Center Theatre 1 & 2
1229 Hargett Street,
Jacksonville,
NC
28540
1229 Hargett Street,
Jacksonville,
NC
28540
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NightHawk1 and Joe Vogel: I have in my possession the newspaper ad from the Jacksonville Daily News on the April 26,1956 grand opening ad of the Center Theater. Please contact me at and I will sent it to you.
THE OPENING ATTRACTION FOR THE CENTER THEATER’S OPENING Was “MEET ME IN LAS VEGAS”– In Cinemascope and Color!!! Starring Dan Dailey, and Cyd Charisse on April 26,1956.
THE COMING ATTRACTION: Elvis Presley in LOVE ME TENDER
This theater got a LOT of the United Artists product and some Disney during the 1960’s and early-1970’s. ALL of the “Beatles”, “James Bond”,and “Pink Panther” films played here first-run at the Center.
The Center Theatre was listed in the 1963 city directory.
The Center Theatre looks like it was built mid-to-late 1950s, a few years after the Iwo Jima; from aerial views it resembles a backwards version of Fayetteville’s Bragg Theatre. The Center was Jacksonville’s first suburban indoor cinema, followed by both the Cardinal and Northwoods theaters in 1969.
Yes, it was built before mid 60’s. I’m not sure, but I’d say 61' or 62'. I remember my sister standing in line (which stretched around the theater) for the Beatles' “Help” in 1965. I had already been going there with my buddies and sat in our row on the right hand side, 5 rows from the front. We went there for the Saturday morning matinees. That was early 1960’s.
This theater may have been built earlier than the mid-1960s. New River Shopping Center opened in 1952.