The United Artists Cinema 70 & Cinema 150 opened their doors on October 1, 1969, launching with “Easy Rider” in Cinema 150, and “3 Into 2 Won’t Go” in Cinema 70. It originally scheduled to open several days earlier, but unforeseen difficulties related to its equipment caused the opening to move a little.
Most likely opened with Dennis O'Keefe in “Doll Face” (unknown if extras added). The Bel-Vue closed on September 8, 1981 with a special one-day showing of the exact same movie.
Opened with Elvis in “Blue Hawaii” and Mickey Rooney in “Everything’s Ducky” (unknown if extras added). The John Danz closed with “Forrest Gump” according to its closing article and was last operated by Cineplex Odeon since its takeover from the SRO chain in December 1986.
Correction: This was never known as the Coliseum Theatre, as it already has a separate page. There’s also an earlier Liberty Theatre nearby that closed on January 15, 1928, and converted into the Liberty Music House.
The United Artists Theatre actually became the Liberty Theatre on January 4, 1930, after extensive remodeling and a short closure. The Liberty Theatre name lasted until its final closure in the Fall of 1954.
The Strand Theatre opened its doors on September 21, 1935 with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in “Top Hat” (unknown if extras added). Martin Theatres took over the Strand in 1947, followed by the Georgia Theatre Company during the late-1950s. Construction of the Strand lasted seven months with an estimated $150,000, and the theater was built on the site of a former dry goods store and a grocery store that was destroyed by a massive fire on October 31, 1930, that ravaged the northeast corner of the Marietta Square.
The main reason why the Strand Theatre closed as a movie theater in 1976 is because of the theater being purchased by Herbert Goldstein, who converted the inside of the theater into an expansion of Goldstein’s Men & Boys Shop, retaining the original auditorium and other equipment inside. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the original stage, rigging, and severely damaged the original ceiling in 1984. His business would cease after extensive repairs in 1985. The Strand was saved from death when no developer came forward to accept the contract for wrecking in 1986 and a big renovation project was planned by Marietta residents, community activists, and preservationists led by the Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society to reuse the theater as a community civic center. Unfortunately, the renovation project and idea failed unsuccessfully and the Strand became a church under the Liberty Church name throughout the remainder of the 1980s and into the early-1990s.
Between 1993 and 2002, the Strand housed a number of live music ventures. During that time, it housed a Christian music venue, a rock club and bar called The Hangar, and was eventually rechristened as simply “The Strand” in 1997 as it continued to be the primary home for live music in Marietta. A massive renovation project happened in 2002 after being placed on sale for a brief time, led by a group formally organized as Friends of The Strand Inc.
On January 7, 2009, the Strand Theatre reopened its doors as the Earl Smith Strand Theatre after seven years of restoration, renovation, and perfection. Later that same year, Warner Home Video and Turner Classic Movies selected the Strand Theatre for the World Re-Premiere of “Gone With The Wind” as part of Marietta’s 175th anniversary.
The Evergreen Point Drive-In opened its gates on October 25, 1967 with James Coburn in “Waterhole No. 3” and Robert Morse in “Oh Dad, Poor Dad”. It was renamed the Bel-Kirk Drive-In in May 1970, and a second screen was added in 1977.
The Bel-Kirk closed its gates for the final time by SRO Theatres on September 15, 1985. Screen 1 closed with the triple feature of “Superstition”, “Friday The 13th: A New Beginning” and “Nightmares”, and Screen 2 closed with the double feature of “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” and “National Lampoon’s European Vacation”.
Milwaukee resident Bernard Lassack and his friend George Lightner opened Wautoma’s Park Theatre on September 22, 1934 with Joe E. Brown in “The Circus Clown” (unknown if extras added). Prior to construction, the project of the Park Theatre was originally planned by the CWA before being taken over with support by the entire town.
Despite being a first-run house throughout most of its life, the theater began showing Spanish films for a few years beginning in the late-1950s before closing during the 1960s.
On October 20, 1936, the Hancock Theatre was partially destroyed by a fire, though there’s not a lot of information about it. It reopened on May 23, 1937 after reconstruction. Another fire broke out on November 2, 1949, when an unknown film caught fire in one of their two machines, alongside two other rolls of film, both unidentified. The theater reopened two weeks later. It was still open in the mid-1950s.
The Vanier 6 Theatres launched on October 9, 1980 by Cineplex with six screens, and was taken over by Cineplex Odeon in July 1984 following the merger of Cineplex and Odeon Theatres Canada. A seventh screen was later added during the mid-1980s. It was closed on September 14, 2000.
Alongside first-run films, the Vanier Theatres served as a popular house for art, independent, and Canadian films alongside second-run films at times, which lasted throughout its entire history.
After Wehrenberg took over the Illinois in July 1982, Wehrenberg operated the Illinois throughout the remainder of 1982, all of 1983, and the first half of 1984 until Wehrenberg sold all of their Illinois theaters to Kerasotes on May 18, 1984. On that day, Kerasotes took over the Illinois.
The fire happened during the early morning hours of October 10, 1994. The management confirms that it took $100,000 for reconstruction before its July 12, 1995 reopening.
On August 26, 1968, the original 62ft screen tower was completely destroyed by a large fire during the evening hours. The fire happened closer to 8:45 PM during the last minute or two of intermission and just before James Garner’s “How Sweet It Is” was set to start.
The theater’s projection was the first to witness the fire, who rammed out of the projection booth and ran across the property to the ticket booth to find Garland Ball, its manager and part-owner at the time alongside his company J.A. Ball & Sons of Springfield, Kentucky who owns the theater, informing him that the tower was on fire. The next morning, the tower was completely in ashes, and a loss of nearly $20,000 estimate.
A new 76x56ft screen was built a few weeks later and reopened on October 4, 1968.
The Clear Springs Cinema 6 actually closed on September 12, 1999. It was converted into the World Gym Fitness Center in the Spring of 2000, which would eventually turn into a Gold’s Gym later on.
SRO Theatres closed the Town on April 14, 1985 with “Friday The 13th Part V: A New Beginning”.
Closed as a first-run movie theater on March 11, 1990 with “Tremors” sponsored by dominant CHR radio station KUBE-FM. Act III was its last operator.
The United Artists Cinema 70 & Cinema 150 opened their doors on October 1, 1969, launching with “Easy Rider” in Cinema 150, and “3 Into 2 Won’t Go” in Cinema 70. It originally scheduled to open several days earlier, but unforeseen difficulties related to its equipment caused the opening to move a little.
Actual opening date is April 1, 1970 with “Topaz”.
Most likely opened with Dennis O'Keefe in “Doll Face” (unknown if extras added). The Bel-Vue closed on September 8, 1981 with a special one-day showing of the exact same movie.
Opened with Elvis in “Blue Hawaii” and Mickey Rooney in “Everything’s Ducky” (unknown if extras added). The John Danz closed with “Forrest Gump” according to its closing article and was last operated by Cineplex Odeon since its takeover from the SRO chain in December 1986.
Correction: This was never known as the Coliseum Theatre, as it already has a separate page. There’s also an earlier Liberty Theatre nearby that closed on January 15, 1928, and converted into the Liberty Music House.
The United Artists Theatre actually became the Liberty Theatre on January 4, 1930, after extensive remodeling and a short closure. The Liberty Theatre name lasted until its final closure in the Fall of 1954.
The Strand Theatre opened its doors on September 21, 1935 with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in “Top Hat” (unknown if extras added). Martin Theatres took over the Strand in 1947, followed by the Georgia Theatre Company during the late-1950s. Construction of the Strand lasted seven months with an estimated $150,000, and the theater was built on the site of a former dry goods store and a grocery store that was destroyed by a massive fire on October 31, 1930, that ravaged the northeast corner of the Marietta Square.
The main reason why the Strand Theatre closed as a movie theater in 1976 is because of the theater being purchased by Herbert Goldstein, who converted the inside of the theater into an expansion of Goldstein’s Men & Boys Shop, retaining the original auditorium and other equipment inside. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the original stage, rigging, and severely damaged the original ceiling in 1984. His business would cease after extensive repairs in 1985. The Strand was saved from death when no developer came forward to accept the contract for wrecking in 1986 and a big renovation project was planned by Marietta residents, community activists, and preservationists led by the Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society to reuse the theater as a community civic center. Unfortunately, the renovation project and idea failed unsuccessfully and the Strand became a church under the Liberty Church name throughout the remainder of the 1980s and into the early-1990s.
Between 1993 and 2002, the Strand housed a number of live music ventures. During that time, it housed a Christian music venue, a rock club and bar called The Hangar, and was eventually rechristened as simply “The Strand” in 1997 as it continued to be the primary home for live music in Marietta. A massive renovation project happened in 2002 after being placed on sale for a brief time, led by a group formally organized as Friends of The Strand Inc.
On January 7, 2009, the Strand Theatre reopened its doors as the Earl Smith Strand Theatre after seven years of restoration, renovation, and perfection. Later that same year, Warner Home Video and Turner Classic Movies selected the Strand Theatre for the World Re-Premiere of “Gone With The Wind” as part of Marietta’s 175th anniversary.
The Evergreen Point Drive-In opened its gates on October 25, 1967 with James Coburn in “Waterhole No. 3” and Robert Morse in “Oh Dad, Poor Dad”. It was renamed the Bel-Kirk Drive-In in May 1970, and a second screen was added in 1977.
The Bel-Kirk closed its gates for the final time by SRO Theatres on September 15, 1985. Screen 1 closed with the triple feature of “Superstition”, “Friday The 13th: A New Beginning” and “Nightmares”, and Screen 2 closed with the double feature of “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” and “National Lampoon’s European Vacation”.
Actual closing date is February 18, 1993 with “Damage”, “Alive”, and “Lorenzo’s Oil” in screen order.
Closed by SRO Theatres on November 4, 1979 with “Beyond The Door 2” and “The Dark”. This was never once operated by Cineplex Odeon.
Frank J. Dodge’s own Dodge’s Opera House opened its doors in 1853.
Milwaukee resident Bernard Lassack and his friend George Lightner opened Wautoma’s Park Theatre on September 22, 1934 with Joe E. Brown in “The Circus Clown” (unknown if extras added). Prior to construction, the project of the Park Theatre was originally planned by the CWA before being taken over with support by the entire town.
Despite being a first-run house throughout most of its life, the theater began showing Spanish films for a few years beginning in the late-1950s before closing during the 1960s.
On October 20, 1936, the Hancock Theatre was partially destroyed by a fire, though there’s not a lot of information about it. It reopened on May 23, 1937 after reconstruction. Another fire broke out on November 2, 1949, when an unknown film caught fire in one of their two machines, alongside two other rolls of film, both unidentified. The theater reopened two weeks later. It was still open in the mid-1950s.
The Vanier 6 Theatres launched on October 9, 1980 by Cineplex with six screens, and was taken over by Cineplex Odeon in July 1984 following the merger of Cineplex and Odeon Theatres Canada. A seventh screen was later added during the mid-1980s. It was closed on September 14, 2000.
Alongside first-run films, the Vanier Theatres served as a popular house for art, independent, and Canadian films alongside second-run films at times, which lasted throughout its entire history.
Functions Update: Concerts and live performances are also presented.
The Ramova actually closed as a movie theater on June 2, 1985, and yes with “Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment”.
Correction: Kerasotes took over the Illinois on May 18, 1984, not Wehrenberg. Wehrenberg was the previous operator before Kerasotes.
After Wehrenberg took over the Illinois in July 1982, Wehrenberg operated the Illinois throughout the remainder of 1982, all of 1983, and the first half of 1984 until Wehrenberg sold all of their Illinois theaters to Kerasotes on May 18, 1984. On that day, Kerasotes took over the Illinois.
The fire happened during the early morning hours of February 11, 1967, estimating a $150,000 loss according to the fire department.
The fire happened during the early morning hours of October 10, 1994. The management confirms that it took $100,000 for reconstruction before its July 12, 1995 reopening.
On August 26, 1968, the original 62ft screen tower was completely destroyed by a large fire during the evening hours. The fire happened closer to 8:45 PM during the last minute or two of intermission and just before James Garner’s “How Sweet It Is” was set to start.
The theater’s projection was the first to witness the fire, who rammed out of the projection booth and ran across the property to the ticket booth to find Garland Ball, its manager and part-owner at the time alongside his company J.A. Ball & Sons of Springfield, Kentucky who owns the theater, informing him that the tower was on fire. The next morning, the tower was completely in ashes, and a loss of nearly $20,000 estimate.
A new 76x56ft screen was built a few weeks later and reopened on October 4, 1968.
The Clear Springs Cinema 6 actually closed on September 12, 1999. It was converted into the World Gym Fitness Center in the Spring of 2000, which would eventually turn into a Gold’s Gym later on.
Last advertisement appears to be October 1977.
Once known as Britton Cinema I-II-III when it was tripled on June 28, 1973. During its later years as a triplex, the name was shortened to Britton 3.