Became the Towne Twin on November 24, 1977 with “Starship Invasions” and “Oh, God!” Closed permanently on August 22, 1985 with “Weird Science” and “Volunteers.” Was gutted and retrofitted as a restaurant.
Opened with 562 seats in Theatre 1 and 338 in Theatre 2 or 900 at launch. Dreadful news on September 4, 1995 when it closed at the end of its 25 year leasing agreement with “Congo” and a split screen of “Batman Forever” and “Judge Dredd” playing at deep discount, 99 cent sub-run pricing.
The Trans-Lux Inflight Ciné operated from opening April 29, 1970 to its puddle jumping excursion into X-Rated fare in 1972 and 1973 and its red-eye flight where it crash landed on January 31, 1976 with “Airport ‘75” always under the Inflight and not the Westchester namesake.
A new flight crew based in Greensboro boarded operating as the Royal Ciné Theatre II beginning on February 6, 1976. And they went executive class with adult unrated films advertised as XXX titles beginning with “Miss September” and “Fringe Benefits” on a subleasing agreement.
Open noon to midnight offering the most non-stop options on a grind policy, that flight package was a hit running from 1976 to January 12, 1982 ending with “Spank Me Daddy” and “Tamara.” But the adventure wasn’t without turbulence as protests were not uncommon.
The next flight crew embarked on a discount fare policy as the Westchester Cinema with “The Soggy Bottom Gang” and “The Nights the Lights Went Out in Georgia” on April 28, 1982. The venue operated with the Southgate in Thomasville on a joint operating agreement in discount cinema. The Southgate disembarked in 1988 and the Westchester flew into the sunset in 1990.
The Kleeburg Airline Circuit claimed the runway relaunching the Westchester on May 3, 1991 as a discount house before closing permanently.
The reboot ad with widescreen projection on November 12, 1954 as the grand opening of the Crescent Drive-In is in photos with “Hell and High Water” playing on the new tower.
Opened on November 21, 1979, the Capri Triple opens with Apocalypse Now, Fiddler on the Roof and The Prize Fighter. The venue had 556 total seats at launch - Audi 1 had 300 and Audis 2 & 3 had 178 each.
The Havana Theatre was a streamline moderne movie house in downtown Havana, Illinois that lasted nine years before being suffering a major fire. It was retrofitted and reopened as the Kaye Theater with the theatre running for 20 years.
During the Depression and movie theater’s expensive conversion to sound, Havana lost its silent-era Castle Theatre as a movie house. It was unable to make the transition to sound and continued with sporadic live events as the Havana Theatre in the early 1930s before closing permanently.
Kerasotes Brothers Circuit likely inherited the closed Havana Theatre along with its operation of the Lawford Theatre. Kerasotes leased a building in 1936 and made a quick conversion combining the two-floor retail building into a single floor, streamline moderne movie theater. The “new” Havana Theatre opened on Christmas Day 1936 with “Adventure in Manhattan” with Jean Arthur and Joel McRae. It operated through World War II with a Kroger food store as its neighbor.
That more or less ended on November 3, 1945 when, at a 2p kids matinee, fire spread from the alley to the theater’s roof prompting Manager Edward Walker to move the kids and the film print to the nearby Lawford Theatre where the matinee took place. The theater was rebuilt pretty much entirely in a two month period reopening as the Kaye Theatre on January 18, 1946. The streamline moderne venue used the same cream porcelain used in other George and Louis Kerasotes movie houses. It also housed an internal concession stand and its seats were recushioned.
When Kerasotes was converting venues to widescreen for CinemaScope presentations, the Kaye appears to have been left out while the Lawford and the two-year old Havana Drive-In were transitioned. The Kaye appears to have closed in 1955 at the end of its 20-year leasing period.
Architect Aaron T. Simmons of George Howell Harris & Associates had two very different sets of plans for the New Castle. The first was more pertaining to a Castle and the second set of plans much more like the high rise it became.
The previous Castle Theatre didn’t quite make it to the January 24, 1916 opening. It had been deemed unsafe operating to the end of March of 1915 and razed in April of 1915. It has its own Cinema Treasures page. Organist Harry Wilson, who played the Hammers pipe organ at the previous Castle, was rehired as the organist at the launch of the new Castle. He made factory visits and helped design the custom pipe organ installed at the New Castle.
AA and WJ Gillingham built the Castle Theatre in a converted roller skating rink. Bathed in velvet red, it launched with 748 seats including six boxes. It began with “fashionable” vaudeville including short films on the Kinetograph. To distinguish from the Grand Opera House, it centered on films.
In 1910, the venue was remodeled including a $5,000 pipe organ by Hinners Organ Company of nearby Pekin, Illinois. Harry Wilson was the organist. But the Castle only netted a short-term lease of six years expiring in 1916. With the lease coming due, a proposal by the Knights of Pythias would have created a new Castle in much the same way nearby Seebrook, Illinois created its new Castle Hall. A prime lot at Washington Street near Prairie would house the multipurpose building.
The Castle Theatre programming did not make it to the New Castle, however. A city inspection in March 1915 ended the Castle’s reign early as the building was thought to be quite unsafe. It closed following the March 27, 1915 showings of “The Open Drawbridge,” “The Quality of Mercy,” and “The Millinery Man” supported by Harry Wilson at the pipe organ playing “Bum Diddle De Dum Bum That’s It” as the final organ number. The Castle was soon razed by Jeff Coit. Manager Lyons moved all the shows to the Chatterton Theatre.
As for the Knights of Pythias, they would find a new location for their proposal and the Castle proceeded as a new theater with the multipurpose building elements finding new occupants. Architect Aaron T. Simmons of George Howell Harris & Associates altered the original plans of the high rise.
The Chatterton Theatre programming was to be moved to the New Castle upon completion according to ads and articles. That arrangement actually ended in November - two months prior to the New Castle’s debut as the Chatterton returned to live programming. That six story structure’s with the former Castle’s film programming launched on January 24, 1916. Organist Harry Wilson would spend time helping to create the new pipe organ designed for the new Castle which he would play at that opening.
Local dentist Dr. Lawford G. Pullen and two business partners raised $15,000 to build the 600-seat Pullen Opera House in 1914. It launched under that name on April 5, 1915 with live programming. The Pullen would show live productions and, on “dark days,” it would present motion pictures. The Opera House was competing mainly against the Castle Theatre - one of three nickelodeons in Havana, Illinois' early cinema days.
Pullen was no dummy as the movies brought in serious coin while live presentations were harder to book and challenging to market. So a month later, Pullen changed the Opera House to a Theater concentrating on film with some vaudeville. Its name became the Lawford Theatre. A $3,500 pipe organ was installed in 1918 to improve presentations. The theatre converted to sound to remain viable.
Kerasotes Brothers Circuit built another theater in downtown Havana - the Havana - in 1936 while having taken on the Lawford. In 1939, the venue was given a new air conditioning system and improved sound system. The brothers also gave the Lawford a major revamp changing its face and losing some of the Oriental styled interior to a more streamline moderne feel. Kerasotes converted the Lawford to widescreen projection to present CinemaScope titles in the 1950s.
Kerasotes left in 1982 closing after an amazing 67-year run. The theater was relit closing in 1990. It reopened four more times with a combination of films and live events. The Lawford Theatre closed permanently in 2019. On August 4, 2024, its roof collapsed causing significant damage and leading to its condemnation. It is very, very closed.
Jacksonville Mayor Howard A. Prather was at the Beach Drive-in on June 24, 1950 at its opening with “South of St. Louis.” It appears to have closed with “Pillow Talk” on December 6, 1959. The City wanted the property in early 1960 for municipal projects and Fred H. Kent of Kent Theatres didn’t want to sell. Reports suggest that the city used eminent domain to acquire the property.
The Lincoln Theatre appears to have opened December 31, 1911. Buddy Austin took on the venue on October 20, 1919 with Dorothy Philips in “Destiny” and a naming contest. The winning name was the Austin Theatre.
The Gem Studio and Nickelodeon was opened by George W. Meyers in 1907. It became the Gem Theater in 1909 and was operated by Meyers until he sold in on September 1, 1911 to Noah Stivers. Ira Thorpe took on the venue on January 1, 1913. C.M. Jacobs took on the venue on August 14, 1914 renaming it as the Dreamland Theatre.
In March 1915, Jacobs sold the contents of the Dreamland to Wyatt Halcom who took the equipment to the Weldon Opera House to convert it to a theater. A new and final operator came in opening there on April 29, 1915 as the Majestic Theatre by Charles E. Twadell. It was reported in December of 1915 that Mr. Twadell had “skipped town” leaving unpaid people and bills.
The building was boarded up for three months. Finally, it was gutted in March of 1916 and converted to a pool hall.
The Star Theatre was on 215 East Main Street apparently opening in 1910 as a silent movie house. The venue’s movies wound down in the mid 1920s stopping before sound but hosting live events into 1931. A.E. Pierce took on the venue wiring it for sound November 28, 1931 as the New Star Theatre with “Ten Cents a Dance.”
The New Star closed in 1932 and was reopened by R.C. Wheeler on May 10,1933 with “Red Dust.” It was used for sporadic live events and trade screening in 1934 to 1935 when it appears to have discontinued operations. When the Clintonia was closed for its remodeling in July of 1936, its equipment was stored at the Star indicating that McCollum Theatre Circuit simply bought out the venue. It became a feed store in 1940 and a grocery store after the War. It appears to still be standing as of the 2020s.
The New K Theater opened here in its new location on December 26, 1916. A.B. McCollum took on the venue in the 1920s and the theatre stayed silent as the K Theater until 1931. McCollum installed sound in 1931 changing the venue to the Kaye Theatre. In September of 1951, the venue got a streamline moderne makeover shown in photos.
Closed as the Clinton Drive-In in 1982. Reopened by Tom Gates in 1989 and closed in 1990 as the Clinton Drive-In. Mike Harroun reopened the venue as the Clinton Drive-In for the 1992 season on July 10th with “Field of Dreams” closing after the 1993 season and then moved the screen to his Harvest Moon Drive-In in Gibson City.
The New Cuba Theatre opened in November of 1948 according to the trade press by the aforementioned Russell McConkey and Raymond Murphy. The theatre costs $65,000 to construct. McConkey announced a closure of the Cuba Theatre (no “New”) at the half way mark of a 20-year leasing commitment. However, a save the Cuba Theatre protest was successfully launched by the Cubs Senior Women’s Club and Business Association in October and November of 1958.
The Cuba Theatre closed in December 18, 1966 with “The Ghost and Mrs. Chicken.” It was relit once more in 1975 as a country western performance venue. “The Greatest Show on Earth” was the top performer in the history of the venue with Ma & Pa Kettle cumulatively raking in the most money for their series of films. By 1967, the Cuba Theatre had dropped from seven to four to just two days a week of operation as the town’s population was less than 1,500 people.
Charles Kuchan, Sr. opened the IdylHour Theatre on March 30, 1912 in a conversion of the existing Savil & Rafferty Cigar Factory building. The silent movie house was such a success that Kuchan would move to larger digs. He completed a ten-year leasing agreement with the IdylHour on March 30, 1922 before moving on to create the Capitol Theatre in the venerable Opera House location on September 9, 1922.
The Idyl didn’t remain so for long finding a new exhibitor in Joe Ross who renamed the venue as the American Theatre in April of 1922. The American was apparently unable to make the transition to sound and appears to have ended operations in 1931 with films ending two years prior.
Should probably be listed as the American Theatre formerly known as the IdylHour Theatre.
Another completely blank entry which probably should remain as such. I’m guessing that this was the Lewistown Opera House based on the trade press and local newspapers. J.F. Knock created the short-lived Knock Theatre - possibly here - opening October 1, 1917. The Lee Family - Ralph and John - took over the Opera House (and likely the Knock) which definitely became the Princess Theatre in 1919 showing silent films.
Ralph passed away and John appears to have left in 1921. D.M. Sheets took on the venue in 1921 continuing as the Princess. Abraham “Abe” P. and Pauline Werbner, operators of the Quincy Princess, then moved to Lewistown in 1927 and continued as Princess Theatre operators here.
Doing well with the Princess, the couple built the larger sized and streamline moderne Werbner Theatre opening in 1940. They decided in the 1950s to reduce to a single theater. They completed 40 years of Lewistown film exhibition - easily the longest tenure in Fulton County - closing in 1967. The former Princess building remained in place in the 2020s.
Became the Towne Twin on November 24, 1977 with “Starship Invasions” and “Oh, God!” Closed permanently on August 22, 1985 with “Weird Science” and “Volunteers.” Was gutted and retrofitted as a restaurant.
Cap - 291 seats
Opened with 562 seats in Theatre 1 and 338 in Theatre 2 or 900 at launch. Dreadful news on September 4, 1995 when it closed at the end of its 25 year leasing agreement with “Congo” and a split screen of “Batman Forever” and “Judge Dredd” playing at deep discount, 99 cent sub-run pricing.
The Trans-Lux Inflight Ciné operated from opening April 29, 1970 to its puddle jumping excursion into X-Rated fare in 1972 and 1973 and its red-eye flight where it crash landed on January 31, 1976 with “Airport ‘75” always under the Inflight and not the Westchester namesake.
A new flight crew based in Greensboro boarded operating as the Royal Ciné Theatre II beginning on February 6, 1976. And they went executive class with adult unrated films advertised as XXX titles beginning with “Miss September” and “Fringe Benefits” on a subleasing agreement.
Open noon to midnight offering the most non-stop options on a grind policy, that flight package was a hit running from 1976 to January 12, 1982 ending with “Spank Me Daddy” and “Tamara.” But the adventure wasn’t without turbulence as protests were not uncommon.
The next flight crew embarked on a discount fare policy as the Westchester Cinema with “The Soggy Bottom Gang” and “The Nights the Lights Went Out in Georgia” on April 28, 1982. The venue operated with the Southgate in Thomasville on a joint operating agreement in discount cinema. The Southgate disembarked in 1988 and the Westchester flew into the sunset in 1990.
The Kleeburg Airline Circuit claimed the runway relaunching the Westchester on May 3, 1991 as a discount house before closing permanently.
Closed January 22, 2026
Plitt closed after the Nov. 2, 1980 showing of “Halloween”
The reboot ad with widescreen projection on November 12, 1954 as the grand opening of the Crescent Drive-In is in photos with “Hell and High Water” playing on the new tower.
Opened on November 21, 1979, the Capri Triple opens with Apocalypse Now, Fiddler on the Roof and The Prize Fighter. The venue had 556 total seats at launch - Audi 1 had 300 and Audis 2 & 3 had 178 each.
The Havana Theatre was a streamline moderne movie house in downtown Havana, Illinois that lasted nine years before being suffering a major fire. It was retrofitted and reopened as the Kaye Theater with the theatre running for 20 years.
During the Depression and movie theater’s expensive conversion to sound, Havana lost its silent-era Castle Theatre as a movie house. It was unable to make the transition to sound and continued with sporadic live events as the Havana Theatre in the early 1930s before closing permanently.
Kerasotes Brothers Circuit likely inherited the closed Havana Theatre along with its operation of the Lawford Theatre. Kerasotes leased a building in 1936 and made a quick conversion combining the two-floor retail building into a single floor, streamline moderne movie theater. The “new” Havana Theatre opened on Christmas Day 1936 with “Adventure in Manhattan” with Jean Arthur and Joel McRae. It operated through World War II with a Kroger food store as its neighbor.
That more or less ended on November 3, 1945 when, at a 2p kids matinee, fire spread from the alley to the theater’s roof prompting Manager Edward Walker to move the kids and the film print to the nearby Lawford Theatre where the matinee took place. The theater was rebuilt pretty much entirely in a two month period reopening as the Kaye Theatre on January 18, 1946. The streamline moderne venue used the same cream porcelain used in other George and Louis Kerasotes movie houses. It also housed an internal concession stand and its seats were recushioned.
When Kerasotes was converting venues to widescreen for CinemaScope presentations, the Kaye appears to have been left out while the Lawford and the two-year old Havana Drive-In were transitioned. The Kaye appears to have closed in 1955 at the end of its 20-year leasing period.
Architect Aaron T. Simmons of George Howell Harris & Associates had two very different sets of plans for the New Castle. The first was more pertaining to a Castle and the second set of plans much more like the high rise it became.
The previous Castle Theatre didn’t quite make it to the January 24, 1916 opening. It had been deemed unsafe operating to the end of March of 1915 and razed in April of 1915. It has its own Cinema Treasures page. Organist Harry Wilson, who played the Hammers pipe organ at the previous Castle, was rehired as the organist at the launch of the new Castle. He made factory visits and helped design the custom pipe organ installed at the New Castle.
AA and WJ Gillingham built the Castle Theatre in a converted roller skating rink. Bathed in velvet red, it launched with 748 seats including six boxes. It began with “fashionable” vaudeville including short films on the Kinetograph. To distinguish from the Grand Opera House, it centered on films.
In 1910, the venue was remodeled including a $5,000 pipe organ by Hinners Organ Company of nearby Pekin, Illinois. Harry Wilson was the organist. But the Castle only netted a short-term lease of six years expiring in 1916. With the lease coming due, a proposal by the Knights of Pythias would have created a new Castle in much the same way nearby Seebrook, Illinois created its new Castle Hall. A prime lot at Washington Street near Prairie would house the multipurpose building.
The Castle Theatre programming did not make it to the New Castle, however. A city inspection in March 1915 ended the Castle’s reign early as the building was thought to be quite unsafe. It closed following the March 27, 1915 showings of “The Open Drawbridge,” “The Quality of Mercy,” and “The Millinery Man” supported by Harry Wilson at the pipe organ playing “Bum Diddle De Dum Bum That’s It” as the final organ number. The Castle was soon razed by Jeff Coit. Manager Lyons moved all the shows to the Chatterton Theatre.
As for the Knights of Pythias, they would find a new location for their proposal and the Castle proceeded as a new theater with the multipurpose building elements finding new occupants. Architect Aaron T. Simmons of George Howell Harris & Associates altered the original plans of the high rise.
The Chatterton Theatre programming was to be moved to the New Castle upon completion according to ads and articles. That arrangement actually ended in November - two months prior to the New Castle’s debut as the Chatterton returned to live programming. That six story structure’s with the former Castle’s film programming launched on January 24, 1916. Organist Harry Wilson would spend time helping to create the new pipe organ designed for the new Castle which he would play at that opening.
Northwest Ohio-based Legacy Theatres LLC will take over the venue in 2026.
Local dentist Dr. Lawford G. Pullen and two business partners raised $15,000 to build the 600-seat Pullen Opera House in 1914. It launched under that name on April 5, 1915 with live programming. The Pullen would show live productions and, on “dark days,” it would present motion pictures. The Opera House was competing mainly against the Castle Theatre - one of three nickelodeons in Havana, Illinois' early cinema days.
Pullen was no dummy as the movies brought in serious coin while live presentations were harder to book and challenging to market. So a month later, Pullen changed the Opera House to a Theater concentrating on film with some vaudeville. Its name became the Lawford Theatre. A $3,500 pipe organ was installed in 1918 to improve presentations. The theatre converted to sound to remain viable.
Kerasotes Brothers Circuit built another theater in downtown Havana - the Havana - in 1936 while having taken on the Lawford. In 1939, the venue was given a new air conditioning system and improved sound system. The brothers also gave the Lawford a major revamp changing its face and losing some of the Oriental styled interior to a more streamline moderne feel. Kerasotes converted the Lawford to widescreen projection to present CinemaScope titles in the 1950s.
Kerasotes left in 1982 closing after an amazing 67-year run. The theater was relit closing in 1990. It reopened four more times with a combination of films and live events. The Lawford Theatre closed permanently in 2019. On August 4, 2024, its roof collapsed causing significant damage and leading to its condemnation. It is very, very closed.
Jacksonville Mayor Howard A. Prather was at the Beach Drive-in on June 24, 1950 at its opening with “South of St. Louis.” It appears to have closed with “Pillow Talk” on December 6, 1959. The City wanted the property in early 1960 for municipal projects and Fred H. Kent of Kent Theatres didn’t want to sell. Reports suggest that the city used eminent domain to acquire the property.
The Lincoln Theatre appears to have opened December 31, 1911. Buddy Austin took on the venue on October 20, 1919 with Dorothy Philips in “Destiny” and a naming contest. The winning name was the Austin Theatre.
The Gem Studio and Nickelodeon was opened by George W. Meyers in 1907. It became the Gem Theater in 1909 and was operated by Meyers until he sold in on September 1, 1911 to Noah Stivers. Ira Thorpe took on the venue on January 1, 1913. C.M. Jacobs took on the venue on August 14, 1914 renaming it as the Dreamland Theatre.
In March 1915, Jacobs sold the contents of the Dreamland to Wyatt Halcom who took the equipment to the Weldon Opera House to convert it to a theater. A new and final operator came in opening there on April 29, 1915 as the Majestic Theatre by Charles E. Twadell. It was reported in December of 1915 that Mr. Twadell had “skipped town” leaving unpaid people and bills.
The building was boarded up for three months. Finally, it was gutted in March of 1916 and converted to a pool hall.
The Star Theatre was on 215 East Main Street apparently opening in 1910 as a silent movie house. The venue’s movies wound down in the mid 1920s stopping before sound but hosting live events into 1931. A.E. Pierce took on the venue wiring it for sound November 28, 1931 as the New Star Theatre with “Ten Cents a Dance.”
The New Star closed in 1932 and was reopened by R.C. Wheeler on May 10,1933 with “Red Dust.” It was used for sporadic live events and trade screening in 1934 to 1935 when it appears to have discontinued operations. When the Clintonia was closed for its remodeling in July of 1936, its equipment was stored at the Star indicating that McCollum Theatre Circuit simply bought out the venue. It became a feed store in 1940 and a grocery store after the War. It appears to still be standing as of the 2020s.
The New K Theater opened here in its new location on December 26, 1916. A.B. McCollum took on the venue in the 1920s and the theatre stayed silent as the K Theater until 1931. McCollum installed sound in 1931 changing the venue to the Kaye Theatre. In September of 1951, the venue got a streamline moderne makeover shown in photos.
Closed as the Clinton Drive-In in 1982. Reopened by Tom Gates in 1989 and closed in 1990 as the Clinton Drive-In. Mike Harroun reopened the venue as the Clinton Drive-In for the 1992 season on July 10th with “Field of Dreams” closing after the 1993 season and then moved the screen to his Harvest Moon Drive-In in Gibson City.
August 15, 2008 grand opening ad in photos.
Abe Werbner
The New Cuba Theatre opened in November of 1948 according to the trade press by the aforementioned Russell McConkey and Raymond Murphy. The theatre costs $65,000 to construct. McConkey announced a closure of the Cuba Theatre (no “New”) at the half way mark of a 20-year leasing commitment. However, a save the Cuba Theatre protest was successfully launched by the Cubs Senior Women’s Club and Business Association in October and November of 1958.
The Cuba Theatre closed in December 18, 1966 with “The Ghost and Mrs. Chicken.” It was relit once more in 1975 as a country western performance venue. “The Greatest Show on Earth” was the top performer in the history of the venue with Ma & Pa Kettle cumulatively raking in the most money for their series of films. By 1967, the Cuba Theatre had dropped from seven to four to just two days a week of operation as the town’s population was less than 1,500 people.
Thursday, January 29th, 2026 is confirmed as the final day.
Sorry - did some further research….
Charles Kuchan, Sr. opened the IdylHour Theatre on March 30, 1912 in a conversion of the existing Savil & Rafferty Cigar Factory building. The silent movie house was such a success that Kuchan would move to larger digs. He completed a ten-year leasing agreement with the IdylHour on March 30, 1922 before moving on to create the Capitol Theatre in the venerable Opera House location on September 9, 1922.
The Idyl didn’t remain so for long finding a new exhibitor in Joe Ross who renamed the venue as the American Theatre in April of 1922. The American was apparently unable to make the transition to sound and appears to have ended operations in 1931 with films ending two years prior.
Should probably be listed as the American Theatre formerly known as the IdylHour Theatre.
Another completely blank entry which probably should remain as such. I’m guessing that this was the Lewistown Opera House based on the trade press and local newspapers. J.F. Knock created the short-lived Knock Theatre - possibly here - opening October 1, 1917. The Lee Family - Ralph and John - took over the Opera House (and likely the Knock) which definitely became the Princess Theatre in 1919 showing silent films.
Ralph passed away and John appears to have left in 1921. D.M. Sheets took on the venue in 1921 continuing as the Princess. Abraham “Abe” P. and Pauline Werbner, operators of the Quincy Princess, then moved to Lewistown in 1927 and continued as Princess Theatre operators here.
Doing well with the Princess, the couple built the larger sized and streamline moderne Werbner Theatre opening in 1940. They decided in the 1950s to reduce to a single theater. They completed 40 years of Lewistown film exhibition - easily the longest tenure in Fulton County - closing in 1967. The former Princess building remained in place in the 2020s.