This was our favorite theater. We would drive from Thompsonville on Monday night, since they always started their best films on Sunday, and there were few people there on Monday. For a family, it was great. Saw “An American in Paris,” there, and remember young men (high school age) making fun of Gene Kelly in his tight pants in the great ballet number.
The Star was across the street from my step-grandfather’s furniture store, Reliable Furniture. I don’t remember that we ever attended the movies here, though.
It was one of the first theaters in the area to show “Cinemascope” movies. “The Robe” was the first shown there. We thought the screen was “huge.” It was a great place to see movies.
As I remember, it didn’t last too long. Opened in about 1950 with Bing Crosby in “Ichabod and Mr. Toad.” I never saw a movie there, and many people I knew complained about the size and the ceiling being low.
The Strand was the “first run” theater in West Frankfort and charged more than the other theaters. Saw my first “horror” film there. They also showed films for schools, like “Macbeth” (with Orson Welles) and “Julius Caesar” (with Marlon Brando).
We couldn’t afford to go the Strand (our family had 4 children at that time, since my older brother usually didn’t go with us) so always waited till the movies came to the State. Saw a lot of good movies there. Was sad to see it disappear.
This was our favorite theater. We would drive from Thompsonville on Monday night, since they always started their best films on Sunday, and there were few people there on Monday. For a family, it was great. Saw “An American in Paris,” there, and remember young men (high school age) making fun of Gene Kelly in his tight pants in the great ballet number.
The Star was across the street from my step-grandfather’s furniture store, Reliable Furniture. I don’t remember that we ever attended the movies here, though.
It was one of the first theaters in the area to show “Cinemascope” movies. “The Robe” was the first shown there. We thought the screen was “huge.” It was a great place to see movies.
As I remember, it didn’t last too long. Opened in about 1950 with Bing Crosby in “Ichabod and Mr. Toad.” I never saw a movie there, and many people I knew complained about the size and the ceiling being low.
The Strand was the “first run” theater in West Frankfort and charged more than the other theaters. Saw my first “horror” film there. They also showed films for schools, like “Macbeth” (with Orson Welles) and “Julius Caesar” (with Marlon Brando).
We couldn’t afford to go the Strand (our family had 4 children at that time, since my older brother usually didn’t go with us) so always waited till the movies came to the State. Saw a lot of good movies there. Was sad to see it disappear.
No pics, but remember seeing “New Faces of 1952” there when I was at SIU in the mid 50s. Only place showing “art films” at the time.