The original Midway Palace Cinema started life as a single-screener in June 1965, twinned in 1971, and slowly grew into a five-screener within months in the late-1970s and early-1980s (and yes it did once operate as both a triplex and a quad beforehand). A sixth screen was added in the mid-1980s followed by a seventh screen a short time later.
There is also another twin-screen theater nearby called the Rehoboth Twin Cinemas, which opened after the Midway’s Drive-In’s end, and the twin-screen theater was very short-lived, closing in January 1987.
I found the theater but unfortunately it didn’t gave me an address. The theater is on Highway 74 but the closest address I can put out to Google is south of 19861 Old Lumberton Rd.
The drive-in appears to be closed in the late-1960s, as a 1971 aerial view shows the theater appearing to be closed due to its traces starting to fade.
Both 1956 and 1957 aerial views show the theater operating in its entirety, meaning that the Madison Drive-In probably opened sometime in the early-1950s.
The Eaco Theatre opened its doors on April 17, 1922 with Constance Talmadge in “Woman’s Place” and John Gilbert in “Shame” along with short addresses before both shows, and was first managed by L.D. Whitaker.
The Cort Theater closed on January 22, 1984 with “D.C. Cab” and was demolished on August 12, 1986.
NOTE: It did close because of the rise of multiplex theaters and television, but it was not the Bridgewater Commons Cinemas who closed it because Bridgewater’s seven-screener didn’t exist yet at the time. However, the popularity of both the Somerville Drive-In and the GCC Somerville Circle Triplex nearby probably might’ve caused the Cort Theatre’s closure.
The Cinema 9 first started life as a first-run mainstream theater until 1981 when the theater went dark for more than a year.
The Cinema 9 relaunched again back as a mainstream theater the following year but only for a very short stint before briefly closing again after its August 3, 1982 showing of “Star Trek II”. The Cinema 9 reopened as a X-rated house two weeks later.
The Brook Theater closed as a first-run movie theater on November 2, 1986 with “Nothing In Common” due to a one-month renovation which led to a reopening as a performing arts house the following month.
Kenmore, I need your help here. Do you think the Lakeside and the Wonderland are both the same drive-in?
The opposite side of 5028 Burwell Road, Webster, FL 33597 appears to show the Wonderland in two aerial views from 1957 and 1958 but was gone by 1960. Earlier today, I read an advertisement from the Lakeside that said that the theater was located three miles north on County Road 575 which immediately targets the same theater.
The 2,000-seat Airdome opened its gates on May 25, 1909 with a live presentation of “A Dangerous Friend”. It was originally scheduled for open one day before but was postponed due to both severe weather and electric fixture delays. It was originally operated by Grand Opera House manager A.R. Waterman.
The actual opening date is June 9, 1924 with Lloyd Hughes in “Judgement Of The Storm” along with five acts of vaudeville by the Junior Orpheum circuit.
Fact: Both the New Grand Theatre and the Ferris Grand Opera House ended its operations with a fire destruction within 11 years, three months, and ten days apart.
The Princess Theatre opened its doors on October 10, 1912 with a live presentation of “The City” (which previously had its long-run engagement in both New York and Chicago at the time), and was renamed the Chief Theatre on August 20, 1949.
The Chief Theatre name came very unexpectedly from local resident John K. Lorenz when he received a whole shoe box filled with letters during a free theater naming contest that was held between July 30 and August 6, 1949. Some other people submitted other names but was unlisted. At the time, the theater was operated by H.S. (Doc) Twedt.
The Chief Theatre closed as a movie house in the mid-1980s, and was then bought out by the Britt Chamber of Commerce following renovation in August 1988.
First known as Plaza Theatre, later the State Theatre, and finally the Strand Theater since July 30, 1931. The Strand Theatre last operated as a weekend-only theater before closure in the mid-to-late-1960s.
The original Midway Palace Cinema started life as a single-screener in June 1965, twinned in 1971, and slowly grew into a five-screener within months in the late-1970s and early-1980s (and yes it did once operate as both a triplex and a quad beforehand). A sixth screen was added in the mid-1980s followed by a seventh screen a short time later.
There is also another twin-screen theater nearby called the Rehoboth Twin Cinemas, which opened after the Midway’s Drive-In’s end, and the twin-screen theater was very short-lived, closing in January 1987.
Opened on July 15, 1977.
I found the theater but unfortunately it didn’t gave me an address. The theater is on Highway 74 but the closest address I can put out to Google is south of 19861 Old Lumberton Rd.
The drive-in appears to be closed in the late-1960s, as a 1971 aerial view shows the theater appearing to be closed due to its traces starting to fade.
Once operated by Esquire Theatres of America, last operated by CinemaNational.
Last operated by Regal.
Both 1956 and 1957 aerial views show the theater operating in its entirety, meaning that the Madison Drive-In probably opened sometime in the early-1950s.
I’m very sure that the car capacity is truly around 120 cars.
Destroyed by fire on August 2, 1945 that also injured a 53-year-old man, later rebuilt.
Opened on September 12, 1986.
The Eaco Theatre opened its doors on April 17, 1922 with Constance Talmadge in “Woman’s Place” and John Gilbert in “Shame” along with short addresses before both shows, and was first managed by L.D. Whitaker.
The Cort Theater closed on January 22, 1984 with “D.C. Cab” and was demolished on August 12, 1986.
The Cinema 9 first started life as a first-run mainstream theater until 1981 when the theater went dark for more than a year.
The Cinema 9 relaunched again back as a mainstream theater the following year but only for a very short stint before briefly closing again after its August 3, 1982 showing of “Star Trek II”. The Cinema 9 reopened as a X-rated house two weeks later.
Opened on May 14, 1999.
The Brook Theater closed as a first-run movie theater on November 2, 1986 with “Nothing In Common” due to a one-month renovation which led to a reopening as a performing arts house the following month.
Kenmore, I need your help here. Do you think the Lakeside and the Wonderland are both the same drive-in?
The opposite side of 5028 Burwell Road, Webster, FL 33597 appears to show the Wonderland in two aerial views from 1957 and 1958 but was gone by 1960. Earlier today, I read an advertisement from the Lakeside that said that the theater was located three miles north on County Road 575 which immediately targets the same theater.
The Grand Theatre actually closed as a movie house in the early-1980s, not 1957.
Originally housed 450 seats.
The 2,000-seat Airdome opened its gates on May 25, 1909 with a live presentation of “A Dangerous Friend”. It was originally scheduled for open one day before but was postponed due to both severe weather and electric fixture delays. It was originally operated by Grand Opera House manager A.R. Waterman.
It was closed in September 1916.
The actual opening date is June 9, 1924 with Lloyd Hughes in “Judgement Of The Storm” along with five acts of vaudeville by the Junior Orpheum circuit.
Still operating in the 1980s, but was gone by the 1990s.
I’m very sure it was the last drive-in theater to open before the death of the war.
Still open in the 1980s, but was gone by the 1990s.
The Princess Theatre opened its doors on October 10, 1912 with a live presentation of “The City” (which previously had its long-run engagement in both New York and Chicago at the time), and was renamed the Chief Theatre on August 20, 1949.
The Chief Theatre closed as a movie house in the mid-1980s, and was then bought out by the Britt Chamber of Commerce following renovation in August 1988.
First known as Plaza Theatre, later the State Theatre, and finally the Strand Theater since July 30, 1931. The Strand Theatre last operated as a weekend-only theater before closure in the mid-to-late-1960s.
Good news is that the tornado didn’t hit downtown. It was southwest of it.