Having reportedly launched the first four-screen theatre in the Cincinnati market here, National Amusement’s Showcase brand wanted to build the area’s first true megaplex. So it demolished the 25-year old, four - turned five - turned seven - make that nine-screen Frankensteined Showcase Cinemas Springdale venue and started over with an announced 20-screen project turned 18-screen opening with 10-screens prior to getting to 18 screens later venue. National Amusements also announced a 20-screen facility, the Deerfield 20, in 1996 that stalled out at 12 screens.
The Showcase Cinemas Springdale “10” opened on May 15, 1998. If you were hoping for a true megaplex, you had to wait seven months until they completed the other 8 screens. That’s when the theatre relaunched as the Showcase Cinemas Springdale 18 on December 11, 1998. When IMAX began to branch out its brand name to large screen auditoriums in megaplexes as a marketing advantage, the Springdale was on board in 2004. The venue relaunched under the banner of the Showcase Cinema de Lux Springdale 18 on November 5, 2004. The curious dropping of the “s” in Cinemas was a foreshadowing of National Cinemas mass exodus from the state of Ohio.
National’s Showcase had a dominant position around Ohio at the start of the megaplex era. But it left markets one by one until, by the 2020s, Showcase shockingly had just one location in the entire state. And, you guessed it, the Showcase Cinema (singular) de Lux Springdale 18 was the last Showcase standing between the East Coast and Ohio as the circuit concentrated on international locations. The SCdLS-18 churned forward with its sports bar, restaurant offerings, and expanded snack bar trying to remain viable for as long as possible.
The Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema Monroeville Mall I & II appears to have launched September 29, 1972 with “A New Leaf” and “Summer of ‘42.” By that time, however, the Jerry Lewis / Network Cinema concept was in free fall collapse with the company declaring bankruptcy and Jerry Lewis leaving the company not long after. The venue initially had two, identical 350-seat auditoriums with automation making the operation as simple as pushing a button (or so the franchisees thought). It was an outparcel complex not far from one of the Mall’s original anchors in Gimbel’s Department Store.
On January 10, 1973, the Lewis name was banished from the location - a trend across the nation as franchisee’s blood was boiling at the lack of service that was provided by the Lewis Circuit. The new name here was the Monroeville Mall Cinema I & II which it held and was acquired in January of 1973 by the fast-growing circuit, Cinemette Theatres Inc. In February, they began construction on two more auditoriums to make the facility a four-plex. The venue relaunched August 29, 1973 as the Cinemette East.
The Cinemette Corporation sold its 160 movie theaters in 1987 to Cinema World Inc. The Cinemette nameplate held until April of 1988 when it was renamed the Cinema World Monroeville. In April of 1994, Cinema World sold its 38 locations to Carmike Theatres including the Monroeville effective that May. The newly-renamed Carmike Monroeville 4 operated under that banner until closure. In November of 1998, Monroeville Mall announced a new outparcel location for Best Buy on the same spot as the 4-screener. Carmike closed the Monroeville 4 permanently on December 17, 1998. It was demolished shortly thereafter.
According the opening notice, Cinema 22 launched as an original tenant in the Monroe Plaza Shopping Center with a single auditorium that seated 800 and the architectural style they went for was “early Colonial.”
The Liberty Amusement Company launched the Liberty Theatre in an existing retail store in September of 1907. In 1911, the theatre was in new operators' hands as the renamed Alhambra Theatre. The Alhambra was wired for sound to remain viable.
The Harris Theatre Circuit took on the venue on September 24, 1933. It renamed the venue as the Harris Family Theatre on October 6, 1933. which closed permanently on May 2, 1948 with Barry Fitzgerald in “The Naked City.” It was retrofitted for a five and dime variety store.
The opening of the Triangle inaugurated the venue’s large Hillgren-Lane 3-Manual organ with a 21' 9" wide and 15' high screen - largest in the city. The opening film was “The Blooming Angel” on April 3, 1920. Under new operators in 1929, the venue became an African American movie theater with some live entertainment on its stage. It was billed as East Liberty’s only theatre for African American patrons. It played African American films created by Oscar Micheaux and distributed by Sack Amusements. The Triangle was equipped for sound to remain viable. It tried foreign films as its last policy. It closed June 12, 1958 with a double-feature of “Maddalena” and “Barefoot Savage.” In August of 1958 it was converted for other retail purposes.
The grand opening for William N. Lando’s Lando Theatre was on December 13, 1929 with “The Fox Follies.” It was part of the Theatre Owners Booking Association, or T.O.B.A. Unfortunately, T.O.B.A. - the vaudeville circuit for African American performers in the 1920s - went out of business just about a year later.
On September 11, 1931, the venue was renamed the Grand Theatre with a week-long engagement by Mamie Smith as one of the first bookings there. Hendel Theatreical Enterprises took on the venue after a major refresh as the Granada Theatre on February 5, 1934 with “The Son of Kong.” Handel had operated the Roosevelt Theatre across the street as well as the Center Square Theater. In 1937, the Granada moved two blocks away creating the famous, New Granada Theatre. The old location reverted to its recent past becoming Lando’s Grand Theatre (technically not Lando-Grand but who much cares?) as a Yiddish / Jewish theater.
In 1939, the venue became the Central Theatre with Lando subleasing the venue which had a short run as an African American live venue that failed within a year. Lando returned to the venue in the Fall of 1940 renaming it as the Lando Central Theatre returning with Yiddish / Jewish presentations. In 1943, perhaps under different operators, the venue became known as the Central Theatre closing in 1944.
The venue became the Church of God in Christ in 1944 followed by the Beck Gospel Temple in 1947 where the religious film screening of “Blow Gabriel” on December 10, 1948 appears to be the final screening at this location. The venue was retrofitted for retail purposes not long after. The building became a retail location before becoming damaged in 1968 following five days of vandalism, rioting and arson that took place in response to Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. The building was demolished just shy of its 40th anniversary in 1969.
The Novelty launched October 23, 1908 with vaudeville and motion pictures for a dime. The Novelty added sound to remain viable. On September 13th, 1963 it was rebranded as the Novelty Art Cinema playing “A Paradise and "Sun Goddess.” It was finally renamed as the New Casino Theatre beginning on October 20, 1966 with a double feature of “Tales of a Salesman” and “Not Tonight Henry.” A raid in the 1970s led to charges of corruption after the theater had concluded its business operations.
The Casino Theatre closed permanently on March 30, 1975 when it was essentially thrown out by the Urban Redevelopment Authority which came into ownership of the building. That action against “The Home of Total Girl Shows” was initiated in November of 1973 but the Casino management successfully fought that in court until 1975. The venue went out in style with a six-hour adult movie fest for just $3 admission. Listing should be the Casino Theatre.
The Hillcrest Drive-In’s screen tower was destroyed in a deadly tornado on May 20, 1957. The town pitched in to help rebuild the tower which relaunched on June 20, 1957 better than ever.
Launched September 14, 1927 with “The Ghost Train” supported by Alice Clemo Johnson at the mighty Wurlitzer organ. It became the State under new operators in August of 1936.
J.J. Gieg provided the architectural plans for the New Ariel Theatre for operator Joseph Welte. It launched on November 17, 1914 replacing the original Ariel Theatre a block away at 173 High Street.
In the planning stages, this was the Neighborhood Theatre for the East Genesee Holding Company with architectural plans by Henry L. Spann. It launched as Basil’s Genesee Theatre on October 12, 1927 with organist Dusty Rhodes at the Marr & Colton organ supporting the opening film of “Painting the Town” with Glenn Tryon.
The Great Lakes Theater launched with William Fox in the house. on May 30, 1927 opening with George O'Brien in “Is Zat So?” supported by a Fox newsreel and various Amalgamated Vaudeville acts. Opening ad in photos along with an ad for its Wurlitzer organ.
In the show store era, this address was home to the Dreamland Theatre opening September 15, 1909. In 1917, a Mr. Bloom took over the operation and created the Liberty Theatre which launched here September 28, 1917. The owners skipped town leaving financial liabilities behind in 1918. The next two names for the venue in the silent era were as the Diamond Theatre and, when Alice T. Hamly took on the venue as Hamly’s Theatre: The House of Comfort on August 27, 1925 with “Lure of the Yukon.” The venue transitioned to sound under its final name of the Rex Theatre. The final screening appears to be a four-wall presentation of “The Life of Christ” on October 16, 1935.
The Del Rio Theatre launched with George Bancroft in “Scandal Sheet” on February 4, 1931. The architectural sketch by E.M. Rich is in photos. The Del Rio closed with a double-feature of “Toughest Gun in Tombstone” and “Island Women.”
Having reportedly launched the first four-screen theatre in the Cincinnati market here, National Amusement’s Showcase brand wanted to build the area’s first true megaplex. So it demolished the 25-year old, four - turned five - turned seven - make that nine-screen Frankensteined Showcase Cinemas Springdale venue and started over with an announced 20-screen project turned 18-screen opening with 10-screens prior to getting to 18 screens later venue. National Amusements also announced a 20-screen facility, the Deerfield 20, in 1996 that stalled out at 12 screens.
The Showcase Cinemas Springdale “10” opened on May 15, 1998. If you were hoping for a true megaplex, you had to wait seven months until they completed the other 8 screens. That’s when the theatre relaunched as the Showcase Cinemas Springdale 18 on December 11, 1998. When IMAX began to branch out its brand name to large screen auditoriums in megaplexes as a marketing advantage, the Springdale was on board in 2004. The venue relaunched under the banner of the Showcase Cinema de Lux Springdale 18 on November 5, 2004. The curious dropping of the “s” in Cinemas was a foreshadowing of National Cinemas mass exodus from the state of Ohio.
National’s Showcase had a dominant position around Ohio at the start of the megaplex era. But it left markets one by one until, by the 2020s, Showcase shockingly had just one location in the entire state. And, you guessed it, the Showcase Cinema (singular) de Lux Springdale 18 was the last Showcase standing between the East Coast and Ohio as the circuit concentrated on international locations. The SCdLS-18 churned forward with its sports bar, restaurant offerings, and expanded snack bar trying to remain viable for as long as possible.
The December 20, 1996 Grand Opening ad for the Showcase Cinemas Kings Island 12 is in photos.
The Wexford Starlite Drive-In closed at the end of its lease with “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” and “Young Einstein” on August 31, 1989.
The Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema Monroeville Mall I & II appears to have launched September 29, 1972 with “A New Leaf” and “Summer of ‘42.” By that time, however, the Jerry Lewis / Network Cinema concept was in free fall collapse with the company declaring bankruptcy and Jerry Lewis leaving the company not long after. The venue initially had two, identical 350-seat auditoriums with automation making the operation as simple as pushing a button (or so the franchisees thought). It was an outparcel complex not far from one of the Mall’s original anchors in Gimbel’s Department Store.
On January 10, 1973, the Lewis name was banished from the location - a trend across the nation as franchisee’s blood was boiling at the lack of service that was provided by the Lewis Circuit. The new name here was the Monroeville Mall Cinema I & II which it held and was acquired in January of 1973 by the fast-growing circuit, Cinemette Theatres Inc. In February, they began construction on two more auditoriums to make the facility a four-plex. The venue relaunched August 29, 1973 as the Cinemette East.
The Cinemette Corporation sold its 160 movie theaters in 1987 to Cinema World Inc. The Cinemette nameplate held until April of 1988 when it was renamed the Cinema World Monroeville. In April of 1994, Cinema World sold its 38 locations to Carmike Theatres including the Monroeville effective that May. The newly-renamed Carmike Monroeville 4 operated under that banner until closure. In November of 1998, Monroeville Mall announced a new outparcel location for Best Buy on the same spot as the 4-screener. Carmike closed the Monroeville 4 permanently on December 17, 1998. It was demolished shortly thereafter.
According the opening notice, Cinema 22 launched as an original tenant in the Monroe Plaza Shopping Center with a single auditorium that seated 800 and the architectural style they went for was “early Colonial.”
The Liberty Amusement Company launched the Liberty Theatre in an existing retail store in September of 1907. In 1911, the theatre was in new operators' hands as the renamed Alhambra Theatre. The Alhambra was wired for sound to remain viable.
The Harris Theatre Circuit took on the venue on September 24, 1933. It renamed the venue as the Harris Family Theatre on October 6, 1933. which closed permanently on May 2, 1948 with Barry Fitzgerald in “The Naked City.” It was retrofitted for a five and dime variety store.
The opening of the Triangle inaugurated the venue’s large Hillgren-Lane 3-Manual organ with a 21' 9" wide and 15' high screen - largest in the city. The opening film was “The Blooming Angel” on April 3, 1920. Under new operators in 1929, the venue became an African American movie theater with some live entertainment on its stage. It was billed as East Liberty’s only theatre for African American patrons. It played African American films created by Oscar Micheaux and distributed by Sack Amusements. The Triangle was equipped for sound to remain viable. It tried foreign films as its last policy. It closed June 12, 1958 with a double-feature of “Maddalena” and “Barefoot Savage.” In August of 1958 it was converted for other retail purposes.
The grand opening for William N. Lando’s Lando Theatre was on December 13, 1929 with “The Fox Follies.” It was part of the Theatre Owners Booking Association, or T.O.B.A. Unfortunately, T.O.B.A. - the vaudeville circuit for African American performers in the 1920s - went out of business just about a year later.
On September 11, 1931, the venue was renamed the Grand Theatre with a week-long engagement by Mamie Smith as one of the first bookings there. Hendel Theatreical Enterprises took on the venue after a major refresh as the Granada Theatre on February 5, 1934 with “The Son of Kong.” Handel had operated the Roosevelt Theatre across the street as well as the Center Square Theater. In 1937, the Granada moved two blocks away creating the famous, New Granada Theatre. The old location reverted to its recent past becoming Lando’s Grand Theatre (technically not Lando-Grand but who much cares?) as a Yiddish / Jewish theater.
In 1939, the venue became the Central Theatre with Lando subleasing the venue which had a short run as an African American live venue that failed within a year. Lando returned to the venue in the Fall of 1940 renaming it as the Lando Central Theatre returning with Yiddish / Jewish presentations. In 1943, perhaps under different operators, the venue became known as the Central Theatre closing in 1944.
The venue became the Church of God in Christ in 1944 followed by the Beck Gospel Temple in 1947 where the religious film screening of “Blow Gabriel” on December 10, 1948 appears to be the final screening at this location. The venue was retrofitted for retail purposes not long after. The building became a retail location before becoming damaged in 1968 following five days of vandalism, rioting and arson that took place in response to Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. The building was demolished just shy of its 40th anniversary in 1969.
The Novelty launched October 23, 1908 with vaudeville and motion pictures for a dime. The Novelty added sound to remain viable. On September 13th, 1963 it was rebranded as the Novelty Art Cinema playing “A Paradise and "Sun Goddess.” It was finally renamed as the New Casino Theatre beginning on October 20, 1966 with a double feature of “Tales of a Salesman” and “Not Tonight Henry.” A raid in the 1970s led to charges of corruption after the theater had concluded its business operations.
The Casino Theatre closed permanently on March 30, 1975 when it was essentially thrown out by the Urban Redevelopment Authority which came into ownership of the building. That action against “The Home of Total Girl Shows” was initiated in November of 1973 but the Casino management successfully fought that in court until 1975. The venue went out in style with a six-hour adult movie fest for just $3 admission. Listing should be the Casino Theatre.
The Belmar closed February 28, 1970 double feature of “Midnight Cowboy” and “Hour of the Gun" (see photos).
Another ad by Hoyt Lesher who was known for his established Hoyt’s Doughnut store in Yuba City; he also launched the city’s first ozoner.
The Hillcrest Drive-In’s screen tower was destroyed in a deadly tornado on May 20, 1957. The town pitched in to help rebuild the tower which relaunched on June 20, 1957 better than ever.
Launched September 14, 1927 with “The Ghost Train” supported by Alice Clemo Johnson at the mighty Wurlitzer organ. It became the State under new operators in August of 1936.
Opened January 17, 1941 with “Carolina Moon” supported by by The Three Stooges in “Nurse to Worse” and other short subjects.
James T. Narbett drew the plans for the Marysville Theatre which launched January 20, 1908 with “Woodland,” a live play.
The Maxine Theater launched June 29, 1914 with the Vitagraph film, “A Million Bid” starring Anita Stewart.
J.J. Gieg provided the architectural plans for the New Ariel Theatre for operator Joseph Welte. It launched on November 17, 1914 replacing the original Ariel Theatre a block away at 173 High Street.
In the planning stages, this was the Neighborhood Theatre for the East Genesee Holding Company with architectural plans by Henry L. Spann. It launched as Basil’s Genesee Theatre on October 12, 1927 with organist Dusty Rhodes at the Marr & Colton organ supporting the opening film of “Painting the Town” with Glenn Tryon.
Schine opened its Spanish-themed Granada Theatre on February 22, 1927 with John F. Gunnerman, Jr. at the organ and an assortment of photoplays.
The Great Lakes Theater launched with William Fox in the house. on May 30, 1927 opening with George O'Brien in “Is Zat So?” supported by a Fox newsreel and various Amalgamated Vaudeville acts. Opening ad in photos along with an ad for its Wurlitzer organ.
Ed J. Story’s ad for “Daddy Long Legs" with Mary Pickford which had opened on January 24, 1920.
The final presentation was a four-walled film presentation, “The Life of Christ” - not a play.
A religious film, “The Life of Christ” appears to be the final event at the Rex Theatre in Clinton on October 16, 1935.
In the show store era, this address was home to the Dreamland Theatre opening September 15, 1909. In 1917, a Mr. Bloom took over the operation and created the Liberty Theatre which launched here September 28, 1917. The owners skipped town leaving financial liabilities behind in 1918. The next two names for the venue in the silent era were as the Diamond Theatre and, when Alice T. Hamly took on the venue as Hamly’s Theatre: The House of Comfort on August 27, 1925 with “Lure of the Yukon.” The venue transitioned to sound under its final name of the Rex Theatre. The final screening appears to be a four-wall presentation of “The Life of Christ” on October 16, 1935.
The Del Rio Theatre launched with George Bancroft in “Scandal Sheet” on February 4, 1931. The architectural sketch by E.M. Rich is in photos. The Del Rio closed with a double-feature of “Toughest Gun in Tombstone” and “Island Women.”