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.
C J. Encohus and Charles A. McElravy opened the new-build Arcade Theatre in 1917. The theatre converted to sound to remain viable under the auspices of Dixie Theatres Corporation of New Orleans. The Arcade was a survivor finally closed in 1951 as the longest-running theater in the city’s history to that point at 34 years. The building was then retrofitted for a location of the Jitney Jungle Grocery Store chain.
The New Daisy Theatre launched on April 27, 1941 with “Tall, Dark and Handsome.” It exits as a movie theatre in 1978 showing chopsocky, blaxploitation and other action-oriented exploitation films. After a refresh, it returns as a live concert venue in June of 1984 and continues in live performance until early 2019. But it was taken over by the Downtown Memphis Commission in 2022 and reopened with live event programming in January of 2023 and is open as of the 2020s.
American Automated Theatres Inc. (AATI) of Oklahoma City already had a franchisee for The Movies! Mississippi Mall twin screen theater in town. That franchisee decided to go all in on a four-plex.The Movies! River Ridge Cinema IV opened on August 10, 1984 with “Ghostbusters,” The Karate Kid,“ “Red Dawn” and “Cloak and Dagger.
On February 2, 2000, O'Neil Theatres, Inc. of Slidell, Louisiana - the franchisee - took the theatre into the O'Neil portfolio. Thus, the location became officially known as the O'Neil River Ridge Cinema 4. O'Neil Theatres Circuit went into bankruptcy protection that same year and, by 2008, was winding down operations. O'Neil closed here October 12, 2008. In 2015, Acadiana Cinemas - which operated three Louisiana locations in Eunice, Natchitoches, and Opelousas, updated the former River Ridge to digital projection and new seating reopening on March 20, 2015 as the Acadiana Picayune Cinema 4. The theatre closed for the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. It reopened and was still operating in the 2020s.
William Abbott opened the first Gem Theatre on February 27, 1913 with L. Rogers Lytton in “The Vengeance of Durand; or, The Two Portraits” supported by “A Busy Day in the Jungles.” It was housed a block from its future home in the Abbott Building with the Abbott Saloon. In its eight years, the Gem was doing well and a brand new theatre was built.
The New Gem moved a block away to its new home in the 200 block on January 26, 1921 with Gloria Swanson in “Something to Think About” on the new big screen. It was the secondary theatre in town after the Panida was build and, under the Gem moniker, it did not convert to sound. It continued with silent film through showtimes on November 13, 1930. It was then sporadically used as a live event house. Plays and political speeches occurred through 1944 under the Gem nameplate.
It was finally converted to sound in a streamline moderne makeover and renamed as the Lake Theatre opening on August 8, 1946. Ten years later, it closed with “The Solid Gold Cadillac” on November 20, 1956. It again was used for live events and rummage sales very sporadically over the next nine years. In 1967, a campaign to save the theatre was launched though proved unsuccessful. After the campaign failed, in 1968, the floor was leveled and in 1970 all exterior elements were removed from the former Gem/ Lake Theatre.
The local paper reports that the Liberty Theatre was destroyed by fire on September 13, 1922. It was just one day after Moses Alexander made a campaign stop at the venue though finishing in third that November for regaining his governorship. That was the last event in the space as the Gem Theatre had become the main movie house in town.
Grand opening ad for the Cinema 4 West on March 21, 1980 is in photos. Opening films were “Star Trek,” “Going in Style” and “Electric Horseman.” It closed March 5, 2006 as the Sanpoint Cinema 4 with “Annapolis,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Duma,” “Freedomland,” and “Doogal.”
Officially closed as the ShowPlace ICON on June 30, 2024 as the 1909-created exhibitor left the theatrical space. It did find a home for this location, however, in a deal with Marcus Cinemas announced on June 28, 2024. It was renamed as the Marcus West End Cinema at its relaunch on July 8, 2024.
The Gem Theatre launched September 29, 1915 with “The Battle Cry for Peace.” It was located in a former meat market. The Gem competed against the Philip Opera House for about three years. Movies became the dominant entertainment form in town and the Gem not only outlasted the Opera House but would surpass its 100th year of operation.
On its way past 100 operational years, the Gem converted to Vitaphone to show sound films on January 12, 1930. It got a new front a year and a half later. The Gem came under the State Theatre Corporation Circuit in the 1950s. It converted to digital in 2013 to remain viable. Two years later it celebrated its 100th Anniversary and was still showing films in 2024. With a population of fewer than 750 residents, the Gem is a theater deserving of its name.
The Magic City purportedly installed sound on February 15, 1931 to remain viable. However, the capacity crowd reportedly saw no sound films that night. Its final show was scheduled for March 21, 1931. For its final trick, the Magic City burned to the ground on March 23, 1931.
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”
C J. Encohus and Charles A. McElravy opened the new-build Arcade Theatre in 1917. The theatre converted to sound to remain viable under the auspices of Dixie Theatres Corporation of New Orleans. The Arcade was a survivor finally closed in 1951 as the longest-running theater in the city’s history to that point at 34 years. The building was then retrofitted for a location of the Jitney Jungle Grocery Store chain.
Previously operated by Lomo Theatre Circuit.
Previously operated by Lomo Theatre Circuit.
The New Daisy Theatre launched on April 27, 1941 with “Tall, Dark and Handsome.” It exits as a movie theatre in 1978 showing chopsocky, blaxploitation and other action-oriented exploitation films. After a refresh, it returns as a live concert venue in June of 1984 and continues in live performance until early 2019. But it was taken over by the Downtown Memphis Commission in 2022 and reopened with live event programming in January of 2023 and is open as of the 2020s.
American Automated Theatres Inc. (AATI) of Oklahoma City already had a franchisee for The Movies! Mississippi Mall twin screen theater in town. That franchisee decided to go all in on a four-plex.The Movies! River Ridge Cinema IV opened on August 10, 1984 with “Ghostbusters,” The Karate Kid,“ “Red Dawn” and “Cloak and Dagger.
On February 2, 2000, O'Neil Theatres, Inc. of Slidell, Louisiana - the franchisee - took the theatre into the O'Neil portfolio. Thus, the location became officially known as the O'Neil River Ridge Cinema 4. O'Neil Theatres Circuit went into bankruptcy protection that same year and, by 2008, was winding down operations. O'Neil closed here October 12, 2008. In 2015, Acadiana Cinemas - which operated three Louisiana locations in Eunice, Natchitoches, and Opelousas, updated the former River Ridge to digital projection and new seating reopening on March 20, 2015 as the Acadiana Picayune Cinema 4. The theatre closed for the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. It reopened and was still operating in the 2020s.
VIP Cinemas reopened the former Regal as the VIP Moline 14 effective July 11, 2024.
William Abbott opened the first Gem Theatre on February 27, 1913 with L. Rogers Lytton in “The Vengeance of Durand; or, The Two Portraits” supported by “A Busy Day in the Jungles.” It was housed a block from its future home in the Abbott Building with the Abbott Saloon. In its eight years, the Gem was doing well and a brand new theatre was built.
The New Gem moved a block away to its new home in the 200 block on January 26, 1921 with Gloria Swanson in “Something to Think About” on the new big screen. It was the secondary theatre in town after the Panida was build and, under the Gem moniker, it did not convert to sound. It continued with silent film through showtimes on November 13, 1930. It was then sporadically used as a live event house. Plays and political speeches occurred through 1944 under the Gem nameplate.
It was finally converted to sound in a streamline moderne makeover and renamed as the Lake Theatre opening on August 8, 1946. Ten years later, it closed with “The Solid Gold Cadillac” on November 20, 1956. It again was used for live events and rummage sales very sporadically over the next nine years. In 1967, a campaign to save the theatre was launched though proved unsuccessful. After the campaign failed, in 1968, the floor was leveled and in 1970 all exterior elements were removed from the former Gem/ Lake Theatre.
The local paper reports that the Liberty Theatre was destroyed by fire on September 13, 1922. It was just one day after Moses Alexander made a campaign stop at the venue though finishing in third that November for regaining his governorship. That was the last event in the space as the Gem Theatre had become the main movie house in town.
Grand opening ad for the Cinema 4 West on March 21, 1980 is in photos. Opening films were “Star Trek,” “Going in Style” and “Electric Horseman.” It closed March 5, 2006 as the Sanpoint Cinema 4 with “Annapolis,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Duma,” “Freedomland,” and “Doogal.”
Officially closed as the ShowPlace ICON on June 30, 2024 as the 1909-created exhibitor left the theatrical space. It did find a home for this location, however, in a deal with Marcus Cinemas announced on June 28, 2024. It was renamed as the Marcus West End Cinema at its relaunch on July 8, 2024.
Closed June 30, 2024 along with all other ShowPlace ICON locations when the circuit ended operations.
Closed permanently with the rest of the Kerasotes ICON chain effective June 30, 2024.
The Gem Theatre launched September 29, 1915 with “The Battle Cry for Peace.” It was located in a former meat market. The Gem competed against the Philip Opera House for about three years. Movies became the dominant entertainment form in town and the Gem not only outlasted the Opera House but would surpass its 100th year of operation.
On its way past 100 operational years, the Gem converted to Vitaphone to show sound films on January 12, 1930. It got a new front a year and a half later. The Gem came under the State Theatre Corporation Circuit in the 1950s. It converted to digital in 2013 to remain viable. Two years later it celebrated its 100th Anniversary and was still showing films in 2024. With a population of fewer than 750 residents, the Gem is a theater deserving of its name.
Status: Demolished
The Magic City purportedly installed sound on February 15, 1931 to remain viable. However, the capacity crowd reportedly saw no sound films that night. Its final show was scheduled for March 21, 1931. For its final trick, the Magic City burned to the ground on March 23, 1931.