The Platte Theatre launched on the north side on May 3, 1925 with Johnny Hines in “The Early Bird” supported by a two-reel comedy, “The High Flyer” and a Pathé newsreel. On July 3, 1928, the venue under new ownership became the Alhambra Theatre.
Equipped for sound under new owners, the theatre relaunched on August 15, 1930, with Jack Oakie in “Hit the Deck” as the Luna Theatre. Taken over by Publix, the theatre was changed to the State Theatre on February 17, 1934 with Andy Devine in “Horseplay” supported by a Cubby, the Bear, cartoon, and two other short subjects. It closed as the State Theatre.
The theatre closed for the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 for just over two months. It reopened May 29, 2020 but then closed, apparently for good, on September 15, 2020.
Cinemark closed its 9-screen discount house along with its other locations on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning in the Summer of 2021 resuming its policy of playing sub-run discount films.
Regency Theatres Circuit closed its Academy Cinemas - Pasadena 6 on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning in the Summer of 2021 resuming its policy of playing sub-run discount films.
AMC closed its Classic Logan Valley 8 along with the rest of its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. It reopened later in the year. AMC closed the location permanently in July of 2021 at the end of a 25-year lease.
Regency Theatres Circuit closed the Buenaventura 6 on March 18, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning on June 25, 2021 resuming its policy of playing sub-run discount films.
Regency Theatres Circuit closed the Towngate 8 on March 17, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning briefly in October of 2020 and then again on June 16, 2021 resuming its policy of playing sub-run discount films.
Regency Theatres Circuit closed the Norwalk 8 on March 17, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning on July 9, 2021 resuming its policy of playing sub-run discount films.
Apex Theatres Circuit closed the Village 8 on March 18, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. After having some weekend popcorns sales, the theatre reopened June 12, 2020 but closed six weeks later on July 31, 2020. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning with a grand reopening on July 1, 2021 playing sub-run discount films.
The Oliver Theatre was a new-build facility that essentially replaced the Valley Theatre as the town’s movie house. It opened May 6, 1921 and in January of 1930 it shifted to a policy of all talking pictures after installing a sound system. In 1947, the theatre was sold by Dean Krotter to J.M. Williamson. He changed the name of the venue to the Pal Theatre in May of 1947.
Fifteen miles away in Trenton, Nebraska, the Roxy installed CinemaScope in December of 1954. The Pal soldiered on but apparently enough movie goers preferred the drive to the technically superior Roxy that business waned. The Pal closed on April 16, 1956 with Humphrey Bogart in “The Desperate Hours.”
The opening of the West Fifth Street Drive-In Theatre took place on June 12, 1953 with Jane Russell in “Montana Belle.” The ozoner opened with 347 spaces with that number of speakers.
The Empress Theatre was built in 1912 and was said to be the first theater in the West that had a passenger elevator for patrons to take them from the second to the third floor. It was also said that it would be impossible for a single life to be lost as the theatre was completely fireproof. It launched with vaudeville on January 30, 1913 and motion pictures were part of the shows almost from the outset. The theatre had 1,492 seats at opening with all of them filled.
Built on the former spot of Danceland, the O'Neill Drive-In Theatre launched on June 5, 1952 with “Fort Defiance” supported by additional short subjects. Just ten days later, on June 15, 1952, a tornado destroyed the screen. It was soon rebuilt.
The Barstow Theatre launched for Western Amusements Circuit on February 22, 1950 with Broderick Crawford in “Cargo to Cape Town” supported by Johnny Weissmuller in “Captive Girl.”
Cinerama Inc. began in 1950 and went public in 1952. In January of 1970, it took over RKO Stanley Circuit and is credited with opening the Palo Alto Square (see ad in photos). William Forman led Pacific Theatres as its President as a privately-held company. The two became intertwined when Forman became President and CEO of Cinerama Inc. late in 1963 and resumed his role as the President of Pacific Theatres with Cinerama remaining public and Pacific remaining private.
Landmark Theatre Company formed and its theatres were jointly owned and operated by Blumenfeld Theatres in conjunction with Pacific Theatres. Basically, all of these companies were pretty much operating in conjunction with each other.
The $15 million Palo Alto Square project was announced in June of 1969 as a commercial project with city involvement. The theatre was originally planned as an 800-seat single screen venue to be part of the office-hotel complex. Protests delayed the project and allowed architects to re-imagine the venue as a twin-screener. The Palo Alto Square I & II Theatre launched April 6, 1971 on a thirty-year lease with “A New Leaf” and “Waterloo.” The theatre was taken on by Landmark Theatres which closed it at the end of March of 2001 at the end of its lease.
Century Theatres took on the location changing it to the CinéArts at Palo Alto Square (not the Cine Arts, btw) likely on a new 30-year lease. At the half-way point of the lease, Cinemark announced its intention to close the location on August 4, 2016 shortly after the annual Jewish Film Festival. Successful protests which included more than 2,600 signatures staved off that closure and the arthouse resumed operations.
Cinemark closed the location in March of 2020 temporarily for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre remained closed on its 50th anniversary in the Spring of 2021. Likely approaching the end of a 20-year option in its leasing agreement, Cinemark announced in late June of 2021 that the Palo Alto location would be closed permanently.
Publix launched its Paramount Theater on April 5, 1931 with “Honor Among Lovers.”
The Platte Theatre launched on the north side on May 3, 1925 with Johnny Hines in “The Early Bird” supported by a two-reel comedy, “The High Flyer” and a Pathé newsreel. On July 3, 1928, the venue under new ownership became the Alhambra Theatre.
Equipped for sound under new owners, the theatre relaunched on August 15, 1930, with Jack Oakie in “Hit the Deck” as the Luna Theatre. Taken over by Publix, the theatre was changed to the State Theatre on February 17, 1934 with Andy Devine in “Horseplay” supported by a Cubby, the Bear, cartoon, and two other short subjects. It closed as the State Theatre.
Opened May 18, 1991 with some free preview movies. Closed at the end of a 30-year lease.
The theatre closed for the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 for just over two months. It reopened May 29, 2020 but then closed, apparently for good, on September 15, 2020.
Cinemark closed its 9-screen discount house along with its other locations on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning in the Summer of 2021 resuming its policy of playing sub-run discount films.
Regency Theatres Circuit closed its Academy Cinemas - Pasadena 6 on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning in the Summer of 2021 resuming its policy of playing sub-run discount films.
AMC closed its Classic Logan Valley 8 along with the rest of its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. It reopened later in the year. AMC closed the location permanently in July of 2021 at the end of a 25-year lease.
Regency Theatres Circuit closed the Buenaventura 6 on March 18, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning on June 25, 2021 resuming its policy of playing sub-run discount films.
Regency Theatres Circuit closed the Towngate 8 on March 17, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning briefly in October of 2020 and then again on June 16, 2021 resuming its policy of playing sub-run discount films.
Regency Theatres Circuit closed the Norwalk 8 on March 17, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning on July 9, 2021 resuming its policy of playing sub-run discount films.
Apex Theatres Circuit closed the Village 8 on March 18, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. After having some weekend popcorns sales, the theatre reopened June 12, 2020 but closed six weeks later on July 31, 2020. The theatre bucked the trend of discount houses that closed permanently during COVID-19 by returning with a grand reopening on July 1, 2021 playing sub-run discount films.
The local newspaper reports a 1952 opening that was delayed when the screen tower collapsed at construction.
The original Gem Theatre opened in the Keller Building on February 11, 1914 in Culbertson.
The Oliver Theatre was a new-build facility that essentially replaced the Valley Theatre as the town’s movie house. It opened May 6, 1921 and in January of 1930 it shifted to a policy of all talking pictures after installing a sound system. In 1947, the theatre was sold by Dean Krotter to J.M. Williamson. He changed the name of the venue to the Pal Theatre in May of 1947.
Fifteen miles away in Trenton, Nebraska, the Roxy installed CinemaScope in December of 1954. The Pal soldiered on but apparently enough movie goers preferred the drive to the technically superior Roxy that business waned. The Pal closed on April 16, 1956 with Humphrey Bogart in “The Desperate Hours.”
The opening of the West Fifth Street Drive-In Theatre took place on June 12, 1953 with Jane Russell in “Montana Belle.” The ozoner opened with 347 spaces with that number of speakers.
The Empress Theatre was built in 1912 and was said to be the first theater in the West that had a passenger elevator for patrons to take them from the second to the third floor. It was also said that it would be impossible for a single life to be lost as the theatre was completely fireproof. It launched with vaudeville on January 30, 1913 and motion pictures were part of the shows almost from the outset. The theatre had 1,492 seats at opening with all of them filled.
Built on the former spot of Danceland, the O'Neill Drive-In Theatre launched on June 5, 1952 with “Fort Defiance” supported by additional short subjects. Just ten days later, on June 15, 1952, a tornado destroyed the screen. It was soon rebuilt.
The Barstow Theatre launched for Western Amusements Circuit on February 22, 1950 with Broderick Crawford in “Cargo to Cape Town” supported by Johnny Weissmuller in “Captive Girl.”
First ad for the Bar-Len Drive-In that had opened with “Albuquerque” and “Duffy’s Tavern” supported by two cartoons December 29, 1948
The Barstow Theatre launches February 22, 1950 with Broderick Crawford in “Cargo to Cape Town” supported by Johnny Weissmuller in “Captive Girl.”
Cinerama Inc. began in 1950 and went public in 1952. In January of 1970, it took over RKO Stanley Circuit and is credited with opening the Palo Alto Square (see ad in photos). William Forman led Pacific Theatres as its President as a privately-held company. The two became intertwined when Forman became President and CEO of Cinerama Inc. late in 1963 and resumed his role as the President of Pacific Theatres with Cinerama remaining public and Pacific remaining private.
Landmark Theatre Company formed and its theatres were jointly owned and operated by Blumenfeld Theatres in conjunction with Pacific Theatres. Basically, all of these companies were pretty much operating in conjunction with each other.
Corrections:
•CinéArts at Palo Alto Square is the name of the complex not CineArts Theater.
•It’s also not 40 years old.
•It was originally opened by the Cinerama Theatre Circuit (though didn’t feature Cinerama films).
•Landmark opened in 1974 and later took on this location
•It closed in March of 2020 not March of 202
•Technically, it’s COVID-19 not Covid-19
The $15 million Palo Alto Square project was announced in June of 1969 as a commercial project with city involvement. The theatre was originally planned as an 800-seat single screen venue to be part of the office-hotel complex. Protests delayed the project and allowed architects to re-imagine the venue as a twin-screener. The Palo Alto Square I & II Theatre launched April 6, 1971 on a thirty-year lease with “A New Leaf” and “Waterloo.” The theatre was taken on by Landmark Theatres which closed it at the end of March of 2001 at the end of its lease.
Century Theatres took on the location changing it to the CinéArts at Palo Alto Square (not the Cine Arts, btw) likely on a new 30-year lease. At the half-way point of the lease, Cinemark announced its intention to close the location on August 4, 2016 shortly after the annual Jewish Film Festival. Successful protests which included more than 2,600 signatures staved off that closure and the arthouse resumed operations.
Cinemark closed the location in March of 2020 temporarily for the COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre remained closed on its 50th anniversary in the Spring of 2021. Likely approaching the end of a 20-year option in its leasing agreement, Cinemark announced in late June of 2021 that the Palo Alto location would be closed permanently.
CinéArts at the Empire
Closed as the Century 12 Evanston / CinéArts 6 and XD