Lynch Theatre #2
Lynch,
KY
40855
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Previous Names: Victory Theatre, Lynch Theatre
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The Victory Theatre was opened in Lynch, Harlan County around 1917 It was located in the Lynch Amusement Hall which also contained a barbers shop, a dancehall and pool hall. It was equipped with Western Electic sound system on October 12, 1930 and renamed Lynch Theatre. It was destroyed by a nitrate film explosion on January 15, 1931.
A Lynch Theatre #2 was built and opened on March 19, 1937 with Pat O'Brien in “The Great O'Malley”. It was closed on August 3, 1956 with Kirk Douglas in “Paths of Glory” & “The Harlem Globetrotters”.
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David Zornig
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Description courtesy Kentucky Coal Towns Facebook page. Accompanied photo uploaded.
“The Lynch Theater, pictured on August 6,1920, showed movies for residents to enjoy. Alfred Lash LaRue, a movie star in westerns from the 1940s and 50s visited Lynch’s theater. LaRue taught Harrison Ford how to use a bullwhip for the Indiana Jones movies.”
Once operated by Cumberland Amusement Company. It was still open in 1958.
Lynch, Kentucky was established by the U.S. Coal and Coke Company - a subsidiary of US Steel in 1917. Lynch Theatre #2 was built by US Steel and launched on March 19, 1937 with “The Great O'Malley.” Representatives from U.S. Coal and Coke and US Steel made opening remarks and presented a $50 check to Harry Moses for freeing a trapped coal mine worker from a live trolley wire.
Operator Sam Isaac installed widescreen projection to present CinemaScope titles on March 11, 1956 with “The McConnell Story.” But that was short-lived as the venue closed as Isaac’s Lynch Theatre on August 3, 1956 with “Paths of Glory” and “Harlem Globetrotters.”
Lynch Theatre #1 was ostensibly the sound-era name for its originally-titled Victory Theatre. It was established by the same folks as part of the Lynch Amusement Hall. The Lynch’s sound era with Western Electric Sound on film was on October 12, 1930. That transition was also short-lived. Lynch Theatre #1 blew up in a nitrate film explosion in its projection booth during its final showtimes of January 15, 1931. The barber shop, pool room and dance hall were obliterated as well. Dynamite was used from the coal mines to prevent further fire spreading.