Opened Thursday May 22,1947 with “A Night in Casablanca” starring the Marx Brothers.
Capacity was 800 cars.
Boone County Recorder news clipping in link below, and added to gallery, courtesy Boone County Local History Department.
The Google Street view comes up as Elsmere Kentucky, but the address is correct because the nearby buildings match up to the photo I just posted.
Not sure where the dividing line is between Erlanger and Elsmere.
“Ticket prices of 10 & 15 cents were charged at St. Ignace’s Grand Theatre for a special presentation on Wednesday, May 6, 1914. It was a 2-reel film of an actual battle between Gen. Pancho Villa’s revolutionist forces and Huerta’s federalist troops in Mexico. Although the United States military was not involved, Villa allowed Mutual Movies camera crews to accompany his army in the Battle of Ojnaga.”
Still standing in the August 2021 street view.
It is interesting to scroll around as the years change depending on the angle.
No channel sign letters left on the top of the marquee now, but 2 were left in 2019, 3 in 2013, 4 in 2009, versus most of them in the 2007 photo posted earlier.
Likely grabbed by metal scrappers.
The income from the two billboards on the roof is likely paying the property taxes.
Down Waltham Street to its left are many vacant lots, boarded up, abandoned homes. One burnt out.
Goulburn Avenue to its right is about the same, but with some homes still occupied.
Address was 242 E. Main Street.
Amboy Food & Liquor is now on that site, which was previously a hardware store in the 2013 street view.
The 5 buildings to the left of where the Amboy Theatre once stood remain as they appear in the old photo.
Apparently had two fires, 1934 and 1968.
Descriptions below credit Christopher Matt.
THIS DAY IN LANSFORD HISTORY-MARCH 14, 1934
FIRE IN THEATER AND COLLIERY AT LANSFORD
Fire caused damage at the Palace theater at Coal and Bertsch Sts. and at an oil storage house at the Lansford colliery. The fire at the Palace, reopened in December after it had been remodeled at a cost of $20,000, started under the stage at the front of the theater. Damage is estimated at $25,000. Until repairs are completed, the picture shows will be shown at the Victoria theater.
The damage at the colliery was confined to the frame building housing a supply oil in barrels and drums.
THIS DAY IN LANSFORD HISTORY-NOVEMBER 30, 1968
FIRE DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT OVER $20,000 AT FORMER PALACE THEATER
Damages are estimated to be more than $20,000 from a fire that ripped through the former Palace Theater on Coal St. yesterday. The fire was discovered by Lansford police officers Joe Delpero and Francis Karnish. they were in the vicinity when they heard an explosion. About 50 firemen were out to fight the blaze. The building is currently used by Ridge Center Inc. as a showroom. Owner William McDonald said many new furnishings were brought in for the holiday shopping season, but were destroyed. The alarm sounded at 12:10AM. Fire Chief Norman Tippett said the fire started on the main floor of the building in the southeast corner and smoldered for some time, before blowing the doors open next to where the fire originated.
Flickr link with photo taken 5/24/74-6/27/74.
Highlights the slight angle of WOODS at the top, to face oncoming traffic on Randolph.
Image will enlarge within link.
Additional history credit Mill Valley Historical Society.
“USHERETTES at THE SEQUOIA”
On February 21, 1929, the art-deco style Sequoia Theater on Throckmorton Avenue opened with “talkies,” with a capacity crowd filling the theater’s 1,200 seats for both the 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm shows at a time when Mill Valley’s entire population was barely 4,000.
Elise Smith grew up on Walnut Avenue in the 1930’s and 1940’s, and remembers,
“Before the war, the Sequoia Theater hired only boys to work as ushers. During the war they hired usherettes, and a lot of girls applied. You had to be able to work weekends, matinees and evenings, and ‘close up’ every third night… that meant that you worked until the theater closed for the night. You took turns working the matinees and you got to leave school early to work on Tuesdays. They hired three girls, and I was thrilled when they picked me as one of the three. I worked there during my Junior and Senior years at Tamalpais High School. My paycheck for the last week that I worked there was dated January 18, 1944. I had worked a total of 26-½ hours. I took home the grand total of $14.18 for the week. The teenage boys who worked there as marquee letter-changers and ticket takers were part of a group of friends which we socialized with. In a way it seemed like a small family group. Although we all came from different family situations and backgrounds, we all were brought closer together by our association at the Sequoia Theater.”
Two photos added as Hub Theatre and Oddfellows Temple.
Updated history credit Mill Valley Historical Society.
"Built in 1915, this building was originally the Hub Theater, a venue for live vaudeville acts, silent films and even a live performance by Charlie Chaplin. Musical accompaniment was in the capable hands of Hattie Thompson, at an electric organ. Admission to the Saturday Matinee cost five cents, and included a Wild West serial in addition to the main feature. The Hub Theater closed in 1929, when the Sequoia Theater up the street opened and showed “Talkies.”
During the years that followed the building saw a variety of uses, including as a bowling alley and as a skating rink. In 1952 it was purchased by the Odd Fellows Temple, IOOF Lodge #399, and in 1976 the precursor to the Mill Valley Film Festival, “Saturday Nite Movies,” featured foreign films in the auditorium. Over time however the building saw decreasing use and fell into disrepair.
Eventually purchased and officially opened in 2004 by Lucy Mercer, 142 Throckmorton is recognized as a multi-genre performing arts center with eclectic, high quality programming which attracts over 50,000 people to the nonprofit theatre each year. It has become a favorite venue among performers of all stripes for artistic experimentation and collaboration.
The lobby of the theatre is often open in the afternoon, allowing visitors to explore the rotating exhibitions of original works of art featured in the gallery space. Steve Coleman, the theatre's set and scenic designer, restored a very famous scene of Mount Tamalpais, painted by Jules Mersfelder in 1917. This painting can now be viewed from the landing on the stairway up to the balcony, after having hung for many years at City Hall."
Description credit I Grew Up in Mortdale 2223 Facebook page.
“15 January 1947, the Herne Bay (Riverwood) Melody Picture Theatre opened on Belmore Road back in the days when all proceeds were donated to Legacy.
The Melody Theatre (right of pic in gallery) was built by Tom Virgona in a paddock on Belmore Road. The suburb was not served by local buses in the early days due to poor roads and there were very few trains which kept people away in wet weather. However, it was very popular because the manager was a passionate movie lover who was very tolerant of children. His theatre was his hobby. At Saturday matinees he encouraged children ‘to come on stage and sing, recite, play or generally raise cain to their own and the audience’s delight’. The picture theatre closed less than 20 years later on 30th January 1965 with the screening of “McHale’s Navy” and “Bullet for a Badman”. The building subsequently demolished and replaced with a supermarket."
Opened Thursday May 22,1947 with “A Night in Casablanca” starring the Marx Brothers. Capacity was 800 cars. Boone County Recorder news clipping in link below, and added to gallery, courtesy Boone County Local History Department.
https://nkyviews.com/boone/text/drive-in.html?fbclid=IwAR0suTeYpYlU0ZcOx2yrjBNcNJVOZb05jm8rBgDRfg1EwW79QWREXpT3e3s
The Google Street view comes up as Elsmere Kentucky, but the address is correct because the nearby buildings match up to the photo I just posted. Not sure where the dividing line is between Erlanger and Elsmere.
Additional history credit Northern Kentucky Views.
Highland Theatre opened August 3, 1927 with “Senorita”, starring Bebe Daniels, and closed in March 1979.
Link with a small photo of the Grand Theatre and the following copy, Copyright © 2022 St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce | All rights reserved. |
“Ticket prices of 10 & 15 cents were charged at St. Ignace’s Grand Theatre for a special presentation on Wednesday, May 6, 1914. It was a 2-reel film of an actual battle between Gen. Pancho Villa’s revolutionist forces and Huerta’s federalist troops in Mexico. Although the United States military was not involved, Villa allowed Mutual Movies camera crews to accompany his army in the Battle of Ojnaga.”
https://www.saintignace.org/history-of-st-ignace/tidbits-of-history/
Still standing in the August 2021 street view. It is interesting to scroll around as the years change depending on the angle. No channel sign letters left on the top of the marquee now, but 2 were left in 2019, 3 in 2013, 4 in 2009, versus most of them in the 2007 photo posted earlier. Likely grabbed by metal scrappers. The income from the two billboards on the roof is likely paying the property taxes. Down Waltham Street to its left are many vacant lots, boarded up, abandoned homes. One burnt out. Goulburn Avenue to its right is about the same, but with some homes still occupied.
Address was 242 E. Main Street. Amboy Food & Liquor is now on that site, which was previously a hardware store in the 2013 street view. The 5 buildings to the left of where the Amboy Theatre once stood remain as they appear in the old photo.
September 2020 article with demo photos.
https://www.kentreporter.com/business/show-is-over-for-federal-ways-gateway-movies-8-theater/?fbclid=IwAR0nD9Tamrf9AApBxGda-6pgtMCbE9wrLuh28tfVVCHBn_k1-EWFFkux8e4
Post from the Ghosts of Old Shawneetown Illinois Facebook page, with a photo of the Shawnee Theatre. Public group so should be visible to all.
https://www.facebook.com/ghostsofoldshawneetownillinois/photos/a.220769461434311/1014967618681154/
Apparently had two fires, 1934 and 1968. Descriptions below credit Christopher Matt.
THIS DAY IN LANSFORD HISTORY-MARCH 14, 1934 FIRE IN THEATER AND COLLIERY AT LANSFORD Fire caused damage at the Palace theater at Coal and Bertsch Sts. and at an oil storage house at the Lansford colliery. The fire at the Palace, reopened in December after it had been remodeled at a cost of $20,000, started under the stage at the front of the theater. Damage is estimated at $25,000. Until repairs are completed, the picture shows will be shown at the Victoria theater.
The damage at the colliery was confined to the frame building housing a supply oil in barrels and drums.
THIS DAY IN LANSFORD HISTORY-NOVEMBER 30, 1968
FIRE DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT OVER $20,000 AT FORMER PALACE THEATER Damages are estimated to be more than $20,000 from a fire that ripped through the former Palace Theater on Coal St. yesterday. The fire was discovered by Lansford police officers Joe Delpero and Francis Karnish. they were in the vicinity when they heard an explosion. About 50 firemen were out to fight the blaze. The building is currently used by Ridge Center Inc. as a showroom. Owner William McDonald said many new furnishings were brought in for the holiday shopping season, but were destroyed. The alarm sounded at 12:10AM. Fire Chief Norman Tippett said the fire started on the main floor of the building in the southeast corner and smoldered for some time, before blowing the doors open next to where the fire originated.
Nice photo of the Black Horse Pike Drive-In on the Society for Commercial Archeology Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/SCAroadside/photos/a.105205685822/10158787191535823
Cine Oro is the 19th photo down in the below link.
http://www.thompsonsanders.com/Assets/Nashville/My_Story.htm
Enlargeable version of the 10/01/76-10/07/76 William C. Brubaker image.
https://explore.chicagocollections.org/image/uic/59/tb0xv5v/
Photo credit William C. Brubaker.
Enlargeable image in link below.
https://explore.chicagocollections.org/image/uic/59/tb0xv5v/
Update: Photo credit Explore Chicago Collections.
https://explore.chicagocollections.org/?fbclid=IwAR0divFiAoCrl-bP_498Ig30iAsNfxYvPYQZ28fl2GxzGphUkC9J7rGbhr8
Flickr link with photo taken 5/24/74-6/27/74. Highlights the slight angle of WOODS at the top, to face oncoming traffic on Randolph. Image will enlarge within link.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dmklein/2873646983?fbclid=IwAR2HB5er0uKI18r2dmnTGca16M3zEMCyvagmnrq1tcuSrfX70kfrkkhRQYs
1949 photo credit Julius Shulman.
Additional history credit Mill Valley Historical Society.
“USHERETTES at THE SEQUOIA”
On February 21, 1929, the art-deco style Sequoia Theater on Throckmorton Avenue opened with “talkies,” with a capacity crowd filling the theater’s 1,200 seats for both the 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm shows at a time when Mill Valley’s entire population was barely 4,000.
Elise Smith grew up on Walnut Avenue in the 1930’s and 1940’s, and remembers,
“Before the war, the Sequoia Theater hired only boys to work as ushers. During the war they hired usherettes, and a lot of girls applied. You had to be able to work weekends, matinees and evenings, and ‘close up’ every third night… that meant that you worked until the theater closed for the night. You took turns working the matinees and you got to leave school early to work on Tuesdays. They hired three girls, and I was thrilled when they picked me as one of the three. I worked there during my Junior and Senior years at Tamalpais High School. My paycheck for the last week that I worked there was dated January 18, 1944. I had worked a total of 26-½ hours. I took home the grand total of $14.18 for the week. The teenage boys who worked there as marquee letter-changers and ticket takers were part of a group of friends which we socialized with. In a way it seemed like a small family group. Although we all came from different family situations and backgrounds, we all were brought closer together by our association at the Sequoia Theater.”
Two photos added as Hub Theatre and Oddfellows Temple. Updated history credit Mill Valley Historical Society.
Here is a Shorpy link with the above posted Library of Congress 1907 photo. Click “view full size” for greater detail.
https://www.shorpy.com/node/11486?fbclid=IwAR1rCU6MJqCs6gfEpLkUv0rnEvc9_T7auvoMtIIRHungFhECOApqZCDiPdY
Posting because Wilson Avenue Theatre building is pictured next door.
https://chicagoyimby.com/2022/01/second-floor-takes-shape-at-4600-n-kenmore-avenue-in-uptown.html?fbclid=IwAR3z4A_sEeGGzu6CiK-SC_f_6R2_hrrGdmL4HvGDVXvYVwTuSh9I7qRkuzw
Update: Postcard image credit Frashers Fotos.
Description credit I Grew Up in Mortdale 2223 Facebook page.
“15 January 1947, the Herne Bay (Riverwood) Melody Picture Theatre opened on Belmore Road back in the days when all proceeds were donated to Legacy.
The Melody Theatre (right of pic in gallery) was built by Tom Virgona in a paddock on Belmore Road. The suburb was not served by local buses in the early days due to poor roads and there were very few trains which kept people away in wet weather. However, it was very popular because the manager was a passionate movie lover who was very tolerant of children. His theatre was his hobby. At Saturday matinees he encouraged children ‘to come on stage and sing, recite, play or generally raise cain to their own and the audience’s delight’. The picture theatre closed less than 20 years later on 30th January 1965 with the screening of “McHale’s Navy” and “Bullet for a Badman”. The building subsequently demolished and replaced with a supermarket."
Well, crisper before it posted…
Update: 1925
Facebook post with 29 photos credit Richard DuVal. Scroll through to the right.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10223291322565544&set=pcb.5131540600204019