The Theatorium opened on April 16, 1907. A second Theatorium opened in July 15, 1907 on Main Street causing some confusion to modern-day Cinema Treasures. That second theatre had a lower floor confectionery and ice cream soda fountain serving as a de facto concession stand for the second floor theatre. This entry should really be devoted to that venue - Garnette’s Theatorium - in its North Side Square location because it was the one that lasted some 14 years mostly under the name of the North Side Theatre.
The Keck Building was home to the Garnette’s Theatorium until the Garnett’s sold out on June 9, 1911 to A.R. Fawley with the venue becoming the Theatorium (taking the name of the original April 16, 1907 which had gone out of business). Fawley sold the venue to Bert Deardoff in 1912 who changed its name to the North Side Theatre on July 19, 1912 showing Marshall Stedman in “The Coming of Columbus.”
The North Side Theatre and the Grand Theatre become the two long-standing 1910s movie houses. The Grand Theatre - which had opened in 1906 and became a full time picture show in 1908 - was a competing Bryan downtown theatre which will soon have its own Cinema Treasures page and was sometimes called the Grand Theatorium by the local press. So this may be where there is some confusion in the Cinema Treasures database regarding “Theatorium.”
The Temple Theatre opened on February 16, 1921 by the operators of the North Side. They announced its closure at that point with the venue becoming a retail shoe store, the Syndicate Cut Price Shoe Store, that launched May 7, 1921. The Temple operators would then purchase the competing Grand Theatre and close it, as well, in 1922. This entry should be the North Side Theatre formerly Garnette’s Theatorium and, technically, Theatorium “#2” since there was an earlier venue using that same moniker. If any of that’s of any interest.
The Temple Theatre launched on February 16, 1921 with “The Mark of Zorro.” On November 25, 1928, the Temple under L.D. Miller switched over to talkies playing “The Singing Fool” with Al Jolson using the Phototone sound system. It appears to have ceased film operations on May 1, 1952 after showings of the Bowery Boys in “Fighting Fools” and Roy Rogers in “Under Nevada Skies.”
December 10, 1922 grand opening State Theatre ad with Pauline Frederick in “The Lure of Jade” is in photos. BTW: The Opera House was a different theatre becoming the Arcade Theatre. Sorry.
June 29, 1932 grand opening ad with “Merrily We Go to Hell” supported by the Boswell Sisters in “Close Harmony” and Cab Calloway in “Minnie, the Moocher”
The Pine Hill Drive-In opened in February of 1951 for T.V. Garroway. It was his second of threee outdoor theaters. L.M. Hamilton bought the venue for their son returning from military service in 1953. In 1955, the ozoner got on a new widescreen tower to present CinemaScope films.
W.L. “Big Pic” Moseley and R.E. “Small Pic” Moseley took on the venue continuing it as the Pine Hill until “Big Pic” passed in 1968. The Pine Hill continued in the Mosley family under MLM, Co. until 1976 completing a 25-year leasing contract. It then became the Pine Hill Scrapyard. The entry should be the Pine Hill Drive-In.
The Acme Theatre had become Goldsboro’s first movie theater launching September 19, 1907. H.R. Mason opened his replacement theater, the Mason Theatre, here on November 30, 1925 with a live minstrel show. He then closed the Acme following a December 1, 1925 screening of “The Only Woman.”
The new Mason Theatre showed its first film on December 1, 1925 with “The Merry Widow” as it mixed in live events with film content. In September of 1930, Publix took on the North State (which also opened late in 1925) and the Mason. It changed the name of the Mason Theatre to the Paramount Theatre and was responsible for its sound conversion.
The Acme Theatre was Goldsboro’s first movie theater launching September 19, 1907 with changes in film every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It appears to have closed by H.R. Mason on December 1, 1925 with “The Only Woman.” The new Mason Theatre opened two days previously by H.R. Mason ending the Acme’s run. Local clothes retailer Neil Joseph purchased the facility in 1926 converting it to a retail clothier.
The North State Theatre described in the local press was owned by Sidney Sims “S.S.” Stevenson of Stevenson Theatres, Inc. and opened December 21, 1925 with Mary Carr in “Drusilla with a Million.” United Studios of Chicago did the decorating. Stevenson also operated the Princess and the Liberty in town. The theater had a Reproduco Pipe Organ and was managed at launch by Ken Finlay.
The Skyway seems to have opened March 16, 1950 with “River Lady.” Its last ad is at the end of the 1976 season and last film was advertised in 1975. An article in 1978 later says that the Skyway closed “several years” prior. I would assume it closed at the end of its 25-year lease in 1975. A mobile home sales facility was in its place in 1981.
December 23, 1937 grand opening with “Merry-Go-Round of 1938” in photos. Baumann and Baumann of Knoxville, Tennessee created the architectural plans. Shirley Temple, W.C. Fields, Mae West, Tyrone Power and Sonja Hennie were among the Hollywood stars sending telegrams of delight to operators W.H. Parrott and Earl Hendren then of Cherokee Amusement Company. It appears to have closed at the end of a 30-year leasing agreement with brief extension on June 18, 1968 with “The Restless Ones.” In 1968, Winkler’s Pharmacy took over the location.
Opened October 26, 1934 with “The Richest Girl in the World” for Amos, Parott, & Hendren. It was within the tiny Parott & Ausmus group of theaters including the Princess at Greenville, the Gay in Sweetwater and in Jellico, the Lenoir City Grand, and the Novelty and Capital here.
The Capitol appears to have closed May 8, 1947 with Robert Lowery in “Gas House Kids.” The lobby is used for a radio shop with the theater remaining intact. But it was completely converted to retail in 1955 after years of inactivity to a clothing store. Based on the newspaper accounts, it was in the building at 117 E. Central.
The Victor Theatre was the first African American movie theater in Port Arthur. That lasted until taken over by Holton Theatres in 1917. A policy changed turned it over to White audiences at that time.
1957… it was still open in 1977! It became an African American theater in 1955 and returned to segregated operation running blaxploitation films into the 1970s. Its star appears to have vanished on July 5, 1977 following a dollar night double feature of Richard Pryor in “Silver Streak” and Robert Hooks in “Trouble Man.”
On October 13, 1922 the Palace Theatre opened in a three-year old building, converting the City Drug Store into a long-lasting theatre space. The entire building was renamed the Palace Theatre Building and the first film was “Too Much Business.” Two Motiongraph projectors also played a Harold Lloyd comedy short on opening night. H.T. Hodge of the first Gem Theatre in Abilene was in charge.
Interstate Theatres operated the theater next steering it to closure in 1952 at the end of the venue’s 30-year lease. On November 22, 1952, the Palace became Abilene’s only African American theater relaunching for operator S.P. Nesmith with James Edwards in “The Bright Victory.” Nesmith had a 5-year lease. But that didn’t last long. The theater switched to White and Latin American customers January 10, 1953 playing second-run Hollywood fare on weekends and Spanish language films on weekdays.
The theater next switches completely to a Spanish Language theater. Bookings appear to end after the September 18, 1965 showings of “Buenos Dias Acapolco” and “Santo Contra el rey del Crimen.” The theater was targeted for demolition in November of 1969 and appears to have been demolished in January of 1970.
Operated by International Amusement Company, this was another Spanish language theater in town. It was the only one with a $7,000 Wurlitzer pipe organ. When the Pershing was built, it appears the Rex Theatre may have been the odd theater out in 1940. It became home to the PanAmerican Optimist Club Gymnasium.
Al Stoddard opened the 300-seat New Rex Theatre on May 28, 1928 with “7th Heaven” with a new Duplex organ and silent films. It was located on the East Side of the Madisonville town square. On January 1, 1930, Stoddard added sound showing talkies.
This venue appears to have become the Plaza Theatre launching November 23, 1937 now with a streamline moderne designed venue playing “This Way Please.” Long Theatres Circuit operated both the Plaza and the Mustang. A local resident appears to have then reopened the first Rex (not this venue) as the Madison Theatre briefly giving the town three simultaneously operating, hardtop movie houses in the late 1930s - a good number for a town with fewer than 2,000 residents.
The Plaza Theatre advertises for 15 years apparently closing in 1952. It reopens one more time as the Plaza Theater until fire strikes in March 4, 1961. Its final showing is “The Plunderers.” The building is repaired and converted for retail becoming home to the Carousel Clothing Store. The town is then long-served by the Pam / Madison (former Mustang) as well as the Mustang Drive-In Theatre.
Another entry handles the Mustang (hardtop) Theatre turned Pam Theatre and, finally, Madison Theatre. It was located on the Southeast Corner of the Madisonville town square.
The former Ward Theatre building without its attractor and canopy.
The Theatorium opened on April 16, 1907. A second Theatorium opened in July 15, 1907 on Main Street causing some confusion to modern-day Cinema Treasures. That second theatre had a lower floor confectionery and ice cream soda fountain serving as a de facto concession stand for the second floor theatre. This entry should really be devoted to that venue - Garnette’s Theatorium - in its North Side Square location because it was the one that lasted some 14 years mostly under the name of the North Side Theatre.
The Keck Building was home to the Garnette’s Theatorium until the Garnett’s sold out on June 9, 1911 to A.R. Fawley with the venue becoming the Theatorium (taking the name of the original April 16, 1907 which had gone out of business). Fawley sold the venue to Bert Deardoff in 1912 who changed its name to the North Side Theatre on July 19, 1912 showing Marshall Stedman in “The Coming of Columbus.”
The North Side Theatre and the Grand Theatre become the two long-standing 1910s movie houses. The Grand Theatre - which had opened in 1906 and became a full time picture show in 1908 - was a competing Bryan downtown theatre which will soon have its own Cinema Treasures page and was sometimes called the Grand Theatorium by the local press. So this may be where there is some confusion in the Cinema Treasures database regarding “Theatorium.”
The Temple Theatre opened on February 16, 1921 by the operators of the North Side. They announced its closure at that point with the venue becoming a retail shoe store, the Syndicate Cut Price Shoe Store, that launched May 7, 1921. The Temple operators would then purchase the competing Grand Theatre and close it, as well, in 1922. This entry should be the North Side Theatre formerly Garnette’s Theatorium and, technically, Theatorium “#2” since there was an earlier venue using that same moniker. If any of that’s of any interest.
The Temple Theatre launched on February 16, 1921 with “The Mark of Zorro.” On November 25, 1928, the Temple under L.D. Miller switched over to talkies playing “The Singing Fool” with Al Jolson using the Phototone sound system. It appears to have ceased film operations on May 1, 1952 after showings of the Bowery Boys in “Fighting Fools” and Roy Rogers in “Under Nevada Skies.”
December 10, 1922 grand opening State Theatre ad with Pauline Frederick in “The Lure of Jade” is in photos. BTW: The Opera House was a different theatre becoming the Arcade Theatre. Sorry.
November 26, 1929 grand opening ad with Ted Lewis in “Is Everybody Happy?” supported by Laurel and Hardy in “Perfect Day” in photos.
June 29, 1932 grand opening ad with “Merrily We Go to Hell” supported by the Boswell Sisters in “Close Harmony” and Cab Calloway in “Minnie, the Moocher”
June 6, 1949 seems to have opened with Tycoon (ad in photos).
The Pine Hill Drive-In opened in February of 1951 for T.V. Garroway. It was his second of threee outdoor theaters. L.M. Hamilton bought the venue for their son returning from military service in 1953. In 1955, the ozoner got on a new widescreen tower to present CinemaScope films.
W.L. “Big Pic” Moseley and R.E. “Small Pic” Moseley took on the venue continuing it as the Pine Hill until “Big Pic” passed in 1968. The Pine Hill continued in the Mosley family under MLM, Co. until 1976 completing a 25-year leasing contract. It then became the Pine Hill Scrapyard. The entry should be the Pine Hill Drive-In.
Twin 410 auditoriums (820 seats) at launch.
Two 410 screen auditoriums at opening (820 seats) with “The Godfather” and “Play It Again, Sam” on July 28th, 1972.
The Acme Theatre had become Goldsboro’s first movie theater launching September 19, 1907. H.R. Mason opened his replacement theater, the Mason Theatre, here on November 30, 1925 with a live minstrel show. He then closed the Acme following a December 1, 1925 screening of “The Only Woman.”
The new Mason Theatre showed its first film on December 1, 1925 with “The Merry Widow” as it mixed in live events with film content. In September of 1930, Publix took on the North State (which also opened late in 1925) and the Mason. It changed the name of the Mason Theatre to the Paramount Theatre and was responsible for its sound conversion.
The Acme Theatre was Goldsboro’s first movie theater launching September 19, 1907 with changes in film every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It appears to have closed by H.R. Mason on December 1, 1925 with “The Only Woman.” The new Mason Theatre opened two days previously by H.R. Mason ending the Acme’s run. Local clothes retailer Neil Joseph purchased the facility in 1926 converting it to a retail clothier.
The North State Theatre described in the local press was owned by Sidney Sims “S.S.” Stevenson of Stevenson Theatres, Inc. and opened December 21, 1925 with Mary Carr in “Drusilla with a Million.” United Studios of Chicago did the decorating. Stevenson also operated the Princess and the Liberty in town. The theater had a Reproduco Pipe Organ and was managed at launch by Ken Finlay.
The Skyway seems to have opened March 16, 1950 with “River Lady.” Its last ad is at the end of the 1976 season and last film was advertised in 1975. An article in 1978 later says that the Skyway closed “several years” prior. I would assume it closed at the end of its 25-year lease in 1975. A mobile home sales facility was in its place in 1981.
Its address is 1800 Old Jacksboro Highway.
Seems to have opened March 16, 1950 with “River Lady.”
December 23, 1937 grand opening with “Merry-Go-Round of 1938” in photos. Baumann and Baumann of Knoxville, Tennessee created the architectural plans. Shirley Temple, W.C. Fields, Mae West, Tyrone Power and Sonja Hennie were among the Hollywood stars sending telegrams of delight to operators W.H. Parrott and Earl Hendren then of Cherokee Amusement Company. It appears to have closed at the end of a 30-year leasing agreement with brief extension on June 18, 1968 with “The Restless Ones.” In 1968, Winkler’s Pharmacy took over the location.
Opened October 26, 1934 with “The Richest Girl in the World” for Amos, Parott, & Hendren. It was within the tiny Parott & Ausmus group of theaters including the Princess at Greenville, the Gay in Sweetwater and in Jellico, the Lenoir City Grand, and the Novelty and Capital here.
The Capitol appears to have closed May 8, 1947 with Robert Lowery in “Gas House Kids.” The lobby is used for a radio shop with the theater remaining intact. But it was completely converted to retail in 1955 after years of inactivity to a clothing store. Based on the newspaper accounts, it was in the building at 117 E. Central.
Closed January 5, 2025 likely at the expiry of its 20-year lease
The Victor Theatre was the first African American movie theater in Port Arthur. That lasted until taken over by Holton Theatres in 1917. A policy changed turned it over to White audiences at that time.
1957… it was still open in 1977! It became an African American theater in 1955 and returned to segregated operation running blaxploitation films into the 1970s. Its star appears to have vanished on July 5, 1977 following a dollar night double feature of Richard Pryor in “Silver Streak” and Robert Hooks in “Trouble Man.”
On October 13, 1922 the Palace Theatre opened in a three-year old building, converting the City Drug Store into a long-lasting theatre space. The entire building was renamed the Palace Theatre Building and the first film was “Too Much Business.” Two Motiongraph projectors also played a Harold Lloyd comedy short on opening night. H.T. Hodge of the first Gem Theatre in Abilene was in charge.
Interstate Theatres operated the theater next steering it to closure in 1952 at the end of the venue’s 30-year lease. On November 22, 1952, the Palace became Abilene’s only African American theater relaunching for operator S.P. Nesmith with James Edwards in “The Bright Victory.” Nesmith had a 5-year lease. But that didn’t last long. The theater switched to White and Latin American customers January 10, 1953 playing second-run Hollywood fare on weekends and Spanish language films on weekdays.
The theater next switches completely to a Spanish Language theater. Bookings appear to end after the September 18, 1965 showings of “Buenos Dias Acapolco” and “Santo Contra el rey del Crimen.” The theater was targeted for demolition in November of 1969 and appears to have been demolished in January of 1970.
Operated by International Amusement Company, this was another Spanish language theater in town. It was the only one with a $7,000 Wurlitzer pipe organ. When the Pershing was built, it appears the Rex Theatre may have been the odd theater out in 1940. It became home to the PanAmerican Optimist Club Gymnasium.
Changed its name to the American Theatre with 239 seats. It closed in 1930 failing to make the conversion to sound.
Al Stoddard opened the 300-seat New Rex Theatre on May 28, 1928 with “7th Heaven” with a new Duplex organ and silent films. It was located on the East Side of the Madisonville town square. On January 1, 1930, Stoddard added sound showing talkies.
This venue appears to have become the Plaza Theatre launching November 23, 1937 now with a streamline moderne designed venue playing “This Way Please.” Long Theatres Circuit operated both the Plaza and the Mustang. A local resident appears to have then reopened the first Rex (not this venue) as the Madison Theatre briefly giving the town three simultaneously operating, hardtop movie houses in the late 1930s - a good number for a town with fewer than 2,000 residents.
The Plaza Theatre advertises for 15 years apparently closing in 1952. It reopens one more time as the Plaza Theater until fire strikes in March 4, 1961. Its final showing is “The Plunderers.” The building is repaired and converted for retail becoming home to the Carousel Clothing Store. The town is then long-served by the Pam / Madison (former Mustang) as well as the Mustang Drive-In Theatre.
Another entry handles the Mustang (hardtop) Theatre turned Pam Theatre and, finally, Madison Theatre. It was located on the Southeast Corner of the Madisonville town square.
March 4, 1961: end of the line for the Plaza Theatre. It will be repaired and converted to retail as a home for Carousel Clothing.