The Duncan Drive-In Theatre’s grand opening ad is posted from September 13, 1948. On November 10, 1954 it had relaunched with what it claims was the second largest drive-in screen in the world (not my claim) at 5,000 square feet thanks to the addition of two wings to the existing tower. This allowed for CinemaScope presentations. The first Scope title was “River of No Return” on November 18, 1954.
Jack Pierce launched the Meadow Drive-In in May 7, 1953 with the film, “Sky Full of Moon.” Pierce also operated the Lyric, Place, and the Time. And, yes, there were meadows that inspired the naming of the ozoner.
Cliff L. Lance took the El Rancho widescreen on April 2, 1954 with “The Robe” in CinemaScope. It appears to have closed at the end of lease on August 30, 1964 with “Muscle Beach Party.”
According to the trade press, Mr. and Mrs. Jack “Eddie” Holt of the New Theatre refreshed the New Theatre renaming it as the Holt Theatre. Mr. Holt owned both the Wigwam and the Holt when he testified in 1952 before a committee trying to slap a 20% entertainment tax on the movie theater industry. Holt suggested that the tax could cause 70% of all theatres to close if such a tax were instituted partially due to both the onset of television and the fact that all theaters would lose money if not for concessions. Holt would first close the Holt Theatre that decade and then the Wigwam in 1959.
In 1913, Coalgate was served by its newly-opened O.B.O. Theatre in the O.B.O. building, the existing Majestic Theatre, and in its first of two or three homes, the Wigwam Theatre which opened in August of 1913. The Wigwam would add Western Electric sound in 1931 to remain viable. However, it closed for a period during the Depression. It likely moved to new digs and continued all the way until closing on June 29, 1959 with “The Ten Commandments” at the end of a leasing period. It did not reopen.
The Grand Opera House of Cherokee was designed by prolific Enid architect Roy W. Shaw. It opened as the Cherokee Opera House on November 16, 1908 to commemorate the First Anniversary of Oklahoma’s admittance into the United States. In 1910, it was called the Grand Opera House of Cherokee / Grand Opera House. It had a very brief run as the Grand Theater before Charley B. Titus took on the venue renaming it as the Majestic Theatre on June 14, 1920 with Priscilla Dean in “The Virgin of Stamboul.” The Majestic competed with the Crystal Theatre until both were taken on by the Hawk Brothers.
The trade press suggests that the Majestic was closed under a new operator and that the Crystal was wired for sound becoming the Ritz Theatre. We’ll assume for ease that they had it backwards and the Majestic became the Ritz as written here. The Ritz left at the end of lease on August 28, 1955 with Fred MacMurray in “Pushover.”
The Royal Theatre launched on July 10, 1922 with Helene Chadwick in “The Old Nest.” It replaced the Odeon Theatre elsewhere. Operator Roy Anthony switched the venue to sound films in 1929 with Vutaphone and Movietone films on May 15th with “The Home Towners.” The theatre was still open heading to its 100th Anniversary.
The New Theatre opened namelessly with a naming contest on by June 11, 1921 by J.S. White in the existing Medcalf-Percival building. A confectioner was there at the launch as the de facto concession stand. Six different folks sent in the name Whiteway Theatre and each received passes for a full year of movies with the name going into effect July 8, 1921.
Frank Miller of the competing Pastime Theatre would take over the venue. On November 21, 1929, Miller switched to talkies with the playing of “The Jazz Singer.” When the new-build Alamo was opened in February of 1936, the Whiteway was downgraded to twice a week operation. The Whiteway became the Mar Theatre after the War. It closed in the mid-1950s but was taken on by a local church for some live events and additional religious film screenings through 1959. In 1962, it was converted for use as a Ben Franklin retail store.
The Alamo opened February 9, 1936 by Frank Miller on a 30-year lease. Dual Simplex projectors, four speakers with Western Electric sound, Silver King screen, cry room, smoking room, and an opening film of Ann Harding in “The Lady Consents” were all a part of opening day. Meanwhile, Miller’s existing Whiteway Theatre was demoted to twice-a-week operation.
It was Miller’s latest theater in town. He had started with the Pastime Theatre on August 28, 1913 - its first of three locations. He also bought the Whiteway in 1922 and operated the Rex from 1927 to 1929.
The new Drive-In of Ava launched with widescreen projection and individual, in-car speakers on June 26, 1959 with “I Bury the Living.” It appears to be in roughly the same place / or the exact place as the original drive-in that operated five seasons from 1952-1956. The Avalon hardtop closed for the season while the ozoner was in operation. The name of the venue was changed from the Drive-In of Ava to the Ava Drive-In Theatre in the 1960s and appears to have closed under that name following the June 19, 1978 showing of “The Wackiest Wagon Train in the West.” There is a single reference to the drive-in operating in 1982 but no additional coverage or ads so difficult to pin down much after 1978.
Correction: Owen’s Open Air Theatre was a drive-in opened by George Owen on June, 1950 with Chief Thundercloud in “Call of the Forest” supported by the Looney Tunes' cartoon, “Frigid Hare.”
Wesley Shean opened the new Seymour Theatre on April 2, 1934 with Lee Tracy in “Washington’s Merry-Go-Round.” George W. Owen, whose movie and vaudeville career started in 1907, later took on that theatre and decided to build an entirely new theatre due to weaknesses of the existing building. Ground was broken in December of 1940 for Owen’s new building. People were encouraged to send small stones and he would incorporate them in the construction. (The Seymour Theatre completed its run on June 3, 1941 with “The Great Dictator.”)
The new theatre opened under the banner of the new Owen Theatre at Seymour launching June 6, 1941 seating 400 with 150 of the seats in the balcony. The first film was Jane Withers' “Golden Hooves” supported by the Three Stooges short, “From Nurse to Worse,” the Pete Smith short, “Third Dimensional Murder, and Allan Lane in the first episode of the “King of the Royal Mounted” serial. (Originally announced by scratched was Jimmy Stewart in “Pot o' Gold” and “Boobs in Arms.”) That was the warm-up for the Jun 8-10th showings of “Gone with the Wind.”
Grocer Charley W. Thrasher took on the Meeker building at 105 South Jefferson owned by Wilson Theatre owner H.S. Wilson converting the Brown Tavern to Thrasher’s Theatre. Thrasher’s Theatre launched on May 21, 1937 with “Ranger Courage.” The theatre became the Thrasher Theatre and closed on December 9, 1943 with a double feature of “Father is a Prince” and “Taxi, Mister?”
Mr. and Mrs. H.S. Wilson’s Wilson Theatre opened on the square on August 10, 1925. It reopened as the New Wilson Theatre on March 16, 1939 with “Jesse James.” On May 26, 1939, it was renamed the Avalon Theatre starting with the film, “Ghost Town Riders” supported by the Oswald cartoon, “Nellie - Indian Chief’s Daughter” and an episode of the “Lone Ranger” serial.
The Avalon then closed permanently on October 18, 1954 with “Secret of the Incas.” Shows were moved to the Star while the New Avalon was readied. The original Avalon building was razed in November of 1954 to make way for a modern theatre capable of showing widescreen CinemaScope films.
Petit’s Star Theatre launched on August 22, 1943 with “Andy Hardy’s Double Life.” It closed October 25, 1955 with “You’re Never Too Young.” That was followed by the opening of the New Avalon Theatre on October 26, 1955.
Petit’s Star Theatre launched on August 22, 1943 with “Andy Hardy’s Double Life.” It closed October 25, 1955 which was followed by the opening of the Avalon Theatre on October 26, 1955 to present widescreen film in CinemaScope. First film at the New Avalon - The River of No Return."
The Charwood Theatre opened under operation by Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Phelps on April 18, 1928 with “Say it With Flowers.” An opening address by the city’s mayor, Louis V. Stigall, was followed by a violin solo from Mrs. Paney Phelps Collins. The African American theater also had a tea room in the balcony for daily tea service. The very complete article about the theater said the capacity at opening was 500 (not 185).
The photo above is actually from the reopening of the Plaza Theatre after a refresh in 1960. A picture of the concession stand from the same day is also in photos.
The Village Drive-In opened July 3, 1952 by Robert Rogers. Rogers would sell the drive-in prior to season’s end. This and the hardtop theater in downtown Ennis later became one of the earlier venues for future Cinemark owner’s Lee Roy Mitchell and his long cinema exhibition career. It appears to have closed as a result of local protests about showing X-rated films in November/December of 1984.
The Duncan Drive-In Theatre’s grand opening ad is posted from September 13, 1948. On November 10, 1954 it had relaunched with what it claims was the second largest drive-in screen in the world (not my claim) at 5,000 square feet thanks to the addition of two wings to the existing tower. This allowed for CinemaScope presentations. The first Scope title was “River of No Return” on November 18, 1954.
Bonus - it’s the precursor to the Thompson in Wilson - the Empress Theatre circa 1924
Jack Pierce launched the Meadow Drive-In in May 7, 1953 with the film, “Sky Full of Moon.” Pierce also operated the Lyric, Place, and the Time. And, yes, there were meadows that inspired the naming of the ozoner.
Cliff L. Lance took the El Rancho widescreen on April 2, 1954 with “The Robe” in CinemaScope. It appears to have closed at the end of lease on August 30, 1964 with “Muscle Beach Party.”
Way to go finding it - and that corresponds with the information about the location of the 1958 fire that decimated the former d-i
According to the trade press, Mr. and Mrs. Jack “Eddie” Holt of the New Theatre refreshed the New Theatre renaming it as the Holt Theatre. Mr. Holt owned both the Wigwam and the Holt when he testified in 1952 before a committee trying to slap a 20% entertainment tax on the movie theater industry. Holt suggested that the tax could cause 70% of all theatres to close if such a tax were instituted partially due to both the onset of television and the fact that all theaters would lose money if not for concessions. Holt would first close the Holt Theatre that decade and then the Wigwam in 1959.
In 1913, Coalgate was served by its newly-opened O.B.O. Theatre in the O.B.O. building, the existing Majestic Theatre, and in its first of two or three homes, the Wigwam Theatre which opened in August of 1913. The Wigwam would add Western Electric sound in 1931 to remain viable. However, it closed for a period during the Depression. It likely moved to new digs and continued all the way until closing on June 29, 1959 with “The Ten Commandments” at the end of a leasing period. It did not reopen.
The Grand Opera House of Cherokee was designed by prolific Enid architect Roy W. Shaw. It opened as the Cherokee Opera House on November 16, 1908 to commemorate the First Anniversary of Oklahoma’s admittance into the United States. In 1910, it was called the Grand Opera House of Cherokee / Grand Opera House. It had a very brief run as the Grand Theater before Charley B. Titus took on the venue renaming it as the Majestic Theatre on June 14, 1920 with Priscilla Dean in “The Virgin of Stamboul.” The Majestic competed with the Crystal Theatre until both were taken on by the Hawk Brothers.
The trade press suggests that the Majestic was closed under a new operator and that the Crystal was wired for sound becoming the Ritz Theatre. We’ll assume for ease that they had it backwards and the Majestic became the Ritz as written here. The Ritz left at the end of lease on August 28, 1955 with Fred MacMurray in “Pushover.”
The Royal Theatre launched on July 10, 1922 with Helene Chadwick in “The Old Nest.” It replaced the Odeon Theatre elsewhere. Operator Roy Anthony switched the venue to sound films in 1929 with Vutaphone and Movietone films on May 15th with “The Home Towners.” The theatre was still open heading to its 100th Anniversary.
The New Theatre opened namelessly with a naming contest on by June 11, 1921 by J.S. White in the existing Medcalf-Percival building. A confectioner was there at the launch as the de facto concession stand. Six different folks sent in the name Whiteway Theatre and each received passes for a full year of movies with the name going into effect July 8, 1921.
Frank Miller of the competing Pastime Theatre would take over the venue. On November 21, 1929, Miller switched to talkies with the playing of “The Jazz Singer.” When the new-build Alamo was opened in February of 1936, the Whiteway was downgraded to twice a week operation. The Whiteway became the Mar Theatre after the War. It closed in the mid-1950s but was taken on by a local church for some live events and additional religious film screenings through 1959. In 1962, it was converted for use as a Ben Franklin retail store.
The Alamo opened February 9, 1936 by Frank Miller on a 30-year lease. Dual Simplex projectors, four speakers with Western Electric sound, Silver King screen, cry room, smoking room, and an opening film of Ann Harding in “The Lady Consents” were all a part of opening day. Meanwhile, Miller’s existing Whiteway Theatre was demoted to twice-a-week operation.
It was Miller’s latest theater in town. He had started with the Pastime Theatre on August 28, 1913 - its first of three locations. He also bought the Whiteway in 1922 and operated the Rex from 1927 to 1929.
The new Drive-In of Ava launched with widescreen projection and individual, in-car speakers on June 26, 1959 with “I Bury the Living.” It appears to be in roughly the same place / or the exact place as the original drive-in that operated five seasons from 1952-1956. The Avalon hardtop closed for the season while the ozoner was in operation. The name of the venue was changed from the Drive-In of Ava to the Ava Drive-In Theatre in the 1960s and appears to have closed under that name following the June 19, 1978 showing of “The Wackiest Wagon Train in the West.” There is a single reference to the drive-in operating in 1982 but no additional coverage or ads so difficult to pin down much after 1978.
The LOOK Cinemas is currently being renovated and will be known as EVO Cinemas | Prestonwood later in 2022.
Correction: Owen’s Open Air Theatre was a drive-in opened by George Owen on June, 1950 with Chief Thundercloud in “Call of the Forest” supported by the Looney Tunes' cartoon, “Frigid Hare.”
Wesley Shean opened the new Seymour Theatre on April 2, 1934 with Lee Tracy in “Washington’s Merry-Go-Round.” George W. Owen, whose movie and vaudeville career started in 1907, later took on that theatre and decided to build an entirely new theatre due to weaknesses of the existing building. Ground was broken in December of 1940 for Owen’s new building. People were encouraged to send small stones and he would incorporate them in the construction. (The Seymour Theatre completed its run on June 3, 1941 with “The Great Dictator.”)
The new theatre opened under the banner of the new Owen Theatre at Seymour launching June 6, 1941 seating 400 with 150 of the seats in the balcony. The first film was Jane Withers' “Golden Hooves” supported by the Three Stooges short, “From Nurse to Worse,” the Pete Smith short, “Third Dimensional Murder, and Allan Lane in the first episode of the “King of the Royal Mounted” serial. (Originally announced by scratched was Jimmy Stewart in “Pot o' Gold” and “Boobs in Arms.”) That was the warm-up for the Jun 8-10th showings of “Gone with the Wind.”
The theatre was still operating in the 2020s.
Grocer Charley W. Thrasher took on the Meeker building at 105 South Jefferson owned by Wilson Theatre owner H.S. Wilson converting the Brown Tavern to Thrasher’s Theatre. Thrasher’s Theatre launched on May 21, 1937 with “Ranger Courage.” The theatre became the Thrasher Theatre and closed on December 9, 1943 with a double feature of “Father is a Prince” and “Taxi, Mister?”
Mr. and Mrs. H.S. Wilson’s Wilson Theatre opened on the square on August 10, 1925. It reopened as the New Wilson Theatre on March 16, 1939 with “Jesse James.” On May 26, 1939, it was renamed the Avalon Theatre starting with the film, “Ghost Town Riders” supported by the Oswald cartoon, “Nellie - Indian Chief’s Daughter” and an episode of the “Lone Ranger” serial.
The Avalon then closed permanently on October 18, 1954 with “Secret of the Incas.” Shows were moved to the Star while the New Avalon was readied. The original Avalon building was razed in November of 1954 to make way for a modern theatre capable of showing widescreen CinemaScope films.
Petit’s Star Theatre launched on August 22, 1943 with “Andy Hardy’s Double Life.” It closed October 25, 1955 with “You’re Never Too Young.” That was followed by the opening of the New Avalon Theatre on October 26, 1955.
Petit’s Star Theatre launched on August 22, 1943 with “Andy Hardy’s Double Life.” It closed October 25, 1955 which was followed by the opening of the Avalon Theatre on October 26, 1955 to present widescreen film in CinemaScope. First film at the New Avalon - The River of No Return."
Appears to have gone out of business January 5, 1958 with “The Ten Commandments”
The Charwood Theatre opened under operation by Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Phelps on April 18, 1928 with “Say it With Flowers.” An opening address by the city’s mayor, Louis V. Stigall, was followed by a violin solo from Mrs. Paney Phelps Collins. The African American theater also had a tea room in the balcony for daily tea service. The very complete article about the theater said the capacity at opening was 500 (not 185).
Architect of the January 3, 1918 “New” Ideal was Harry O. Blanding.
The photo above is actually from the reopening of the Plaza Theatre after a refresh in 1960. A picture of the concession stand from the same day is also in photos.
The Village Drive-In opened July 3, 1952 by Robert Rogers. Rogers would sell the drive-in prior to season’s end. This and the hardtop theater in downtown Ennis later became one of the earlier venues for future Cinemark owner’s Lee Roy Mitchell and his long cinema exhibition career. It appears to have closed as a result of local protests about showing X-rated films in November/December of 1984.
Waxahachie is the country seat for Ellis County so it’s more for that.