The Fain Theatre is first known as the Plaza Theatre and opened on September 6, 1934 with Charles Bickford in “Little Miss Marker”. It became the Fain Theatre exactly 3 years and 3 days later on September 9, 1937 and reopened with Federick March and Janet Gaynor in the hit-smash “A Star Is Born” along with a Disney cartoon. Information about the theater goes as follows: The theater was named after Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Fain. Located a foot away from the Bibb Graves Bridge, it is easily accessable to both sections of the city. A brick constructed theater with a 13x16 marquee and finished foyer and lobby. The size is 38x120 with a seating capacity of 500 in the first floor for white people and 200 for colored people in the second floor bringing a total of 700. The curtain is iridescent dream cloth with maroon and cream walls and the aisles carpeted. Lighting is arranged along the walls and further softened by vari-colored lights on either side of the tall white lights. The seats were draped in red leather being upholstered luxurious with the best edge springs. They’re spaced 32 inches apart for the further convenience and comfort of patrons, with the standard spacing being 30 inches. Simplex projectors were used in the booth. Red, blue and white lights in front the Neon sign were most attractive, the movable display being in shape of a fan opening and closing. There is a V-shape marquee for the display of current attractions. Inside emergency exits are prepared as well, and heating and cooling plants were also installed.
The Holiday Drive-In opened on April 2, 1953 with Dan Dailey and Diana Lynn in “Meet Me At The Fair” with no selected short subjects.
There was a lot of details about the theater, but I’ll explain the most of it as follows: The Holiday covers a total of 261,360 Sq Ft covering all with limestone gravel, and the concession stand fits a total of 40 people. A space between 19 feet or more between speakers. The entrance back in 1953 was located off of Ohio Avenue, Asheville Highway 19-23, Mohawk Road, and Holiday Drive (or Martins Creek Road), but as on my worth, a map displayed on the Grand Opening advertisement that was more commonly off the Mohawk Road exactly a single block from Martins Creek Road since the enter and exit paths displays were shown. The attraction signs displays were off of Ohio Avenue and 19-23. There are 2 entrance lanes into the box office, where two cashiers take his role, and two other attendants to render service to the patron’s car by cleaning the entire vehicle. There was also a moonlight pole, a total of 85 feet high making the whole area as light as the brightest moonlight night. The screen was erected and constructed by the Golian Steel & Iron Company of Atlanta, Georgia. The screen is nearly 70 feet (840 inches tall) out of steel, and the steel tower is constructed to withstand a wind gale of 135 MPH. There was also a playground surrounded by a low white picked fence in front of the screen. There were swings, see-saws, slides, a merry-go-around, and a climb-a-round (monkey tree) just to name a few. The Salyer Candy Company of Johnson City, Tennessee and the American Popcorn Company of Sioux City, Iowa delivers the food galore at the stand. The projector that was used is a Simplex Z. L. with Execlite projection lamp providing maximum screen illumination, and it projects a distance of 400 feet on a screen over 60 feet square and maintain rock sternness without flicker, jump or blur. This is a magnification of approximately 520,000 times. Incidentally, some of the finest microscopes only 600 times, and the projectors at the Holiday project 1,440 separate pictures upon the screen every minute. The Super Snaplite is what the manager chooses from the market manufactured by the Killmorgan Optical Company in 1952. The Execlite purchased in early 1953 also featured the exclusive Lightronic Automatic Focus controls patented precision reflectors with velvet smooth power produced by a Hertner 25 Horsepower Transverter producing 125 amperes of 29,700 watts, equaling to a total of 297 light globes of 100 watts each. Its projection building with two large steel casement picture windows, asphalt tile floors and interior walls and ceiling decorated in chartreuse all constructed being of fireproof materials is on the second floor of the same building, a point of interest and education which the management planned to open at intervals for public inspection. The concessions building is a patio fo green masonry extending several feet in front of the building on which is placed comfortable metal porch and lawn chairs and tables for the benefit of those patrons who wish to sit on the patio, bite or drink and view the screen performance under a ceiling of fleecy white clouds and stardust. A canopy or overhang under which is installed a speaker system and recessed indirect lightning projects a few feet from the first roof extending the length and width of the building. There are 3 public entrances with double French doors in front and one standard door in each side. The manager’s room is well-equipped office with paneled walls in gumwood and carpeted floors is also on the second floor of the building where he can watch the operations and screen as well. The exterior doors were trimmed in verdas green and the walls are decorated in marine sea-foam with chartreuse, orange and canary trim. The interior walls are in the same buff colored tile in the concession building as the exterior The floor is in varicolored ceramic tile with the design of the letter “H” embedded in the center referring to “Holiday” (or “Hendren”, Hendren is the president of the Crescent Amusement COmpany). The smooth finished plastered ceiling is decorated in a pastel hue of green seaform and chartreuse. For those who prefer a free sip of H2O, a refrigerated water fountain is conveniently located in the lobby with a special attachment for serving children which is one of the multitude of advanced installations in the area. A metal line rail in front of the serving counter extends the length of the room. The serving counter, warmers, attachments, etc, are of stainless steel with the front of the serving counter in Chinese red and snow white baked enamel. The Snack bar is electrically equipped including grill, kitchen facilities, refrigeration, various machines, and dispensers. The kitchen and food preparation room has tiled walls and floor is entered by attendants from back of serving counter and is furnished with their latest equipment including refrigeration, electric grill, broiler, potato peeler, and slicer. The Rabbit Foot Minstrel with its 32-ft reserve show and seat parphnelia trailer from Memphis, Tennessee made a special trip there for its grand opening, including a golden horns sound and a parade car.
The manager of the Holiday is TJ Stansel, beginning in Texas by birth and started in the theatre business as a lobby artist and relief operator in 1922. His early hobby was amateur short wave radio which prepared him for the advent of sound films in 1927. He took advantage of every opportunity to learn the technical details of operation, and later worked as a projectionist. He managed a variety of theaters in both larger and smaller towns and he was the chief engineer for the Kansas-Missouri Enterprises, a chain of 25 theaters, which was under his engineering supervision. He would later move to Florida to become a service engineer for a theatre supply house. He also lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee as a general manager, a circuit of theatres and likewise filled important positions with some larger circuits in the states of Indiana and Alabama. Right when the announcement was heard, he and his son traveled down there to make their residence. The Holiday is owned by Capitol Amusements Incorporated which formerly owned the former Cherokee Amusements Company.
The Liberty Lumber & Manufacturing Company of Erwin have done their contractors and work of the theater. One of the biggest trailer, commercial, and snipe companies of the 1950s also extend their congratulations known as Filmack, and the Motion Picture Advertising Service Incorporated of New Orleans, Louisiana also extends the same way.
The Meadows Drive-In Had A Variety Of Name Changes. It First Opened As “Tegu’s Drive-In” On May 9, 1953 With Richard Widmark In “My Pal Gus” And The Bowery Boys In “Hold That Line”. It Became The “Woodsville Drive-In” In 1962, And The Meadows Drive-In By The 1970s Or 1980s.
The Community Theatre became the Rialto Theatre on September 2, 1927 with Billy Dove and Huntley Gordon in “Sensation Seekers” along with a novelty “The Elegy”, and a comedy short “Buster’s Prize Winner”.
The Rialto installed a Vitaphone sound system, and reopened on July 14, 1929 with Richard Barthelmess in “Weary River” along with 2 Vitaphone Vaudeville Acts, a musical performance by Waring’s Pennsylvanians, a movietone comedy, and Escanaba’s premiere of one of the most popular cartoons in America, Mickey Mouse in “Steamboat Willie”.
First Opened As The Electric Theatre In April 1915, Became The Star Theatre In December 1936, Once Destroyed By A Fire On November 20, 1959 (Caused By The Popcorn Machine), Later Reopened 8 Days Later.
Correction: Its not “(later the Dixieland Drive-In)” because the city of Opp had 2 Drive-Ins, not a single one. So he actually worked with both Opp and Dixieland Drive-Ins. He closed the Opp Drive-In on April 27, 1964, exactly 3 days before the Dixieland Drive-In reopened for the 1964 season. The Dixieland Drive-In lasted a lot longer than the Opp Drive-In. As The Dixieland was closed during the Fall of 1983.
Oh, Now I get it! George also owned the Royal Theatre nearby as well. He has been the owner of the Royal Theatre for more than 40 years as of 1965. I have to admit, but I was confused on where the Royal was actually located. Because sometimes it was listed either in Samson or Opp and they are 18 miles apart.
The Monroe Theatre First Opened As The Franston Theatre On September 1, 1932 With Janet Gaynor And Charles Farrell In “Delicious”. It Became The Monroe Theatre Less Than A Year Later In Early 1933.
The Fain Theatre is first known as the Plaza Theatre and opened on September 6, 1934 with Charles Bickford in “Little Miss Marker”. It became the Fain Theatre exactly 3 years and 3 days later on September 9, 1937 and reopened with Federick March and Janet Gaynor in the hit-smash “A Star Is Born” along with a Disney cartoon. Information about the theater goes as follows: The theater was named after Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Fain. Located a foot away from the Bibb Graves Bridge, it is easily accessable to both sections of the city. A brick constructed theater with a 13x16 marquee and finished foyer and lobby. The size is 38x120 with a seating capacity of 500 in the first floor for white people and 200 for colored people in the second floor bringing a total of 700. The curtain is iridescent dream cloth with maroon and cream walls and the aisles carpeted. Lighting is arranged along the walls and further softened by vari-colored lights on either side of the tall white lights. The seats were draped in red leather being upholstered luxurious with the best edge springs. They’re spaced 32 inches apart for the further convenience and comfort of patrons, with the standard spacing being 30 inches. Simplex projectors were used in the booth. Red, blue and white lights in front the Neon sign were most attractive, the movable display being in shape of a fan opening and closing. There is a V-shape marquee for the display of current attractions. Inside emergency exits are prepared as well, and heating and cooling plants were also installed.
Opened On June 8, 1937.
It Actually Opened On July 15, 1948 With Bing Crosby, Gary Cooper And Bob Hope In “Variety Girl”.
The Holiday Drive-In opened on April 2, 1953 with Dan Dailey and Diana Lynn in “Meet Me At The Fair” with no selected short subjects.
There was a lot of details about the theater, but I’ll explain the most of it as follows: The Holiday covers a total of 261,360 Sq Ft covering all with limestone gravel, and the concession stand fits a total of 40 people. A space between 19 feet or more between speakers. The entrance back in 1953 was located off of Ohio Avenue, Asheville Highway 19-23, Mohawk Road, and Holiday Drive (or Martins Creek Road), but as on my worth, a map displayed on the Grand Opening advertisement that was more commonly off the Mohawk Road exactly a single block from Martins Creek Road since the enter and exit paths displays were shown. The attraction signs displays were off of Ohio Avenue and 19-23. There are 2 entrance lanes into the box office, where two cashiers take his role, and two other attendants to render service to the patron’s car by cleaning the entire vehicle. There was also a moonlight pole, a total of 85 feet high making the whole area as light as the brightest moonlight night. The screen was erected and constructed by the Golian Steel & Iron Company of Atlanta, Georgia. The screen is nearly 70 feet (840 inches tall) out of steel, and the steel tower is constructed to withstand a wind gale of 135 MPH. There was also a playground surrounded by a low white picked fence in front of the screen. There were swings, see-saws, slides, a merry-go-around, and a climb-a-round (monkey tree) just to name a few. The Salyer Candy Company of Johnson City, Tennessee and the American Popcorn Company of Sioux City, Iowa delivers the food galore at the stand. The projector that was used is a Simplex Z. L. with Execlite projection lamp providing maximum screen illumination, and it projects a distance of 400 feet on a screen over 60 feet square and maintain rock sternness without flicker, jump or blur. This is a magnification of approximately 520,000 times. Incidentally, some of the finest microscopes only 600 times, and the projectors at the Holiday project 1,440 separate pictures upon the screen every minute. The Super Snaplite is what the manager chooses from the market manufactured by the Killmorgan Optical Company in 1952. The Execlite purchased in early 1953 also featured the exclusive Lightronic Automatic Focus controls patented precision reflectors with velvet smooth power produced by a Hertner 25 Horsepower Transverter producing 125 amperes of 29,700 watts, equaling to a total of 297 light globes of 100 watts each. Its projection building with two large steel casement picture windows, asphalt tile floors and interior walls and ceiling decorated in chartreuse all constructed being of fireproof materials is on the second floor of the same building, a point of interest and education which the management planned to open at intervals for public inspection. The concessions building is a patio fo green masonry extending several feet in front of the building on which is placed comfortable metal porch and lawn chairs and tables for the benefit of those patrons who wish to sit on the patio, bite or drink and view the screen performance under a ceiling of fleecy white clouds and stardust. A canopy or overhang under which is installed a speaker system and recessed indirect lightning projects a few feet from the first roof extending the length and width of the building. There are 3 public entrances with double French doors in front and one standard door in each side. The manager’s room is well-equipped office with paneled walls in gumwood and carpeted floors is also on the second floor of the building where he can watch the operations and screen as well. The exterior doors were trimmed in verdas green and the walls are decorated in marine sea-foam with chartreuse, orange and canary trim. The interior walls are in the same buff colored tile in the concession building as the exterior The floor is in varicolored ceramic tile with the design of the letter “H” embedded in the center referring to “Holiday” (or “Hendren”, Hendren is the president of the Crescent Amusement COmpany). The smooth finished plastered ceiling is decorated in a pastel hue of green seaform and chartreuse. For those who prefer a free sip of H2O, a refrigerated water fountain is conveniently located in the lobby with a special attachment for serving children which is one of the multitude of advanced installations in the area. A metal line rail in front of the serving counter extends the length of the room. The serving counter, warmers, attachments, etc, are of stainless steel with the front of the serving counter in Chinese red and snow white baked enamel. The Snack bar is electrically equipped including grill, kitchen facilities, refrigeration, various machines, and dispensers. The kitchen and food preparation room has tiled walls and floor is entered by attendants from back of serving counter and is furnished with their latest equipment including refrigeration, electric grill, broiler, potato peeler, and slicer. The Rabbit Foot Minstrel with its 32-ft reserve show and seat parphnelia trailer from Memphis, Tennessee made a special trip there for its grand opening, including a golden horns sound and a parade car.
The manager of the Holiday is TJ Stansel, beginning in Texas by birth and started in the theatre business as a lobby artist and relief operator in 1922. His early hobby was amateur short wave radio which prepared him for the advent of sound films in 1927. He took advantage of every opportunity to learn the technical details of operation, and later worked as a projectionist. He managed a variety of theaters in both larger and smaller towns and he was the chief engineer for the Kansas-Missouri Enterprises, a chain of 25 theaters, which was under his engineering supervision. He would later move to Florida to become a service engineer for a theatre supply house. He also lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee as a general manager, a circuit of theatres and likewise filled important positions with some larger circuits in the states of Indiana and Alabama. Right when the announcement was heard, he and his son traveled down there to make their residence. The Holiday is owned by Capitol Amusements Incorporated which formerly owned the former Cherokee Amusements Company.
The Liberty Lumber & Manufacturing Company of Erwin have done their contractors and work of the theater. One of the biggest trailer, commercial, and snipe companies of the 1950s also extend their congratulations known as Filmack, and the Motion Picture Advertising Service Incorporated of New Orleans, Louisiana also extends the same way.
Opened On May 27, 1954 With Farley Granger In “Small Town Girl” Along With A Few Shorts Including A Cartoon.
Opened On August 20, 1954 With “On Moonlight Bay” Along With A Cartoon Festival.
Opened On June 15, 1950 With Alan Ladd In “Whispering Smith” Along With An East Side Kids Short (Unnamed) And An Unnamed Cartoon.
The Meadows Drive-In Had A Variety Of Name Changes. It First Opened As “Tegu’s Drive-In” On May 9, 1953 With Richard Widmark In “My Pal Gus” And The Bowery Boys In “Hold That Line”. It Became The “Woodsville Drive-In” In 1962, And The Meadows Drive-In By The 1970s Or 1980s.
Opened On August 15, 1950.
Opened On July 17, 1952 With Clark Gable In “Across The Wide River” And Cary Grant In “Room For One More” Along With An Unnamed Cartoon.
The Community Theatre opened as early as 1924.
The Community Theatre became the Rialto Theatre on September 2, 1927 with Billy Dove and Huntley Gordon in “Sensation Seekers” along with a novelty “The Elegy”, and a comedy short “Buster’s Prize Winner”.
The Rialto installed a Vitaphone sound system, and reopened on July 14, 1929 with Richard Barthelmess in “Weary River” along with 2 Vitaphone Vaudeville Acts, a musical performance by Waring’s Pennsylvanians, a movietone comedy, and Escanaba’s premiere of one of the most popular cartoons in America, Mickey Mouse in “Steamboat Willie”.
First Opened As The Electric Theatre In April 1915, Became The Star Theatre In December 1936, Once Destroyed By A Fire On November 20, 1959 (Caused By The Popcorn Machine), Later Reopened 8 Days Later.
Opened In Early 1924 As Earliest.
The Royal Is Once Remodeled On December 24, 1936.
Once Remodeled On August 4, 1930.
Also to note, George himself closed the Opp Drive-In on April 27, 1964.
First Opened As A Triplex As “Chicago Ridge 1-2-3”. It Became A 6-Screener And A Cineplex Odeon Operated Theater On July 1, 1988.
Correction: Its not “(later the Dixieland Drive-In)” because the city of Opp had 2 Drive-Ins, not a single one. So he actually worked with both Opp and Dixieland Drive-Ins. He closed the Opp Drive-In on April 27, 1964, exactly 3 days before the Dixieland Drive-In reopened for the 1964 season. The Dixieland Drive-In lasted a lot longer than the Opp Drive-In. As The Dixieland was closed during the Fall of 1983.
Oh, Now I get it! George also owned the Royal Theatre nearby as well. He has been the owner of the Royal Theatre for more than 40 years as of 1965. I have to admit, but I was confused on where the Royal was actually located. Because sometimes it was listed either in Samson or Opp and they are 18 miles apart.
Yes, I Checked. It Opened On July 31, 1981. Please Update.
Yep, It Had A Variety Of Name Changes Throughout The Years. When It Became A 6-Screener, It Was Named Mid-Plaza 6.
Operated By United Artists During The 1980s.
The Elmwood Theatre Has 4 Screens, Not A Single One.
The Monroe Theatre First Opened As The Franston Theatre On September 1, 1932 With Janet Gaynor And Charles Farrell In “Delicious”. It Became The Monroe Theatre Less Than A Year Later In Early 1933.
The Lamar Theatre Opened On September 6, 1940 With Roland Young In “Private Affairs”.