From the article posted to the gallery courtesy Stephen Leigh.
May 30, 1974 – Ronny Howard, Richard Dreyfuss and Cindy Williams in George Lucas' “American Graffiti”, in it’s 8th month, is the last feature at the Towne Cinema in Calgary, Alberta before the theatre is demolished. Hector Ross of the Towne Cinema: “Some real bomb, that every big theatre chain turned down”. “I didn’t like it, but I knew it was going to do business”. “Graffiti? Hell no. I didn’t like it. I’m 50! What do I need with that stuff?”
It was twinned June 13, 1974 when it became the Towne Cinema Red and Towne Cinema Blue. Which should be added as previous names.
The twinning grand opening coincided with the closing two weeks earlier of the original Towne Cinema located at 337 7th Avenue S.W., after it’s 8 month run of “American Graffiti”.
That original Towne Cinema was then demolished.
I am adding a page for that original Towne Cinema, which along with this Towne Cinema Red and Town Cinema Blue were owned by Hector Ross.
June 1970 photo added to gallery credit Susan Jackson Wilson.
Rivoli Theatre building on 2nd Street on the far left under the green arrow, behind the Catawba Theatre on Union Square.
Page I added for the Catawba Theatre below as well.
I have removed the photos and comments I posted.
The photos were of the Catawba Theatre in Hickory North Carolina, which I will set up a new page for.
I researched and found proof of the jewelry store next door and the Rivoli Theatre a block behind it.
Sorry for the confusion.
This one in Newton did close in the 1950s as originally stated.
Today its houses The Dapper Daisy Boutique.
1917 photo added courtesy Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.
I believe the Unique Theatre is on the left.
The Jung Store building down the street was located at 726 N. 8th Street, and matches with the buildings in the link.
It is possible the SCHRC got the year wrong, since the Unique is reported as closed prior to that.
Circa 1980 and 1956 photos added courtesy Tom Bollinger.
Showed Adults Only films circa 1980.
Severn Allen was manager in 1956, per his late son Ken Allen:
“He started the Saturday morning kiddie shows in conjunction with the Downtown Merchants Association — essentially low-cost babysitting while the parents shopped. My father was the one who turned Elvis (and Colonel Tom Parker) down. They were working their way to New York where Elvis was scheduled to go on the Ed Sullivan Show. My father had never heard of Elvis, had the theater booked with pictures that week and sent them on their way. When he told the Paramount folks about it on his daily call, they nearly fainted. One of dad’s favorite stories.”
Additional history courtesy Sandy Collins Walker: “Built about 1913 as Saint John Theater. By 1946 the name had changed to Circus Theater and by 1950, it was no longer operational. The facade has changed over the years.” Owned by J.T. Wilson in 1925, who also owned the Bancroft Theatre at 4307 Troost. Later used as a Salvation Army thrift store circa 1950s-`70. Still standing today as Delta Lab Community Services, with the original roof line peak removed. Multiple images added.
Description credit John Dunbar:
“The first building in Kansas City to have air conditioning.
There used to be an icehouse next door that moved blocks of ice via a conveyor belt…these ornate looking circular fixtures had large fans above them which circulated the cold air from the ice.”
Description credit John Dunbar:
“The first building in Kansas City to have air conditioning.
There used to be an icehouse next door that moved blocks of ice via a conveyor belt…these ornate looking circular fixtures had large fans above them which circulated the cold air from the ice.”
Description credit John Dunbar:
“The first building in Kansas City to have air conditioning.
There used to be an icehouse next door that moved blocks of ice via a conveyor belt…these ornate looking circular fixtures had large fans above them which circulated the cold air from the ice.”
“The first building in Kansas City to have air conditioning.
There used to be an icehouse next door that moved blocks of ice via a conveyor belt…these ornate looking circular fixtures had large fans above them which circulated the cold air from the ice.”
“The Isis Theatre was where young Walt Disney showed his first animated cartoons in the early 1920s, known as Laugh-O-grams. Accompanying the picture on the theatre organ was KC native Carl Stalling, who later became known at Warner Bros. for his musical accompaniments to their Merrie Melodies and Looney Toons. Disney’s first animation studio was just down the street from the Isis at 31st and Forest in the McConahey Building. A local group, Thank You Walt Disney, bought the building and is raising money to restore it as a museum.”
“Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines” opened June 16, 1965 in the U.S.
The RKO Palace is advertising Gwen Verdon in “Sweet Charity” upcoming in January 1966.
From the article posted to the gallery courtesy Stephen Leigh.
May 30, 1974 – Ronny Howard, Richard Dreyfuss and Cindy Williams in George Lucas' “American Graffiti”, in it’s 8th month, is the last feature at the Towne Cinema in Calgary, Alberta before the theatre is demolished. Hector Ross of the Towne Cinema: “Some real bomb, that every big theatre chain turned down”. “I didn’t like it, but I knew it was going to do business”. “Graffiti? Hell no. I didn’t like it. I’m 50! What do I need with that stuff?”
Roger Ebert’s 1973 review of “Deep Throat” at the Town Theatre.
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/deep-throat-1973
It was twinned June 13, 1974 when it became the Towne Cinema Red and Towne Cinema Blue. Which should be added as previous names. The twinning grand opening coincided with the closing two weeks earlier of the original Towne Cinema located at 337 7th Avenue S.W., after it’s 8 month run of “American Graffiti”. That original Towne Cinema was then demolished. I am adding a page for that original Towne Cinema, which along with this Towne Cinema Red and Town Cinema Blue were owned by Hector Ross.
June 1970 photo added to gallery credit Susan Jackson Wilson. Rivoli Theatre building on 2nd Street on the far left under the green arrow, behind the Catawba Theatre on Union Square. Page I added for the Catawba Theatre below as well.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/62556
I have removed the photos and comments I posted. The photos were of the Catawba Theatre in Hickory North Carolina, which I will set up a new page for. I researched and found proof of the jewelry store next door and the Rivoli Theatre a block behind it. Sorry for the confusion. This one in Newton did close in the 1950s as originally stated. Today its houses The Dapper Daisy Boutique.
1951 photo added courtesy Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.
1917 photo added courtesy Sheboygan County Historical Research Center. I believe the Unique Theatre is on the left. The Jung Store building down the street was located at 726 N. 8th Street, and matches with the buildings in the link. It is possible the SCHRC got the year wrong, since the Unique is reported as closed prior to that.
https://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/news/local/2019/11/07/sheboygan-history-sheboygan-dry-goods-company/4168560002/
August 1945 V-J Day celebration photo in Getty Images link below.
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/service-people-and-londoners-crowd-in-to-piccadilly-circus-news-photo/80748019?irgwc=1&esource=AFF_GI_IR_TinEye_77643&asid=TinEye&cid=GI&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=TinEye&utm_content=77643
Was showing Adults Only X Rated films in 1979.
Circa 1980 and 1956 photos added courtesy Tom Bollinger. Showed Adults Only films circa 1980. Severn Allen was manager in 1956, per his late son Ken Allen: “He started the Saturday morning kiddie shows in conjunction with the Downtown Merchants Association — essentially low-cost babysitting while the parents shopped. My father was the one who turned Elvis (and Colonel Tom Parker) down. They were working their way to New York where Elvis was scheduled to go on the Ed Sullivan Show. My father had never heard of Elvis, had the theater booked with pictures that week and sent them on their way. When he told the Paramount folks about it on his daily call, they nearly fainted. One of dad’s favorite stories.”
2019 construction photo added credit Jeff Weis.
Additional history courtesy Sandy Collins Walker: “Built about 1913 as Saint John Theater. By 1946 the name had changed to Circus Theater and by 1950, it was no longer operational. The facade has changed over the years.” Owned by J.T. Wilson in 1925, who also owned the Bancroft Theatre at 4307 Troost. Later used as a Salvation Army thrift store circa 1950s-`70. Still standing today as Delta Lab Community Services, with the original roof line peak removed. Multiple images added.
Description credit John Dunbar: “The first building in Kansas City to have air conditioning. There used to be an icehouse next door that moved blocks of ice via a conveyor belt…these ornate looking circular fixtures had large fans above them which circulated the cold air from the ice.”
Description credit John Dunbar: “The first building in Kansas City to have air conditioning. There used to be an icehouse next door that moved blocks of ice via a conveyor belt…these ornate looking circular fixtures had large fans above them which circulated the cold air from the ice.”
Description credit John Dunbar: “The first building in Kansas City to have air conditioning. There used to be an icehouse next door that moved blocks of ice via a conveyor belt…these ornate looking circular fixtures had large fans above them which circulated the cold air from the ice.”
Photos added and description credit John Dunbar.
“The first building in Kansas City to have air conditioning. There used to be an icehouse next door that moved blocks of ice via a conveyor belt…these ornate looking circular fixtures had large fans above them which circulated the cold air from the ice.”
Courtesy Jane Bartholomew:
“The Isis Theatre was where young Walt Disney showed his first animated cartoons in the early 1920s, known as Laugh-O-grams. Accompanying the picture on the theatre organ was KC native Carl Stalling, who later became known at Warner Bros. for his musical accompaniments to their Merrie Melodies and Looney Toons. Disney’s first animation studio was just down the street from the Isis at 31st and Forest in the McConahey Building. A local group, Thank You Walt Disney, bought the building and is raising money to restore it as a museum.”
The Overview photo is 1970 credit Richard Calmes.
1970 photo credit Richard Calmes.
Circa 1954 photo as Lane Court Theatre added credit Mike Harpe. Note CinemaScope beneath the marquee.
Photo credit Rick John.
1937 photo credit Library of Congress, WPA, courtesy Brattleboro Historical Society.
Still awaiting an answer, but this link has a photo taken in front of the Oracle Theatre.
http://www.wyomingtalesandtrails.com/rockspringsa.html
Appears from street view to have been demolished. The organ was moved to the Sweetwater County Historical Museum in 2005 per the below link.
http://www.wyomingtalesandtrails.com/rockspringsa.html
“Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines” opened June 16, 1965 in the U.S. The RKO Palace is advertising Gwen Verdon in “Sweet Charity” upcoming in January 1966.