Liberty Theatre

The Liberty Theatre was the city’s second theatre to use that moniker. The first was a silent era venue on Liberty Street NE that was in existence from 1908 to the mid-1920’s. This one was a low-cost new-build theatre on Commercial Street SE that was sandwiched between existing buildings. Edward H. Randal and Bruce R. Keller announced the project in 1939 which included demolishing two retail buildings.

The new Liberty Theatre launched as a discount, sub-run operation on February 7, 1940 with Ginger Rogers and David Niven in “Bachelor Mother” and Humphrey Bogart in “Swing Your Lady”. Three months later, the theatre was sold to a new operator and changed hands at least three more times over the next ten years as it struggled to find its audience. It closed June 11, 1950 for the summer but didn’t reopen.

The Foreman Bros. Circuit - operators of the Grand Theatre, the State Theatre and the Salem Drive-In - took one last run with the Liberty Theatre reopening on March 16, 1951. But the theatre finally gave up on February 10, 1952 with a double feature of “Lust for Gold” starring Ida Lupino and “Smoky Mountain Melody” starring Roy Acuff. The theatre was sold to the operator of the Capitol Theatre who offered the 600 seats for sale. The theatre was repurposed for other retail operations.

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