Joe Vogel was right about the thoroughness of the Colorado Historical Society’s PDF. It moved away from his link, but the Internet Archive link still works.
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 18, 1948: “Ray Katzenbach has sold the Emerson, Brush, Colo., to John Roberts, who operates theatres in Ft. Morgan 10 miles away.”
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 11, 1948: “Spontaneous combustion caused explosion on coalbin in Skyline, Canon City, Colo. Crowd marched out, show resumed in 20 minutes.”
Motion Picture Herald, Oct. 2, 1948: “Gibralter Theatres are taking over the Star, Fowler, Colo., from H. O. Russell October 15. The theater will get an extensive remodeling job."
Motion Picture Herald, Oct. 2, 1948: “All male adult employees of the Ord, Ordway, Colo., are either licensed pilots or working to that end. The pilots are Hugh Haynes, manager; operators William Ellis and Gene Watts, while Dwayne Davis is on the way to being a pilot.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 31, 1948: “Dan Thyne putting up a 400-seat $55,000 quonset hut theatre, The Wells, opening about August 15, with Ross Bluck as manager.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 14, 1948: “Dan Thyne has opened the Wells, Cheyenne Wells, Colo., a $55,000 400-seat theatre, with Ross Bluck managing.”
Motion Picture Herald, May 1, 1948: “Civic Theatres will remodel and reopen the Rex, closed five years, under new name during May.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 31, 1948: “Civic Theatres will reopen the Rex, closed several years, after extensive remodeling, as the Coronet, September 1.”
What does it mean to “move a theatre” to another town? Motion Picture Herald, July 3, 1948: “O. J. Sears has sold the Apache, Elida, N. M., to A. B. Yarbrought, and moved the theatre to House, N. M.”
This note in the June 26, 1948 Motion Picture Herald sounds like the end of the story: “Bohanan Bros. have bought the Mission and Drive-In, Hatch, N. M., from Marlin Butler. They have closed the drive-in.”
Not sure whether this is the same place, but here’s a note from Motion Picture Herald, Oct. 4, 1947: “Arthur Goldstein takes over Chieftain, Strassburg (sic), Colo., from Virgil Ulrich, who quit to care for his ranch and other business.”
By the following June, Goldstein was submitting reviews of movies and shorts from the Chieftain Theatre.
Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 18, 1947: “Robert Patrick sells Gem, Frederick, Colo., to J. H. Davis.”
Motion Picture Herald, June 19, 1948: “Lewis M. Williams and John B. Cabot have organized Marquee, Inc., and have taken over the Frederick, Frederick, Colo., from Mrs. J. H. Davis.”
Motion Picture Herald, May 22, 1948: “Joe H. Gray, Dexter, N. M. business man, puts first theatre there via a 230-seat remodeled building, opening in about month.”
Joe Vogel was right about the thoroughness of the Colorado Historical Society’s PDF. It moved away from his link, but the Internet Archive link still works.
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 18, 1948: “Ray Katzenbach has sold the Emerson, Brush, Colo., to John Roberts, who operates theatres in Ft. Morgan 10 miles away.”
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 11, 1948: “Spontaneous combustion caused explosion on coalbin in Skyline, Canon City, Colo. Crowd marched out, show resumed in 20 minutes.”
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 20, 1948: “Lloyd Taylor buys Trenton, Trenton, Neb., from Max Campbell.”
The 1949 Film Daily Year Book listed the Trenton with 258 seats.
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 20, 1948: “Merle Gwinn, RKO salesman, resigns and buys Zorn, Benkelman, Neb.”
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 8, 1947: “Charles Barnes putting films into Crook, Colo., via a new 300-seater.”
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 20, 1948: “Harry Barnes and Charles Ring opening Crook, Colo., to motion pictures via the 275-seat Pine.”
Motion Picture Herald, Oct. 2, 1948: “Gibralter Theatres are taking over the Star, Fowler, Colo., from H. O. Russell October 15. The theater will get an extensive remodeling job."
Motion Picture Herald, Oct. 2, 1948: “All male adult employees of the Ord, Ordway, Colo., are either licensed pilots or working to that end. The pilots are Hugh Haynes, manager; operators William Ellis and Gene Watts, while Dwayne Davis is on the way to being a pilot.”
Motion Picture Herald, Sept. 25, 1948: “Irving Gilman is building a 500-car, $75,000 drive-in at Boulder, Colo.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 28, 1948: “A. B. Smith putting in a 540-car drive-in at North Platte, Neb.”
Motion Picture Herald, Sept. 25, 1948: “Walter Smith opened his North Platte, Neb., 580-car, $100,000 drive-in September 17.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 28, 1948: “A. B. Smith putting in a 540-car drive-in at North Platte, Neb.”
Same place? Size is about right. Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 21, 1948: “C. E. Johnson is opening a 600-car drive-in theatre at Scottsbluff, Neb.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 21, 1948: “J. H. Roberts is building a 300-car drive-in at Fort Morgan, Colo. He owns the two theatres there.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 14, 1948: “Clarence Brass has sold the Peerless, Holyoke, Colo., to Mearle and Bert J. Lewis.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 31, 1948: “Dan Thyne putting up a 400-seat $55,000 quonset hut theatre, The Wells, opening about August 15, with Ross Bluck as manager.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 14, 1948: “Dan Thyne has opened the Wells, Cheyenne Wells, Colo., a $55,000 400-seat theatre, with Ross Bluck managing.”
Motion Picture Herald, May 1, 1948: “Civic Theatres will remodel and reopen the Rex, closed five years, under new name during May.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 31, 1948: “Civic Theatres will reopen the Rex, closed several years, after extensive remodeling, as the Coronet, September 1.”
Same place or different? Motion Picture Herald, July 17, 1948: “Herman Everhart opening 300-seat Granada, Granada, Colo., July 30.”
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 27, 1947: “Don Hart and Louis Petri from Inland Amusement Corp., buying La Fa, Lafayette, Colo., from Walter Houser.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 17, 1948: “Walter M. Houser has taken back the LaFa, Lafayette, Colo., from Inland Amusement Co., which has dissolved.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 10, 1948: “The Carvue Theatres, Inc., are building a 750-car, $150,000 drive-in north of Denver to open soon.”
What does it mean to “move a theatre” to another town? Motion Picture Herald, July 3, 1948: “O. J. Sears has sold the Apache, Elida, N. M., to A. B. Yarbrought, and moved the theatre to House, N. M.”
This note in the June 26, 1948 Motion Picture Herald sounds like the end of the story: “Bohanan Bros. have bought the Mission and Drive-In, Hatch, N. M., from Marlin Butler. They have closed the drive-in.”
Not sure whether this is the same place, but here’s a note from Motion Picture Herald, Oct. 4, 1947: “Arthur Goldstein takes over Chieftain, Strassburg (sic), Colo., from Virgil Ulrich, who quit to care for his ranch and other business.”
By the following June, Goldstein was submitting reviews of movies and shorts from the Chieftain Theatre.
Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 18, 1947: “Robert Patrick sells Gem, Frederick, Colo., to J. H. Davis.”
Motion Picture Herald, June 19, 1948: “Lewis M. Williams and John B. Cabot have organized Marquee, Inc., and have taken over the Frederick, Frederick, Colo., from Mrs. J. H. Davis.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 19, 1947: “L. R. Semon, in theatre business in Cimarron, Kans., will build a $100,000 drive-in theatre in Pueblo, Colo.”
Motion Picture Herald, May 29, 1948: “Lionel R. Semon opens 750-car, $125,000 drive-in, Pueblo, Colo.”
Motion Picture Herald, May 22, 1948: “Joe H. Gray, Dexter, N. M. business man, puts first theatre there via a 230-seat remodeled building, opening in about month.”
Motion Picture Herald, May 22, 1948: “Lou Heckert opens a 250-seater, Granby, at Granby, Colo., opening town to films.”