Canby Theatre
109 Saint Olaf Avenue North,
Canby,
MN
56220
109 Saint Olaf Avenue North,
Canby,
MN
56220
2 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 42 comments
hi Willa Kay, this is Barb Blaine Vanstrom. I just typed you a long comment and am not computer savy so I pressed enter to send it instead of the below box that says add comment. We moved to mom and dad’s farm 3 years ago and mom always told me her piano which is still in her house was played by her cousin or aunt. we are having a huge auction this Sat., Sept. 13 and the piano is on the auction. It would be nice to know if that is true so it could be stated by the auctioneer but I can’t do that if I don’t know for sure. Please email me with what you know about that at: thanks, I would love to hear from you
barbv – Uncle Bill married Edna Peterson; I think the year was 1937
wkpledger – Hi Willa Kay, I remember your name so well but can’t remember if you were ahead or behind me in school, I graduated 1962. I didn’t know this site had been going for a few years as I just got internet almost a year ago. Did you read my comment to flied001 asking if that was you? and my other comments on the theater piano? Barbv
flied001 – thanks for your info. What was the name of the lady your uncle married who played the theater piano?
My family Fox was a long time resident of Canby, and George Fox owned and ran the Billard Hall just down the street. Grandfather Ben Fox ran his farm just outside of down but lived down off Olaf Street Why don’t you have special movie screenings of older movies that were shown there at the Canby, and have home made baked goods to sell for snacks to raise money to reopen the theater. Of course this would only supplement larger tax free donations. People who provide food can watch free. I used to pick and sell my grandfathers corn in my mothers 1920 wooden wagon, by going door to door to get money to see a movie there in the 50’s and have a coke at George’s Billard Hall. So going to this theater had specil meaning and hard work for a young Canby boy.
Nope, not Willa; I’m Gene, son of Emil. Bill was her dad so we are cousins.
flied001, is this Willa Kay Flieder?. I am Barb the daughter of Vernon and Erdine Blaine. A year ago we put a new house across the driveway from mom’s old house on the same farm I was born on February 10, 1944. My mom always told me her piano was played in the first theater by her aunt or cousin.
barbv, I can confirm the old theater was called the Broadway; my Dad and his brother went to Canby in 1929 to take it over. Sound was installed shortly after that and Dad ran the projectors for many years. And my understanding is the lady who my uncle married in Canby played the theater piano. How did you come to have it?
this is Barb V. thanks Vikeologist for name and former place of Broadway Theater. About the piano I own that I believe was played in that theater to silent movies, does anyone have any info on this. thanks
Does anyone have any info on the original silent movie theatre that was located on the northern end of main street in Canby. I believe we own the piano that was used during the silent movies.
The Canby Theatre has been closed for a few months. The community is looking into a digital upgrade but nothing is definite yet.
Website is closed, no showtimes online, Facebook page not being upgraded. This sounds like that it closed.
I have been looking for old show schedules, advertising or other memorabilia from the Canby Theatre or its predecessor, the Broadway Theatre (which ended operation with the opening of the new Canby Theatre in 1939). If anyone has anything I would like to hear from you. I am one of Emil Flieder’s kids.
Thanks
Gene
I spent many hours in The CANBY THEATER. Myself & my sisters saw many Saturday Matinees with Roy Rogers, Alan “Rocky” Lane & Tarzan during the late 1940s & throughout the 1950s.
I knew Bill Flieder’s kids: Marlene, Willa & Jan.
ROGER
1964 . “OLD DARK HOUSE” and “MAN’S FAVORITE SPORT” are playing.
Good story StarShine.Bet you were a most popular kid.
Thanks for posting StarShine.
The first movie shown at the Canby Theatre grand opening on November 15, 1939 was “HOLLYWOOD CAVALCADE.” The first showing was a matinee at 4:00 p.m. for school children. HOLLYWOOD CAVALCADE was also shown twice that evening. Hey, I had a great time ‘growing up’ in the Canby Theatre. Because my Dad was the builder/owner, I got free admission and all the popcorn I could eat (also various jobs where I earned money.) Projectionists Emil Flieder (my Uncle) and Lloyd Foss sometimes gave a private showing of a cartoon on a weekday afternoon for family and friends …. !!
“ALL THE WAY BOYS” plays here with Bud Spencer Starring.Rated G.
I stopped by Canby Theatres in June; I talked briefly with the owner who graciously opened the front door and let me (and husband) inside the lobby. He said we could look around the building. The owner said the marque needed repair work which would begin during 2011.
Glad to see Canby Theatres open and operating. The original grand opening of the Canby Theatre was November 15, 1939. My father built it and owned it until January 1, 1966.
CORRECTION to the opening statement: the theatre’s 2nd screen was an add-on around 1982. The original auditorium was not cut.
Check us out at http://canbytheatres.com/ or http://canbycinemas.com/
We plan to post updates there. Give us some time. We are remodeling the theatre for Thanksgiving and we will upload pictures after Thanksgiving. Stay tuned.
oh, good. cellango, congrats on buying it.
could you make an ongoing blog/update of what you plan to do, are doing, etc. I for one would love to follow what happens to this theater.
I will not be there but you can meet Sherry – Deputy Registrar. Her office is in the theatre building. She sells licence tabs and also books my movies. She works on Friday. Friday morning for sure. Can you make it?
I have some old pictures, etc of the Canby Theatre. I will be in Canby on Friday & Saturday Oct 17 & 18 (late morning/early afternoon), any chance of meeting with you?