Here is an article from the Chicago Daily Herald dated 3/18/80:
Curtain drops at the Meadows movie theater
Its last show was “Going in Style,” but the controversial Meadows Theatre closed its doors without any fanfare during the weekend and quietly ended its often stormy 14-year relationship with the community it served. The closing paves the way for a two story bank and office center proposed by Kimball Hill Inc., which has leased the property to the theater’s operators since 1965.
The closing surprised some moviegoers, who called the theater during the weekend only to learn its telephones had been disconnected. Theater owners Stanford and Jeffrey Kohlberg had the marquee cleared after Thursday’s final screening and said there are no plans for future shows. “It’s closed for good,“ Jeffrey Kohlberg said."We’re out of it now. The theater didn’t make any money and it was hard for us, particularly with so many other theaters in the area,” he said. “I think it’s best that we’re out of there.”
The Kohlbergs' enticement to vacate the property is a tentative agreement with the Hill family, which has offered to buy the remaining 11 years of a 25-year lease. David Hill said Monday he will ask the Rolling Meadows City Council March 25 for permission to raze the theater and begin construction. Hill plans to construct a two-story drivethrough bank facility for Arlington Federal Savings and Loan on one of the 3 6 acres at 3265 Kirchoff Rd. The other part of the development includes a one- and two-story office complex to be known as the Rolling Meadows Commerce Center. The project is a joint venture between the Hill family and the William L. Kunkel and Co. realty firm.
“We have a basic agreement (with Kohlberg) that is contingent on the approval of the development,” Hill said. Hill’s plans for the development came to the forefront last October when he called the theater a “constant source of embarrassment” for his family and the community. That embarrassment began when the theater began showing X- and R rated films in addition to family entertainment. When it opened on Nov. 19, 1965, featuring “Harum Scarum,” then the latest Elvis Presley movie, the Kohlbergs pledged to offer family entertainment and special children’s shows on weekends. By 1967 â€" before the movie industry began rating films â€"parents were complaining about the type of movies shown there.
Later that year, Rolling Meadows police confiscated a racy Swedish film, “I, a Woman,” which was being shown. But “adult entertainment” films were more profitable for the theater and it continued to show them. Citizens and clergy went on a campaign to “clean up” Rolling Meadows, and their efforts led to a local ordinance passed in July 1977, defining 25 sexual acts ranging from rape to sodomy as obscene. The theater’s owners challenged that ordinance in September 1977 by showing an adults' version of “Cinderella.” Police confiscated the film, and the theater’s owners and the city engaged in a lawsuit concerning the city’s censorship. A judge later ruled the city obtained the film illegally and would not allow it to be shown as evidence. The city currently is appealing that decision, but City Atty. Donald Rose as not available Monday to comment on whether the city would continue its suit.
In light of the suit, the theater had returned to its practice of showing family films at bargain prices â€" even double features for $1.75. “It’s too bad they hadn’t switched years ago,” said Ald. Lorraine Godawa, 3rd, who led the drive for the obscenity ordinance. “By the time they turned things around, people were going elsewhere.” Kohlberg said he doubted the city would continue its appeal. “I don’t see any reason why they would. I don’t see any benefit to it now,” he said. Hill said he had hoped to begin work at the site by May or June, but the “unstable” economic situation could delay those plans. “As soon as we’re able to get the financing, we can begin,” he said.
The Uptown closed for a while in 1988, after a showing of “Police Academy V”. The theater probably closed itself out of embarassment: http://tinyurl.com/2kdg6n
Here is an article from the Van Nuys News dated 4/7/49:
Reseda Drive-In Theatre To Stage Grand Opening Tonight
One of the largest silver screens in the world will light up for the first time tonight when the Reseda Drive-In Theatre stages its gala grand opening. Costing over $250,000 to build, the elaborate
10-acre showplace incorporates modern technical advances and latest refinement in show-going comfort. Located in the heart of Reseda at the intersection of Reseda Blvd. and Vanowen Street, the deluxe “theater on wheels†is designed to serve the recreational needs of the entire West Valley area, parking 500 cars on new style ramps.
Individual sound speakers with adjustable volume control are provided for every ear. The entire ten acre theater plant is completely paved. A central building houses sanitary lounges, and an ultramodern snack bar which will serve a variety of hot and cold refreshments during each show. The new “automobile movie palace” has been built by Pacific Drive-In Theatres, owner-operator concern, and which has several such theaters in the Southland.
Construction of a drive-in theater at Huntington Beach Blvd. and Trask Ave. in Westminster has been approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors. The supervisors, in making the approval, reversed a denial for the theater submitted earlier by the county planning commission. The drive-in theater will cost $450,000 and will be built by the Pacific Drive-In Theater chain. It will be known as the Huntington Drive-In Theater and will have the Cinemascope screen. Added feature of the theater is that it will have a super-sized television screen for the presentation of outstanding national events.
Save baby sitter expense! Bring all the kids along. Free bottle
warming service. No parking worry. Plenty of room!
Your car is your private theatre! Eat! Smoke! Chat!
Control your own speaker volume!
You’re in nature’s own air-conditioning!
One low price admits a carload! Your movie
dollar goes further! Free flat tire changing service!
Don’t dress up! Come as you are! Skip supper and eat at our deluxe
cafeteria!
Now shut-ins and invalids can enjoy movies! Early birds get free
newspapers to read ‘til show starts! Refreshments direct to your
car! Cartoon is first on every program!
This 1985 lawsuit mentions a twin theater at 2315 North 60th Avenue, Hollywood, Florida, but I don’t know if it’s the Cine 1& 2: http://tinyurl.com/2wbv5v
There is a nice photo of the Frederick, circa 1940, in the 7/18/95 edition of the Frederick Post. Unfortunately, I can’t reproduce it here. The text is as follows:
The Frederick Theater, since demolished, was located south of the former Social Services building (once JC Penney’s) on North Market Street. It was one of three theaters downtown: The Frederick Theater, The Opera House (old City Hall, next to the Frederick Theater) and The Tivoli Theater (now the Weinberg Center for the Performing Arts).
This blurb is from the April 8, 1965 Chicago Daily Herald, from the days where local papers would print such trivia:
Paul and Jeanne Soucy solved the too-young-for-conversation, too old for pin-the-tail party problem last month. For Michael’s 12th birthday March 14, Paul took the guests out to lunch and then to Chicago for the movie, “Dear Brigitte.” For Joan’s eighth, her group saw “Mary Poppins” at the Glencoe Theatre along with the ice cream and cake at home, 4 Francis Court, March 27.
This theater tried first run films about ten years ago. I don’t know who owned the theater then, but I do recall driving by and seeing a Will Smith movie on the marquee. The success of the Million Dollar is dependent on Angelenos willing to go downtown on a weeknight. The Orpheum has had some success with this. It’s interesting that the Last Remaining Seats program draws lines of people on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, but whether that will happen more than once a year is unknown. You also have to consider the entertainment center being built near Staples Center which will presumably include a megaplex. This will siphon off available patrons for the Broadway theaters.
Here is an article about the opening of the theater dated 2/10/49:
The formal opening of the new Pioneer Theater at Nebraska City, Neb., which was attended by Mr. and Mrs. John Newcomer and Mr. and Mrs. John Irvin of Chillicothe, was a matter of definite interest to the Chillicotheans as the construction of the Pioneer is very similar to that of the new theater under construction here. They were quite impressed. Both the Griffith theaters are of the “stadium type,” which does away with the need for a balcony. About half way back in the auditorium a “ramping” effect of the rows of seats begins. Under the back section is a sunken lounge, with a foyer in front of the lounge and the lobby in front of that.
Murals done in “black lighting” gave an outstanding effect to the auditorium, Irvin found. The local murals will be 14x30 feet on either side and are to depict a local or area scene or one in keeping with the name of the theater. The Nebraska City theater seats about 900 persons. The Chillicothe theater is to seat about 1,050. “If our theater is as nice as that one it will be one of the outstanding theaters in all North Missouri,” Contractor Irvin said. Some refinements in the local plans may be made, based on what was learned in constructing the Nebraska house. Irvin said he hoped to outdo the work in Nebraska.
Here is a lawsuit between William Goldman and Ruth Kahn in 1941. The theater isn’t mentioned by name, but given that the sale was in 1938, it may have been the County. I don’t know if Goldman had any other theaters in Doylestown at that time: http://tinyurl.com/24emfn
This March 1947 article from the Nevada State Journal mentions the Hi-Way:
Slated to open Friday, March 14, is the new Sparks Theater which has been under construction for the past several months. Built to seat 773 spectators, it is one of the most modern in theater design in the state. The 164 loge seats occupy the last seven seat rows instead of being placed in a balcony. An exaggerated slope to the floor will offer better vision to the theater goers and the cement floor will reduce fire hazard. Coated with a special acoustical plaster which prevents sound reverberation, the auditorium part of the theater is barrel shaped and posseses 12 ultra-violet ray germicide lights. The new building is fire-proof and is equipped with an air conditioning system which constantly changes and filters the air.
The old Hiway Theater, under lease to the T. and D. Enterprises, may run on a part time basis, showing Spanish movies and others on the weekends, the management announced.
The Coliseum Theater at Ninth Avenue and Clement Street, one of San Francisco’s largest neighborhood theaters, was swept by a major fire causing undetermined damage early today. An unidentified motorist at 2:30 a.m. notified a special policeman two blocks from the playhouse that he had seen smoke issuing from the building as he drove past it. An alarm summoned firemen, who broke down the heavy doors of the main entrance. This action, they said, resulted in a draft which caused the entire balcony section of the theater to burst into flames. A second alarm brought additional men and apparatus to the scene and a stubborn battle against the flames began. Five hours later the battle was still in progress.
Reports from the scene said the whole balcony section of the theater had been destroyed and the main floor seriously damaged by smoke and water. Valuable projection and sound equipment also was lost, the report said. The origin of the fire had not been determined, but fire department officials expressed belief that it was caused by a carelessly discarded cigaret in the balcony section, where smoking was permitted. The theater is owned by the San Francisco Theater Corporation, with offices at Taylor Street.
The interior of the vacated Apollo theater at Randolph and Clark Streets in Chicago’s Rialto was destroyed by fire Thursday morning. The fire apparently started in the pit under the stage of the old movie theater and burned up through the roof of the building. The cause of the blaze was not determined immediately. Fire officials did not estimate damages to the structure.
Here is an article from the Chicago Daily Herald dated 3/18/80:
Curtain drops at the Meadows movie theater
Its last show was “Going in Style,” but the controversial Meadows Theatre closed its doors without any fanfare during the weekend and quietly ended its often stormy 14-year relationship with the community it served. The closing paves the way for a two story bank and office center proposed by Kimball Hill Inc., which has leased the property to the theater’s operators since 1965.
The closing surprised some moviegoers, who called the theater during the weekend only to learn its telephones had been disconnected. Theater owners Stanford and Jeffrey Kohlberg had the marquee cleared after Thursday’s final screening and said there are no plans for future shows. “It’s closed for good,“ Jeffrey Kohlberg said."We’re out of it now. The theater didn’t make any money and it was hard for us, particularly with so many other theaters in the area,” he said. “I think it’s best that we’re out of there.”
The Kohlbergs' enticement to vacate the property is a tentative agreement with the Hill family, which has offered to buy the remaining 11 years of a 25-year lease. David Hill said Monday he will ask the Rolling Meadows City Council March 25 for permission to raze the theater and begin construction. Hill plans to construct a two-story drivethrough bank facility for Arlington Federal Savings and Loan on one of the 3 6 acres at 3265 Kirchoff Rd. The other part of the development includes a one- and two-story office complex to be known as the Rolling Meadows Commerce Center. The project is a joint venture between the Hill family and the William L. Kunkel and Co. realty firm.
“We have a basic agreement (with Kohlberg) that is contingent on the approval of the development,” Hill said. Hill’s plans for the development came to the forefront last October when he called the theater a “constant source of embarrassment” for his family and the community. That embarrassment began when the theater began showing X- and R rated films in addition to family entertainment. When it opened on Nov. 19, 1965, featuring “Harum Scarum,” then the latest Elvis Presley movie, the Kohlbergs pledged to offer family entertainment and special children’s shows on weekends. By 1967 â€" before the movie industry began rating films â€"parents were complaining about the type of movies shown there.
Later that year, Rolling Meadows police confiscated a racy Swedish film, “I, a Woman,” which was being shown. But “adult entertainment” films were more profitable for the theater and it continued to show them. Citizens and clergy went on a campaign to “clean up” Rolling Meadows, and their efforts led to a local ordinance passed in July 1977, defining 25 sexual acts ranging from rape to sodomy as obscene. The theater’s owners challenged that ordinance in September 1977 by showing an adults' version of “Cinderella.” Police confiscated the film, and the theater’s owners and the city engaged in a lawsuit concerning the city’s censorship. A judge later ruled the city obtained the film illegally and would not allow it to be shown as evidence. The city currently is appealing that decision, but City Atty. Donald Rose as not available Monday to comment on whether the city would continue its suit.
In light of the suit, the theater had returned to its practice of showing family films at bargain prices â€" even double features for $1.75. “It’s too bad they hadn’t switched years ago,” said Ald. Lorraine Godawa, 3rd, who led the drive for the obscenity ordinance. “By the time they turned things around, people were going elsewhere.” Kohlberg said he doubted the city would continue its appeal. “I don’t see any reason why they would. I don’t see any benefit to it now,” he said. Hill said he had hoped to begin work at the site by May or June, but the “unstable” economic situation could delay those plans. “As soon as we’re able to get the financing, we can begin,” he said.
The Uptown closed for a while in 1988, after a showing of “Police Academy V”. The theater probably closed itself out of embarassment:
http://tinyurl.com/2kdg6n
The last show was 12/31/89:
http://tinyurl.com/2nk8l6
Here is a short article on some local theaters:
http://tinyurl.com/3yx3fq
The Beach burned in 1982, unless there was another fire later:
http://tinyurl.com/34qutk
If it’s rockin, don’t come knockin…
This is a short article from 1984:
http://tinyurl.com/3xkb77
Here is an article from the Van Nuys News dated 4/7/49:
Reseda Drive-In Theatre To Stage Grand Opening Tonight
One of the largest silver screens in the world will light up for the first time tonight when the Reseda Drive-In Theatre stages its gala grand opening. Costing over $250,000 to build, the elaborate
10-acre showplace incorporates modern technical advances and latest refinement in show-going comfort. Located in the heart of Reseda at the intersection of Reseda Blvd. and Vanowen Street, the deluxe “theater on wheels†is designed to serve the recreational needs of the entire West Valley area, parking 500 cars on new style ramps.
Individual sound speakers with adjustable volume control are provided for every ear. The entire ten acre theater plant is completely paved. A central building houses sanitary lounges, and an ultramodern snack bar which will serve a variety of hot and cold refreshments during each show. The new “automobile movie palace” has been built by Pacific Drive-In Theatres, owner-operator concern, and which has several such theaters in the Southland.
I took a hike down Spring Street today. Status should be closed/demolished. There’s no evidence of any turn of the century buildings on this block.
Here is a newspaper article dated 9/28/54:
Westminster Gets Drive-In Theater OK
Construction of a drive-in theater at Huntington Beach Blvd. and Trask Ave. in Westminster has been approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors. The supervisors, in making the approval, reversed a denial for the theater submitted earlier by the county planning commission. The drive-in theater will cost $450,000 and will be built by the Pacific Drive-In Theater chain. It will be known as the Huntington Drive-In Theater and will have the Cinemascope screen. Added feature of the theater is that it will have a super-sized television screen for the presentation of outstanding national events.
Here is an ad dated 3/19/52:
SPRING OPENING OF THE BRADDOCK DRIVE-IN
It Pays To Go The Braddock Way!
$1.00 plus tax – Full Carload
Save baby sitter expense! Bring all the kids along. Free bottle
warming service. No parking worry. Plenty of room!
Your car is your private theatre! Eat! Smoke! Chat!
Control your own speaker volume!
You’re in nature’s own air-conditioning!
One low price admits a carload! Your movie
dollar goes further! Free flat tire changing service!
Don’t dress up! Come as you are! Skip supper and eat at our deluxe
cafeteria!
Now shut-ins and invalids can enjoy movies! Early birds get free
newspapers to read ‘til show starts! Refreshments direct to your
car! Cartoon is first on every program!
The drive-in was damaged by high winds in May 2002:
http://tinyurl.com/2l74kq
On 2/21/60, the Oswego was showing “Ben Hur”. Telephone number was FI 3-3750. The ad states that the Oswego was a Schine theater.
Here is a 1980 obscenity lawsuit involving the Studio Eleven:
http://tinyurl.com/2mdmps
This 1985 lawsuit mentions a twin theater at 2315 North 60th Avenue, Hollywood, Florida, but I don’t know if it’s the Cine 1& 2:
http://tinyurl.com/2wbv5v
There is a nice photo of the Frederick, circa 1940, in the 7/18/95 edition of the Frederick Post. Unfortunately, I can’t reproduce it here. The text is as follows:
The Frederick Theater, since demolished, was located south of the former Social Services building (once JC Penney’s) on North Market Street. It was one of three theaters downtown: The Frederick Theater, The Opera House (old City Hall, next to the Frederick Theater) and The Tivoli Theater (now the Weinberg Center for the Performing Arts).
This blurb is from the April 8, 1965 Chicago Daily Herald, from the days where local papers would print such trivia:
Paul and Jeanne Soucy solved the too-young-for-conversation, too old for pin-the-tail party problem last month. For Michael’s 12th birthday March 14, Paul took the guests out to lunch and then to Chicago for the movie, “Dear Brigitte.” For Joan’s eighth, her group saw “Mary Poppins” at the Glencoe Theatre along with the ice cream and cake at home, 4 Francis Court, March 27.
This theater tried first run films about ten years ago. I don’t know who owned the theater then, but I do recall driving by and seeing a Will Smith movie on the marquee. The success of the Million Dollar is dependent on Angelenos willing to go downtown on a weeknight. The Orpheum has had some success with this. It’s interesting that the Last Remaining Seats program draws lines of people on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, but whether that will happen more than once a year is unknown. You also have to consider the entertainment center being built near Staples Center which will presumably include a megaplex. This will siphon off available patrons for the Broadway theaters.
Here is an article about the opening of the theater dated 2/10/49:
The formal opening of the new Pioneer Theater at Nebraska City, Neb., which was attended by Mr. and Mrs. John Newcomer and Mr. and Mrs. John Irvin of Chillicothe, was a matter of definite interest to the Chillicotheans as the construction of the Pioneer is very similar to that of the new theater under construction here. They were quite impressed. Both the Griffith theaters are of the “stadium type,” which does away with the need for a balcony. About half way back in the auditorium a “ramping” effect of the rows of seats begins. Under the back section is a sunken lounge, with a foyer in front of the lounge and the lobby in front of that.
Murals done in “black lighting” gave an outstanding effect to the auditorium, Irvin found. The local murals will be 14x30 feet on either side and are to depict a local or area scene or one in keeping with the name of the theater. The Nebraska City theater seats about 900 persons. The Chillicothe theater is to seat about 1,050. “If our theater is as nice as that one it will be one of the outstanding theaters in all North Missouri,” Contractor Irvin said. Some refinements in the local plans may be made, based on what was learned in constructing the Nebraska house. Irvin said he hoped to outdo the work in Nebraska.
Here is a lawsuit between William Goldman and Ruth Kahn in 1941. The theater isn’t mentioned by name, but given that the sale was in 1938, it may have been the County. I don’t know if Goldman had any other theaters in Doylestown at that time:
http://tinyurl.com/24emfn
There was a Sparks Theater that opened in March 1947, but apparently was not the one listed above.
This March 1947 article from the Nevada State Journal mentions the Hi-Way:
Slated to open Friday, March 14, is the new Sparks Theater which has been under construction for the past several months. Built to seat 773 spectators, it is one of the most modern in theater design in the state. The 164 loge seats occupy the last seven seat rows instead of being placed in a balcony. An exaggerated slope to the floor will offer better vision to the theater goers and the cement floor will reduce fire hazard. Coated with a special acoustical plaster which prevents sound reverberation, the auditorium part of the theater is barrel shaped and posseses 12 ultra-violet ray germicide lights. The new building is fire-proof and is equipped with an air conditioning system which constantly changes and filters the air.
The old Hiway Theater, under lease to the T. and D. Enterprises, may run on a part time basis, showing Spanish movies and others on the weekends, the management announced.
The owner of the Royal was one R.E. Martin, who had quite a few theaters in the area, according to this lawsuit:
http://tinyurl.com/2trl5s
There was a fire at the Coliseum on July 2, 1935:
The Coliseum Theater at Ninth Avenue and Clement Street, one of San Francisco’s largest neighborhood theaters, was swept by a major fire causing undetermined damage early today. An unidentified motorist at 2:30 a.m. notified a special policeman two blocks from the playhouse that he had seen smoke issuing from the building as he drove past it. An alarm summoned firemen, who broke down the heavy doors of the main entrance. This action, they said, resulted in a draft which caused the entire balcony section of the theater to burst into flames. A second alarm brought additional men and apparatus to the scene and a stubborn battle against the flames began. Five hours later the battle was still in progress.
Reports from the scene said the whole balcony section of the theater had been destroyed and the main floor seriously damaged by smoke and water. Valuable projection and sound equipment also was lost, the report said. The origin of the fire had not been determined, but fire department officials expressed belief that it was caused by a carelessly discarded cigaret in the balcony section, where smoking was permitted. The theater is owned by the San Francisco Theater Corporation, with offices at Taylor Street.
The Apollo was gutted by fire on June 2, 1949:
Fire Guts Vacant Theater In Chicago
The interior of the vacated Apollo theater at Randolph and Clark Streets in Chicago’s Rialto was destroyed by fire Thursday morning. The fire apparently started in the pit under the stage of the old movie theater and burned up through the roof of the building. The cause of the blaze was not determined immediately. Fire officials did not estimate damages to the structure.