Here is a summary of a 1958 case in which the Carmel Museum theater won an appeal after its business license was denied:
Appellant theater owner sought review of a decision by the Superior Court of Los Angeles County (California), which denied his petition directing the county board of supervisors to renew the theater owner’s license to operate a motion picture theater.
The theater owner operated a theater in a district frequented by homosexuals. On several occasions, the sheriff arrested individuals for engaging in homosexual activity in the theater. The sheriff closed the theater on the ground that it was a public nuisance. The theater owner applied to the board for the renewal of his license to operate. The board denied the petition and the tax collector refused to issue a license. The theater owner filed a petition for a writ of mandamus directing the board and tax collector to issue the license. The trial court denied the petition and the theater owner sought review. The court reversed, holding that the operation of a movie theater was a lawful business of beneficial character that was not inherently dangerous to the public. The court noted that the theater was not operated in a manner different from that of other movie theaters, it did not show lewd or lascivious pictures, and the theater owner had tried to stop the conduct complained of by the police. Further, the court said, the property was zoned and the building designed for use as a theater. The court held that the evidence was insufficient to support the denial of the license.
There was another theater in Hawarden that was destroyed by fire in January 1944. The theater was unoccupied at the time. I did some research but there doesn’t seem to be any record of the destroyed theater’s identity. I only know that the theater was owned by a Mr. Harry Lankhorst, Jr.
Here is a Time article about the opening in 1946. As Warren pointed out, the subscription idea was a failure:
http://tinyurl.com/y93c7k
Here is a 1945 newspaper ad:
http://tinyurl.com/yb5ukh
Here is an ad for the grand opening:
http://tinyurl.com/yyuuh5
There is a photo of the Joy on this page:
http://tinyurl.com/yfcor5
Here are photos taken after the fire in April 2005:
http://tinyurl.com/ynxdlq
There is a photo of the Blue Mouse and the Music Box on this page:
http://tinyurl.com/ykno6a
Here is an undated photo when the theater caught fire:
http://tinyurl.com/v3ypo
Here is a pile of rubble that used to be the State:
http://tinyurl.com/y3rxun
Here is a more recent photo of a band posing in front of the Wyo:
http://tinyurl.com/y82trh
There are some photos of the Marlow’s demolition on this page:
http://www.lifelikecharm.com/theaters.htm
Here is a photo of the theater collapse in 1998:
http://tinyurl.com/twbln
The Galaxy was also called the Rankin. Here is a photo of the fire in 1985:
http://tinyurl.com/y55kh4
The theater was closed for a while in the early thirties, according to this lawsuit brought in 1937:
http://tinyurl.com/yad6yl
Here is a summary of a 1958 case in which the Carmel Museum theater won an appeal after its business license was denied:
Appellant theater owner sought review of a decision by the Superior Court of Los Angeles County (California), which denied his petition directing the county board of supervisors to renew the theater owner’s license to operate a motion picture theater.
The theater owner operated a theater in a district frequented by homosexuals. On several occasions, the sheriff arrested individuals for engaging in homosexual activity in the theater. The sheriff closed the theater on the ground that it was a public nuisance. The theater owner applied to the board for the renewal of his license to operate. The board denied the petition and the tax collector refused to issue a license. The theater owner filed a petition for a writ of mandamus directing the board and tax collector to issue the license. The trial court denied the petition and the theater owner sought review. The court reversed, holding that the operation of a movie theater was a lawful business of beneficial character that was not inherently dangerous to the public. The court noted that the theater was not operated in a manner different from that of other movie theaters, it did not show lewd or lascivious pictures, and the theater owner had tried to stop the conduct complained of by the police. Further, the court said, the property was zoned and the building designed for use as a theater. The court held that the evidence was insufficient to support the denial of the license.
No, just the two in Tacoma. I will add this one. Thanks for the info.
There was another Blue Mouse in Seattle, according to this suit. How many mice were there anyway?
http://tinyurl.com/y5rptt
Here is an interesting lawsuit from 1985 concerning preservation of the Warner:
http://tinyurl.com/yxfal5
Here is a lawsuit concerning demolition of the theater:
http://tinyurl.com/y226sd
Here is a short article from Time about the opening, dated 9/20/48:
http://tinyurl.com/yk92mu
Don’t they always tell you it’s against the law to yell “fire!” in a crowded theater?
http://tinyurl.com/yglx77
Here is an interesting webpage:
http://tinyurl.com/ubtmo
Fire escape hits little boy in 1920. Little boy wins:
http://tinyurl.com/yx6bu4
There was another theater in Hawarden that was destroyed by fire in January 1944. The theater was unoccupied at the time. I did some research but there doesn’t seem to be any record of the destroyed theater’s identity. I only know that the theater was owned by a Mr. Harry Lankhorst, Jr.
There was a fire in the theater in 1932, according to this lawsuit:
http://tinyurl.com/smymb
I spent the night in Kingman on my LA to Chicago Route 66 trip this summer. I wasn’t aware of the theater, though.