Layton Theatre

The opening of Ritz Theatre, owned by Claude Hawk and L.C. Denton, was on September 25, 1941, and was noted in Motion Picture Herald in October. The manger was to be G.E. King, who operated an older theatre in Layton for 25 years.

There is some information on Layton in “A History of Davis County” by Glen M. Leonard, which is digitized by the J. Willard Marriott Library. The first theatre in Layton was La’Tonia, which opened in 1914 and was renamed the Roxy Theatre in 1936. Next came the Latona Theatre, which opened in 1917 and was listed as closed in Film Daily Year Book 1940. There was also the 250-seat Rex Theatre, which was in FDYB through the 1940’s.

On December 9, 1954, a $75,000 fire gutted the Ritz Theatre leaving only the walls standing. The Provo Daily Herald, which published a photograph of the blaze, noted the building would be rebuilt. The account said an unnamed theatre chain owned the theatre.

In 1970, now called the Layton Theatre, it was one of more than 10 theatres, including drive-in’s, advertised in the Standard-Examiner. In December 1970 owner Paul Diaz took out an advertisement promoting a six-month family membership for $15, good for Monday thru Friday. In August 1971 the theatre was listed “Under new management”.

While playing Spanish language films it dropped out of the listing around May 1974.

Most recently the building can be seen on N. Main Street as Great Harvest Bread Co.

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