There are two Mooreland Theatres in its history. The first Mooreland Theatre opened its doors on March 13, 1936 with Ross Alexander in “Boulder Dam” along with an unnamed comedy and novelty, but that was closed in January 1941 when it was purchased by the undersigned and became a drug store.
The second Mooreland Theatre was built next door to the drug store that was once the first Mooreland Theatre. It first had a soft opening on February 8, 1946, followed by an official grand opening two days later on February 10, 1946 with Jack Haley in “Sing Your Way Home” (unknown if extras added).
Information about the Mooreland Theatre as of 1946 goes as follows: The theater was built with an estimate $20,000 in construction. The front of the building was finished in tan colored tile laid up in 4in squares with light brown border of the same material, blending into the tan colored face brick above with an marquee over the entrance. That was also decorated with a face brick of brown. The ticket booth reaches out in the center of the entrance vestibule and double entrance leading in on either side to the spacious foyer or lobby. Two doors then lead into the auditorium. The entrance outside the ticket booth is laid with tile flooring with the two walls curving from the two sides to the recessed front doors on either side. One steps from the tile floor into the rich green rug of the lobby. Comfort facilities at the lobby include a men’s bathroom on the left and the women’s lounge and bathroom on the right. There are also drinking fountains placed at the left wall of the lobby.
Inside the auditorium features heavily draped entrances leading to the double aisles, and seating arrangements are made up with the center section with staggering chair placement. There is a side section in both directions (left and right) placed on an angle making less interference with screen vision from the patron ahead. The seats are shaped and cushioned in green leather upholstery mounted on the sloping auditorium floor of the correct slope to make for comfort in viewing the 11x14ft Valencia-shielded silver screen. The entire interior is finished in modernistic design with the base of the walls in deep green coloring blending in to lighter and lighter hues until melting away into the ivory ceiling. Silver strips separate the various blends of green. A rainbow type lighting indirects of light diffusion. The gallery which featured a 10x12ft projection booth with Century projection, a spacious office room, and storage room is fireproof-built.
The Royal Theatre opened its doors on September 8, 1933 with Lionel Barrymore in “Strangers Return” along with an unnamed Little Rascals short, and was first managed by L.L. Shaw Jr.
The Gem Theatre opened in 1914 and closed around 1930. The Gem then sat abandoned for more than a decade until it was renovated in mid-1943. It reopened in September of that same year by manager Joe Toma, and closed around 1949 (possibly due to the opening of the nearby Franroy Theatre).
The Alamo Theatre opened its doors on June 24, 1937 with the Marx Brothers in “A Day At The Races” (unknown if extras added), featuring Simplex projection and a Universal sound system. The building measures 40x110ft with the stage 20x40ft, and originally housed 380 seats when it opened.
The Lyric Theatre opened its doors on June 12, 1920 with Wallace Reid in “The Valley Of The Giants” and Fatty Arbuckle in “The Butcher’s Boy” along with a light show and music by a six-piece orchestra. Otherwise, unknown if any extras added. It was first managed by John Bartholomew.
The Fort Union Drive-In opened its gates on May 20, 1960 with Robert Taylor in “Killers of Kilimanjaro” and Audie Murphy in “No Name On The Bullet” (unknown if extras added).
I cannot find a single grand opening advertisement, but there was a surviving photo with a shot of both the marquee and sign taken around a day or two before grand opening.
The Northfield Cinemas opened its doors on Christmas Eve 1969 with “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” in Screen 1 and “The Reivers” in Screen 2.
Toby is 100% correct on its early ownership, because in its early years, the Northfield was a Cinemette theater for several years, and then it became independently-operated afterward. The Northfield Cinema closed for the final time in May 1999 due to the popularity over the nearby Cinemark as well as the Northfield Cinema’s building being worn-out.
It first opened with an unknown Hollywood sneak preview, but its first attraction was the following day with Bing Crosby in “Emperor Waltz” along with an unnamed Popeye, an unnamed Screen Song, and an unnamed musical short.
That abandoned building used to be a Walmart which opened on October 29, 1996 and closed on April 16, 2007 due to a Supercenter relocation. The original location later reopened a couple months later as The Fixture Place but that was closed by the end of the year.
I think operating a drive-in theater at a parking lot leading to an abandoned ex-Walmart building is both ridiculous and completely stupid at the same time.
The Sanyukan was renamed the Nikkatsukan in 1938, and was renamed the “Toho Plaza” in 1975 when it began screening under the Toho’s foreign film policy. It was twinned on March 26, 1981, and closed on August 31, 2011.
After its closure, the basement became a live music venue named the Messe Hall on site of the former Screen 2. That was renamed the BFH Hall on January 1, 2017. On July 22, 2020, a four-screen movie theater called the Satsugeki opened on the former site of the Toho Plaza.
The Super Twin Drive-Ins opened its gates on June 8, 1973 with “Shamus” and “Stand Up To Be Counted” in Screen 1 and “The Valachi Papers” and “The Burglars” in Screen 2.
The Super Twin housed 900 cars (with 450 in each screen), and featured RCA projection with 6,000-foot reels and X6000 Xenon lamps as well as a red and blue color scheme for both screens (red for Screen 1 and blue for Screen 2). It was first managed Les Hagwood who was also the former staff technician for then-primary CBS (now ABC) affiliate WTOK-TV in Meridian, Mississippi.
The main screen was blown by Hurricane Frederick on September 12, 1979, while the second screen survived the scenario. I’m very sure it closed afterward.
There are two Mooreland Theatres in its history. The first Mooreland Theatre opened its doors on March 13, 1936 with Ross Alexander in “Boulder Dam” along with an unnamed comedy and novelty, but that was closed in January 1941 when it was purchased by the undersigned and became a drug store.
The second Mooreland Theatre was built next door to the drug store that was once the first Mooreland Theatre. It first had a soft opening on February 8, 1946, followed by an official grand opening two days later on February 10, 1946 with Jack Haley in “Sing Your Way Home” (unknown if extras added).
Information about the Mooreland Theatre as of 1946 goes as follows: The theater was built with an estimate $20,000 in construction. The front of the building was finished in tan colored tile laid up in 4in squares with light brown border of the same material, blending into the tan colored face brick above with an marquee over the entrance. That was also decorated with a face brick of brown. The ticket booth reaches out in the center of the entrance vestibule and double entrance leading in on either side to the spacious foyer or lobby. Two doors then lead into the auditorium. The entrance outside the ticket booth is laid with tile flooring with the two walls curving from the two sides to the recessed front doors on either side. One steps from the tile floor into the rich green rug of the lobby. Comfort facilities at the lobby include a men’s bathroom on the left and the women’s lounge and bathroom on the right. There are also drinking fountains placed at the left wall of the lobby.
Inside the auditorium features heavily draped entrances leading to the double aisles, and seating arrangements are made up with the center section with staggering chair placement. There is a side section in both directions (left and right) placed on an angle making less interference with screen vision from the patron ahead. The seats are shaped and cushioned in green leather upholstery mounted on the sloping auditorium floor of the correct slope to make for comfort in viewing the 11x14ft Valencia-shielded silver screen. The entire interior is finished in modernistic design with the base of the walls in deep green coloring blending in to lighter and lighter hues until melting away into the ivory ceiling. Silver strips separate the various blends of green. A rainbow type lighting indirects of light diffusion. The gallery which featured a 10x12ft projection booth with Century projection, a spacious office room, and storage room is fireproof-built.
This started life as the Folly Theatre as early as the 1920s, and was renamed the Rex Theatre in February 1939.
The Blue Moon Theatre opened its doors on June 29, 1934 with ZaSu Pitts in “Private Scandal” along with an unnamed Popeye and an unnamed comedy.
The Royal Theatre opened its doors on September 8, 1933 with Lionel Barrymore in “Strangers Return” along with an unnamed Little Rascals short, and was first managed by L.L. Shaw Jr.
The Gem Theatre opened in 1914 and closed around 1930. The Gem then sat abandoned for more than a decade until it was renovated in mid-1943. It reopened in September of that same year by manager Joe Toma, and closed around 1949 (possibly due to the opening of the nearby Franroy Theatre).
Opened in the late-1940s.
The Alamo Theatre opened its doors on June 24, 1937 with the Marx Brothers in “A Day At The Races” (unknown if extras added), featuring Simplex projection and a Universal sound system. The building measures 40x110ft with the stage 20x40ft, and originally housed 380 seats when it opened.
The Lyric Theatre opened its doors on June 12, 1920 with Wallace Reid in “The Valley Of The Giants” and Fatty Arbuckle in “The Butcher’s Boy” along with a light show and music by a six-piece orchestra. Otherwise, unknown if any extras added. It was first managed by John Bartholomew.
Closed in May 1966.
Opened by National Theatre Corp on December 10, 1982.
Wow, I wonder what MGM technicolor movie they’re showing that day.
The Fort Union Drive-In opened its gates on May 20, 1960 with Robert Taylor in “Killers of Kilimanjaro” and Audie Murphy in “No Name On The Bullet” (unknown if extras added).
Is that Madison Skyway sign marquee located inside the Mentor Twin’s concession building?
The Stillwell Theatre opened its doors on March 5, 1942 with Jimmy Durante in “You’re In The Army Now” (unknown if extras added).
Opened either in or around Spring 1915.
I’m very sure that’s probably one of the smallest continuously-operating first-run movie houses in America.
The Northfield Cinemas opened its doors on Christmas Eve 1969 with “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” in Screen 1 and “The Reivers” in Screen 2.
Toby is 100% correct on its early ownership, because in its early years, the Northfield was a Cinemette theater for several years, and then it became independently-operated afterward. The Northfield Cinema closed for the final time in May 1999 due to the popularity over the nearby Cinemark as well as the Northfield Cinema’s building being worn-out.
It first opened with an unknown Hollywood sneak preview, but its first attraction was the following day with Bing Crosby in “Emperor Waltz” along with an unnamed Popeye, an unnamed Screen Song, and an unnamed musical short.
Opened on September 20, 1996.
Ex-Walmart building (1996-2007)
That abandoned building used to be a Walmart which opened on October 29, 1996 and closed on April 16, 2007 due to a Supercenter relocation. The original location later reopened a couple months later as The Fixture Place but that was closed by the end of the year.
I think operating a drive-in theater at a parking lot leading to an abandoned ex-Walmart building is both ridiculous and completely stupid at the same time.
The Sanyukan was renamed the Nikkatsukan in 1938, and was renamed the “Toho Plaza” in 1975 when it began screening under the Toho’s foreign film policy. It was twinned on March 26, 1981, and closed on August 31, 2011.
After its closure, the basement became a live music venue named the Messe Hall on site of the former Screen 2. That was renamed the BFH Hall on January 1, 2017. On July 22, 2020, a four-screen movie theater called the Satsugeki opened on the former site of the Toho Plaza.
The Super Twin Drive-Ins opened its gates on June 8, 1973 with “Shamus” and “Stand Up To Be Counted” in Screen 1 and “The Valachi Papers” and “The Burglars” in Screen 2.
The Super Twin housed 900 cars (with 450 in each screen), and featured RCA projection with 6,000-foot reels and X6000 Xenon lamps as well as a red and blue color scheme for both screens (red for Screen 1 and blue for Screen 2). It was first managed Les Hagwood who was also the former staff technician for then-primary CBS (now ABC) affiliate WTOK-TV in Meridian, Mississippi.
The main screen was blown by Hurricane Frederick on September 12, 1979, while the second screen survived the scenario. I’m very sure it closed afterward.
This closed in the 1990s (the theater name was still used in 1998 but was unconfirmed if it was opened at the time or not).
For a brief time, it became the Norris Performing Arts Center but that closed in the early-2010s.