Today’s Newsreel

posted by Ross Melnick on July 19, 2002 at 6:16 am

MILWAUKEE, WI — The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has written an extensive article about the Oriental Theatre in honor of its 75th anniversary. The East Indian-style movie palace is still in glorious condition and showing movies today, operated as a triplex by Landmark Theatres.

The article includes numerous photos of the theater as well as quotes from Larry Widen, author of the book, Milwaukee Movie Palaces, and Cinema Treasures' friend and contributor, Jim Rankin. The Journal Sentinel article also mentions the Cinema Treasures/USA Today listing of the Oriental as one of the top ten places to see movies in a classic cinema.

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DELAWARE, OH — Ohio Wesleyan University has purchased the Strand Theatre with plans to turn it into a film and performing arts center which would benefit the university and the community at large. The theater had been for sale since last year.

The theater will now be managed by Kara McVay, a long-time employee at the Strand who will direct the theater’s operations under Ohio Wesleyan’s ownership. In addition to movies and OWU’s film series, McVay also hopes to include ballets, community plays, and musical events at the Strand.

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CALHOUN, GA — A new non-profit organization, the Friends of the Gem (FOG), has formed to renovate and restore the old Gem(/Martin) Theater and reopen it as a mixed use venue for film and the performing arts.

According to the Calhoun Times, the Gem opened in 1920 as a furniture warehouse and was converted into a 718-seat movie house in 1936. The Gem was the only movie house in town for 37 years and has been closed for two decades and used as a clothing store.