The projectionist was Tom Smith, inventor of Rotoscope, a wide-screen process, and projectionist of the Tower Theater. Tom modified the 35mm arc projector to show a large reel of film, and built a periscope device to project the image over the heads of the audience members. He also drilled a hole in the back of the projector to accommodate a long carbon rod to last 45 minutes. I think he got some old 3D take up reels to use so he didn’t have to change reels.
The screen of the old Century 21 Theater is now being used at the Gillioz Theater in downtown Springfield. The Gillioz was closed in 1980 and has been restored and reopened.
The Mozark Theater was located in the SW corner of the Public Square. It was torn down in the mid 50s to make way for an expansion of the Newberry’s Dime Store next door. I recall it showing westerns and was very small.
The Mullikin Theater actually was located a half a block south of Commercial St. on N. Boonville Ave. It was showing movies in 1953, according to ads in the local newspaper, so it wasn’t destroyed by fire in 1940 unless it was rebuilt.
The Capitol Theater was not on Main St, but on Capitol St. Look at the picture above. The theater is on the right and the Arkansas State Capitol is in the distance at the end of Capitol St. Robert H. Gibbons
The projectionist was Tom Smith, inventor of Rotoscope, a wide-screen process, and projectionist of the Tower Theater. Tom modified the 35mm arc projector to show a large reel of film, and built a periscope device to project the image over the heads of the audience members. He also drilled a hole in the back of the projector to accommodate a long carbon rod to last 45 minutes. I think he got some old 3D take up reels to use so he didn’t have to change reels.
The screen of the old Century 21 Theater is now being used at the Gillioz Theater in downtown Springfield. The Gillioz was closed in 1980 and has been restored and reopened.
The Mozark Theater was located in the SW corner of the Public Square. It was torn down in the mid 50s to make way for an expansion of the Newberry’s Dime Store next door. I recall it showing westerns and was very small.
The Mullikin Theater actually was located a half a block south of Commercial St. on N. Boonville Ave. It was showing movies in 1953, according to ads in the local newspaper, so it wasn’t destroyed by fire in 1940 unless it was rebuilt.
The Capitol Theater was not on Main St, but on Capitol St. Look at the picture above. The theater is on the right and the Arkansas State Capitol is in the distance at the end of Capitol St. Robert H. Gibbons
The Landers Theatre was the home to the NBC color television series “Five Star Jubilee” during the summer of 1961, not 1959