Still in operation in 1985 but closed by 1994. Speaking of, the 1985 aerial looks kinda confusing actually, because the traces look like that they were completely covered in grass. At the time, the Santiam is operated by Lebanon Theatres, the same chain that also operates the Motor-Vu in Lebanon.
This theater has been closed since either 2011 or 2012. It had three screens by the mid-2000s but it still kept its “Twin Cities Cinema 2” name for some strange reason.
After his announcement, Owens “unexpectedly” closed the downtown Chester Theatre on June 3, 1976 in order to focus on constructing his Cinema Twin at the People’s Plaza Shopping Center.
The Chester Drive-In operated as early as 1952 and closed in the late-1970s.
At one time, the Chester Drive-in became the only movie house in Chester for a few months after the closure of the first-run Chester Theatre on June 3, 1976. However, the closure of the Chester Theatre did led moviegoers to go see first-run films in Rock Hill instead due to the Chester Drive-In’s policy focusing more on the adult content although it did show a couple of first-run content but only for rare occasions. This lasted until the Cinema Twin at the People’s Plaza Shopping Center opened on November 30, 1976.
The Chester Theatre originally housed 712 seats, but by the mid-1970s according to a May 1976 article about the “then-new” Cinema Twin being constructed at the People’s Plaza Shopping Center, the Chester Theatre during its final years of operation did had a downgrade with its capacity to 490 (which occur sometime in the early-1970s).
The Chester Theatre closed its doors for the final time on June 3, 1976 with “Nashville Girl”, leaving the Chester Drive-In the only theater in town for a time. Unfortunately, the drive-in at the time mainly focused towards adult fare with some mainstream films being partially added to its lineup, meaning that stuff you see previously at the former first-run Chester Theatre were really hard to catch in Chester, otherwise people have to travel 15 miles north to see first-run movies in Rock Hill. This lasted until the launch of the Cinema Twin on November 30, 1976. Although the first-run stuff brought back to Chester after the launch of the twin, people who wanted to see selected mainstream titles throughout the years could either go to the Cinema Twin in Chester, or still go back up again to Rock Hill (via the Cherry Road Cinema 4 [later 7], Pix Theatre, or the Oakland Avenue Cinema).
This is the second out of two Chester Theatres in downtown Chester. The first Chester Theatre was devastated in a fire on July 29, 1939. Powell spent $55,000 on the second theater building on 163 Main just across the street from the then-Post Office on September 29 of that same year.
On May 3, 1979, the Alimar Theatre along with its neighboring Dixie Grill were both gutted by a fire. The fire occur a few hours after its screening of a double-feature, with one film being “Smokey And The Bandit”. The Live Oak Fire Department’s Chief Howard Wright said that it was reported by the daughter of the theater’s operator at the time, Paula Johnson.
Right after the credits roll and everyone left the theater after showing as normal for the evening, Johnson and her sister Debra Chauncy were the last to leave for the night. The pair after cleaning then went to one of the all-night convenience stores to buy food at approximately 3:00 AM that morning. At 3:11 AM is when the fire happened. Wright also said that during response, a Seaboard Coast Line train traveling through Live Oak delayed one pumper and a salvage truck from Station #1 from reaching the scene for seven minutes. Wright said that the engineer increased the SCL train’s speed to move out of the way so that way the fire department continue their Code 3 call. Meanwhile at Station #2 located one-and-a-half blocks south of the buildings, responded only with a pumper unit.
Local paperboy Robert Allen was picking up copies of the morning edition of the city’s newspaper one block east of the scene when he saw the blaze. Allen said that as he made the delivery on the north side, the whole downtown area looked as if it were on fire. Debris covered the city streets for blocks, and firefighters fight the blaze after opening the theater doors. Right after the fire extinguished, no damage estimates were made right after the fire was reported.
Later that month, it was reported that an arson might’ve caused multiple blazes throughout May 1979 in the city. His name is unrecognizable.
During the week of October 5, 1979, the Dixie Grill reopened its new location, but the Alimar Theatre though (which at the time was expecting to be renovated into a twin theater) was a mass of rubble.
A twin-screen theater named “Cinema 1 & 2” (which has its own Cinema Treasures page) would later open its doors somewhere on East Howard Street, although I cannot find any information about it.
Found it. The Autovue opened its gates by Ray Strawick on June 8, 1946 with Dick Powell in “Murder, My Sweet” along with an unnamed Disney cartoon and a newsreel. The Autovue originally had a capacity of 500 cars but expanded to 740 in the 1950s. The theater opened on the same day the East Trent Motor-In opened its gates.
In 1980, a large chunk of the theater’s capacity were replaced by a U-Haul facility and a Mel’s Nursery store, but the theater was still operational at the time.
The Autovue closed for the final time on October 7, 1984 with “Tightrope” and “Sudden Impact”.
Still in operation in 1985 but closed by 1994. Speaking of, the 1985 aerial looks kinda confusing actually, because the traces look like that they were completely covered in grass. At the time, the Santiam is operated by Lebanon Theatres, the same chain that also operates the Motor-Vu in Lebanon.
The Elsinore closed as a first-run movie house on October 4, 1990 with “Goodfellas”.
This theater has been closed since either 2011 or 2012. It had three screens by the mid-2000s but it still kept its “Twin Cities Cinema 2” name for some strange reason.
Now known as “Bryan Premiere Lux Cine 15 + IMAX & Pizza Pub”.
Now known as “Prime Cinemas Red Bluff”.
Now known as “Apex Cinema 6”. Two screens were removed during the pandemic.
It does right? It does look like a single-screen theater.
The Ligonia Theatre closed as a first-run movie house on June 14, 1997 with “Break Down”.
After his announcement, Owens “unexpectedly” closed the downtown Chester Theatre on June 3, 1976 in order to focus on constructing his Cinema Twin at the People’s Plaza Shopping Center.
Last managed by Terry Owens who later opened the Cinema Twin a few miles away.
The Chester Drive-In operated as early as 1952 and closed in the late-1970s.
At one time, the Chester Drive-in became the only movie house in Chester for a few months after the closure of the first-run Chester Theatre on June 3, 1976. However, the closure of the Chester Theatre did led moviegoers to go see first-run films in Rock Hill instead due to the Chester Drive-In’s policy focusing more on the adult content although it did show a couple of first-run content but only for rare occasions. This lasted until the Cinema Twin at the People’s Plaza Shopping Center opened on November 30, 1976.
Original screen was 60ft and the original projection booth measures 40x40ft.
The Chester Theatre originally housed 712 seats, but by the mid-1970s according to a May 1976 article about the “then-new” Cinema Twin being constructed at the People’s Plaza Shopping Center, the Chester Theatre during its final years of operation did had a downgrade with its capacity to 490 (which occur sometime in the early-1970s).
The Chester Theatre closed its doors for the final time on June 3, 1976 with “Nashville Girl”, leaving the Chester Drive-In the only theater in town for a time. Unfortunately, the drive-in at the time mainly focused towards adult fare with some mainstream films being partially added to its lineup, meaning that stuff you see previously at the former first-run Chester Theatre were really hard to catch in Chester, otherwise people have to travel 15 miles north to see first-run movies in Rock Hill. This lasted until the launch of the Cinema Twin on November 30, 1976. Although the first-run stuff brought back to Chester after the launch of the twin, people who wanted to see selected mainstream titles throughout the years could either go to the Cinema Twin in Chester, or still go back up again to Rock Hill (via the Cherry Road Cinema 4 [later 7], Pix Theatre, or the Oakland Avenue Cinema).
This is the second out of two Chester Theatres in downtown Chester. The first Chester Theatre was devastated in a fire on July 29, 1939. Powell spent $55,000 on the second theater building on 163 Main just across the street from the then-Post Office on September 29 of that same year.
The former Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre location was short-lived, and operated from July 11, 1982 until Early 1984.
On May 3, 1979, the Alimar Theatre along with its neighboring Dixie Grill were both gutted by a fire. The fire occur a few hours after its screening of a double-feature, with one film being “Smokey And The Bandit”. The Live Oak Fire Department’s Chief Howard Wright said that it was reported by the daughter of the theater’s operator at the time, Paula Johnson.
Right after the credits roll and everyone left the theater after showing as normal for the evening, Johnson and her sister Debra Chauncy were the last to leave for the night. The pair after cleaning then went to one of the all-night convenience stores to buy food at approximately 3:00 AM that morning. At 3:11 AM is when the fire happened. Wright also said that during response, a Seaboard Coast Line train traveling through Live Oak delayed one pumper and a salvage truck from Station #1 from reaching the scene for seven minutes. Wright said that the engineer increased the SCL train’s speed to move out of the way so that way the fire department continue their Code 3 call. Meanwhile at Station #2 located one-and-a-half blocks south of the buildings, responded only with a pumper unit.
Local paperboy Robert Allen was picking up copies of the morning edition of the city’s newspaper one block east of the scene when he saw the blaze. Allen said that as he made the delivery on the north side, the whole downtown area looked as if it were on fire. Debris covered the city streets for blocks, and firefighters fight the blaze after opening the theater doors. Right after the fire extinguished, no damage estimates were made right after the fire was reported.
Later that month, it was reported that an arson might’ve caused multiple blazes throughout May 1979 in the city. His name is unrecognizable.
During the week of October 5, 1979, the Dixie Grill reopened its new location, but the Alimar Theatre though (which at the time was expecting to be renovated into a twin theater) was a mass of rubble.
A twin-screen theater named “Cinema 1 & 2” (which has its own Cinema Treasures page) would later open its doors somewhere on East Howard Street, although I cannot find any information about it.
Closed on March 29, 1990 with “The Hunt For Red October” at Screen 1, “Joe Versus The Volcano” at Screen 2, and “My Left Foot” at Screen 3.
This was first known as “Darbey’s Top-Hi Drive-In” when it opened in October 1950.
So then it must say that this was the first “in the United States” to simulcast movie audio via FM Stereo in 1986.
December 18, 1959
Found it. The Autovue opened its gates by Ray Strawick on June 8, 1946 with Dick Powell in “Murder, My Sweet” along with an unnamed Disney cartoon and a newsreel. The Autovue originally had a capacity of 500 cars but expanded to 740 in the 1950s. The theater opened on the same day the East Trent Motor-In opened its gates.
In 1980, a large chunk of the theater’s capacity were replaced by a U-Haul facility and a Mel’s Nursery store, but the theater was still operational at the time.
The Autovue closed for the final time on October 7, 1984 with “Tightrope” and “Sudden Impact”.
Regal Cinemas once operated the Delaware Squares Movies from April 1994 until November 2000.
This closed as the Art Cinema in 1978.
I know.
Closed on September 6, 1999.