Marion Theatre

Joe Vogel on May 1, 2023 at 9:30 pm

The Marion was originally an E. J. Sparks house, according to this item from the September 26, 1941 Film Daily: “The new Marion Theater, Ocala, Fla., was opened recently with a three minute dedicatory speech by Mayor M. C. Izlar. This house is one of the finest in the Sparks chain and is managed by C. T. Chapin.”

Patsy on October 30, 2012 at 3:10 pm

Great news for this art deco theatre in Ocala!

CSWalczak on March 10, 2011 at 4:58 pm

The theater is not operating at a profit and a subsidy from the City of Ocala is controversial: http://www.wftv.com/news/27152688/detail.html.

AndyCallahanMajorMajor on August 9, 2010 at 10:07 am

Here are my pictures from August 2010.

alphomega7 on July 14, 2010 at 8:56 am

Glad to see you guys are back up and running again! Marioncar I will pass on the admin for this page if you would like. Thanks for helping keep the MARiON alive.

CSWalczak on May 11, 2010 at 4:19 pm

An article about the re-opening: View link

Joe Vogel on March 31, 2009 at 12:50 am

Patsy, there were at least five other walk-in theaters in Ocala, not including the current Regal Hollywood 16 and Ocala Center Six. Various issues of Boxoffice Magazine provide the following information.

The Dixie Theatre opened in 1923, closed about 1941, reopened in 1946. I don’t know how long it operated after that. It had about 400 seats.

The Ritz opened as the Etta Theatre about 1927, in a remodeled building that was formerly a garage. The name Ritz appears in Boxoffice as early as 1938. In 1957, when the street was widened and ten feet were taken off the front of the building, the Ritz got a $90,000 renovation and redecoration. One Boxoffice item said that the name of the Ritz would be changed to the Florida Theatre after the remodeling, but the only reference I can find to a Florida Theatre in Ocala comes from 1975. In fact I can’t find references to either the Ritz or the Florida between 1957 and 1975, so I don’t know of they are the same theater or not.

There was a theater called the Roxy which operated as a black-only house during the era when Ocala’s theaters were segregated. It was on West Broadway. I don’t have opening or closing dates, but it was in operation during at least part of the 1940s.

The Ocala Twin Theatre opened in December of 1971, in the Ocala Shopping Center. I have no details about it, but it might have (and most likely did) become the three-screener called the Ocala Triple Theatre that was closed in 1990 when the operator, Wometco, opened a new multiplex called the Boulevard Six in the same shopping center.

The Boulevard Six itself was later operated by Regal, then bought by SunStar Cinemas in 2001 and renamed the Ocala Center Six, which is now open again after having been shut down for 14 months when it was almost swallowed by a sinkhole in February, 2007.

A luxury house called the Springs was in operation in the 1970s. Originally a single-screen, it had a second auditorium of 350 seats added (new construction, not a split) in early 1975. It was on Silver Springs Boulevard. As the Springs Theatre was operated by ABC Florida State Theatres, it might have been (and probably was) the 900-seat house ABC got permission to build late in 1968.

There was also supposed to have been a second drive-in in or near Ocala, called the Skylark, under construction in June, 1952, and expected to open by mid-July that year.

Anybody who can come up with addresses for any or all of these theaters, please do add them to Cinema Treasures. The Regal and Ocala Center Six should be easy enough to add as their information is on the Internet, but as they are open it’s best of somebody who has actually seen them and can give descriptions adds them.

felker1017 on January 21, 2009 at 7:20 pm

Hello there,

I am Michael Felker from the Florida State University Film School in Tallahassee FL. Just recently, our school was approached by Philanthropy TV (www.philanthropy.tv) about the opportunity for our students to film documentaries about some of the great foundations in North America. During my personal research, I came across your wonderful foundation in Ocala, The Marion Film & Visual Arts Foundation, and was hoping to cover a documentary about your organization. Philanthropy TV has approached the top film schools in the nation to cover these documentaries in order to spread the word on various causes around the world. The best documentaries will be shown on Philanthropy TV’s site and many various new media outlets all over the internet. I personally think your organization’s revitalization of the Marion Theater in downtown Ocala is a fantastic story and would be an excellent opportunity to show the world your foundation’s efforts. Unfortunately I can’t reach the foundation through the email provided on your website We would be using our own high-end camera equipment to document your organization in the best way possible. If you are interested in being a part of this experience, please contact me by email or call my cell phone at 256-348-9607.

Thank you so much, and I hope to hear from you soon,
Michael Felker

Patsy on January 8, 2009 at 8:54 pm

As most of us know, John Travolta contributed to the restoration of this theatre in downtown Ocala. Thank you John and CT extends their condolences to you and to Kelly on the loss of your son, Jett.

alphomega7 on November 28, 2007 at 2:42 pm

The Marion theatre Opens NEW independent films on the Big screen in HD! Now a digital cinema the Marion has join the ranks of few (soon to be many) to convet to digital. Now a part of Emerging Cinemas the historic movie theatre will show these indies weekly and still have live!! improv, music and theatre on their stage. Check out www.themariontheatre.org for details

monika on August 17, 2007 at 12:41 pm

What a beautiful theatre! So happy to hear it has been brought back to life.

darkpitch on March 26, 2007 at 11:23 am

Is this theater going to be used for films or staged plays?

Patsy on March 20, 2007 at 7:41 am

ghamilton: Great news for the Marion Theatre! Could you post the news article?