Local architects - Vander Ploeg & Associates of Boca Raton - helped design the $1 million cinema as an original anchor of the Schmier & Fuerring Properties' Mission Bay Plaza announced in 1987.
Shadowood Square Mall was announced in 1981 opening theatre-less in December of 1982. As part of its expansion at the five-year mark, Wometco Theatres announced this project in June of 1987. It launched on November 20, 1987 as the Shadowood 12 Theatre in Boca Raton.
The Midway Drive-In launched March 29, 1952 with Robert Ryan in “The Best of the Bad Men” and Dana Andrews in “Sealed Cargo.” Opening ad in photos. It appears to have closed in the 1960s and was later razed. The modern day address is at the confluence of Highway D and US-61 once in Lilbourn and now considered within New Madrid. Two addresses are correct for the former o-zoner: 51 Highway D or 6733 US-61, New Madrid, MO 63869, now site of a car / towing operation.
The Rex Theatre launched March 31, 1935 with “The Ruggles of Red Gap” supported by the short, “In the Spotlight” and a cartoon in downtown Sikeston. The theatre was given a streamline moderne makeover just two years later.
In 1956, the Rex was retrofitted with widescreen projection to present CinemaScope titles. But when the Rex booked an X-rated feature in 1970 in the porno chic era of movie exhibition, public sentiment took a turn for the worse at the 35-year old Rex.
On February 22, 1971, the Rex was shut down with Debbie Osborne in “Tobacco Roody.” The theatre made a brief comeback but appears to have either stopped advertising or closed after the Debbie Osborne X-rated opus, “Cindy and Donna” On April 11, 1971.
This 1935-era movie house is a thrice-named venue that has had a magnificent run. Its original operator, I. Walter Maple had run Bethany’s Elite Theatre in the town’s former Auditorium 1923 to 1929 on a 7-year lease. He then equipped it for sound for the Cozy to remain viable on a new lease. but the Cozy closed permanently when a fire early in the morning of February 2, 1934 destroyed the Auditorium building housing the Cozy.
This led Maple to construct the Roxy, a new-build theatre. Unfortunately for Maple, Lester Robinson and Joe Noll also decided to build a new theatre at the same time seeing an opportunity. Maple took a space in the Knights of Pythian Castle Hall to create the temporary replacement Cozy Theatre to continue his bookings. That theatre became the Cozy-Castle and, finally, Castle Theatre.
In the race to see who could open their theatre first, Maple’s Roxy opened with a political speech on October 3, 1935 by Senator Roscoe C. Patterson. But Robinson/Noll technically won the race when the new Noll Theatre opened with a movie on October 17, 1934. Maple then had the Roxy Theatre’s true theatrical Grand Opening opening with the film, “Wake Up and Dream,” on October 26, 1934. The town had reached its high-water mark of three simultaneous hardtop theatres.
Maple would shutter the Cozy-Castle Theatre turned Castle Theatre permanently on December 15, 1934. Maple cited “bad roads” as the reason for closure instead of too many theaters in the small town. Maple retired in 1938 dying in 1942. But his Roxy Theatre had a long run. It was given a makeover by new operators Mrs. and Mrs. Bill Pollock relaunching as the Royal Theatre. It had a soft launch on July 11, 1969 playing films including “Doctor Dolittle” during this period and an official grand opening on July 27, 1969 with “Finian’s Rainbow.” The Royal Theatre and Restaurant closed in 1977 and was auctioned off. The winning bidder at $19,000 was R.L. Adkins. At some point, it was renamed El Teatro Real and then the BigTime Cinema operating into the 2020s.
The small town of Bethany had a race to see which of its new streamline moderne theaters would open first. Lester Robinson and Joe Noll of the new Noll Theatre was technically crowned the winner by lunching with “Big Hearted Herbert” on October 17, 1934. I.W. Maple of the Castle Theatre was actually able to have his grand opening two weeks earlier with a political address. But Maple’s first showing at his new Roxy was nine days later on October 26, 1934.
The Auditorium Theatre took up about half of the footprint of the replacement Noll Theatre named after Jacob Noll. It was razed for the new venue. Operated by F.F. Chenoweth in the 1960s, the Noll operated seasonally with the Frontier Drive-In. The Noll closed part-year during the summer months. Subsequently, the Noll Theatre closed in the early 1970s and the building was razed.
Grand Opening for the Frontier Drive-In was on July 17, 1953 with Joel McCrea and Barbara Hale in “The Lone Hand” supported by three Warner Bros. cartoons.
The New Dixie Theatre replaced a 20-year old Dixie Theatre beginning operation on July 31, 1935 with Gracie Moore in “Love Me Forever.” Architect A.F. Lindsay of Cape Girardeau had the task of placing the second location of the Dixie into the existing Commercial Hotel building that had opened in 1906. He delivered with a multi-use facility that included the moderne Art Deco venue housing what originally was a 550-seat New Dixie Theatre.
Likely re-upping for a new lease in 1955, the not as new Dixie converted to widescreen projection to present CinemaScope titles beginning February 20, 1955 with “A Star is Born.” It’s a guess, but the Dixie Theatre may have closed following the June 7, 1971 showing of “Little Fauss and Big Halsey.” Ads are discontinued at that point. After a period of vacancy, it was brought back to active use. It seems to have returned to inactivity.
Reading the daily paper and the trade press, the information above appears to be incorrect. A reading of the daily press shows that the first places folks in Bethany, Missouri likely watched films were in its Opera House (opened in 1892 with films as early as 1903) or its venerable Auditorium Theatre (opened in 1890 and used for films during the early 1910s). With interest high in moving pictures in the early 1910s, the town also had two silent-era Airdomes (1915-1919), the Star Theatre (1910 to 1912), and the Elite Theatre (1914-1923).
I Walter Maple took on the Elite Theatre but - deciding it was too small and seemingly on a second level - moved to the former Auditorium Theatre turned Auditorium building. He created the Cozy Theatre in its lowest level. Maple operated it as a silent house from 1923 to 1929 on a 7-year lease. He then equipped it for sound for the Cozy to remain viable on a new lease. The Will Rogers' film “Mr. Skitch” appears to have been the final film at the Cozy as a fire early in the morning of February 2, 1934 destroyed the Auditorium building.
Cause of the fire was “not certain.” But since the film, “Roman Scandals” had been prepped for viewing and the fire’s origin was above street level from the Cozy Theatre with an explosion in that general vicinity, it’s not hard to imagine that the Cozy projection room led to yet another in a long line of nitrate film blazes.
The screenings were then moved for the next months to the Knights of Pythian Castle Hall, a local fraternal hall that had existed in that location since 1913. The theatre was called the Cozy-Castle and Castle in its brief operation. Maple then built a new venue, the Roxy, which launched in October of 1934. That was just nine days after Lester Robinson and Joe Noll of the new Noll Theatre had launched as the town had three theaters and just 2,200 residents. Because the Noll Theatre was built in the footprint of the Auditorium, according to the local paper, that would put this entry’s address at 1513 Central Street with operational names of the Cozy Theatre formerly the Auditorium Theatre and the Auditorium
The emergency replacement for Maple - the Cozy-Castle Theatre turned Castle Theatre closed permanently on December 15, 1934. Maple cited “bad roads” as the reason for closure instead of too many theaters in the small town. Maple retired in 1938 dying in 1942 but his Roxy Theatre had a long run, was renamed El Teatro Real and then the BigTime Cinema operating into the 2020s. Meanwhile, the footprint of the former Auditorium / Cozy became the new-build Noll Theatre which operated into the 1960s and was razed following a period of vacancy.
The launch of the Roxy Theatre was a political speech on October 3, 1935 by Senator Roscoe C. Patterson. The Grand Opening movie was “Wake Up and Dream” in October 26, 1934.
Glen Belendes launched the Star Theatre a mile west of Valentine, Nebraska, on August 11, 1951 with Bing Crosby in “Pennies from Heaven” supported by a Woody Woodpecker cartoon and another short subject using 16mm projection. Improvements under new operators in 1952 led to the booth getting 35mm projection and a new name as the Valentine Drive-In Theatre. It relaunched with that name on August 28, 1952 with Randolph Scott in “Colt .45.” In 1964, new operator Harmon “Bill” Grunke too over the venue and renamed it as the Sandhills Drive-In on July 17, 1964 with “13 Frightened Girls” and “Reprisal.”
Operator Walter J. Bucholtz closed the New Haven Theatre on November 10, 1940 and then launched here with his new-build Walt Theatre on November 14, 1940 featuring Wallace Beery in “Wyoming.”
The New Haven Theater launched with Colleen Moore in “The Ninety and Nine” on July 10, 1924. It ended its run with a farewell screening of Joel McRea in “He Married His Wife” on November 10, 1940. Operator Walter J. Bucholtz then launched his new-build Walt Theatre on November 14, 1940.
Hugh Gardner opened the CarMar Theatre in 1941. Commonwealth Amusements Circuit took on the venue and closed it as the CarMar Theatre on January 1, 1949 with “Road Show,” “Marshall of Reno,” and the final chapter of “Dangers of the Canadian Mounted.” The Independent Order of the Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) used it as a fraternal lodge from 1949 to 1951 before moving to new digs. The Lindsay Department store then gave the building a transformation to a retail store.
The opening - and only - name of the venue was the Edgewood Drive-In Theatre and, as noted, it launched May 18, 1951 with Alexis Smith in “Wyoming Mail” supported by the Grantland Rice sports short, “Desert Hi-Jinks,” and the Bugs Bunny cartoon, “The Homeless Hare.”
The Southgate Shopping Center opened theatre-less on 3893 S.E. Commercial Street in 1960. General American Theatres, operator of the Lancaster Mall Quad Cinema, two local drive-ins, and two downtown theaters constituting a local monopoly, built an addition to the plaza. The $450,000 three-screen operation with a 400-seat auditorium and 2-200 seat auditoriums was architected by Dick Ebeling & Associates of Portland. It was one of four new-build theaters being built in the area including an identical but ultimately delayed Keizer location triplex by GAT.
The Southgate Cinema Center opened on June 16, 1976 wit two theatres ready to go and Walter Matthau and Tatum O’Neal in “Bad News Bears “ and Jan-Michael Vincent in “Baby Blue Marine” on a double-bill with Lisa Oz in “Drive-In.” Act III Circuit took on the venue and then merged with Regal Theatres in 1998. Regal closed the Southgate in 1999 along with its sister triplex, the Keizer Cinemas 3.
On March 21, 2004, the venue was reopened under independent operation and reducing the theater sizes to 144, 86, and 70 for a total of 300 seats. It relaunched as the Northern Lights Theatre Pub. The Northern Lights Theatre Pub closed on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened briefly but faded away on August 29, 2020 with its final shows being private theater rentals and the last scheduled show was a repertory run of “The Greatest Showman.” Under new operators, the venue relaunched two years later on March 24, 2022.
Princess Theatre “#2” opened December 16, 1943 with Mary Martin in “True to Life.” It replaced the original Princess Theatre which closed and was converted to Cliff’s Cafe, a local restaurant owned by Clifford Schaefer.
Local architects - Vander Ploeg & Associates of Boca Raton - helped design the $1 million cinema as an original anchor of the Schmier & Fuerring Properties' Mission Bay Plaza announced in 1987.
Shadowood Square Mall was announced in 1981 opening theatre-less in December of 1982. As part of its expansion at the five-year mark, Wometco Theatres announced this project in June of 1987. It launched on November 20, 1987 as the Shadowood 12 Theatre in Boca Raton.
No and I’m afraid its past will soon be forgotten.
The Midway Drive-In launched March 29, 1952 with Robert Ryan in “The Best of the Bad Men” and Dana Andrews in “Sealed Cargo.” Opening ad in photos. It appears to have closed in the 1960s and was later razed. The modern day address is at the confluence of Highway D and US-61 once in Lilbourn and now considered within New Madrid. Two addresses are correct for the former o-zoner: 51 Highway D or 6733 US-61, New Madrid, MO 63869, now site of a car / towing operation.
The theatre was demolished in the 2000s
The Grand Opening ad is in photos for the Morehouse Theatre on December 24, 1939 with “The Wizard of Oz” supported by a comedy short and newsreel.
The Rex Theatre launched March 31, 1935 with “The Ruggles of Red Gap” supported by the short, “In the Spotlight” and a cartoon in downtown Sikeston. The theatre was given a streamline moderne makeover just two years later.
In 1956, the Rex was retrofitted with widescreen projection to present CinemaScope titles. But when the Rex booked an X-rated feature in 1970 in the porno chic era of movie exhibition, public sentiment took a turn for the worse at the 35-year old Rex.
On February 22, 1971, the Rex was shut down with Debbie Osborne in “Tobacco Roody.” The theatre made a brief comeback but appears to have either stopped advertising or closed after the Debbie Osborne X-rated opus, “Cindy and Donna” On April 11, 1971.
This 1935-era movie house is a thrice-named venue that has had a magnificent run. Its original operator, I. Walter Maple had run Bethany’s Elite Theatre in the town’s former Auditorium 1923 to 1929 on a 7-year lease. He then equipped it for sound for the Cozy to remain viable on a new lease. but the Cozy closed permanently when a fire early in the morning of February 2, 1934 destroyed the Auditorium building housing the Cozy.
This led Maple to construct the Roxy, a new-build theatre. Unfortunately for Maple, Lester Robinson and Joe Noll also decided to build a new theatre at the same time seeing an opportunity. Maple took a space in the Knights of Pythian Castle Hall to create the temporary replacement Cozy Theatre to continue his bookings. That theatre became the Cozy-Castle and, finally, Castle Theatre.
In the race to see who could open their theatre first, Maple’s Roxy opened with a political speech on October 3, 1935 by Senator Roscoe C. Patterson. But Robinson/Noll technically won the race when the new Noll Theatre opened with a movie on October 17, 1934. Maple then had the Roxy Theatre’s true theatrical Grand Opening opening with the film, “Wake Up and Dream,” on October 26, 1934. The town had reached its high-water mark of three simultaneous hardtop theatres.
Maple would shutter the Cozy-Castle Theatre turned Castle Theatre permanently on December 15, 1934. Maple cited “bad roads” as the reason for closure instead of too many theaters in the small town. Maple retired in 1938 dying in 1942. But his Roxy Theatre had a long run. It was given a makeover by new operators Mrs. and Mrs. Bill Pollock relaunching as the Royal Theatre. It had a soft launch on July 11, 1969 playing films including “Doctor Dolittle” during this period and an official grand opening on July 27, 1969 with “Finian’s Rainbow.” The Royal Theatre and Restaurant closed in 1977 and was auctioned off. The winning bidder at $19,000 was R.L. Adkins. At some point, it was renamed El Teatro Real and then the BigTime Cinema operating into the 2020s.
The small town of Bethany had a race to see which of its new streamline moderne theaters would open first. Lester Robinson and Joe Noll of the new Noll Theatre was technically crowned the winner by lunching with “Big Hearted Herbert” on October 17, 1934. I.W. Maple of the Castle Theatre was actually able to have his grand opening two weeks earlier with a political address. But Maple’s first showing at his new Roxy was nine days later on October 26, 1934.
The Auditorium Theatre took up about half of the footprint of the replacement Noll Theatre named after Jacob Noll. It was razed for the new venue. Operated by F.F. Chenoweth in the 1960s, the Noll operated seasonally with the Frontier Drive-In. The Noll closed part-year during the summer months. Subsequently, the Noll Theatre closed in the early 1970s and the building was razed.
Grand Opening for the Frontier Drive-In was on July 17, 1953 with Joel McCrea and Barbara Hale in “The Lone Hand” supported by three Warner Bros. cartoons.
The New Dixie Theatre replaced a 20-year old Dixie Theatre beginning operation on July 31, 1935 with Gracie Moore in “Love Me Forever.” Architect A.F. Lindsay of Cape Girardeau had the task of placing the second location of the Dixie into the existing Commercial Hotel building that had opened in 1906. He delivered with a multi-use facility that included the moderne Art Deco venue housing what originally was a 550-seat New Dixie Theatre.
Likely re-upping for a new lease in 1955, the not as new Dixie converted to widescreen projection to present CinemaScope titles beginning February 20, 1955 with “A Star is Born.” It’s a guess, but the Dixie Theatre may have closed following the June 7, 1971 showing of “Little Fauss and Big Halsey.” Ads are discontinued at that point. After a period of vacancy, it was brought back to active use. It seems to have returned to inactivity.
Reading the daily paper and the trade press, the information above appears to be incorrect. A reading of the daily press shows that the first places folks in Bethany, Missouri likely watched films were in its Opera House (opened in 1892 with films as early as 1903) or its venerable Auditorium Theatre (opened in 1890 and used for films during the early 1910s). With interest high in moving pictures in the early 1910s, the town also had two silent-era Airdomes (1915-1919), the Star Theatre (1910 to 1912), and the Elite Theatre (1914-1923).
I Walter Maple took on the Elite Theatre but - deciding it was too small and seemingly on a second level - moved to the former Auditorium Theatre turned Auditorium building. He created the Cozy Theatre in its lowest level. Maple operated it as a silent house from 1923 to 1929 on a 7-year lease. He then equipped it for sound for the Cozy to remain viable on a new lease. The Will Rogers' film “Mr. Skitch” appears to have been the final film at the Cozy as a fire early in the morning of February 2, 1934 destroyed the Auditorium building.
Cause of the fire was “not certain.” But since the film, “Roman Scandals” had been prepped for viewing and the fire’s origin was above street level from the Cozy Theatre with an explosion in that general vicinity, it’s not hard to imagine that the Cozy projection room led to yet another in a long line of nitrate film blazes.
The screenings were then moved for the next months to the Knights of Pythian Castle Hall, a local fraternal hall that had existed in that location since 1913. The theatre was called the Cozy-Castle and Castle in its brief operation. Maple then built a new venue, the Roxy, which launched in October of 1934. That was just nine days after Lester Robinson and Joe Noll of the new Noll Theatre had launched as the town had three theaters and just 2,200 residents. Because the Noll Theatre was built in the footprint of the Auditorium, according to the local paper, that would put this entry’s address at 1513 Central Street with operational names of the Cozy Theatre formerly the Auditorium Theatre and the Auditorium
The emergency replacement for Maple - the Cozy-Castle Theatre turned Castle Theatre closed permanently on December 15, 1934. Maple cited “bad roads” as the reason for closure instead of too many theaters in the small town. Maple retired in 1938 dying in 1942 but his Roxy Theatre had a long run, was renamed El Teatro Real and then the BigTime Cinema operating into the 2020s. Meanwhile, the footprint of the former Auditorium / Cozy became the new-build Noll Theatre which operated into the 1960s and was razed following a period of vacancy.
The launch of the Roxy Theatre was a political speech on October 3, 1935 by Senator Roscoe C. Patterson. The Grand Opening movie was “Wake Up and Dream” in October 26, 1934.
First ads as the Zellah Theatre appear in 1914
Glen Belendes launched the Star Theatre a mile west of Valentine, Nebraska, on August 11, 1951 with Bing Crosby in “Pennies from Heaven” supported by a Woody Woodpecker cartoon and another short subject using 16mm projection. Improvements under new operators in 1952 led to the booth getting 35mm projection and a new name as the Valentine Drive-In Theatre. It relaunched with that name on August 28, 1952 with Randolph Scott in “Colt .45.” In 1964, new operator Harmon “Bill” Grunke too over the venue and renamed it as the Sandhills Drive-In on July 17, 1964 with “13 Frightened Girls” and “Reprisal.”
Operator Walter J. Bucholtz closed the New Haven Theatre on November 10, 1940 and then launched here with his new-build Walt Theatre on November 14, 1940 featuring Wallace Beery in “Wyoming.”
The New Haven Theater launched with Colleen Moore in “The Ninety and Nine” on July 10, 1924. It ended its run with a farewell screening of Joel McRea in “He Married His Wife” on November 10, 1940. Operator Walter J. Bucholtz then launched his new-build Walt Theatre on November 14, 1940.
Hugh Gardner opened the CarMar Theatre in 1941. Commonwealth Amusements Circuit took on the venue and closed it as the CarMar Theatre on January 1, 1949 with “Road Show,” “Marshall of Reno,” and the final chapter of “Dangers of the Canadian Mounted.” The Independent Order of the Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) used it as a fraternal lodge from 1949 to 1951 before moving to new digs. The Lindsay Department store then gave the building a transformation to a retail store.
Operated by the Commonwealth Amusement Circuit for a period of its operational lifecycle.
A Hugh Gardner theatre that was taken on by the Commonwealth Amusements Circuit and closed by them in 1947.
The opening - and only - name of the venue was the Edgewood Drive-In Theatre and, as noted, it launched May 18, 1951 with Alexis Smith in “Wyoming Mail” supported by the Grantland Rice sports short, “Desert Hi-Jinks,” and the Bugs Bunny cartoon, “The Homeless Hare.”
Closed with “Double Jeopardy” and “Blue Streak” on October 26, 1999. It did not reopen the following season.
Opened with “My Dinner with Andre” on Christmas Day 1982
The Southgate Shopping Center opened theatre-less on 3893 S.E. Commercial Street in 1960. General American Theatres, operator of the Lancaster Mall Quad Cinema, two local drive-ins, and two downtown theaters constituting a local monopoly, built an addition to the plaza. The $450,000 three-screen operation with a 400-seat auditorium and 2-200 seat auditoriums was architected by Dick Ebeling & Associates of Portland. It was one of four new-build theaters being built in the area including an identical but ultimately delayed Keizer location triplex by GAT.
The Southgate Cinema Center opened on June 16, 1976 wit two theatres ready to go and Walter Matthau and Tatum O’Neal in “Bad News Bears “ and Jan-Michael Vincent in “Baby Blue Marine” on a double-bill with Lisa Oz in “Drive-In.” Act III Circuit took on the venue and then merged with Regal Theatres in 1998. Regal closed the Southgate in 1999 along with its sister triplex, the Keizer Cinemas 3.
On March 21, 2004, the venue was reopened under independent operation and reducing the theater sizes to 144, 86, and 70 for a total of 300 seats. It relaunched as the Northern Lights Theatre Pub. The Northern Lights Theatre Pub closed on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened briefly but faded away on August 29, 2020 with its final shows being private theater rentals and the last scheduled show was a repertory run of “The Greatest Showman.” Under new operators, the venue relaunched two years later on March 24, 2022.
Princess Theatre “#2” opened December 16, 1943 with Mary Martin in “True to Life.” It replaced the original Princess Theatre which closed and was converted to Cliff’s Cafe, a local restaurant owned by Clifford Schaefer.