Lena M. Mitchell and Paul T. Mitchell owned the Knox Drive-In Theatre. Charles L. Hammons was the initial manager of the Knox Drive-In. Located at Boone Heights in Knox County a mile south of Barbourville on (Old) Highway 25E, the $80,000 venue opened on November 1, 1954 with Jimmy Stewart in “The Glenn Miller Story.” The concession stand wasn’t ready on opening night and the Miracle Company playground didn’t get finished until 1956. But by then, it was fully ready to go.
Paul Mitchell operated the venue through 22 seasons but died just prior to the 1976 opener with Charles and Lena Reed taking over. The Knox closed September 26, 1981 with Susan Kiger in “H.O.T.S.” That would be its final showtime. The address 411 KY-3439, Barbourville, KY 40906 is right next door to the drive-in.
John Robinson and Son launched the Med-O-Vue on April 7, 1951 grand opening of the Med-O-Vue Drive-In with “Bomba, the Jungle Boy” and “Shadow of the West.” The 200-car drive-in had RCA projection and speakers. In 1954, both the drive-in and the Robinson Roller Rink were auctioned off.
When the Liberty Theatre burned on May 8, 1925, Winchester’s New Theatre Beautiful opened on May 18, 1925 with “The Golden Bed.” That name was used for two months. A naming contest was held and Leeds was the winner with venue using using that name first on July 8, 1925 at the formal grand opening with “The Little French Girl.” The venue closed on January 25, 1987 with “Lady and the Tramp” splitting with “Wanted Dead or Alive.”
The Clark Theatre opened on November 9, 1940 with “Sandy is a Lady” by the Harry Schwartz and George Myers. Winchester Amusement bought it out closing It permanently on November 30, 1942 with “Major Barbara.” Winchester went into bankruptcy and the Clark was auctioned off bringing $16,000 on July 22, 1943. Chakeres Theatres purchased the Town Hall, Broadway and Leeds Theatres that same day. The Clark was again auctioned off on behalf of the Winchester Theatre Circuit on June 5, 1944.
The Park Theatre was the place to see live events in late 19th Century Henderson. Elliot D. Robbins architecture was opulent and would be welcomed in a town likely ten times larger in size. The Park was opened within the new-build Pythian Building on November 16, 1894 and was spectacular. Eighteen months later, it was all over as the Pythian Building housing the Park burned down on July 20, 1896. Also destroyed was the Barrett House hotel though with all 40 guests escaping uninjured.
The City and local folks rebuilt the venue but it took a while. The J.E. English Theatre was built in its place (1-5 North Main Street) opening in August of 1904. In 1905, it was renamed as the Park Theatre. It became the prominent live venue space.
Meanwhile, the unrelated Grand Crystal Theatre opened in the Stanley Building at 222 North Main on September 5, 1908 operating to 1909 as a movie house. On March 21, 1910, the unrelated Grand Theatre launched with “The Ranchman’s Wife,” “The Generous Way,” and “Santa Claus and the Miner’s Son” supported by two songs. They are included here because the “Grand” name would be invoked at the 1-5 Main Street location.
Meanwhile, back at the Park Theatre, things had worked relatively well until the end of the venue’s ten-year lease. Park Manager H.L. Hunt changed the name of the venue from the Park to the Grand Opera House on October 22, 1914 to differentiate it from the growing number of movie houses in Henderson. That name lasted until June of 1916. By 1916, movies were becoming far more profitable and efficient especially in smaller towns like Henderson. At that time, the theatre received a new interior transitioning it from a live house to a more versatile movie house playing films from Triangle, Paramount, Fox and others while retaining a stage for vaudeville and plays as needed. The mix became much more film-centric as the years passed and the venue was renamed as the Grand Theatre.
The Henderson Theatre Company took on the venue and first played talkies there on March 8, 1929 using Vitaphone showing “Alias, Jimmy Valentine.” On November 1, 1929, the local circuit switched to Western Electric, sound on film technology. It is assumed that the Vitaphone system was passed down to the Kentucky which inaugurated its sound service just ten days later with Vitaphone.
On April 12, 1931, Warner Brothers took over both the Kentucky and the Grand theaters locally. They closed the Grand permanently with “Broadway Bad” on March 8, 1933 and then a fire completely destroyed the building along with the Ford Auto Dealer across the street in the morning hours.
Principal Theatres and the Masonic Temple folks got together to create a multi-use building. It was architected by J. Frisbee Sanders and Albert Weindel of Sanders and Weindel. Principal opened the Kentucky Theatre with the Vitaphone sound system likely from the Grand Theatre on Nov. 12, 1929 with “Salute.” Warner Brothers Circuit took on the local theaters operating both the Kentucky and Grand until the latter burned down. “Gone with the Wind” was a huge hit beginning March 12, 1940 at the incredibly high price of $1.26 a seat. A local film, “Henderson in Reelife” was another hit on Feb. 12, 1942.
The Kentucky sure looks like it closed at the end of its 30-year lease in 1959 though it may have continued without advertising. But the theatre was definitely remodeled out of existence in 1964 stripped down to its walls to became a stage play venue. Then that was remodeled out of existence when the entire building was transformed becoming home to the Citi-Center Mall. And that was pretty much remodeled when it became home to the town’s Civic Center.
The Audubon opened November 2, 1949 with “Streets of Laredo.” It reopened for the 1950 season (ad in photos). The drive-in was just out of Audubon State Park. The theater was offered for sale April 12, 1959 and was decimated by a July 31, 1959 storm. But they fixed the screen closing at the end of a 10-year leasing agreement on October 4, 1959 - permanently - with “The Big Circus” and “The Young Captives.”
The operator of the Nickelodeon, Stanley Spoehr, launched the Princess Theatre in downtown Henderson on August 23, 1912 with “The Fate of Mothers” in the existing Lottie Building. It received sound in 1929 to remain viable. In February of 1941, the theater closed briefly for a remodeling.
The existing Kimmel Theatre moved to the remodeled venue opening as the New Kimmel Theatre on March 23, 1941 with Loretta Young in “Kentucky.” It was named after building owner Singleton H. Kimmel. The Kimmel placed “The Kid From Kansas” on June 14, 1943 - its last - as shortly after business hours, it would be destroyed by fire.
The Dixie Theatre was built in 1925 for just $8,000 by Big Feature Rights Corporation for African American patrons. It was one of ten such theaters in Louisville and the only African American neighborhood theater that lasted more than 25 years.
The Alamo’s claim to fame was hosting the first ever radio show from its theatre and featuring organ music from Heyde Conrad in 1922. Conrad was at the console in March of 1924 when he was arrested in connection the murder of Richard Heaton who had been tortued by Williams Gates for three days prior to his murder. Conrad would be charged with conspiracy. The Alamo converted to sound to remain viable and appears to have closed December 25, 1935 with “Atlantic Adventure” and “Stormy.”
Broadway Amusement Co. built the venue in 1922 opening August 11, 1922 like on a 25-year lease. On April 27, 1947 it became the Airway Theatre with “Courage of Lassie” and “Blondie Knows Best.” On November 30, 1963, it became the Airways Follies Theatre with a combination of films and live stage shows on a grind policy. Opening films were Randy Brent in “Adam and Six Eves” and Odile Versois as the “Girl in Room 43.” Closing films on November 30, 1963 with “Tom at Play,” “Nature Fun” and “Art Models on Parade.” The seats were sold days later to a theatre troupe.
There were two different Cozy Theatres (as pictured). The first opened in 1917 likely on a 20-year lease. While still in operation in 1937, a new Cozy was built just south of the operating Cozy.
The second Cozy was a new build theater at this address designed in 1937 by Walter C. Wagner and was the first building in the cit with a Macotta facing. At its opening on January 15, 1938, Mayor Joseph D. Scholtz addressed the gathered and then they saw Jack Benny in “Artists and Models.”
In 1964, the Alhambra and Cozy were sold in forced sale procedures. The winning buyer decided to have the Cozy join the ranks of the parking lot brigade demolishing the venue. The Cozy stuck it out until November 15, 1965 closing with.a double feature of “I Saw What You Did” and “The Art of Love.”
The building started life as the Masonic Lodge in 1926 according to local reports. The venue became the Crescent Theatre in 1929. It became the Crescent Art Theatre in 1956 playing art films. It then became and adult theater. It appears to have gone out of business in 1985 as an adult theater.
The Lowes River Falls Cinemas became the Sony River Falls Cinemas 10 on December 31, 1994. On May 1, 1995, it became National Amusements River Falls Cinemas as part of the Showcase Cinemas family. Another photo posted of its exterior.
The J-Town Shopping Center opened theatre-less on October 11, 1960 with a Winn-Dixie grocer and a Dog ‘n’ Suds restaurant. American Multi-Cinema (AMC Theatres) opened its first area theater in the J-Town 4 as a 1,300 seat quad - two 300 seat auditoriums and two 350 seat auditoriums. It was technically the second project for the fast-growing circuit in Louisville. The Raceland Mall 4 had been announced in 1968 but the project dragged on ending up with the developer in receivership. On July 9, 1971, the J-Town 4 raced pass the Raceland to the finish line.
Mid States Cinemas (MSC) took on the AMC properties in May of 1977 operating the Raceland 4, Westland 4, Oxmoor 5, and J-Town 4. Mid States dropped the venue in December of 1978. A year later, Associated Theatres of Kentucky took on the venue rebranded it after a refresh as a sub-run, dollar discount house beginning December 26, 1979. The theatre closed July. 26, 1998.
The neighborhood Towers Theatre launched on a 25-year lease at 331 West Oak Street on November 10, 1926 with “It Must Be Love” with Colleen Moore. Broadway Amusement Company placed the pipe organ console in a lift so that there could be a choice of the organist being in full view or hidden away. The theatre was bathed in old gold, robin’s egg blue and ivory. Hugh Lloyd Nevin, Frederic Lindley and Hermann Wischmeyer of Nevin, Wischmeyer and Morgan Architects plans show an open design that would rival most any other neighborhood theater of that era. It was elegant.
The neighboring Towers Sweet Shop served as the de facto concession stand in the Towers' formative years. The venue added sound to remain viable and it closed at the expiry of its lease. Its final showings as the Towers Theatre were on October 11, 1951 with “Main Event: Willie Pep v. Sandy Sadler (Fight Film),” Piper Laurie in “Louisa,” and Francis, the Talking Mule in “Francis.” The seats were offered for sale that same day along with the concession equipment.
The theatre reopened after a refresh under new operators as the Knox Theatre. The theatre was for “Whites Only” according to 1964 policy which was relayed to the Louisville Human Regulations Commission as a violation. It appears to have closed in 1966 which would likely time out with a 15-year leasing expiry. It was converted to a Furniture and Appliance warehouse and also an auction house followed by an antiques store.
In 1984, a plan was unveiled to demolish the theatre. But the theater’s significant design stopped the plan for some 12 years. In April 1996 and just shy of the theater’s 70th Anniversary, the Landmarks Commission approved of the auditorium’s demolition. The plan left the theater’s facade looking about the same as it did in 1926 and it still stands in the 2020s.
Grand reopening ad as the Royal Theatre on October 8, 1960 with “Hell to Eternity”. The theatre had an interracial policy upon its reboot. It was then labeled as an African American only venue. Performers including Bette Levette and Mary Wells appeared on the Royal Stage. However, it appears to have closed in 1964. It was next used as a house of worship.
Lena M. Mitchell and Paul T. Mitchell owned the Knox Drive-In Theatre. Charles L. Hammons was the initial manager of the Knox Drive-In. Located at Boone Heights in Knox County a mile south of Barbourville on (Old) Highway 25E, the $80,000 venue opened on November 1, 1954 with Jimmy Stewart in “The Glenn Miller Story.” The concession stand wasn’t ready on opening night and the Miracle Company playground didn’t get finished until 1956. But by then, it was fully ready to go.
Paul Mitchell operated the venue through 22 seasons but died just prior to the 1976 opener with Charles and Lena Reed taking over. The Knox closed September 26, 1981 with Susan Kiger in “H.O.T.S.” That would be its final showtime. The address 411 KY-3439, Barbourville, KY 40906 is right next door to the drive-in.
Launched by C.C. Simms and G.W. Gootee on June 26, 1948 with “The Last of the Redmen” supported by “Cinderella’s Feller” with Juanita Quigley.
John Robinson and Son launched the Med-O-Vue on April 7, 1951 grand opening of the Med-O-Vue Drive-In with “Bomba, the Jungle Boy” and “Shadow of the West.” The 200-car drive-in had RCA projection and speakers. In 1954, both the drive-in and the Robinson Roller Rink were auctioned off.
When the Liberty Theatre burned on May 8, 1925, Winchester’s New Theatre Beautiful opened on May 18, 1925 with “The Golden Bed.” That name was used for two months. A naming contest was held and Leeds was the winner with venue using using that name first on July 8, 1925 at the formal grand opening with “The Little French Girl.” The venue closed on January 25, 1987 with “Lady and the Tramp” splitting with “Wanted Dead or Alive.”
he Town Hall is open for business on December 13, 1940 with “Tugboat Annie.”
The Clark Theatre opened on November 9, 1940 with “Sandy is a Lady” by the Harry Schwartz and George Myers. Winchester Amusement bought it out closing It permanently on November 30, 1942 with “Major Barbara.” Winchester went into bankruptcy and the Clark was auctioned off bringing $16,000 on July 22, 1943. Chakeres Theatres purchased the Town Hall, Broadway and Leeds Theatres that same day. The Clark was again auctioned off on behalf of the Winchester Theatre Circuit on June 5, 1944.
The Clark Theatre opened on November 9, 1940 with “Sandy is a Lady”
1,030 seats
The Park Theatre was the place to see live events in late 19th Century Henderson. Elliot D. Robbins architecture was opulent and would be welcomed in a town likely ten times larger in size. The Park was opened within the new-build Pythian Building on November 16, 1894 and was spectacular. Eighteen months later, it was all over as the Pythian Building housing the Park burned down on July 20, 1896. Also destroyed was the Barrett House hotel though with all 40 guests escaping uninjured.
The City and local folks rebuilt the venue but it took a while. The J.E. English Theatre was built in its place (1-5 North Main Street) opening in August of 1904. In 1905, it was renamed as the Park Theatre. It became the prominent live venue space.
Meanwhile, the unrelated Grand Crystal Theatre opened in the Stanley Building at 222 North Main on September 5, 1908 operating to 1909 as a movie house. On March 21, 1910, the unrelated Grand Theatre launched with “The Ranchman’s Wife,” “The Generous Way,” and “Santa Claus and the Miner’s Son” supported by two songs. They are included here because the “Grand” name would be invoked at the 1-5 Main Street location.
Meanwhile, back at the Park Theatre, things had worked relatively well until the end of the venue’s ten-year lease. Park Manager H.L. Hunt changed the name of the venue from the Park to the Grand Opera House on October 22, 1914 to differentiate it from the growing number of movie houses in Henderson. That name lasted until June of 1916. By 1916, movies were becoming far more profitable and efficient especially in smaller towns like Henderson. At that time, the theatre received a new interior transitioning it from a live house to a more versatile movie house playing films from Triangle, Paramount, Fox and others while retaining a stage for vaudeville and plays as needed. The mix became much more film-centric as the years passed and the venue was renamed as the Grand Theatre.
The Henderson Theatre Company took on the venue and first played talkies there on March 8, 1929 using Vitaphone showing “Alias, Jimmy Valentine.” On November 1, 1929, the local circuit switched to Western Electric, sound on film technology. It is assumed that the Vitaphone system was passed down to the Kentucky which inaugurated its sound service just ten days later with Vitaphone.
On April 12, 1931, Warner Brothers took over both the Kentucky and the Grand theaters locally. They closed the Grand permanently with “Broadway Bad” on March 8, 1933 and then a fire completely destroyed the building along with the Ford Auto Dealer across the street in the morning hours.
Principal Theatres and the Masonic Temple folks got together to create a multi-use building. It was architected by J. Frisbee Sanders and Albert Weindel of Sanders and Weindel. Principal opened the Kentucky Theatre with the Vitaphone sound system likely from the Grand Theatre on Nov. 12, 1929 with “Salute.” Warner Brothers Circuit took on the local theaters operating both the Kentucky and Grand until the latter burned down. “Gone with the Wind” was a huge hit beginning March 12, 1940 at the incredibly high price of $1.26 a seat. A local film, “Henderson in Reelife” was another hit on Feb. 12, 1942.
The Kentucky sure looks like it closed at the end of its 30-year lease in 1959 though it may have continued without advertising. But the theatre was definitely remodeled out of existence in 1964 stripped down to its walls to became a stage play venue. Then that was remodeled out of existence when the entire building was transformed becoming home to the Citi-Center Mall. And that was pretty much remodeled when it became home to the town’s Civic Center.
The Audubon opened November 2, 1949 with “Streets of Laredo.” It reopened for the 1950 season (ad in photos). The drive-in was just out of Audubon State Park. The theater was offered for sale April 12, 1959 and was decimated by a July 31, 1959 storm. But they fixed the screen closing at the end of a 10-year leasing agreement on October 4, 1959 - permanently - with “The Big Circus” and “The Young Captives.”
Closed October 27, 1963 at the end of lease with “The Stripper” and “The Nutty Professor.”
November 8, 1931
The operator of the Nickelodeon, Stanley Spoehr, launched the Princess Theatre in downtown Henderson on August 23, 1912 with “The Fate of Mothers” in the existing Lottie Building. It received sound in 1929 to remain viable. In February of 1941, the theater closed briefly for a remodeling.
The existing Kimmel Theatre moved to the remodeled venue opening as the New Kimmel Theatre on March 23, 1941 with Loretta Young in “Kentucky.” It was named after building owner Singleton H. Kimmel. The Kimmel placed “The Kid From Kansas” on June 14, 1943 - its last - as shortly after business hours, it would be destroyed by fire.
The Dixie Theatre was built in 1925 for just $8,000 by Big Feature Rights Corporation for African American patrons. It was one of ten such theaters in Louisville and the only African American neighborhood theater that lasted more than 25 years.
The Alamo’s claim to fame was hosting the first ever radio show from its theatre and featuring organ music from Heyde Conrad in 1922. Conrad was at the console in March of 1924 when he was arrested in connection the murder of Richard Heaton who had been tortued by Williams Gates for three days prior to his murder. Conrad would be charged with conspiracy. The Alamo converted to sound to remain viable and appears to have closed December 25, 1935 with “Atlantic Adventure” and “Stormy.”
Broadway Amusement Co. built the venue in 1922 opening August 11, 1922 like on a 25-year lease. On April 27, 1947 it became the Airway Theatre with “Courage of Lassie” and “Blondie Knows Best.” On November 30, 1963, it became the Airways Follies Theatre with a combination of films and live stage shows on a grind policy. Opening films were Randy Brent in “Adam and Six Eves” and Odile Versois as the “Girl in Room 43.” Closing films on November 30, 1963 with “Tom at Play,” “Nature Fun” and “Art Models on Parade.” The seats were sold days later to a theatre troupe.
There were two different Cozy Theatres (as pictured). The first opened in 1917 likely on a 20-year lease. While still in operation in 1937, a new Cozy was built just south of the operating Cozy.
The second Cozy was a new build theater at this address designed in 1937 by Walter C. Wagner and was the first building in the cit with a Macotta facing. At its opening on January 15, 1938, Mayor Joseph D. Scholtz addressed the gathered and then they saw Jack Benny in “Artists and Models.”
In 1964, the Alhambra and Cozy were sold in forced sale procedures. The winning buyer decided to have the Cozy join the ranks of the parking lot brigade demolishing the venue. The Cozy stuck it out until November 15, 1965 closing with.a double feature of “I Saw What You Did” and “The Art of Love.”
The building started life as the Masonic Lodge in 1926 according to local reports. The venue became the Crescent Theatre in 1929. It became the Crescent Art Theatre in 1956 playing art films. It then became and adult theater. It appears to have gone out of business in 1985 as an adult theater.
The Lowes River Falls Cinemas became the Sony River Falls Cinemas 10 on December 31, 1994. On May 1, 1995, it became National Amusements River Falls Cinemas as part of the Showcase Cinemas family. Another photo posted of its exterior.
Cinemark closed here as a discount house at the end of its 20-year leasing cycle on Oct. 25, 2009 just two days prior to its 20th Anniversary.
BTW: it is/was the Green Tree (not Greentree)
The J-Town Shopping Center opened theatre-less on October 11, 1960 with a Winn-Dixie grocer and a Dog ‘n’ Suds restaurant. American Multi-Cinema (AMC Theatres) opened its first area theater in the J-Town 4 as a 1,300 seat quad - two 300 seat auditoriums and two 350 seat auditoriums. It was technically the second project for the fast-growing circuit in Louisville. The Raceland Mall 4 had been announced in 1968 but the project dragged on ending up with the developer in receivership. On July 9, 1971, the J-Town 4 raced pass the Raceland to the finish line.
Mid States Cinemas (MSC) took on the AMC properties in May of 1977 operating the Raceland 4, Westland 4, Oxmoor 5, and J-Town 4. Mid States dropped the venue in December of 1978. A year later, Associated Theatres of Kentucky took on the venue rebranded it after a refresh as a sub-run, dollar discount house beginning December 26, 1979. The theatre closed July. 26, 1998.
The neighborhood Towers Theatre launched on a 25-year lease at 331 West Oak Street on November 10, 1926 with “It Must Be Love” with Colleen Moore. Broadway Amusement Company placed the pipe organ console in a lift so that there could be a choice of the organist being in full view or hidden away. The theatre was bathed in old gold, robin’s egg blue and ivory. Hugh Lloyd Nevin, Frederic Lindley and Hermann Wischmeyer of Nevin, Wischmeyer and Morgan Architects plans show an open design that would rival most any other neighborhood theater of that era. It was elegant.
The neighboring Towers Sweet Shop served as the de facto concession stand in the Towers' formative years. The venue added sound to remain viable and it closed at the expiry of its lease. Its final showings as the Towers Theatre were on October 11, 1951 with “Main Event: Willie Pep v. Sandy Sadler (Fight Film),” Piper Laurie in “Louisa,” and Francis, the Talking Mule in “Francis.” The seats were offered for sale that same day along with the concession equipment.
The theatre reopened after a refresh under new operators as the Knox Theatre. The theatre was for “Whites Only” according to 1964 policy which was relayed to the Louisville Human Regulations Commission as a violation. It appears to have closed in 1966 which would likely time out with a 15-year leasing expiry. It was converted to a Furniture and Appliance warehouse and also an auction house followed by an antiques store.
In 1984, a plan was unveiled to demolish the theatre. But the theater’s significant design stopped the plan for some 12 years. In April 1996 and just shy of the theater’s 70th Anniversary, the Landmarks Commission approved of the auditorium’s demolition. The plan left the theater’s facade looking about the same as it did in 1926 and it still stands in the 2020s.
Announced that it is closing permanently on January 5, 2025.
Grand reopening ad as the Royal Theatre on October 8, 1960 with “Hell to Eternity”. The theatre had an interracial policy upon its reboot. It was then labeled as an African American only venue. Performers including Bette Levette and Mary Wells appeared on the Royal Stage. However, it appears to have closed in 1964. It was next used as a house of worship.