On October 21, 1952, the venue became Teatro Gayety. showing Spanish language films through April 7, 1955. After a refresh, the venue was returned to Hollywood fare as the Gayety Theatre on June 24, 1955 with “A Man Called Peter” and “The Charge of Feather River.” It then switched back to Spanish language films often called Teatro Gayety and also the Gayety Theatre.
Reading the local paper, Pete Lopina opened Pete’s Theatre opened as the South Side’s first nickelodeon. In 1908, he elevated all seating in a change of name to the South Chicago Theatre on August 4, 1908. In 1914, it was renamed as Pete’s South Chicago Theatre. In March of 1917, It is listed as Pete’s Theatre.
It then became the Joy Theatre in the 1930s. Became Teatro Joy on January 9, 1943 showing Spanish Language films. It then became Joy’s House of Music. Demolished in 1971
The EastSide Theatre closed permanently on January 31, 1954 with “Botany Bay” and “Devil’s Canyon.” The building was renovated in 1966 to become a bank.
The Commercial Theatre opened on September 18, 1920 with Duistin Farnum in “Big Happiness” and Buster Keaton in “One Week.” It closed as a grind house playing continuous triple features for as little as sixty cents admission in December of 1966.
Paul Caruso’s Caruso Theatre launched May 27, 1946 with “Our Vines Have Tender Grapes.” The new build Chief Theatre opened three months later. A suspicious fire partially destroyed the Caruso three months after than on December 29, 1946. The Caruso rebuilt reopening March 22, 1947.
On November 14, 1963, it was renamed under new operators as the Dowagiac Theatre with “Irma le Douce.” It celebrated its 30th Anniversary on May 27, 1976. But on November 23, 1977 the Dowagiac Theatre got bad news when it was gutted by a fire while playing “Bad News Bears Breaking Training.” The theatre was destroyed.
1945 architectural drawing by Homer Harper of St. Joseph, Michigan in photos. The Chief Theatre project broke ground on January 2, 1946. The Chief’s grand opening ad is also in photos launching on July 6, 1946 with “The Spiral Staircase.”
Grand opening ad as the Wayne Theatre in photos January 1, 1941 with “Shooting High”. July 30, 1976 rebranding and relaunch as the Center Theatre in photos. Rebrand as Variety Cinema December 5, 1985 in photos. Final ad as Variety Cinema on January 2, 1987 with “Jumpin' Jack Flash” in photos. Became the Variety Cinema and Disco but didn’t screen films. later that year. Should be labeled as the Variety Cinema (not Theatre) if one cares about such things.
The Desert Sky Cinema opened on June 23, 2000. The Desert Sky dived on January 30, 2025 closing with “Wicked,” “Mufasa,” “Wolfman” and “A Complete Unknown.”
The Hudson Theatre launched in the Memorial Building on November 14, 1942 with “The Flying Deuces” with a grand opening ad in photos. It didn’t go well. Ross Thayer got a War Production Board (WPB) grant to build a new theater in 1944. Grand opening ad of his Ross Theatre on January 31, 1945 with “Lady Takes a Chance” is in photos. In January of 1950, the theater was purchased by DeVerne C. Darnell from Clyde Jones who owned the Ross for its final two years. It was renamed the Marcellus Theatre on January 12, 1950 with “Geronimo!”
On August 1, 1957 it became the Dix Theatre with “Four Boys and a Gun.” It closed permanently on July 20, 1958 with “Hot Rod Rumble” and “Naked Sun.”
Seating - 400. The Eagle Theatre left its roost less than a year into its run with a building permit approved in November of 1916 to convert the space to a garage. That’s what occurred as the Smith & Deafner Garage opened there in 1917.
Pitts Madison Theatre opens over in the Masonic Temple on October 22, 1931 with “My Personal Maid”. Pitts moved on as noted above in 1969 but the venue reopened September 18, 1970 under new operators, RC Theatres, with “The Boatniks” as the Madison Theatre. It closed permanently in 1977.
Arthur Abbott launched the Circle A with a western themed rustic interior on November 21, 1937 with Cary Grant in “The Awful Truth” (opening ad in photos). The main attractions were the westerns programmed here. When those westerns were a staple for early television, the business model became challenging. The Circle A headed toward the sunset on November 11, 1951 with “Rough Riders of Durango.”
Osgood and Osgood out of Grand Rapids were the architects of the Century Theatre. The venue opened on February 27, 1922 with Gloria Swanson in “The Great Moment” supported by Buster Keaton in “High Sign”
The original Beckwith Memorial Theatre launched on January 19, 1893 with live fare. The 600-seat theatre was not at capacity when the Marx Brothers hit the stage with “Cocoanuts” just prior to World War I. Over time, movies were worked into the programming mix. In 1914, it switched to showing movies every night. The venue received a major refresh for Larking Theatre Co. reopening on February 24, 1927 with live vaudeville and a film, “The Auctioneer.”
Renamed as Movie One Long Beach on September 3, 1976 as a discount, double-feature house playing somewhat recent Hollywood hits. Under new operators, it was called both the Long Beach Theatre and the Long Beach Adult Theatre beginning October 29, 1976 with “Lovelace Meets Miss Jones” and “Her Taste of Freedom.”
In 1925, the McCartney-Johnson Circuit sold the venue to the Rowland-Clark Circuit as it made its journey to a Warner Bros. owned and operated property.
On October 21, 1952, the venue became Teatro Gayety. showing Spanish language films through April 7, 1955. After a refresh, the venue was returned to Hollywood fare as the Gayety Theatre on June 24, 1955 with “A Man Called Peter” and “The Charge of Feather River.” It then switched back to Spanish language films often called Teatro Gayety and also the Gayety Theatre.
A.B. Lane opened the Lincoln Theatre on June 20, 1908
Reading the local paper, Pete Lopina opened Pete’s Theatre opened as the South Side’s first nickelodeon. In 1908, he elevated all seating in a change of name to the South Chicago Theatre on August 4, 1908. In 1914, it was renamed as Pete’s South Chicago Theatre. In March of 1917, It is listed as Pete’s Theatre.
It then became the Joy Theatre in the 1930s. Became Teatro Joy on January 9, 1943 showing Spanish Language films. It then became Joy’s House of Music. Demolished in 1971
The EastSide Theatre closed permanently on January 31, 1954 with “Botany Bay” and “Devil’s Canyon.” The building was renovated in 1966 to become a bank.
The Commercial Theatre opened on September 18, 1920 with Duistin Farnum in “Big Happiness” and Buster Keaton in “One Week.” It closed as a grind house playing continuous triple features for as little as sixty cents admission in December of 1966.
Paul Caruso’s Caruso Theatre launched May 27, 1946 with “Our Vines Have Tender Grapes.” The new build Chief Theatre opened three months later. A suspicious fire partially destroyed the Caruso three months after than on December 29, 1946. The Caruso rebuilt reopening March 22, 1947.
On November 14, 1963, it was renamed under new operators as the Dowagiac Theatre with “Irma le Douce.” It celebrated its 30th Anniversary on May 27, 1976. But on November 23, 1977 the Dowagiac Theatre got bad news when it was gutted by a fire while playing “Bad News Bears Breaking Training.” The theatre was destroyed.
1945 architectural drawing by Homer Harper of St. Joseph, Michigan in photos. The Chief Theatre project broke ground on January 2, 1946. The Chief’s grand opening ad is also in photos launching on July 6, 1946 with “The Spiral Staircase.”
Final showing was “Executioner” and “Psycho From Texas” on November 17, 1985.
Grand opening ad as the Wayne Theatre in photos January 1, 1941 with “Shooting High”. July 30, 1976 rebranding and relaunch as the Center Theatre in photos. Rebrand as Variety Cinema December 5, 1985 in photos. Final ad as Variety Cinema on January 2, 1987 with “Jumpin' Jack Flash” in photos. Became the Variety Cinema and Disco but didn’t screen films. later that year. Should be labeled as the Variety Cinema (not Theatre) if one cares about such things.
The Desert Sky Cinema opened on June 23, 2000. The Desert Sky dived on January 30, 2025 closing with “Wicked,” “Mufasa,” “Wolfman” and “A Complete Unknown.”
The Hudson Theatre launched in the Memorial Building on November 14, 1942 with “The Flying Deuces” with a grand opening ad in photos. It didn’t go well. Ross Thayer got a War Production Board (WPB) grant to build a new theater in 1944. Grand opening ad of his Ross Theatre on January 31, 1945 with “Lady Takes a Chance” is in photos. In January of 1950, the theater was purchased by DeVerne C. Darnell from Clyde Jones who owned the Ross for its final two years. It was renamed the Marcellus Theatre on January 12, 1950 with “Geronimo!”
On August 1, 1957 it became the Dix Theatre with “Four Boys and a Gun.” It closed permanently on July 20, 1958 with “Hot Rod Rumble” and “Naked Sun.”
Seating - 400. The Eagle Theatre left its roost less than a year into its run with a building permit approved in November of 1916 to convert the space to a garage. That’s what occurred as the Smith & Deafner Garage opened there in 1917.
Pitts Madison Theatre opens over in the Masonic Temple on October 22, 1931 with “My Personal Maid”. Pitts moved on as noted above in 1969 but the venue reopened September 18, 1970 under new operators, RC Theatres, with “The Boatniks” as the Madison Theatre. It closed permanently in 1977.
October 14, 1949 Grand Opening ad in photos. Final advertised show was August 18, 1985 with “A View to a Kill” and “Cat’s Eye.”
October 14, 1949 Grand Opening ad in photos.
For the very technical, the proper opening name is Pitts Orange Drive-In Theatre launching May 16, 1952 with “Colt .45”
Arthur Abbott launched the Circle A with a western themed rustic interior on November 21, 1937 with Cary Grant in “The Awful Truth” (opening ad in photos). The main attractions were the westerns programmed here. When those westerns were a staple for early television, the business model became challenging. The Circle A headed toward the sunset on November 11, 1951 with “Rough Riders of Durango.”
Osgood and Osgood out of Grand Rapids were the architects of the Century Theatre. The venue opened on February 27, 1922 with Gloria Swanson in “The Great Moment” supported by Buster Keaton in “High Sign”
The original Beckwith Memorial Theatre launched on January 19, 1893 with live fare. The 600-seat theatre was not at capacity when the Marx Brothers hit the stage with “Cocoanuts” just prior to World War I. Over time, movies were worked into the programming mix. In 1914, it switched to showing movies every night. The venue received a major refresh for Larking Theatre Co. reopening on February 24, 1927 with live vaudeville and a film, “The Auctioneer.”
The 73d Stewart & Everett Circuit theater was announced in 1968 to the plans of Weatley, Whisnant and Associates of Charlotte (in photos).
Renamed as Movie One Long Beach on September 3, 1976 as a discount, double-feature house playing somewhat recent Hollywood hits. Under new operators, it was called both the Long Beach Theatre and the Long Beach Adult Theatre beginning October 29, 1976 with “Lovelace Meets Miss Jones” and “Her Taste of Freedom.”
A 1975 shot.
In 1925, the McCartney-Johnson Circuit sold the venue to the Rowland-Clark Circuit as it made its journey to a Warner Bros. owned and operated property.
Final day: February 28, 1980
Opening ad as Drive-In Theatre on November 2, 1948 with “Gone with the Wind” in photos.