Circa 1924 photo credit E.B. Luce Collection.
Description credit Worchester Historical Museum.
“The photograph, c. 1924, features the theater’s marquee, which advertises the comedic play "Some Baby” written by Zellah Covington. The play original debuted in NYC in August of 1915, shortly after Mr. Covington and his wife were rescued from the sinking of the Arabic streamliner by a German U-Boat. “Some Baby” had a run of three months at the Fulton Theatre in NYC and then made its way to Worcester."
There were two Lyric Theatres.
I added a page for the one at 405 N Front Street, 1912-1920.
By 1920 the Paris Café had replaced the Lyric Theatre at that location.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/62531
The REX Hotel at 545 North Front Street was also the location of two theatres, the Oracle and the (other) Lyric, which operated at the same time. Both theatres were bought out by the REX Amusement company in 1924, who were in turn bought out by Thomas Berta the owner of the Rialto Theatre (located at 310 South Front Street) to stop the competition.
Per the Rock Springs Historical Museum.
I submitted a single page for the other Lyric & Oracle Theatre, and will post the link here when it is approved.
I received this back from the Rock Springs Historical Museum.
The buildings in the photograph are located at 403-405 North Front Street. You can see in the included photograph that the roof lines and decoration are the same. The Elk Saloon and Barber Shop opened in 1908 and the Lyric Theatre was next door by the 1912 photo. By 1920 the Paris Café had replaced the Lyric Theatre at that location. The REX Hotel at 545 North Front Street was also the location of two theatres, the Oracle and the Lyric, which operated at the same time. Both theatres were bought out by the REX Amusement company in 1924, who were in turn bought out by Thomas Berta the owner of the Rialto Theatre (located at 310 South Front Street) to stop the competition. I cant tell if the two Lyric Theatres were owned by the same people, it was a very popular name for Theatres, so it could go either way. Let us know if you have more questions, we would love to help!
I submitted a single page for the other Lyric Theate and Oracle Theatre at 545 N. Front Street.
Address was 310 S. Front Street per the Rock Springs Historical Museum.
It was owned and operated by Thomas Bertha, who later bought out the the Lyric and Oracle Theatres both located at 545 N. Front Street which both operated at the same time.
He bought those two theatres to stop the competition. I will set up a page for those theatres, which later became the Rex Hotel and remains standing. The Lyric and Oracle are not to be confused with the other Lyric Theatre at 405 N. Front Street, which has it’s own page.
June 1, 1984 images adde courtesy of and description credit Stephen Leigh.
“William Shatner and Christopher Lloyd in Leonard Nimoy’s "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” opens at the Palliser Square Cinema and Market Mall Cinema in Calgary, Alberta. In 70 MM Six-Track Dolby Stereo."
Well I went through all 82 pages of the pdf.
Only the Carolina Theatre was mentioned.
There was a street renumbering in 1951, but the Carolina is using the new number.
I’m gonna leave this news piece here, in case anyone want to research further. The jewelry store that shared the Catawba Theatre building at one time, which is mentioned.
I posted the link because it is a news story about the theatre with photos. If it had been an unrelated fire, flood or even the demolition of the theatre, it would be relevant to the theatre’s history just the same.
I suppose I could have just added the photos to the gallery crediting teh source, and linked to the story under each photo.
The above was just easier.
Covid will likely push some theatres to possibly never reopen, those stories would be relevant when they happen.
Someone had been posting about every temporary Covid closing individually, even though such closings would have been a given across the board. And then would have needed another post to say they had reopened.
Do you think I should remove the post?
I usually just leave it to the Admins to decide.
Announcement of the June 13, 1974 twinning and opening of the Towne Cinema Red and Towne Cinema Blue, from the final night May 30, 1974 print ad of the original Towne Cinema on 7th Avenue, from it’s CT page.
Circa 1924 photo credit E.B. Luce Collection. Description credit Worchester Historical Museum. “The photograph, c. 1924, features the theater’s marquee, which advertises the comedic play "Some Baby” written by Zellah Covington. The play original debuted in NYC in August of 1915, shortly after Mr. Covington and his wife were rescued from the sinking of the Arabic streamliner by a German U-Boat. “Some Baby” had a run of three months at the Fulton Theatre in NYC and then made its way to Worcester."
Article with a drone pic of the Sage Crest.
https://mynews4.com/news/knowing-nevada/knowing-nevada-the-deserted-drive-ins?fbclid=IwAR0rCOiaGIWZh95BzHqF210MdrMdZnaZnTmLsAdlAviv12JcrnMcfwodDmw
Article about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre in which the Dreamland and other theatres were burned in the are known as Black Wall Street.
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/black-wall-street-and-the-tulsa-race-massacre?fbclid=IwAR21tDTU-DiYqhuTJMAvolv6hC6C2iLhHKfmsCNFSvnpsbRHCaFVnBY0k5s
Images added.
Four 1948 photos added courtesy Jeff Nichols.
Confirmed Demolished. Site occupied by a Mercantile Bank of Michigan branch today.
Page for the Lyric and Oracle Theatres, both in same building at same time.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/62573
2005 Flickr photo of the Rex Hotel building, former Lyric and Oracle Theatres.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/onasill/4791462245/in/photostream/
11 images added.
1952 exterior image added courtesy James Branscum, via Blytheville’s Past in Pictures.
1961 print ad added courtesy Blytheville’s Past in Pictures. Logo appears to have been changed to Star Vue by then.
November 1956 photo added courtesy Alvita Wilson, via Pinterest and Traces of Texas FB page. Elvis Presley “Love Me Tender” promotion.
March 23, 1959 photo added, photo credit Theodore Kross. Scan from 35mm Kodachrome slide from collection and courtesy of Dave Murray.
There were two Lyric Theatres. I added a page for the one at 405 N Front Street, 1912-1920. By 1920 the Paris Café had replaced the Lyric Theatre at that location.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/62531
The REX Hotel at 545 North Front Street was also the location of two theatres, the Oracle and the (other) Lyric, which operated at the same time. Both theatres were bought out by the REX Amusement company in 1924, who were in turn bought out by Thomas Berta the owner of the Rialto Theatre (located at 310 South Front Street) to stop the competition. Per the Rock Springs Historical Museum. I submitted a single page for the other Lyric & Oracle Theatre, and will post the link here when it is approved.
June 1966 photo credit PITT Archives.
I received this back from the Rock Springs Historical Museum.
The buildings in the photograph are located at 403-405 North Front Street. You can see in the included photograph that the roof lines and decoration are the same. The Elk Saloon and Barber Shop opened in 1908 and the Lyric Theatre was next door by the 1912 photo. By 1920 the Paris Café had replaced the Lyric Theatre at that location. The REX Hotel at 545 North Front Street was also the location of two theatres, the Oracle and the Lyric, which operated at the same time. Both theatres were bought out by the REX Amusement company in 1924, who were in turn bought out by Thomas Berta the owner of the Rialto Theatre (located at 310 South Front Street) to stop the competition. I cant tell if the two Lyric Theatres were owned by the same people, it was a very popular name for Theatres, so it could go either way. Let us know if you have more questions, we would love to help!
I submitted a single page for the other Lyric Theate and Oracle Theatre at 545 N. Front Street.
Address was 310 S. Front Street per the Rock Springs Historical Museum. It was owned and operated by Thomas Bertha, who later bought out the the Lyric and Oracle Theatres both located at 545 N. Front Street which both operated at the same time. He bought those two theatres to stop the competition. I will set up a page for those theatres, which later became the Rex Hotel and remains standing. The Lyric and Oracle are not to be confused with the other Lyric Theatre at 405 N. Front Street, which has it’s own page.
231 Drive-In ticket images added courtesy Cenzo Mustangs.
June 1, 1984 images adde courtesy of and description credit Stephen Leigh. “William Shatner and Christopher Lloyd in Leonard Nimoy’s "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” opens at the Palliser Square Cinema and Market Mall Cinema in Calgary, Alberta. In 70 MM Six-Track Dolby Stereo."
Well I went through all 82 pages of the pdf. Only the Carolina Theatre was mentioned. There was a street renumbering in 1951, but the Carolina is using the new number. I’m gonna leave this news piece here, in case anyone want to research further. The jewelry store that shared the Catawba Theatre building at one time, which is mentioned.
https://www.hickoryrecord.com/news/hickory-jeweler-decides-to-retire-after-67-years/article_1e742810-47b9-5943-8572-466e2cd25928.html
I posted the link because it is a news story about the theatre with photos. If it had been an unrelated fire, flood or even the demolition of the theatre, it would be relevant to the theatre’s history just the same. I suppose I could have just added the photos to the gallery crediting teh source, and linked to the story under each photo. The above was just easier. Covid will likely push some theatres to possibly never reopen, those stories would be relevant when they happen. Someone had been posting about every temporary Covid closing individually, even though such closings would have been a given across the board. And then would have needed another post to say they had reopened. Do you think I should remove the post? I usually just leave it to the Admins to decide.
Link with spray painted vandalism photos via Twitter.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/quentin-tarantinos-theater-vandalized-los-angeles-businesses-1296598?fbclid=IwAR1_fkuPeAH0Rs7fSSPzwLDyqN-UAru6n5xuLXCvUfyalk0vlBvWRAkRphM
1967 photo added via Harald Morgalla. Everything you see is gone…
You are probably correct. Looks like the time frame Hickory was growing. The first link is an 82 page pdf I’ll have to search through later.
https://www.hickorync.gov/sites/default/files/Government/Boards/Historic%20Preservation%20Commisison/Hickory%20Survey%20Update.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hickory,_North_Carolina
Announcement of the June 13, 1974 twinning and opening of the Towne Cinema Red and Towne Cinema Blue, from the final night May 30, 1974 print ad of the original Towne Cinema on 7th Avenue, from it’s CT page.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/62557/photos/307061