S orry - that wasn’t clear. The Arcade Theatre launched here in June of 1926 with a live event. Morris Melz - who operated the existing Melz Theatre - merged with the Arcade on November 1, 1926 with the “The Night Patrol,” “War Paint” and “Snowed In.”
A new co-operator arrived in 1930 to wire the silent theater with sound in January 1930 by the name of Robert L. Bailey. At that time, the venue was renamed the Bailey Theatre and likely on a 20-year leasing agreement. Morris Melz was then simply the venue’s manager.
When Bailey left in 1931, the venue was re-renamed the Melz-Arcade Theatre. The operation was refreshed in 1950 Likely in a new lease at which time it dropped the Melz-Arcade moniker in favor of the Arcade Theatre. Movies were eventually dropped. Today, it goes by the name the Delta Music Hall of Fame and Arcade Theatre and is used for live events.Technically, this never went by the name, solely, as the Melz Theatre.
The Melz-Arcade Theatre launched in the Arcade Building on November 1, 1926 with “The Night Patrol,” “War Paint” and “Snowed In.” The Melz Theatre ended operations at the end of October 1926 to make that transition. The Morris Melz name eventually was dropped in 1950 as the venue was solely the Arcade Theatre.
When the Chief Theatre’s roof collapsed in September of 1973 ending the town’s sole movie theater, a creative plan was hatched. The city, unable to court a new theater operator, agreed to build a new theater. But when costs were presented nearing $250,000, it got even more inventive. The town spent $80,000 to convert the - then - recently-closed Pepsi-Cola bottling plant into the Sunflower Cinema. It then sub-leased the venue to Mid-America Theaters which was already operating the twin mall cinema in nearby Hays as well as locations including WaKeeney, Sharon Springs, and Larned.
The Sunflower blossomed on July 16, 1977 with “Airport ‘77.” In 2011, the faculty added bowling to become the Sunflower Cinema and Recreation to diversify. Operated by donors, the plucky cinema continued operations Into 2018. That said, we are guessing “closed” is now its operating mode.
Millard G. Kirkman launched the Strand with Marguerite Clark in “Snow White” on May 15, 1917. The theatre featured a mirror screen and movies from Paramount, Bluebird and K.E.S.E. (Kleine-Edison-Selig-Essanay) Service at its launch. The Strand was acquired by Fox Midwest in September of 1929 from Kirkman which added sound to the Strand to remain viable. Fox Midwest later closed it on April 11, 1950 with “Dear Wife” and “Thelma Jordan” as it opened its new Fox Theatre the next day.
Fox retained the lease on the Strand keeping it dark until a 1951 consent decree forced the Strand out of its portfolio. The venue reopened with widescreen films in 1953/4 operating on a ten year agreement. It closed permanently on April 7, 1963 with “Black Gold.” The space was converted for retail purposes with the Village Shop taking its place two months later.
Wade Hampton Renick, Jr. built the Drive-In Theatre in Hays in 1948. Technically, it opened and operated for a brief period as Drive-In Theatre. It then became known as the Hays Drive-In. It was twinned operating some 30 years, again, technically under the moniker of the Hays Twin Drive-In Theatre. The Hays Twin was torn down in 1982.
Agreed with Joe Vogel’s comment that Merle F. Baker was the circuit owner of the venue and not the building’s architect. It is likely that the Tallmadge & Watson plans of 1921 were rejected as the trade press lists the architectural plans of the new Grand Theatre to Owen, Payton & Carswell out of Kansas City circa 1922 and into 1923. Then when the building opened, Owen, Payton and Carswell were credited in news and trade reports as the venue’s architects. Mr. Baker likely approved the plans but had little to do with the actual creation of those plans.
Mark Angell launched Orpheum Theatre primarily as a movie house in downtown Keokuk on August 11, 1911. The opening program feature Mary Pickford in “Science,” the Powers Picture western, “Nevada,” and Carl Alstrup in “The Son of the Executioner.” It appears to have closed permanently on June 23, 1917 with Wally Van in “Cutey’s Vacation.” Not sure where the guessy opening date of the “early 1920s” provided by user Chuck in the above synopsis originated.
The venue opened May 18, 1999 with “The Phantom Menace.” It added two screens for its May 19, 1999 operation adding “October Sky” and “Life is Beautiful.” It would then get to its seven screen operation. It would close on November 7, 2018 due to a spreading wildfire. Though the building stood, it did not reopen.
The El Rey Theatre was closed permanently on January 26, 1963. The theater struggled with patronage and when teenaged vandals struck on January 26th, the theater was shuttered.
The Tower Drive-In was announced in 1949 by Francis Hardwick. It’s grand opening was on April 9, 1950 with Loretta Young in “The Farmer’s Daughter.” It closed likely at the end of a 25-year lease playing Hispanic films. The final show appears to be September 9, 1984 with a double feature of Alicia Juarez in “La Cosecha de Mujeres” and David Zalzar in “Cruz de Olvido”.
The New Drive-In Theatre opened in November of 1952 by Jack McReynolds. He closed for the season just ten days later. It operated again as the New Drive-In Theatre in 1953 but was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Kinsel Tucker who operated it as the Sunset Drive-In in 1954. Mrs. Tucker sold it in 1955 to the K. Lee Williams circuit which operated the town’s hardtop theater in downtown Wilburton. That change took place on May 19, 1955 with a new widescreen tower, stereo sound and a double-feature of “Outlaw Stallion” and “Prisoner of War.” The ozoner preferred to show CinemaScope titles.
That’s what is known and verifiable. I don’t have any idea what the paragraph above is referring to with tall pine trees, et al. The naming is correct with Wilburton Auto Theatre, formerly Sunset Drive-In. It just needs an also known as the New Drive-In and less about the trees and architecture.
The Auburn Theatre’s grand opening was on October 2, 1928 with William Haines in “Excess Baggage” following a pre-opening the night prior. The venue closed for movies on November 6, 1954 with a double-feature of “Four Guns to the Border” and “Terror Ship. For its swan song, one last vaudeville show was staged there over two nights on February 24 and 25, 1961. A last minute preservation effort in March of 1961 failed and demolition began at month’s end.
After briefly being in one location, the Lyric Theatre had operated in the same location from February of 1910 to 1942. Owner Jack Pierce moved the Lyric to the new Time Theatre on May 30,1942 for its patriotic World War 2 themed grand opening show of Eleanor Powell in “Ship Ahoy” supported by a short, “Meet the Fleet” and a newsreel. Fast forward to 2022, the theatre was still showing first-run films where at its 80th Anniversary, it was showing “Top Gun: Maverick” on May 30, 2022.
S orry - that wasn’t clear. The Arcade Theatre launched here in June of 1926 with a live event. Morris Melz - who operated the existing Melz Theatre - merged with the Arcade on November 1, 1926 with the “The Night Patrol,” “War Paint” and “Snowed In.”
A new co-operator arrived in 1930 to wire the silent theater with sound in January 1930 by the name of Robert L. Bailey. At that time, the venue was renamed the Bailey Theatre and likely on a 20-year leasing agreement. Morris Melz was then simply the venue’s manager.
When Bailey left in 1931, the venue was re-renamed the Melz-Arcade Theatre. The operation was refreshed in 1950 Likely in a new lease at which time it dropped the Melz-Arcade moniker in favor of the Arcade Theatre. Movies were eventually dropped. Today, it goes by the name the Delta Music Hall of Fame and Arcade Theatre and is used for live events.Technically, this never went by the name, solely, as the Melz Theatre.
The Melz Theatre - located nearby in downtown Ferriday - combines with the newer Arcade Theatre to create the Melz-Arcade Theatre in 1926
The Melz-Arcade Theatre launched in the Arcade Building on November 1, 1926 with “The Night Patrol,” “War Paint” and “Snowed In.” The Melz Theatre ended operations at the end of October 1926 to make that transition. The Morris Melz name eventually was dropped in 1950 as the venue was solely the Arcade Theatre.
August 7, 1953 Grand Opening ad for the Rio Drive-In with “The Naked Spur” and “Too Young to Kiss” in photos
August 7, 1953 Grand Opening ad for the Rio Drive-In with “The Naked Spur” and “Too Young to Kiss.”
When the Chief Theatre’s roof collapsed in September of 1973 ending the town’s sole movie theater, a creative plan was hatched. The city, unable to court a new theater operator, agreed to build a new theater. But when costs were presented nearing $250,000, it got even more inventive. The town spent $80,000 to convert the - then - recently-closed Pepsi-Cola bottling plant into the Sunflower Cinema. It then sub-leased the venue to Mid-America Theaters which was already operating the twin mall cinema in nearby Hays as well as locations including WaKeeney, Sharon Springs, and Larned.
The Sunflower blossomed on July 16, 1977 with “Airport ‘77.” In 2011, the faculty added bowling to become the Sunflower Cinema and Recreation to diversify. Operated by donors, the plucky cinema continued operations Into 2018. That said, we are guessing “closed” is now its operating mode.
Opened by Fox Midwest Theatre Division. I’m quite skeptical that the Fox Circuit of Reading PA would have had anything to do with this location.
Currently listed on Malco’s website as the Summer Quartet Drive-In
Opened with Lois Butler in “Mickey” on May 30, 1951
Also operated by the National General Theatre Circuit in the early 1970s and Mann Theatres in the 1970s
Millard G. Kirkman launched the Strand with Marguerite Clark in “Snow White” on May 15, 1917. The theatre featured a mirror screen and movies from Paramount, Bluebird and K.E.S.E. (Kleine-Edison-Selig-Essanay) Service at its launch. The Strand was acquired by Fox Midwest in September of 1929 from Kirkman which added sound to the Strand to remain viable. Fox Midwest later closed it on April 11, 1950 with “Dear Wife” and “Thelma Jordan” as it opened its new Fox Theatre the next day.
Fox retained the lease on the Strand keeping it dark until a 1951 consent decree forced the Strand out of its portfolio. The venue reopened with widescreen films in 1953/4 operating on a ten year agreement. It closed permanently on April 7, 1963 with “Black Gold.” The space was converted for retail purposes with the Village Shop taking its place two months later.
Wade Hampton Renick, Jr. built the Drive-In Theatre in Hays in 1948. Technically, it opened and operated for a brief period as Drive-In Theatre. It then became known as the Hays Drive-In. It was twinned operating some 30 years, again, technically under the moniker of the Hays Twin Drive-In Theatre. The Hays Twin was torn down in 1982.
Sorry - the autocorrect got me on Payson’s last name.
Agreed with Joe Vogel’s comment that Merle F. Baker was the circuit owner of the venue and not the building’s architect. It is likely that the Tallmadge & Watson plans of 1921 were rejected as the trade press lists the architectural plans of the new Grand Theatre to Owen, Payton & Carswell out of Kansas City circa 1922 and into 1923. Then when the building opened, Owen, Payton and Carswell were credited in news and trade reports as the venue’s architects. Mr. Baker likely approved the plans but had little to do with the actual creation of those plans.
Mark Angell launched Orpheum Theatre primarily as a movie house in downtown Keokuk on August 11, 1911. The opening program feature Mary Pickford in “Science,” the Powers Picture western, “Nevada,” and Carl Alstrup in “The Son of the Executioner.” It appears to have closed permanently on June 23, 1917 with Wally Van in “Cutey’s Vacation.” Not sure where the guessy opening date of the “early 1920s” provided by user Chuck in the above synopsis originated.
The Hippodrome was a $20,000 venue built of stone in downtown Keokuk in 1912. It launched with motion pictures and vaudeville on August 29, 1912.
The venue opened May 18, 1999 with “The Phantom Menace.” It added two screens for its May 19, 1999 operation adding “October Sky” and “Life is Beautiful.” It would then get to its seven screen operation. It would close on November 7, 2018 due to a spreading wildfire. Though the building stood, it did not reopen.
The El Rey Theatre was closed permanently on January 26, 1963. The theater struggled with patronage and when teenaged vandals struck on January 26th, the theater was shuttered.
The opening film was “Puddin' Head” with Judy Canova.
The Tower Drive-In was announced in 1949 by Francis Hardwick. It’s grand opening was on April 9, 1950 with Loretta Young in “The Farmer’s Daughter.” It closed likely at the end of a 25-year lease playing Hispanic films. The final show appears to be September 9, 1984 with a double feature of Alicia Juarez in “La Cosecha de Mujeres” and David Zalzar in “Cruz de Olvido”.
The New Drive-In Theatre opened in November of 1952 by Jack McReynolds. He closed for the season just ten days later. It operated again as the New Drive-In Theatre in 1953 but was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Kinsel Tucker who operated it as the Sunset Drive-In in 1954. Mrs. Tucker sold it in 1955 to the K. Lee Williams circuit which operated the town’s hardtop theater in downtown Wilburton. That change took place on May 19, 1955 with a new widescreen tower, stereo sound and a double-feature of “Outlaw Stallion” and “Prisoner of War.” The ozoner preferred to show CinemaScope titles.
That’s what is known and verifiable. I don’t have any idea what the paragraph above is referring to with tall pine trees, et al. The naming is correct with Wilburton Auto Theatre, formerly Sunset Drive-In. It just needs an also known as the New Drive-In and less about the trees and architecture.
The Auburn Theatre’s grand opening was on October 2, 1928 with William Haines in “Excess Baggage” following a pre-opening the night prior. The venue closed for movies on November 6, 1954 with a double-feature of “Four Guns to the Border” and “Terror Ship. For its swan song, one last vaudeville show was staged there over two nights on February 24 and 25, 1961. A last minute preservation effort in March of 1961 failed and demolition began at month’s end.
After briefly being in one location, the Lyric Theatre had operated in the same location from February of 1910 to 1942. Owner Jack Pierce moved the Lyric to the new Time Theatre on May 30,1942 for its patriotic World War 2 themed grand opening show of Eleanor Powell in “Ship Ahoy” supported by a short, “Meet the Fleet” and a newsreel. Fast forward to 2022, the theatre was still showing first-run films where at its 80th Anniversary, it was showing “Top Gun: Maverick” on May 30, 2022.
The Rex Theatre opened January 23, 1942 with Tom Keene in “Dynamite Canyon.”
Opening date was September 4, 1952.