The venue opened as Moore' Opera House by Ed B. Moore. In May of 1901, the building was closed for a refresh as Moore decided to drop the “opera house” moniker. It was reimagined by architect William F. Wise as the Criterion Theatre. The roof was removed and the entire house redone. It reopened as the Criterion on October 10, 1901 with the live play, “When We Were 21.” In 1913, Edison projectors were installed as movies became part of the show. It would make the transition to full time movies; in 1928, sound was added. The Criterion’s final show was “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” on June 13, 1949 - the theatre burned down the next night.
Herbert Howell launched the Majestic Theatre opened March 3, 1911. It closed for films after a double feature of “Dragstrip Girl” and “Rock All Night” on March 22, 1958. A retail store for Fran’s Clothing was built into the theater in September of 1958 during a major refresh. On June 25, 1968, the building was destroyed by fire.
As noted, The Stanley Theatre on August 3, 1928 with “State Street Sadie”. It closed on May 12, 1951 with “I Can Get it for you at Wholesale.” A salvage sale was conducted within weeks and the theater auditorium was demolished in 1951. Demolished.
March 8, 1928 grand opening ad in photos with Ralph Hamilton at the Grand Organ and Bebe Daniels with “Feel My Pulse” supported by “Short Tails,” a Paramount Newsreel, and more.
Opening on August 27, 1926, the Wurlitzer organ wowed them along with Constance Talmadge in “The Duchess of Buffalo.” The architectural style was said to be a mix of late Italian and early Spanish Renaissance. Bathed in jade green and orange with the mural work by Robert E. Power of the Power Studio, the theatre was anything but subtle.
Judson and Avers opened the Home a Theatre on June 22, 1911 with “The Country Lovers,“ “A Good Turn” and “An Imitator of Blondin”. The theatre closed for a major refresh in 1950. It relaunched as the New Home Theatre on April 13, 1950 with;”Battleground.” It reverted to Home Theatre closing in 1960.
Regnboginn Cinema was the first multiplex to open in Iceland in 1980. It closed at the expiry of a 30-year lease. The Cinema’s received a major makeover removing its front and becoming a posh art house called Bio Paradis on September 17, 2010. Run by a non-profit organisation supported by the Association of Icelandic Film Producers, the Filmmakers' Association, the Film Directors' Guild of Iceland, RIFF and the Film Society, the theater is associated with Europa Cinemas playing imported art films the Europe and the United States in a variety of different languages along with Icelandic feature films and shorts.
At launch. a shop with arthouse DVD’s, books adjoined its bar and concession bar. That has since been removed in favor of a larger bar and gathering area. Film titles can play a single day and replaced with another art title the next. The now three-screen venue is also home to the Reykjavík International Film Festival.
The Hollywood Connection closed August 24, 2000. Carmike declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier in the month and was able to close most of the wildly underperforming portfolio of its family destination entertainment complexes that had second run movies paired with indoor activities ranging from laser tag to bumper cars and roller coasters. Among the problems in the Walmart conversions for Carmike were the 50-50 revenue split, the high cost of conversions, the concept of paying up front for a 5-hour movie/fun pass with second run films, the vibe, the… well… you get the idea. Both ahead of its time and yet poorly executed due to the terms of the rev split. The locations built outside of the Walmart locations from the ground up in Utah and Georgia were able to run first run content and one former H’Connect even made it through to the AMC merger.
The Hollywood Connection closed August 24, 2000. Carmike declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier in the month and was able to close most of the wildly underperforming portfolio of its family destination entertainment complexes that had second run movies paired with indoor activities ranging from laser tag to bumper cars and roller coasters. Among the problems in the Walmart conversions for Carmike were the 50-50 revenue split, the high cost of conversions, the concept of paying up front for a 5-hour movie/fun pass with second run films, the vibe, the… well… you get the idea. Both ahead of its time and yet poorly executed due to the terms of the rev split. The locations built outside of the Walmart locations from the ground up in Utah and Georgia were able to run first run content and one former H’Connect even made it through to the AMC merger.
The Hollywood Connection closed August 24, 2000. Carmike declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier in the month and was able to close most of the wildly underperforming portfolio of its family destination entertainment complexes that had second run movies paired with indoor activities ranging from laser tag to bumper cars and roller coasters. Among the problems in the Walmart conversions for Carmike were the 50-50 revenue split, the high cost of conversions, the concept of paying up front for a 5-hour movie/fun pass with second run films, the vibe, the… well… you get the idea. Both ahead of its time and yet poorly executed due to the terms of the rev split. The locations built outside of the Walmart locations from the ground up in Utah and Georgia were able to run first run content and one former H’Connect even made it through to the AMC merger.
Jimmie’s Playhouse, March 24, 1921 opening ad in photos with the opening film, “Once to Every Woman.” Its film exhibition ended after a merger in 1923 but the Playhouse cont’d with live events into 1927 before being converted a store for Ebers & Brandeis five and dime store of Memphis. It was named for Jimmie Boyd - a former Ringling Brothers Circus troupe member who ran the Gem Theatre in Blytheville, Arkansas and also Jimmie’s Playhouse for two years in Union City.
The Capitol Theatre was built by the Crescent Amusement Company in 1927 to ostensibly replace the town’s aging Reynolds Opera House. The Reynolds was used sporadically as a weekend film operation while the Capitol operated daily.
The Cherokee Drive-In opened on August 9, 1951 with “The Man From Colorado.“ In 1956, the hardtop downtown theatre closed for the summer with the Cherokee being the exclusive film venue in Jefferson City until the fall reopening.
Mr and Mrs Ben “Babe” Maloy take on the drive-in early in the 1957 season relaunching it as The Maloy Indoor-Outdoor Theatre on May 30, 1957 with “The Tall Texan.” In 1959, the venue is renamed the Maloy Drive-In Theatre. In 1963, the hardtop downtown theatre closes leaving the Maloy as the only film spot in town.
The Maloy Drive-In closed at the end of a 30-year lease early in the 1977 season with “Death Riders” and “The Hustler Squad”. It has since been demolished.
The Melody Theatre opened on August 5, 1949 with 586 seats and “Spoilers of the North” on the big screen. The previous night was the last one for the Jefferson Theatre.
The Melody then closed for the summer on April 23, 1957 as the drive-in had reopened. The hardtop theatre reopened October 16, 1957 now equipped with widescreen projection playing “Funny Face” and the venue was now called the Jefferson Theatre. The Jefferson Theatre closed for the season on May 3, 1963 with “Rome Adventure” and the drive-in reopened once again.
But this time there would be no hardtop reopening ending 30 consecutive years of indoor film exhibition in Jefferson City. Instead, Charles Davis would convert the “old” Jefferson into a skating rink. Every so often, however, an event or free film screening would be arranged for the citizenry. So those were held at the “old old Jefferson” which hadn’t been stripped of its projection equipment or seating. Confusing… yet it seemed to work.
The Jefferson Theatre reopened on November 2, 1933 with RCA sound and “King of the Jungle” on the big screen. (It had apparently had a brief run as a silent theater and was unable to immediately convert to talkies.) It closed in that location on August 4, 1949. The next day the new Melody Theatre opened in downtown.
The Jefferson nameplate would return in 1957 when the Melody Theatre’s name was changed to the Jefferson Theatre. This caused confusion not only for Cinema Treasures but for locals who referred to the theaters as the “old Jefferson” when it went out of business and the original facility as the “old old Jefferson.” The reason was that the “old old” Jefferson was the only equipped former theater left in town and was used for very sporadic live events.
The Rex Theatre and, that summer, the Rex Airdome opened in a crowded Hickman movie era in 1913. At that time, the Rex Theatre and Rex Airdome were competing against the Crystal, the Gem, and the Star. The Rex hardtop prevailed apparently selling a lot of Kist Popcorn Balls in its concession area along the way. The Airdome was closed thanks to improved ventilation in the hardtop Rex.
In 1922, the presentation improved with a new $8,000 pipe organ. In 1925, the theatre received a major refresh that included raising the roof and removing the girders that blocked views in the Rex auditorium.
The Rex was closed for a period in the early 1930s but did make the transition to sound reopening on October 13, 1932. The Ritz opened on November 29, 1934 but operating two theaters in the diminutive town was too much and the Rex went dark from March 14, 1935 until September 5, 1941 operating until Jun of 1946 before going dark.
When the original Ritz Theatre burned to the ground on on May 8, 1947, the Ritz was reopened just two days later. The new Ritz opened on September 16, 1948 with both theatre operating. But three months later, the Rex closed permanently with “Silent Conflict” and “Blondie’s Reward” on December 20, 1948 ending its run. In 1957, the building was refreshed away from theatrical exhibition selling of the equipment and chairs. Williams Shoe Store took on the venue. The building was later demolished.
The original Ritz Theatre opening ad for November 29, 1934 is posted in photos. It burned down on May 8, 1947 and was replaced by a new Ritz Theatre that launched Sept. 16, 1948 with “Give My Regards to Broadway.” The Ritz closed permanently as a movie house on November 4, 1970 with “The Good Guys and the Bad Guys.” It hosted wrestling and music events for several years before becoming home to the Craddock Lounge and Nightclub in 1975.
J.B. Bryan bought the Strand Theatre in 1920 relaunching it on January 15, 1921 as the Liberty Theatre. The Liberty moves from College Street to new digs in its 105 East Cedar location doing business from 1925 to 1960. The Victor Theatre takes over the old Strand/Liberty location on College Street.
The Victor Theatre opened on College on the Square on January 9, 1925 with Buster Keaton in “The Navigator.” The Victor ends as a silent theatre on Sept. 20, 1930 with Bob Steele in “Western Honor” likely at the end of a 10-year leasing cycle. Hughes and Tiffany Hardware retrofits the space for its retail store weeks later. That building on the West Side of the square appears to have been razed.
Meanwhile, at the “new” Liberty Theatre at 105 East Cedar (this entry), it converts to sound on March 5, 1930 with “The Fox Movietone Follies of 1929” to remain viable. It closed for films on February 28, 1960 likely at the end of a leasing cycle with “But Not For Me ” and “Counterplot.” It housed sporadic church services through 1964 and then housed an auto parts store. The former theatre was vacant for a period and torn down in 1988 joining the former theatre parking lot club.
Reopened under Alamo Drafthouse operation on August 13, 2024.
Closed as the Movie Rocket on July 13, 2023. Reopened for the second time as Hollywood Cinemas on July 28, 2023. Closed on February 7, 2024.
Closed in 2014
The venue opened as Moore' Opera House by Ed B. Moore. In May of 1901, the building was closed for a refresh as Moore decided to drop the “opera house” moniker. It was reimagined by architect William F. Wise as the Criterion Theatre. The roof was removed and the entire house redone. It reopened as the Criterion on October 10, 1901 with the live play, “When We Were 21.” In 1913, Edison projectors were installed as movies became part of the show. It would make the transition to full time movies; in 1928, sound was added. The Criterion’s final show was “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” on June 13, 1949 - the theatre burned down the next night.
Herbert Howell launched the Majestic Theatre opened March 3, 1911. It closed for films after a double feature of “Dragstrip Girl” and “Rock All Night” on March 22, 1958. A retail store for Fran’s Clothing was built into the theater in September of 1958 during a major refresh. On June 25, 1968, the building was destroyed by fire.
As noted, The Stanley Theatre on August 3, 1928 with “State Street Sadie”. It closed on May 12, 1951 with “I Can Get it for you at Wholesale.” A salvage sale was conducted within weeks and the theater auditorium was demolished in 1951. Demolished.
March 8, 1928 grand opening ad in photos with Ralph Hamilton at the Grand Organ and Bebe Daniels with “Feel My Pulse” supported by “Short Tails,” a Paramount Newsreel, and more.
Opening on August 27, 1926, the Wurlitzer organ wowed them along with Constance Talmadge in “The Duchess of Buffalo.” The architectural style was said to be a mix of late Italian and early Spanish Renaissance. Bathed in jade green and orange with the mural work by Robert E. Power of the Power Studio, the theatre was anything but subtle.
Ad with grand reopening in the Vitaphone sound era as the Adler Theatre on August 30, 1929 featuring Billie Dove in “Her Private Life” in photos.
Architect Frederick C. Foltz of Milwaukee
Judson and Avers opened the Home a Theatre on June 22, 1911 with “The Country Lovers,“ “A Good Turn” and “An Imitator of Blondin”. The theatre closed for a major refresh in 1950. It relaunched as the New Home Theatre on April 13, 1950 with;”Battleground.” It reverted to Home Theatre closing in 1960.
Regnboginn Cinema was the first multiplex to open in Iceland in 1980. It closed at the expiry of a 30-year lease. The Cinema’s received a major makeover removing its front and becoming a posh art house called Bio Paradis on September 17, 2010. Run by a non-profit organisation supported by the Association of Icelandic Film Producers, the Filmmakers' Association, the Film Directors' Guild of Iceland, RIFF and the Film Society, the theater is associated with Europa Cinemas playing imported art films the Europe and the United States in a variety of different languages along with Icelandic feature films and shorts.
At launch. a shop with arthouse DVD’s, books adjoined its bar and concession bar. That has since been removed in favor of a larger bar and gathering area. Film titles can play a single day and replaced with another art title the next. The now three-screen venue is also home to the Reykjavík International Film Festival.
The Hollywood Connection closed August 24, 2000. Carmike declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier in the month and was able to close most of the wildly underperforming portfolio of its family destination entertainment complexes that had second run movies paired with indoor activities ranging from laser tag to bumper cars and roller coasters. Among the problems in the Walmart conversions for Carmike were the 50-50 revenue split, the high cost of conversions, the concept of paying up front for a 5-hour movie/fun pass with second run films, the vibe, the… well… you get the idea. Both ahead of its time and yet poorly executed due to the terms of the rev split. The locations built outside of the Walmart locations from the ground up in Utah and Georgia were able to run first run content and one former H’Connect even made it through to the AMC merger.
The Hollywood Connection closed August 24, 2000. Carmike declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier in the month and was able to close most of the wildly underperforming portfolio of its family destination entertainment complexes that had second run movies paired with indoor activities ranging from laser tag to bumper cars and roller coasters. Among the problems in the Walmart conversions for Carmike were the 50-50 revenue split, the high cost of conversions, the concept of paying up front for a 5-hour movie/fun pass with second run films, the vibe, the… well… you get the idea. Both ahead of its time and yet poorly executed due to the terms of the rev split. The locations built outside of the Walmart locations from the ground up in Utah and Georgia were able to run first run content and one former H’Connect even made it through to the AMC merger.
The Hollywood Connection closed August 24, 2000. Carmike declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier in the month and was able to close most of the wildly underperforming portfolio of its family destination entertainment complexes that had second run movies paired with indoor activities ranging from laser tag to bumper cars and roller coasters. Among the problems in the Walmart conversions for Carmike were the 50-50 revenue split, the high cost of conversions, the concept of paying up front for a 5-hour movie/fun pass with second run films, the vibe, the… well… you get the idea. Both ahead of its time and yet poorly executed due to the terms of the rev split. The locations built outside of the Walmart locations from the ground up in Utah and Georgia were able to run first run content and one former H’Connect even made it through to the AMC merger.
Jimmie’s Playhouse, March 24, 1921 opening ad in photos with the opening film, “Once to Every Woman.” Its film exhibition ended after a merger in 1923 but the Playhouse cont’d with live events into 1927 before being converted a store for Ebers & Brandeis five and dime store of Memphis. It was named for Jimmie Boyd - a former Ringling Brothers Circus troupe member who ran the Gem Theatre in Blytheville, Arkansas and also Jimmie’s Playhouse for two years in Union City.
The Capitol Theatre was built by the Crescent Amusement Company in 1927 to ostensibly replace the town’s aging Reynolds Opera House. The Reynolds was used sporadically as a weekend film operation while the Capitol operated daily.
The Cherokee Drive-In opened on August 9, 1951 with “The Man From Colorado.“ In 1956, the hardtop downtown theatre closed for the summer with the Cherokee being the exclusive film venue in Jefferson City until the fall reopening.
Mr and Mrs Ben “Babe” Maloy take on the drive-in early in the 1957 season relaunching it as The Maloy Indoor-Outdoor Theatre on May 30, 1957 with “The Tall Texan.” In 1959, the venue is renamed the Maloy Drive-In Theatre. In 1963, the hardtop downtown theatre closes leaving the Maloy as the only film spot in town.
The Maloy Drive-In closed at the end of a 30-year lease early in the 1977 season with “Death Riders” and “The Hustler Squad”. It has since been demolished.
The Melody Theatre opened on August 5, 1949 with 586 seats and “Spoilers of the North” on the big screen. The previous night was the last one for the Jefferson Theatre.
The Melody then closed for the summer on April 23, 1957 as the drive-in had reopened. The hardtop theatre reopened October 16, 1957 now equipped with widescreen projection playing “Funny Face” and the venue was now called the Jefferson Theatre. The Jefferson Theatre closed for the season on May 3, 1963 with “Rome Adventure” and the drive-in reopened once again.
But this time there would be no hardtop reopening ending 30 consecutive years of indoor film exhibition in Jefferson City. Instead, Charles Davis would convert the “old” Jefferson into a skating rink. Every so often, however, an event or free film screening would be arranged for the citizenry. So those were held at the “old old Jefferson” which hadn’t been stripped of its projection equipment or seating. Confusing… yet it seemed to work.
The Jefferson Theatre reopened on November 2, 1933 with RCA sound and “King of the Jungle” on the big screen. (It had apparently had a brief run as a silent theater and was unable to immediately convert to talkies.) It closed in that location on August 4, 1949. The next day the new Melody Theatre opened in downtown.
The Jefferson nameplate would return in 1957 when the Melody Theatre’s name was changed to the Jefferson Theatre. This caused confusion not only for Cinema Treasures but for locals who referred to the theaters as the “old Jefferson” when it went out of business and the original facility as the “old old Jefferson.” The reason was that the “old old” Jefferson was the only equipped former theater left in town and was used for very sporadic live events.
The Rex Theatre and, that summer, the Rex Airdome opened in a crowded Hickman movie era in 1913. At that time, the Rex Theatre and Rex Airdome were competing against the Crystal, the Gem, and the Star. The Rex hardtop prevailed apparently selling a lot of Kist Popcorn Balls in its concession area along the way. The Airdome was closed thanks to improved ventilation in the hardtop Rex.
In 1922, the presentation improved with a new $8,000 pipe organ. In 1925, the theatre received a major refresh that included raising the roof and removing the girders that blocked views in the Rex auditorium.
The Rex was closed for a period in the early 1930s but did make the transition to sound reopening on October 13, 1932. The Ritz opened on November 29, 1934 but operating two theaters in the diminutive town was too much and the Rex went dark from March 14, 1935 until September 5, 1941 operating until Jun of 1946 before going dark.
When the original Ritz Theatre burned to the ground on on May 8, 1947, the Ritz was reopened just two days later. The new Ritz opened on September 16, 1948 with both theatre operating. But three months later, the Rex closed permanently with “Silent Conflict” and “Blondie’s Reward” on December 20, 1948 ending its run. In 1957, the building was refreshed away from theatrical exhibition selling of the equipment and chairs. Williams Shoe Store took on the venue. The building was later demolished.
That’s the former Ritz Theatre that opened in 1948. The Rex Theatre was demolished.
The original Ritz Theatre opening ad for November 29, 1934 is posted in photos. It burned down on May 8, 1947 and was replaced by a new Ritz Theatre that launched Sept. 16, 1948 with “Give My Regards to Broadway.” The Ritz closed permanently as a movie house on November 4, 1970 with “The Good Guys and the Bad Guys.” It hosted wrestling and music events for several years before becoming home to the Craddock Lounge and Nightclub in 1975.
J.B. Bryan bought the Strand Theatre in 1920 relaunching it on January 15, 1921 as the Liberty Theatre. The Liberty moves from College Street to new digs in its 105 East Cedar location doing business from 1925 to 1960. The Victor Theatre takes over the old Strand/Liberty location on College Street.
The Victor Theatre opened on College on the Square on January 9, 1925 with Buster Keaton in “The Navigator.” The Victor ends as a silent theatre on Sept. 20, 1930 with Bob Steele in “Western Honor” likely at the end of a 10-year leasing cycle. Hughes and Tiffany Hardware retrofits the space for its retail store weeks later. That building on the West Side of the square appears to have been razed.
Meanwhile, at the “new” Liberty Theatre at 105 East Cedar (this entry), it converts to sound on March 5, 1930 with “The Fox Movietone Follies of 1929” to remain viable. It closed for films on February 28, 1960 likely at the end of a leasing cycle with “But Not For Me ” and “Counterplot.” It housed sporadic church services through 1964 and then housed an auto parts store. The former theatre was vacant for a period and torn down in 1988 joining the former theatre parking lot club.
Became the 31 West Drive-In on July 23, 1969 with “Angel in my Pocket”