The Movies 14 officially became McKinney’s first operating movie theater since the closure of the Westgate Cinema in February 1986, which left moviegoers to travel onto Highway 75 to see movies in Plano or else they’ll wait for the feature to come up on cable.
When it first opened as McKinney Movies 10, they already had enough room for four additional screens to be added, which it did. Four more screens were added during the second week of November 1995 and was renamed the “Cinemark Movies 14”. At the time, the entirety of DFW’s population immediately exploded like dynamite.
The actual opening date is July 5, 1972 with George C. Scott in “The Hospital”.
The Westgate Cinema closed for the final time in late-February 1986, leaving McKinney without a movie house until the launch of Cinemark’s Movies 10 (now Movies 14) in June 1994.
The Ritz Theatre was built on the site of a blacksmith shop and later a department store that was burned down in early 1928.
When the Westgate Cinema opened on July 5, 1972, both the Ritz and the McKinney Drive-In were trying to keep both theaters alive. At the time, the Ritz was operated by the Texas Cinema Corporation alongside the McKinney Drive-In.
The McKinney Drive-In closed in 1974 and the Ritz was still operating when first-run features gain more popularity at the Westgate. That same exact year, ads for the Ritz Theatre no longer appear in the Courtier Gazette meaning that it is very hard to tell on when the Ritz ended its life as a full-time movie house. It appears that the Ritz closed in 1975 and sat abandoned for a time.
The Ritz briefly made a surprise comeback on April 10, 1980 by independent operators Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Rosales. They managed to show English movies by any genre on Thursdays and Fridays, and a Spanish feature on Saturdays as well as live entertainment during the weekends. Unfortunately this did not last pretty long at all. Lasting for several months, the Ritz closed again that same year.
The actual opened date is February 14, 1973 with “What’s Up Doc” at Screen 1 and “Doctor Zhivago” at Screen 2. It originally opened with 600 seats (with 300 in each auditorium). The original manager of the theater is Farmington resident Bill Hickman.
Screen 1 features all red draperies with red seats while Screen 2 features black and red draperies with black seats and red aisle carpeting. Some original installations include Cinemeccanica projection and Xenon lamps (both installed by the Ringold Cinema Equipment Company) as well as Altec-Lansing stereo sound equipment. The lobby area is also paneled with wainscoted paneling in both auditoriums. The building itself is completely fireproof and contains a total of 6,000ft of space.
The original Grand Theatre building was destroyed by a fire on September 5, 1914. It was rebuilt and the Grand Theatre reopened on March 15, 1915. One of the original proprietors of the theater is Charles A. Miller.
The Grand Theatre throughout most of its later years was once operated by Fox Midwest Theatres, who operated the theater for three decades in total. It was once known as the Fox Grand Theatre.
Last operated by the National Theatres chain, the Grand Theatre closed for the final time on February 9, 1960 with James Garner in “Cash McCall”. It comes one month after the announcement of J.C. Penney planning to relocate to the Grand Theatre building, which it did.
One of its last managers of the Grand Theatre is A.H. Pekarek, who had been managing the Grand since May 1957 before moving to Topeka, Kansas to work as the manager for the Jayhawk Theatre in January 1960.
The DeGraw Opera House was named after the theater’s owner, Dr. Hamilton DeGraw, and opened its doors on December 1, 1905. Fred Dickinson was the local manager and the building was owned by Frederic Lehman, who was the father of Mrs. George Zeihr and Fred Lehman who at the time went to Riverside, California for unknown reasons.
The DeGraw Opera House was renamed the DeGraw Theatre several years later. Silent films were screened there and was followed by installations of Western Electric sound on June 3, 1929. The DeGraw Theatre was then renamed the Fox DeGraw Theatre the following year after it was taken over by the Fox Midwest Theatres chain.
The Fox DeGraw Theatre was remodeled on September 26, 1940 reopening with Bing Crosby’s “Rhythm On The River” (unknown if any extras were added).
Information about the Fox DeGraw Theatre as of 1940 goes as follows: Compared to the original and the 1940 remodel once you open the doors, it featured an updated box office in the foyer instead of being at one-sided which was where the doors were formerly located and was glass incased. To the left of the foyer is the office for Steve Souttar, who was the manager of the Fox DeGraw, and to the right is the concession stand. There are three entrances to the first floor proper. The main entrance is in the center and the entrances to each side of it. To the left is the men’s lounge and smoking room and to the right is the powder room for the women. The cushioned rugs are draped in salmon pink. To the side of the entrance to the balcony with broad stair casing with deep rugging.
As of 1940, the DeGraw had a capacity of 750 seats, with 550 seats in the main auditorium and 200 seats for the balcony. The back walls of the stage are shutoff by huge drapes, the ceiling was dipped in Nu-wood and there are two large exits that will make it possible to empty the theater in a very few minutes in case of any emergency located to both the left and right of the auditorium. On each side and in the lower ceilings are fluorescent indirect lights, and the projection room is in its original south wall spot in the back of the balcony and is entirely in fireproof being of reinforced concrete and steel. And lastly, to each side of the stage proper are the automatic air conditioner/heating units.
It was remodeled in 1958 when the entire front was covered over with wavy panels in white on the outside and down the middle with red and white. The theater was renamed back the DeGraw Theatre several years later after being part of the Fox Midwest Theatres for a few decades.
During the mid-1970s, the DeGraw Theatre was renamed the Cedar Cinema and was later remodeled in August 1976 after Charles (Chuck) Truesdell bought the theater. The capacity of seats was then downgraded from 750 to 504. Another remodel was done in 1982 with its capacity of seats downgraded again to 410 seats. During the early-1980s, Associated Theatres of Des Moines operated the Cedar Cinema for a short period of time until Hurschell Lain of Marceline purchased the facility in late-August 1985. Lain previously operated both the Star Drive-In in Marceline and the Lin-Vu Drive-In in Brookfield. At the same time, the theater was renamed the Lains Cinema.
This opened as the Plaza Theatre on May 28, 1930 featuring Western Electric sound, and was renamed the Courter Theatre in September 1933 (named after manager Earl J. Courter).
The Silver Theatre opened its doors on September 23, 1948 with Jack Carson in “Two Guys From Texas” (unknown if any short subjects were added). It was closed in the early-1970s.
The Princess Theatre opened in October 1908 and was first operated by Mr. Frank G. Cochran of Sedalia. It was later operated by W.C. Buskirk of Ute, Iowa, who closed the Princess Theatre in May 1912 following his departure to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Once known as the State Fair Twin Cinemas, and Commonwealth Theatres took over the theater on August 4, 1976 while Joe Matthews Jr. was still the local manager. Two more screens were added in the mid-1980s.
Correction: It was Leo J. Hayob who took over the Auditorium Theatre in November 1960 and not George H. Hayob. George passed away on the early afternoon hours of September 27, 1957 due to health condition failure.
The Auditorium Theatre officially became the only indoor movie house in Marshall following the closure of the Mary Lou Theatre in October 1964. The theater was renamed the Marshall Cinema 3 in the early-1980s after it was tripled.
The actual closing date is June 30, 2013.
Once operated by Wehrenberg Theatres.
The Movies 14 officially became McKinney’s first operating movie theater since the closure of the Westgate Cinema in February 1986, which left moviegoers to travel onto Highway 75 to see movies in Plano or else they’ll wait for the feature to come up on cable.
When it first opened as McKinney Movies 10, they already had enough room for four additional screens to be added, which it did. Four more screens were added during the second week of November 1995 and was renamed the “Cinemark Movies 14”. At the time, the entirety of DFW’s population immediately exploded like dynamite.
The actual opening date is July 5, 1972 with George C. Scott in “The Hospital”.
The Westgate Cinema closed for the final time in late-February 1986, leaving McKinney without a movie house until the launch of Cinemark’s Movies 10 (now Movies 14) in June 1994.
The Ritz Theatre was built on the site of a blacksmith shop and later a department store that was burned down in early 1928.
When the Westgate Cinema opened on July 5, 1972, both the Ritz and the McKinney Drive-In were trying to keep both theaters alive. At the time, the Ritz was operated by the Texas Cinema Corporation alongside the McKinney Drive-In.
The McKinney Drive-In closed in 1974 and the Ritz was still operating when first-run features gain more popularity at the Westgate. That same exact year, ads for the Ritz Theatre no longer appear in the Courtier Gazette meaning that it is very hard to tell on when the Ritz ended its life as a full-time movie house. It appears that the Ritz closed in 1975 and sat abandoned for a time.
The Ritz briefly made a surprise comeback on April 10, 1980 by independent operators Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Rosales. They managed to show English movies by any genre on Thursdays and Fridays, and a Spanish feature on Saturdays as well as live entertainment during the weekends. Unfortunately this did not last pretty long at all. Lasting for several months, the Ritz closed again that same year.
Once operated by Fox Circuit.
Once operated by Fox Circuit.
The actual opened date is February 14, 1973 with “What’s Up Doc” at Screen 1 and “Doctor Zhivago” at Screen 2. It originally opened with 600 seats (with 300 in each auditorium). The original manager of the theater is Farmington resident Bill Hickman.
Screen 1 features all red draperies with red seats while Screen 2 features black and red draperies with black seats and red aisle carpeting. Some original installations include Cinemeccanica projection and Xenon lamps (both installed by the Ringold Cinema Equipment Company) as well as Altec-Lansing stereo sound equipment. The lobby area is also paneled with wainscoted paneling in both auditoriums. The building itself is completely fireproof and contains a total of 6,000ft of space.
The original Grand Theatre building was destroyed by a fire on September 5, 1914. It was rebuilt and the Grand Theatre reopened on March 15, 1915. One of the original proprietors of the theater is Charles A. Miller.
The Grand Theatre throughout most of its later years was once operated by Fox Midwest Theatres, who operated the theater for three decades in total. It was once known as the Fox Grand Theatre.
Last operated by the National Theatres chain, the Grand Theatre closed for the final time on February 9, 1960 with James Garner in “Cash McCall”. It comes one month after the announcement of J.C. Penney planning to relocate to the Grand Theatre building, which it did.
On January 2, 1939, Commonwealth Theatres took over the Hermo Theatre.
Once operated by Fox Midwest Theatres.
Once operated by Fox Midwest Theatres.
The DeGraw Opera House was named after the theater’s owner, Dr. Hamilton DeGraw, and opened its doors on December 1, 1905. Fred Dickinson was the local manager and the building was owned by Frederic Lehman, who was the father of Mrs. George Zeihr and Fred Lehman who at the time went to Riverside, California for unknown reasons.
The DeGraw Opera House was renamed the DeGraw Theatre several years later. Silent films were screened there and was followed by installations of Western Electric sound on June 3, 1929. The DeGraw Theatre was then renamed the Fox DeGraw Theatre the following year after it was taken over by the Fox Midwest Theatres chain.
The Fox DeGraw Theatre was remodeled on September 26, 1940 reopening with Bing Crosby’s “Rhythm On The River” (unknown if any extras were added).
Information about the Fox DeGraw Theatre as of 1940 goes as follows: Compared to the original and the 1940 remodel once you open the doors, it featured an updated box office in the foyer instead of being at one-sided which was where the doors were formerly located and was glass incased. To the left of the foyer is the office for Steve Souttar, who was the manager of the Fox DeGraw, and to the right is the concession stand. There are three entrances to the first floor proper. The main entrance is in the center and the entrances to each side of it. To the left is the men’s lounge and smoking room and to the right is the powder room for the women. The cushioned rugs are draped in salmon pink. To the side of the entrance to the balcony with broad stair casing with deep rugging.
As of 1940, the DeGraw had a capacity of 750 seats, with 550 seats in the main auditorium and 200 seats for the balcony. The back walls of the stage are shutoff by huge drapes, the ceiling was dipped in Nu-wood and there are two large exits that will make it possible to empty the theater in a very few minutes in case of any emergency located to both the left and right of the auditorium. On each side and in the lower ceilings are fluorescent indirect lights, and the projection room is in its original south wall spot in the back of the balcony and is entirely in fireproof being of reinforced concrete and steel. And lastly, to each side of the stage proper are the automatic air conditioner/heating units.
It was remodeled in 1958 when the entire front was covered over with wavy panels in white on the outside and down the middle with red and white. The theater was renamed back the DeGraw Theatre several years later after being part of the Fox Midwest Theatres for a few decades.
During the mid-1970s, the DeGraw Theatre was renamed the Cedar Cinema and was later remodeled in August 1976 after Charles (Chuck) Truesdell bought the theater. The capacity of seats was then downgraded from 750 to 504. Another remodel was done in 1982 with its capacity of seats downgraded again to 410 seats. During the early-1980s, Associated Theatres of Des Moines operated the Cedar Cinema for a short period of time until Hurschell Lain of Marceline purchased the facility in late-August 1985. Lain previously operated both the Star Drive-In in Marceline and the Lin-Vu Drive-In in Brookfield. At the same time, the theater was renamed the Lains Cinema.
Once operated by Fox Midwest Theatres.
Once operated by Fox Midwest Theatres, and was once known as the Fox 4th Street Theatre.
The actual grand opening date is June 25, 1950 with Shirley Temple in “The Story of Seabiscuit” with no extra short subjects.
This opened as the Plaza Theatre on May 28, 1930 featuring Western Electric sound, and was renamed the Courter Theatre in September 1933 (named after manager Earl J. Courter).
Once operated by Carisch Theatres.
The Silver Theatre opened its doors on September 23, 1948 with Jack Carson in “Two Guys From Texas” (unknown if any short subjects were added). It was closed in the early-1970s.
The Princess Theatre opened in October 1908 and was first operated by Mr. Frank G. Cochran of Sedalia. It was later operated by W.C. Buskirk of Ute, Iowa, who closed the Princess Theatre in May 1912 following his departure to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Actual closing date is July 16, 2009.
The Mainstreet Theatre opened on March 1, 1933 with Joan Crawford in “Rain” (unknown if extras added).
Once known as the State Fair Twin Cinemas, and Commonwealth Theatres took over the theater on August 4, 1976 while Joe Matthews Jr. was still the local manager. Two more screens were added in the mid-1980s.
Correction: It was Leo J. Hayob who took over the Auditorium Theatre in November 1960 and not George H. Hayob. George passed away on the early afternoon hours of September 27, 1957 due to health condition failure.
The Auditorium Theatre officially became the only indoor movie house in Marshall following the closure of the Mary Lou Theatre in October 1964. The theater was renamed the Marshall Cinema 3 in the early-1980s after it was tripled.
The Star Theatre located in the Gilkeson building opened on March 17, 1915, and was first operated by Tom Goodnight. It was still open in the 1960s.