The actual opening date is August 26, 1959 with “The Big Circus” and “Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure” (unknown if any extras added). Earl Calvert was its co-owner and was managed by Bill McDougall. It was closed in 1997.
The La Mesa Theater opened its doors on February 12, 1944 and closed as a movie theater in 1953. The theater was then left with several other uses until being destroyed by a fire on June 28, 1956, caused by an overheated heater at the rear of the former theater.
Opened as the Gemini Cinema I & II on November 15, 1972 with “Cabaret” and “On A Clear Day” in Screen 1 and “Gone With The Wind” in Screen 2. It was a twin throughout most of its entire life, but a third screen was added towards the end of its operation.
Opened with four screens on Christmas Day 1988 with “Twins”, “Cocoon The Return”, “The Land Before Time” and “Scrooged” in screen order. The theater originally has a capacity of 854 seats.
The Lakes Theatre opened its doors on March 10, 1933, and suffered damage from one of the tornadoes from the Super Outbreak of April 3, 1974. Repairment took almost three months before reopening on June 25, 1974. This didn’t last long, and the Lakes Theatre closed the following year in 1975 when Roger Vore of the Vore Cinema Corporation took it over. The original building was mostly demolished, a new entrance was added, and the theater was converted to a twin, reopening later in the mid-1970s as the Twin Lakes Cinema I & II.
COVID closed the theater on March 16, 2020, and left it closed for three years. It wasn’t until March 2023 when Ryan Harrison and Ryan Crawford of Winamac took over operations of the theater, and the Twin Lakes Cinema I & II reopened in August 2023 for only a short time until February 2024 when it closed due to several months of renovation. The theater was then downgraded back to a single-screener, and was renamed the Peacock Theatre, before eventually reopening its doors on September 20, 2024.
The Peacock Theatre reopened as a special tribute to the 50th anniversary of the 1974 Super Outbreak by playing both Twister movies (the original and the sequel). When it reopened, the Peacock Theatre originally showed first-run films only. It wasn’t until December 2024 when a policy upgrade was issued by the management. First-run films were shown Wednesdays to Sundays, and the theater’s management began showing religious films on Mondays as well as independent film matinees on Saturday mornings while first-run movies continued through Saturday afternoon and evenings.
The link was also updated: https://www.peacocktheatremonticello.com/
There’s not a lot of information I can find about this theater. All I know is that it opened in 1948, began screening X-rated movies in 1975, reverted back to normal movies in 1985, and closed shortly afterward.
The actual opening date is March 21, 1928 with William Haines in “West Point” along with a few unnamed short subjects and a Wurlitzer Organ performance by Sterling Grabin. Glen Carver was the original manager.
The actual opening date is February 22, 1926 with Wallace Beery in “Behind The Front” along with the Lloyd Hamilton comedy “Careful, Please”, an unnamed Felix The Cat cartoon, the Famous Melody Songs short “Songs Of Old Ireland”, and Fox News.
Some of the original installations the Isis Theatre had as of 1926 include Motiograph projection with low intensity reflector arcs (with an October 1925 date stamp on it), and a Hillgreen Lane & Company organ.
The Hart Theatre, named after operator John Hart, opened its doors on June 14, 1946 with George Raft in “Johnny Angel” (unknown if extras added). H.O. Holliman is the original projectionist.
Closed on January 16, 1949 when the Cook Theatre opened nearby.
There was another theater in Adel called the Adel Theatre, although I cannot find any information about it. All I know is that the nearby Adel Theatre operated in the silent and sound era but did had a short closure in 1944. Any information about it would be greatly appreciated.
The Lyric Theatre opened its doors on November 7, 1928 with Joan Crawford in “Our Dancing Daughters” (unknown if extras added), and was first owned by J.L. Galbreath. The Lyric Theatre closed for the final time on October 16, 1951 with “Francis Goes To The Races” along with an unnamed cartoon and a newsreel when the Crest Theatre opened nearby the following day.
On July 31, 1952 at approximately 12:06 PM CT, the Queen Theatre became national headlines when the showing of the Joe McDoakes short “So You Want To Go To A Convention” turned into tragic. Several tons of metal lath and 30x40ft plaster fell approximately 50ft from the ceiling to the rows of seats, injuring one man and 14 children. A total of 130 people (38 adults and 92 children) were forced to be evacuated. In total, 20 rows of seats were covered in cement and ceiling plaster.
The accident caused the cancelation of the remaining half of the McDoakes short as well as the scheduled showings of the Tex Avery cartoon “Cock-a-Doodle Dog”, a newsreel, and the main feature “Tarzan’s Salvage Fury” starring Edgar Rice afterward. City building inspector John Eckert replied that the cave-in probably was the result of a gradual loosening of nails which held the lath and plaster to the joists. The Queen Theatre reopened a short time later following investigation.
The actual opening date is October 17, 1951 with Dennis Morgan in “Painting The Clouds With Sunshine” along with an unnamed cartoon and a short, and was the replacement of the Lyric Theatre which closed the previous day. The nearby J.C. Penney also opened that same day.
Opened on June 15, 2005.
Closed on July 5, 2009.
Functions update: Classic films are also shown at rare occasions.
The actual opening date is August 26, 1959 with “The Big Circus” and “Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure” (unknown if any extras added). Earl Calvert was its co-owner and was managed by Bill McDougall. It was closed in 1997.
The La Mesa Theater opened its doors on February 12, 1944 and closed as a movie theater in 1953. The theater was then left with several other uses until being destroyed by a fire on June 28, 1956, caused by an overheated heater at the rear of the former theater.
Opened as the Gemini Cinema I & II on November 15, 1972 with “Cabaret” and “On A Clear Day” in Screen 1 and “Gone With The Wind” in Screen 2. It was a twin throughout most of its entire life, but a third screen was added towards the end of its operation.
Opened with four screens on Christmas Day 1988 with “Twins”, “Cocoon The Return”, “The Land Before Time” and “Scrooged” in screen order. The theater originally has a capacity of 854 seats.
The Arcade Theatre opened its doors on January 11, 1926 with Constance Talmadge in “Her Sister From Paris” (unknown if extras added).
Closed on August 3, 1986.
Still open in 1972.
The Lakes Theatre opened its doors on March 10, 1933, and suffered damage from one of the tornadoes from the Super Outbreak of April 3, 1974. Repairment took almost three months before reopening on June 25, 1974. This didn’t last long, and the Lakes Theatre closed the following year in 1975 when Roger Vore of the Vore Cinema Corporation took it over. The original building was mostly demolished, a new entrance was added, and the theater was converted to a twin, reopening later in the mid-1970s as the Twin Lakes Cinema I & II.
COVID closed the theater on March 16, 2020, and left it closed for three years. It wasn’t until March 2023 when Ryan Harrison and Ryan Crawford of Winamac took over operations of the theater, and the Twin Lakes Cinema I & II reopened in August 2023 for only a short time until February 2024 when it closed due to several months of renovation. The theater was then downgraded back to a single-screener, and was renamed the Peacock Theatre, before eventually reopening its doors on September 20, 2024.
The Peacock Theatre reopened as a special tribute to the 50th anniversary of the 1974 Super Outbreak by playing both Twister movies (the original and the sequel). When it reopened, the Peacock Theatre originally showed first-run films only. It wasn’t until December 2024 when a policy upgrade was issued by the management. First-run films were shown Wednesdays to Sundays, and the theater’s management began showing religious films on Mondays as well as independent film matinees on Saturday mornings while first-run movies continued through Saturday afternoon and evenings.
There’s not a lot of information I can find about this theater. All I know is that it opened in 1948, began screening X-rated movies in 1975, reverted back to normal movies in 1985, and closed shortly afterward.
The actual opening date is March 21, 1928 with William Haines in “West Point” along with a few unnamed short subjects and a Wurlitzer Organ performance by Sterling Grabin. Glen Carver was the original manager.
The actual opening date is February 22, 1926 with Wallace Beery in “Behind The Front” along with the Lloyd Hamilton comedy “Careful, Please”, an unnamed Felix The Cat cartoon, the Famous Melody Songs short “Songs Of Old Ireland”, and Fox News.
Some of the original installations the Isis Theatre had as of 1926 include Motiograph projection with low intensity reflector arcs (with an October 1925 date stamp on it), and a Hillgreen Lane & Company organ.
The Hart Theatre, named after operator John Hart, opened its doors on June 14, 1946 with George Raft in “Johnny Angel” (unknown if extras added). H.O. Holliman is the original projectionist.
Remodeled in March 1954, closed in late-1958.
400 seats (200 in each auditorium).
Oh, now I get it. They actually did a good job though.
Once known as the Kent Opera House.
Closed on January 16, 1949 when the Cook Theatre opened nearby.
Opened on January 17, 1949.
The Lyric first went under the name “Gilbreth’s Lyric Theatre” but the Gilbreth’s name was removed shortly after launch.
The Lyric Theatre opened its doors on November 7, 1928 with Joan Crawford in “Our Dancing Daughters” (unknown if extras added), and was first owned by J.L. Galbreath. The Lyric Theatre closed for the final time on October 16, 1951 with “Francis Goes To The Races” along with an unnamed cartoon and a newsreel when the Crest Theatre opened nearby the following day.
On July 31, 1952 at approximately 12:06 PM CT, the Queen Theatre became national headlines when the showing of the Joe McDoakes short “So You Want To Go To A Convention” turned into tragic. Several tons of metal lath and 30x40ft plaster fell approximately 50ft from the ceiling to the rows of seats, injuring one man and 14 children. A total of 130 people (38 adults and 92 children) were forced to be evacuated. In total, 20 rows of seats were covered in cement and ceiling plaster.
The accident caused the cancelation of the remaining half of the McDoakes short as well as the scheduled showings of the Tex Avery cartoon “Cock-a-Doodle Dog”, a newsreel, and the main feature “Tarzan’s Salvage Fury” starring Edgar Rice afterward. City building inspector John Eckert replied that the cave-in probably was the result of a gradual loosening of nails which held the lath and plaster to the joists. The Queen Theatre reopened a short time later following investigation.
The actual opening date is October 17, 1951 with Dennis Morgan in “Painting The Clouds With Sunshine” along with an unnamed cartoon and a short, and was the replacement of the Lyric Theatre which closed the previous day. The nearby J.C. Penney also opened that same day.