Canby Theatre

109 Saint Olaf Avenue North,
Canby, MN 56220

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Showing 1 - 25 of 42 comments

barbv
barbv on September 8, 2014 at 3:46 pm

hi Willa Kay, this is Barb Blaine Vanstrom. I just typed you a long comment and am not computer savy so I pressed enter to send it instead of the below box that says add comment. We moved to mom and dad’s farm 3 years ago and mom always told me her piano which is still in her house was played by her cousin or aunt. we are having a huge auction this Sat., Sept. 13 and the piano is on the auction. It would be nice to know if that is true so it could be stated by the auctioneer but I can’t do that if I don’t know for sure. Please email me with what you know about that at: thanks, I would love to hear from you

flied001
flied001 on February 25, 2014 at 10:39 am

barbv – Uncle Bill married Edna Peterson; I think the year was 1937

barbv
barbv on February 24, 2014 at 9:54 pm

wkpledger – Hi Willa Kay, I remember your name so well but can’t remember if you were ahead or behind me in school, I graduated 1962. I didn’t know this site had been going for a few years as I just got internet almost a year ago. Did you read my comment to flied001 asking if that was you? and my other comments on the theater piano? Barbv

barbv
barbv on February 24, 2014 at 9:49 pm

flied001 – thanks for your info. What was the name of the lady your uncle married who played the theater piano?

foxfamily
foxfamily on February 22, 2014 at 4:18 pm

My family Fox was a long time resident of Canby, and George Fox owned and ran the Billard Hall just down the street. Grandfather Ben Fox ran his farm just outside of down but lived down off Olaf Street Why don’t you have special movie screenings of older movies that were shown there at the Canby, and have home made baked goods to sell for snacks to raise money to reopen the theater. Of course this would only supplement larger tax free donations. People who provide food can watch free. I used to pick and sell my grandfathers corn in my mothers 1920 wooden wagon, by going door to door to get money to see a movie there in the 50’s and have a coke at George’s Billard Hall. So going to this theater had specil meaning and hard work for a young Canby boy.

flied001
flied001 on February 19, 2014 at 2:08 pm

Nope, not Willa; I’m Gene, son of Emil. Bill was her dad so we are cousins.

barbv
barbv on February 19, 2014 at 12:11 pm

flied001, is this Willa Kay Flieder?. I am Barb the daughter of Vernon and Erdine Blaine. A year ago we put a new house across the driveway from mom’s old house on the same farm I was born on February 10, 1944. My mom always told me her piano was played in the first theater by her aunt or cousin.

flied001
flied001 on February 18, 2014 at 1:05 pm

barbv, I can confirm the old theater was called the Broadway; my Dad and his brother went to Canby in 1929 to take it over. Sound was installed shortly after that and Dad ran the projectors for many years. And my understanding is the lady who my uncle married in Canby played the theater piano. How did you come to have it?

barbv
barbv on February 16, 2014 at 8:43 pm

this is Barb V. thanks Vikeologist for name and former place of Broadway Theater. About the piano I own that I believe was played in that theater to silent movies, does anyone have any info on this. thanks

barbv
barbv on December 6, 2013 at 8:36 pm

Does anyone have any info on the original silent movie theatre that was located on the northern end of main street in Canby. I believe we own the piano that was used during the silent movies.

Radioguy12
Radioguy12 on August 16, 2013 at 6:15 pm

The Canby Theatre has been closed for a few months. The community is looking into a digital upgrade but nothing is definite yet.

rivest266
rivest266 on December 27, 2012 at 4:25 pm

Website is closed, no showtimes online, Facebook page not being upgraded. This sounds like that it closed.

flied001
flied001 on June 20, 2011 at 4:52 pm

I have been looking for old show schedules, advertising or other memorabilia from the Canby Theatre or its predecessor, the Broadway Theatre (which ended operation with the opening of the new Canby Theatre in 1939). If anyone has anything I would like to hear from you. I am one of Emil Flieder’s kids.

Thanks

Gene

KTDRIVER
KTDRIVER on January 24, 2011 at 3:23 pm

I spent many hours in The CANBY THEATER. Myself & my sisters saw many Saturday Matinees with Roy Rogers, Alan “Rocky” Lane & Tarzan during the late 1940s & throughout the 1950s.
I knew Bill Flieder’s kids: Marlene, Willa & Jan.

ROGER

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on December 27, 2010 at 12:08 pm

1964 . “OLD DARK HOUSE” and “MAN’S FAVORITE SPORT” are playing.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on November 30, 2010 at 12:57 pm

Good story StarShine.Bet you were a most popular kid.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on November 29, 2010 at 7:28 pm

Thanks for posting StarShine.

wkpledger
wkpledger on November 29, 2010 at 6:45 pm

The first movie shown at the Canby Theatre grand opening on November 15, 1939 was “HOLLYWOOD CAVALCADE.” The first showing was a matinee at 4:00 p.m. for school children. HOLLYWOOD CAVALCADE was also shown twice that evening. Hey, I had a great time ‘growing up’ in the Canby Theatre. Because my Dad was the builder/owner, I got free admission and all the popcorn I could eat (also various jobs where I earned money.) Projectionists Emil Flieder (my Uncle) and Lloyd Foss sometimes gave a private showing of a cartoon on a weekday afternoon for family and friends …. !!

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on November 29, 2010 at 2:58 pm

“ALL THE WAY BOYS” plays here with Bud Spencer Starring.Rated G.

wkpledger
wkpledger on November 5, 2010 at 8:15 pm

I stopped by Canby Theatres in June; I talked briefly with the owner who graciously opened the front door and let me (and husband) inside the lobby. He said we could look around the building. The owner said the marque needed repair work which would begin during 2011.

Glad to see Canby Theatres open and operating. The original grand opening of the Canby Theatre was November 15, 1939. My father built it and owned it until January 1, 1966.

nelsonexpert
nelsonexpert on January 1, 2009 at 11:01 pm

CORRECTION to the opening statement: the theatre’s 2nd screen was an add-on around 1982. The original auditorium was not cut.

cellango
cellango on November 18, 2008 at 4:25 pm

Check us out at http://canbytheatres.com/ or http://canbycinemas.com/

We plan to post updates there. Give us some time. We are remodeling the theatre for Thanksgiving and we will upload pictures after Thanksgiving. Stay tuned.

budyboy100
budyboy100 on November 15, 2008 at 6:53 pm

oh, good. cellango, congrats on buying it.

could you make an ongoing blog/update of what you plan to do, are doing, etc. I for one would love to follow what happens to this theater.

cellango
cellango on October 13, 2008 at 9:45 am

I will not be there but you can meet Sherry – Deputy Registrar. Her office is in the theatre building. She sells licence tabs and also books my movies. She works on Friday. Friday morning for sure. Can you make it?

flied001
flied001 on October 11, 2008 at 9:17 am

I have some old pictures, etc of the Canby Theatre. I will be in Canby on Friday & Saturday Oct 17 & 18 (late morning/early afternoon), any chance of meeting with you?