, 1929 issue of Film Daily reported that the Majestic Theatre in El Dorado was being remodeled. The item was actually about the old Rialto Theatre which was being demolished to make way for its replacement, and the item noted that the Rialto’s equipment was being moved to the Majestic. Both projects were being carried out for the Arkansas Amusement Company. Multiple theater chains had “Arkansas Amusement” in their names at that time. The one interested in El Dorado was owned in part by M. A. Lightman, and as of September 23, 1927 had had 25 houses operating in the state, according to that day’s issue of Film Daily.
It turns out there was indeed a fire at Hot Springs in 1913, and it wiped out much of Malvern Avenue. It looks like it took out a couple dozen square blocks of the town. The Pekin probably only lasted about a year. It would have been pretty easy to convert a small movie house into a funeral parlor.
The Princess is listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, though no address is given so it might have been at a different location then.
This article prepared by Nancy Hendricks of the Garland County Historical Society says that the building now occupied by the Not Springs Central Theatre was built in the 1930s as a garage and was converted into a theater in 1937. Indeed, the 1933 newspaper ad uploaded to the pictures page by David Zornig includes and ad for the pre-conversion Central Garage, 1008-14 Central. The earlier Central Theatre that shared the same ad had to have been at another location.
The 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory lists a house called the Lyric Theatre at 624 Central. It ought to have been right in this neighborhood, if the directory got the address right. I suppose it could have been gone by the time the 1915 Sanborn was made.
The Royal was remodeled and its seating capacity increased in 1916, according to an item in the November 4 issue of Moving Picture World. The Royal had ben listed at 720 Central Avenue in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory.
While a movie house called the Lyric Theatre was listed at Hot Springs in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, it was located at 624 Central Avenue. No theaters were listed at 406 Central, though several were listed without addresses. There were houses called the Central and the New Central, so this house might have been one or the other of those.
Dickson Morgan was not an architect, but a stage designer and technical director who oversaw the design of the original interior of the Vine Street Theatre auditorium. He later directed a few plays, and even has a page at the IBDb. Architects of record for The Vine Street Theatre were Hunt & Chambers.
The “New Theaters” column of the February 5, 1921 issue of The Billboard said that the Hauber Gem Theater in Camden, Arkansas was “practically completed.” The $25,000 house was owned by A. [sic] C. Hauber of Pine Bluff. Local sources usually give Mr. Hauber’s first initial as O. I’ve been unable to find any other mentions of the name Gem Theater in Camden.
The San Souci Theatre was listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, and it was mentioned in the November 18, 1922 issue of Motion Picture News, but appears to have been closed by 1926, or at least is not listed in the FDY that year.
The Broadway Theatre may have officially become a movie house in 1935, but an 850 seat house called the Italian Club, which must have been this place, was the largest of three indoor theaters listed at Ybor City in the 1926 Film Daily Year Book (the 800-seat Casino and 500-seat Rivoli were the other two. There was also a house called the Airdome, no capacity given.)
The fitness club has moved to another location and the former Isis Theatre building is now occupied by a gift shop called Olive + Jo, itself lately moved from another location on State Street.
The latest mention of the Isis I’ve found in Boxoffice is from the issue of June 18, 1956, which said that the house was being closed for the summer, and patrons would be directed to the Grand Theatre, which would remain open and was under the same management.
I found the Grand Theatre at Preston mentioned in the January 3, 1978 issue of Boxoffice, which gave the name of its manager as Glen Peterborg. Back on February 26, 1956, Boxoffice had run a short item about the renovation of the Grand, which had new paneling and flooring in the lobby and a new concession stand. The Grand and Isis were under the same ownership at the time, and both houses were managed by L.J. “Jim” Ward.
The University of Utah has a photo of the Isis Theatre dated March 2, 1908. This must have been one of the earliest movie theaters to use Egyptian-inspired design.
Do note that the 1932 grand opening ad gives strong indications that this was a re-opening of a renovated theater, including the line “[t]he same courteous treatment that has always been extended to their patrons which has made the house famous all over the state will be continued.” Multiple sources on the Internet say that the Isis was open by 1908.
The Davenport Theatre changed hands in 1912, as noted in the September 7 issue of Moving Picture World: “F. E. Daigneau, of Austin, Minn., father of D. Daigneau, closed a deal recently by which he purchased the fine Davenport motion picture theater at Redwing, Minn. Its seating capacity is 600.”
The September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World noted the recent opening of the Meyers Theatre:
“Charles and William Meyers have just opened their beautiful little moving picture house at 1812-1814 West Chicago Street, Chicago, Ill. It is claimed for the house that it is the most up-to-date show on the northwest side. The woodwork is of stained mahogany, with the seats and piano matching. The proprietors have installed the first 1913 Motiograph machine in Chicago. The employees have separate lockers for their clothing at the rear of the building. The managers are so proud of their house that they invite exhibitors to come and inspect it.”
The September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World had a brief item about F. H. and E. A. Franke, who had just bought the Bell Theatre on Armitage Avenue. The Franke’s then owned five neighborhood houses, and had just signed a contract to build another, of 300 seats, to be located at Grand Avenue and Monticello Avenue. The Rex is the only house we have listed near that location. I wonder if it could have been the Franke’s project?
In 1912 the Clark Theatre was one of five neighborhood houses in Chicago owned and operated by by F. H. And E. A. Franke. The September 7 issue of Moving Picture World said that the pair had just bought the Bell Theatre on Armitage Avenue and also owned the California Theatre on 26th Street. They had just closed a contract to erect a new, 300-seat movie house on Grand and Monticello Avenues, slated to open around November 1. I’ve been unable to discover if that project was completed, but the nearest house we have listed to that location is the New Rex, opened in 1913 as the Lawndale Theatre.
The March 4, 1922 issue of Moving Picture World said that the plans for the new theater to be erected at Lincoln, Illinois by Steve Bennis were being prepared by “…the Levine Company, 217 Chamber of Commerce Building, Chicago….” This must have been R. Levine & Co., the Chicago design-construction firm for whom Edward P. Rupert served as principal architect during this period. The Lincoln Grand bears a strong resemblance to the Washington Theatre at Quincy, Illinois, which was designed by Rupert.
The Olive Theatre first appears in the FDY’s 1931 edition, which means a likely 1930 opening. The house is mentioned in the September 14, 1935 issue of Universal Weekly with the name of the manager, Ed Lewis. The Olive had been receiving Universal’s film service for five years, also indicating a 1930 opening.
The Olive Theatre was at the north end of a short row of stores on the west side of the 100 block of Barnes Avenue (Highway 395.) The entire row has been demolished. The address of the theater would probably have been approximately 105 N. Barnes Avenue.
This 10-page pdf file has a photo of the store building, with the theater at far right, on its fourth page and a photo of the theater interior on the fifth page.
Here is an early notice about the Malco Theatre from the July 19, 1938 issue of Film Daily:
According to the June 21, 1952 issue of Boxoffice, a contract to demolish the Annex Theatre had just been let by the city. The house had been closed for about a year, and was to be replaced by a parking lot.
The January 24, 1929 issue of Film Daily reported that the Majestic Theatre in El Dorado was being remodeled. The item was actually about the old Rialto Theatre which was being demolished to make way for its replacement, and the item noted that the Rialto’s equipment was being moved to the Majestic. Both projects were being carried out for the Arkansas Amusement Company. Multiple theater chains had “Arkansas Amusement” in their names at that time. The one interested in El Dorado was owned in part by M. A. Lightman, and as of September 23, 1927 had had 25 houses operating in the state, according to that day’s issue of Film Daily.
It turns out there was indeed a fire at Hot Springs in 1913, and it wiped out much of Malvern Avenue. It looks like it took out a couple dozen square blocks of the town. The Pekin probably only lasted about a year. It would have been pretty easy to convert a small movie house into a funeral parlor.
The Princess is listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, though no address is given so it might have been at a different location then.
This article prepared by Nancy Hendricks of the Garland County Historical Society says that the building now occupied by the Not Springs Central Theatre was built in the 1930s as a garage and was converted into a theater in 1937. Indeed, the 1933 newspaper ad uploaded to the pictures page by David Zornig includes and ad for the pre-conversion Central Garage, 1008-14 Central. The earlier Central Theatre that shared the same ad had to have been at another location.
The 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory lists a house in the 400 block of Malvern Avenue, but it was at 420. It was called the Pekin Theatre.
The 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory lists a house called the Lyric Theatre at 624 Central. It ought to have been right in this neighborhood, if the directory got the address right. I suppose it could have been gone by the time the 1915 Sanborn was made.
The Auditorium was operating as a movie house by 1914, as it is listed in the American Motion Picture Directorythat year.
It’s not listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, so probably closed by 1914.
The Royal was remodeled and its seating capacity increased in 1916, according to an item in the November 4 issue of Moving Picture World. The Royal had ben listed at 720 Central Avenue in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory.
While a movie house called the Lyric Theatre was listed at Hot Springs in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, it was located at 624 Central Avenue. No theaters were listed at 406 Central, though several were listed without addresses. There were houses called the Central and the New Central, so this house might have been one or the other of those.
Dickson Morgan was not an architect, but a stage designer and technical director who oversaw the design of the original interior of the Vine Street Theatre auditorium. He later directed a few plays, and even has a page at the IBDb. Architects of record for The Vine Street Theatre were Hunt & Chambers.
The “New Theaters” column of the February 5, 1921 issue of The Billboard said that the Hauber Gem Theater in Camden, Arkansas was “practically completed.” The $25,000 house was owned by A. [sic] C. Hauber of Pine Bluff. Local sources usually give Mr. Hauber’s first initial as O. I’ve been unable to find any other mentions of the name Gem Theater in Camden.
The San Souci Theatre was listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory, and it was mentioned in the November 18, 1922 issue of Motion Picture News, but appears to have been closed by 1926, or at least is not listed in the FDY that year.
The Broadway Theatre may have officially become a movie house in 1935, but an 850 seat house called the Italian Club, which must have been this place, was the largest of three indoor theaters listed at Ybor City in the 1926 Film Daily Year Book (the 800-seat Casino and 500-seat Rivoli were the other two. There was also a house called the Airdome, no capacity given.)
The fitness club has moved to another location and the former Isis Theatre building is now occupied by a gift shop called Olive + Jo, itself lately moved from another location on State Street.
The latest mention of the Isis I’ve found in Boxoffice is from the issue of June 18, 1956, which said that the house was being closed for the summer, and patrons would be directed to the Grand Theatre, which would remain open and was under the same management.
I found the Grand Theatre at Preston mentioned in the January 3, 1978 issue of Boxoffice, which gave the name of its manager as Glen Peterborg. Back on February 26, 1956, Boxoffice had run a short item about the renovation of the Grand, which had new paneling and flooring in the lobby and a new concession stand. The Grand and Isis were under the same ownership at the time, and both houses were managed by L.J. “Jim” Ward.
The University of Utah has a photo of the Isis Theatre dated March 2, 1908. This must have been one of the earliest movie theaters to use Egyptian-inspired design.
Do note that the 1932 grand opening ad gives strong indications that this was a re-opening of a renovated theater, including the line “[t]he same courteous treatment that has always been extended to their patrons which has made the house famous all over the state will be continued.” Multiple sources on the Internet say that the Isis was open by 1908.
The Davenport Theatre changed hands in 1912, as noted in the September 7 issue of Moving Picture World: “F. E. Daigneau, of Austin, Minn., father of D. Daigneau, closed a deal recently by which he purchased the fine Davenport motion picture theater at Redwing, Minn. Its seating capacity is 600.”
The September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World noted the recent opening of the Meyers Theatre:
The September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World had a brief item about F. H. and E. A. Franke, who had just bought the Bell Theatre on Armitage Avenue. The Franke’s then owned five neighborhood houses, and had just signed a contract to build another, of 300 seats, to be located at Grand Avenue and Monticello Avenue. The Rex is the only house we have listed near that location. I wonder if it could have been the Franke’s project?
In 1912 the Clark Theatre was one of five neighborhood houses in Chicago owned and operated by by F. H. And E. A. Franke. The September 7 issue of Moving Picture World said that the pair had just bought the Bell Theatre on Armitage Avenue and also owned the California Theatre on 26th Street. They had just closed a contract to erect a new, 300-seat movie house on Grand and Monticello Avenues, slated to open around November 1. I’ve been unable to discover if that project was completed, but the nearest house we have listed to that location is the New Rex, opened in 1913 as the Lawndale Theatre.