Based on what I remember from newspaper ads, the Maplewood was showing only foreign films in its final years. Never saw a movie there, but remember going car shopping with my Dad in that area one weekend and seeing the marquee, which read “Fine Foreign Films”.
If I recall correctly, Wehrenberg Theaters publicly announced they would never again operate a theater in the St. Louis city limits after closing the Union Station.
The Cave Springs seems to be the “forgotten” theater in St. Charles County. Chuck’s location info is correct. This theater was at the corner of Mexico and Jungerman, right behind the Venture store, next door to the old National Weather Service office and across the street from Cave Springs Lanes bowling center. It later became Royal Oaks Chrysler/Jeep but is now vacant. Sadly, I never went to this theater. I guess Mid-America was thinking this would eventually replace the I-70 Drive-In…turns out it was Mid-America that got replaced!!!
What’s interesting is…my wife and I went here in June 2009 to see The Proposal, while we were visiting. We were also impressed with the theater, but couldn’t help but notice that the decor looked EXACTLY like the new AMC Theater in Tustin, CA, which is near where we live. I mean it was almost exactly the same!! Found that a little odd, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
That’s what I thought, JAlex…I couldn’t remember Wehrenberg ever running that place. Thanks for clearing that up…and thanks for the closing date. That does sound about right.
This was where I saw my first movie as a 3-year old child, when my parents took me to see Jungle Book. I’ve been a huge movie/theater fan every since…and it all started here…
In Wehrenberg’s 100th Anniversary book, the Plaza is listed as a theater they operated? Is that true? It had to have been in 1983-84 timeframe and could only have been for a very short time (less than a year), as it closed in either ‘83 or '84.
Those photos are depressing, Chuck…well, any closed theater is depressing. This looks a lot like the Halls Ferry 14 after it closed and before it was torn down. Wonder if Wehrenberg is using the building for storage of old equipment, like they did with the Halls Ferry?
Thanks, JAlex and Cholla, for the updates on C4C. Sad to hear it was getting run down in its final years, because I have so many memories of this place. So they went dollar show in ‘87…that would be during my last year of graduate school at University of Illinois. I was just too wiped out from graduate study to do anything when I was home. I still, however, think Cinema 4 Center would have made a better dollar show location than St. Andrews, if it were still standing, but since Wehrenberg ran it, they were bound to close it soon once the St. Charles 10 opened.
Actually, Needy, my last post should have said Wehrenberg bought out the remaining GCC theaters IN ST. LOUIS in 1990. There were still GCC theaters in other parts of the country, as I discovered when I moved to Southern California in 1991.
Also, I apologize for my poor spelling in my original post. This editor started acting strange by not scrolling down once I came to the bottom of the box. I’m using the Firefox browser…could that have something to do with that happening?
Needy: You are correct, Wehrenberg bought out the remaining GCC theaters back in 1990 (I think). However, that was before GCC officially went out of business. When that happened, AMC acquired the remaining GCC theaters in the rest of the country.
Oh, OK…I got the screens mixed up. I was thinking of the screen whose back was to I-70. Only drove past the Mexico Road screen once or twice and don’t remember it. Of course, that part of Mexico Road was rather hilly and undeveloped back then. Thanks for pointing that out, Cholla!
By the way, was Screen #1 the screen whose back was to Mexico Road or I-70? Can’t remember…
I second the comments by Chris. This theater was HUGE!!! They probably could have gone to six screens in that building and it still would not have felt cramped. Too bad this one got torn down. Favorite memories of this place are seeing Jungle Book, Chariots Of Fire, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade at this theater. Thanks for the memories, NWP!
Here’s something that popped up in the “General Cinema Locations” thread on Cinematour.com: a training video for ticketing cashiers for the Montclair Cinema. Enjoy!
For those posters on here who worked at South County Cinema…or any other GCC theater for that matter, check out this video from YouTube (no, I didn’t post it). I originally found out about this from a post in the “General Cinema Locations” thread on cinematour.com…it’s a training video for ticketing cashiers for GCC’s Montclair Plaza Cinema in Montclair, CA. Enjoy!!
1) Was the Holiday in Overland or Olivette? The American Classic Images site says it’s in Olivette, but I always thought it was Overland.
2) About the aerial photo…are we certain that’s the Holiday? I didn’t find anything on the site that gave an address. Also, was that the concession/projection building all the way at the back of the lot? They must have had a really powerful projector to get the image all the way to the screen if that’s the case.
If GCC opened the 6 screener in Dec 1988, this means it was in GCC’s hands for less than a year, since Wehrenberg bought out the remaining GCCs in 1989. Do I have that right?
This will take you back…I remember playing soccer on a field that was near the site for Mid Rivers Mall. This was in the late 70-early 80s and, at that time, there was no Mid Rivers Mall. It was just a big empty field. Still can’t believe it used to be that way not so long ago.
Oh, I see…so Mr. Halloway, the original owner, bequeathed (sp?) the theater to the Archdocese in his will. Of course, Mr. Halloway had no way of knowing what future owners of this theater were going to do. Makes sense now…thanks, JAlex! Was it the Archdiocese who eventually sold the theater?? I always thought there was no way the Archdiocese was going to approve of the films the Fine Arts was showing. Guess they couldn’t exercise the option to sell for whatever legal reason…
Never went to this theater…but it’s interesting how the black banner were used at this theater. Exaclty the same as the banners on the Fine Arts (Beverly) Theater. The picture of the Brentwood makes it clear this was still the case when RKO-MidAmerica, rather than just MidAmerica, ran the theater. Did other Mid-America theaters have the black banners? Like the Esquire or the Crestwood, for example? Don’t believe the Village Square ever had those…
Based on what I remember from newspaper ads, the Maplewood was showing only foreign films in its final years. Never saw a movie there, but remember going car shopping with my Dad in that area one weekend and seeing the marquee, which read “Fine Foreign Films”.
If I recall correctly, Wehrenberg Theaters publicly announced they would never again operate a theater in the St. Louis city limits after closing the Union Station.
Didn’t Mid-America Theaters run this place for a while in the 70s?
The Cave Springs seems to be the “forgotten” theater in St. Charles County. Chuck’s location info is correct. This theater was at the corner of Mexico and Jungerman, right behind the Venture store, next door to the old National Weather Service office and across the street from Cave Springs Lanes bowling center. It later became Royal Oaks Chrysler/Jeep but is now vacant. Sadly, I never went to this theater. I guess Mid-America was thinking this would eventually replace the I-70 Drive-In…turns out it was Mid-America that got replaced!!!
What’s interesting is…my wife and I went here in June 2009 to see The Proposal, while we were visiting. We were also impressed with the theater, but couldn’t help but notice that the decor looked EXACTLY like the new AMC Theater in Tustin, CA, which is near where we live. I mean it was almost exactly the same!! Found that a little odd, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
That’s actually a rather cool looking building! Shame it burned down…
That status now applied to the entire mall, not just the theater!
That’s what I thought, JAlex…I couldn’t remember Wehrenberg ever running that place. Thanks for clearing that up…and thanks for the closing date. That does sound about right.
This was where I saw my first movie as a 3-year old child, when my parents took me to see Jungle Book. I’ve been a huge movie/theater fan every since…and it all started here…
In Wehrenberg’s 100th Anniversary book, the Plaza is listed as a theater they operated? Is that true? It had to have been in 1983-84 timeframe and could only have been for a very short time (less than a year), as it closed in either ‘83 or '84.
Those photos are depressing, Chuck…well, any closed theater is depressing. This looks a lot like the Halls Ferry 14 after it closed and before it was torn down. Wonder if Wehrenberg is using the building for storage of old equipment, like they did with the Halls Ferry?
Thanks, JAlex and Cholla, for the updates on C4C. Sad to hear it was getting run down in its final years, because I have so many memories of this place. So they went dollar show in ‘87…that would be during my last year of graduate school at University of Illinois. I was just too wiped out from graduate study to do anything when I was home. I still, however, think Cinema 4 Center would have made a better dollar show location than St. Andrews, if it were still standing, but since Wehrenberg ran it, they were bound to close it soon once the St. Charles 10 opened.
Actually, Needy, my last post should have said Wehrenberg bought out the remaining GCC theaters IN ST. LOUIS in 1990. There were still GCC theaters in other parts of the country, as I discovered when I moved to Southern California in 1991.
Also, I apologize for my poor spelling in my original post. This editor started acting strange by not scrolling down once I came to the bottom of the box. I’m using the Firefox browser…could that have something to do with that happening?
Needy: You are correct, Wehrenberg bought out the remaining GCC theaters back in 1990 (I think). However, that was before GCC officially went out of business. When that happened, AMC acquired the remaining GCC theaters in the rest of the country.
Oh, OK…I got the screens mixed up. I was thinking of the screen whose back was to I-70. Only drove past the Mexico Road screen once or twice and don’t remember it. Of course, that part of Mexico Road was rather hilly and undeveloped back then. Thanks for pointing that out, Cholla!
By the way, was Screen #1 the screen whose back was to Mexico Road or I-70? Can’t remember…
I second the comments by Chris. This theater was HUGE!!! They probably could have gone to six screens in that building and it still would not have felt cramped. Too bad this one got torn down. Favorite memories of this place are seeing Jungle Book, Chariots Of Fire, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade at this theater. Thanks for the memories, NWP!
Here’s something that popped up in the “General Cinema Locations” thread on Cinematour.com: a training video for ticketing cashiers for the Montclair Cinema. Enjoy!
View link
For those posters on here who worked at South County Cinema…or any other GCC theater for that matter, check out this video from YouTube (no, I didn’t post it). I originally found out about this from a post in the “General Cinema Locations” thread on cinematour.com…it’s a training video for ticketing cashiers for GCC’s Montclair Plaza Cinema in Montclair, CA. Enjoy!!
View link
OK, two questions:
1) Was the Holiday in Overland or Olivette? The American Classic Images site says it’s in Olivette, but I always thought it was Overland.
2) About the aerial photo…are we certain that’s the Holiday? I didn’t find anything on the site that gave an address. Also, was that the concession/projection building all the way at the back of the lot? They must have had a really powerful projector to get the image all the way to the screen if that’s the case.
Feel free to correct if I missed something…
How many screens did this theater have when it closed? I believe it might have had three, but I’m not too sure…
The address should be 2140 West Clay, not West Clary…
If GCC opened the 6 screener in Dec 1988, this means it was in GCC’s hands for less than a year, since Wehrenberg bought out the remaining GCCs in 1989. Do I have that right?
This will take you back…I remember playing soccer on a field that was near the site for Mid Rivers Mall. This was in the late 70-early 80s and, at that time, there was no Mid Rivers Mall. It was just a big empty field. Still can’t believe it used to be that way not so long ago.
And while we’re on the subject…I’m sad when I go home to STL and see the Dodge dealership in St. Peters where the I-70 Drive-In used to be.
Oh, I see…so Mr. Halloway, the original owner, bequeathed (sp?) the theater to the Archdocese in his will. Of course, Mr. Halloway had no way of knowing what future owners of this theater were going to do. Makes sense now…thanks, JAlex! Was it the Archdiocese who eventually sold the theater?? I always thought there was no way the Archdiocese was going to approve of the films the Fine Arts was showing. Guess they couldn’t exercise the option to sell for whatever legal reason…
Never went to this theater…but it’s interesting how the black banner were used at this theater. Exaclty the same as the banners on the Fine Arts (Beverly) Theater. The picture of the Brentwood makes it clear this was still the case when RKO-MidAmerica, rather than just MidAmerica, ran the theater. Did other Mid-America theaters have the black banners? Like the Esquire or the Crestwood, for example? Don’t believe the Village Square ever had those…