The Playhouse Theatre opened its doors on Christmas Day 1916, and was first managed by L.W. Schultz.
On September 21, 1938, the 1938 Great New England Hurricane struck the northeast, marking the deadliest Northeast/New England hurricane in U.S. history. The Playhouse Theatre did receive damage from the storm. The Playhouse (managed by Ralph S. Gilbert at the time) immediately closed its doors for a time that evening after an elm tree leaned into the theater building’s roof from Category 1 winds, uprooting yards from the sidewalk and battered down a chimney showering tons of bricks and plaster through the roof. At the time of the roof damage although it didn’t receive as much damage as the other areas and states do, 150 people were in the Playhouse at the time getting set to watch Betty Grable’s “Campus Confessions” along with Evelyn Chandler in “Zero Girl”, a novelty, a newsreel, a movie quiz contest snipe, and a special appearance by Hank Luisetti before showing.
The theater reopened shortly afterward but on the morning of April 2, 1939, the Playhouse Theatre once again went into a disaster, this time it was destroyed by a large fire. This came right after the showing of Wallace Beery’s “Sergeant Madden” along with Colonel Stoopnagle’s Cavalade Of Stuff and a newsreel a day prior. Although nobody was killed or injured from the fire, the damage cost an estimate $100,000. Its upcoming showing of Walter Pidgeon’s “Society Lawyer” along with the latest March Of Time reel were forced to be canceled due to the fire.
On June 23, 1939, Gilbert along with operators from the former Playhouse made an appearance at the City Hall’s board of civil authority meeting, and obtained a rebate of $228 on the real estate and personal property under his theater company.
The theater building was immediately remodeled after the fire and after seven months and three days, then-new manager John J. Ford reopened the theater as the renamed Capitol Theatre on November 2, 1939 with the World Premiere of Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in “Rulers Of The Sea” along with an unnamed Donald Duck cartoon and a March Of Time reel.
The Capitol Theatre on February 20, 1981 announced that renovation will take place by Barre’s Paramount Theatre owner Frederick Bashara, who at the time recently twinned the Paramount in Barre. Bashara said that an additional couple of screens will be added to the Capitol in Montpelier. Unfortunately, after its main auditorium was divided, it was first divided into two screens under its “first-phase”. The Capitol Theatre reopened as a twin-screen theater under the name “Capitol Showplace 1 & 2” on July 3, 1981 with “The Four Seasons” at Screen 1 and “Superman II” at Screen 2. Two more screens were added in 1983 bringing a total to four screens and was renamed “Capitol Showplace 1-4”. A fifth screen was added in the mid-to-late 1980s and was once again renamed to “Capitol Showplace 1-5”. In the early-2000s, the theater name was reverted back to its old “Capitol Theatre” name.
Definitely taken on September 22, 1938. I can tell because of the Category 1 damage from the remainings of the 1938 Great New England Hurricane a day prior. The elm tree leaned over the Playhouse’s building destroying its chimney and damaging the roof.
The roof made a rebuilt but it didn’t last long due to the April 1, 1939 fire that gutted the Playhouse in its entirety. The building was remodeled and the former Playhouse reopened under the Capitol Theatre name on November 2, 1939.
The Arlington Drive-In opened its gates by Southwest Theatres on Christmas Eve 1950 with Randolph Scott in “Abilene Town” (unclear if any short subjects were added). The theater originally had a car capacity of 550 but expanded to 600 when it was twinned in late-1968.
Note: The theater was named “Arlington Drive-In” throughout its entire life. There is no sign of the theater’s previous name as just simply “Drive-In”.
The Cinema 1-2 was first operated by Burlington native and longtime Burlington theater operator Merrill G. Jarvis, who was also the supervisor for the SBC chain. At the time the 1-2 was still under construction, Orero J. Bernardini, the longtime owner of the Mountain View Drive-In in Winooski, on April 13, 1970 gave Jarvis and his SBC chain a long-time lease wanting them to operate his drive-in which turned into a successful deal.
The Cinema 1-2 (later 1-2-3) was also notable for its location. The theater is located a few buildings away from Ted Bundy’s childhood home on Shelburne Road, and was the closest movie theater to that significant location.
This first opened as the AMC Lake Square 6 Theatres on May 22, 1981 with the following in screen order: “Four Seasons”, “Friday The 13th Part II”, “Death Hunt”, Walt Disney’s “Amy” and “Alice In Wonderland” reissue, “Goin' Ape”, and “Tess”. The opening of the theater also sponsors a free Los Angeles trip contest sponsored by Orlando’s then-hit music station WBJW-FM (now WOMX-FM) or BJ105 (now Mix 105.1).
In October 1995, six more screens were added bringing a total to 12 screens. It was an AMC theater throughout its entire life.
The Lake Sumter area of Lady Lake didn’t start constructing their project until the Spring of 2004. The Old Mill Playhouse Theatre is one of the first few to construct, and it opened its doors on August 27, 2004.
The Harrison 8 Cinemas is first operated by First International Theatres, who also operated the former Commonwealth/United Artists operated Ozark Mall Twin Cinema at the Ozark Mall Shopping Center (which will have its own Cinema Treasures page soon).
The Grandview II last operated as a twin. The theater closed on September 24, 1987 with “Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs” rerelease and “Fourth Protocol” at Screen 1 and “Tear Away” at Screen 2.
Found it. The Hub Drive-In is located on 100 State Highway 11, Social Circle, GA 30025. Judging from the aerial views, it opened earlier than 1955. It appears operational in 1982 but the screen was removed by 1988 meaning that the theater closed in the mid-1980s.
The 51/16 Drive-In opened its gates on August 15, 1952 with Randolph Scott in “Man In The Saddle” with no extra short subjects. The theater originally had a capacity of 340 cars but was shorten to 316 cars by the start of the 1960s, an original 65ft screen constructed by Reedsburg’s Baumgarten Building Service, and was first operated by F.J. McWilliams under the management of R.D. Hutchings.
The 51/16 closed for the final time on September 25, 1982.
Yet another correction: What I mean is that when the Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas reopened in 2003, it had a mix fare of first-run, independent, and foreign films. Back when the theater was known as the Nickelodeon 6, it only had a first-run fare until its closure in 2003.
The second Autoview Drive-In is a replacement of the first Autoview Drive-In after the first Autoview Drive-In’s screen was destroyed from a large early morning fire on August 31, 1948.
The second Autoview Drive-In opened its gates on April 13, 1950 with Montgomery Clift in “The Heiress” and John Payne in “Captain China” with no extra short subjects, featuring installations of RCA speakers, a 60ft high-tensile steel screen (which is larger than the previous 40x50ft screen that was used in the first Autoview), and ultramodern fireproof equipment. The second Autoview was first managed by former first Autoview operator Frank B. Smith of Tacoma.
Actually, the Auto-View closed for the final time on August 30, 1948 with “A Man In The Iron Mask” and “Gentlemen After Dark” along with a cartoon and a newsreel following a massive early morning fire that destroyed the 40x50ft screen tower the next day estimating $50,000 of damage.
A second Autoview Drive-In would later open almost a year-and-a-half later by former first Autoview operator Frank B. Smith.
Later (and last) operated by Cineplex Odeon after the chain took over SRO in December 1986. It started life as a first-run house but flipped to a discount house during its last couple of years in operation.
The Playhouse Theatre opened its doors on Christmas Day 1916, and was first managed by L.W. Schultz.
On September 21, 1938, the 1938 Great New England Hurricane struck the northeast, marking the deadliest Northeast/New England hurricane in U.S. history. The Playhouse Theatre did receive damage from the storm. The Playhouse (managed by Ralph S. Gilbert at the time) immediately closed its doors for a time that evening after an elm tree leaned into the theater building’s roof from Category 1 winds, uprooting yards from the sidewalk and battered down a chimney showering tons of bricks and plaster through the roof. At the time of the roof damage although it didn’t receive as much damage as the other areas and states do, 150 people were in the Playhouse at the time getting set to watch Betty Grable’s “Campus Confessions” along with Evelyn Chandler in “Zero Girl”, a novelty, a newsreel, a movie quiz contest snipe, and a special appearance by Hank Luisetti before showing.
The theater reopened shortly afterward but on the morning of April 2, 1939, the Playhouse Theatre once again went into a disaster, this time it was destroyed by a large fire. This came right after the showing of Wallace Beery’s “Sergeant Madden” along with Colonel Stoopnagle’s Cavalade Of Stuff and a newsreel a day prior. Although nobody was killed or injured from the fire, the damage cost an estimate $100,000. Its upcoming showing of Walter Pidgeon’s “Society Lawyer” along with the latest March Of Time reel were forced to be canceled due to the fire.
On June 23, 1939, Gilbert along with operators from the former Playhouse made an appearance at the City Hall’s board of civil authority meeting, and obtained a rebate of $228 on the real estate and personal property under his theater company.
The theater building was immediately remodeled after the fire and after seven months and three days, then-new manager John J. Ford reopened the theater as the renamed Capitol Theatre on November 2, 1939 with the World Premiere of Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in “Rulers Of The Sea” along with an unnamed Donald Duck cartoon and a March Of Time reel.
The Capitol Theatre on February 20, 1981 announced that renovation will take place by Barre’s Paramount Theatre owner Frederick Bashara, who at the time recently twinned the Paramount in Barre. Bashara said that an additional couple of screens will be added to the Capitol in Montpelier. Unfortunately, after its main auditorium was divided, it was first divided into two screens under its “first-phase”. The Capitol Theatre reopened as a twin-screen theater under the name “Capitol Showplace 1 & 2” on July 3, 1981 with “The Four Seasons” at Screen 1 and “Superman II” at Screen 2. Two more screens were added in 1983 bringing a total to four screens and was renamed “Capitol Showplace 1-4”. A fifth screen was added in the mid-to-late 1980s and was once again renamed to “Capitol Showplace 1-5”. In the early-2000s, the theater name was reverted back to its old “Capitol Theatre” name.
Definitely taken on September 22, 1938. I can tell because of the Category 1 damage from the remainings of the 1938 Great New England Hurricane a day prior. The elm tree leaned over the Playhouse’s building destroying its chimney and damaging the roof.
The roof made a rebuilt but it didn’t last long due to the April 1, 1939 fire that gutted the Playhouse in its entirety. The building was remodeled and the former Playhouse reopened under the Capitol Theatre name on November 2, 1939.
The Arlington Drive-In opened its gates by Southwest Theatres on Christmas Eve 1950 with Randolph Scott in “Abilene Town” (unclear if any short subjects were added). The theater originally had a car capacity of 550 but expanded to 600 when it was twinned in late-1968.
Note: The theater was named “Arlington Drive-In” throughout its entire life. There is no sign of the theater’s previous name as just simply “Drive-In”.
The Cinema 1-2 was first operated by Burlington native and longtime Burlington theater operator Merrill G. Jarvis, who was also the supervisor for the SBC chain. At the time the 1-2 was still under construction, Orero J. Bernardini, the longtime owner of the Mountain View Drive-In in Winooski, on April 13, 1970 gave Jarvis and his SBC chain a long-time lease wanting them to operate his drive-in which turned into a successful deal.
The Cinema 1-2 (later 1-2-3) was also notable for its location. The theater is located a few buildings away from Ted Bundy’s childhood home on Shelburne Road, and was the closest movie theater to that significant location.
This first opened as the AMC Lake Square 6 Theatres on May 22, 1981 with the following in screen order: “Four Seasons”, “Friday The 13th Part II”, “Death Hunt”, Walt Disney’s “Amy” and “Alice In Wonderland” reissue, “Goin' Ape”, and “Tess”. The opening of the theater also sponsors a free Los Angeles trip contest sponsored by Orlando’s then-hit music station WBJW-FM (now WOMX-FM) or BJ105 (now Mix 105.1).
In October 1995, six more screens were added bringing a total to 12 screens. It was an AMC theater throughout its entire life.
Opened on January 17, 1998.
The Lake Sumter area of Lady Lake didn’t start constructing their project until the Spring of 2004. The Old Mill Playhouse Theatre is one of the first few to construct, and it opened its doors on August 27, 2004.
The picture was from the Orlando Sentinel on that day. The picture of the drive-in was taken at an unknown date.
Closed on January 15, 2001.
Last operated by Carmike for a short period of time, closed on November 12, 1995.
The Harrison 8 Cinemas is first operated by First International Theatres, who also operated the former Commonwealth/United Artists operated Ozark Mall Twin Cinema at the Ozark Mall Shopping Center (which will have its own Cinema Treasures page soon).
Indeed he is!
The Grandview II last operated as a twin. The theater closed on September 24, 1987 with “Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs” rerelease and “Fourth Protocol” at Screen 1 and “Tear Away” at Screen 2.
Closed around 1982, demolished in the mid-to-late-1980s.
Found it. The Hub Drive-In is located on 100 State Highway 11, Social Circle, GA 30025. Judging from the aerial views, it opened earlier than 1955. It appears operational in 1982 but the screen was removed by 1988 meaning that the theater closed in the mid-1980s.
The 51/16 Drive-In opened its gates on August 15, 1952 with Randolph Scott in “Man In The Saddle” with no extra short subjects. The theater originally had a capacity of 340 cars but was shorten to 316 cars by the start of the 1960s, an original 65ft screen constructed by Reedsburg’s Baumgarten Building Service, and was first operated by F.J. McWilliams under the management of R.D. Hutchings.
The 51/16 closed for the final time on September 25, 1982.
Yet another correction: What I mean is that when the Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas reopened in 2003, it had a mix fare of first-run, independent, and foreign films. Back when the theater was known as the Nickelodeon 6, it only had a first-run fare until its closure in 2003.
Closed in August 2010 and later demolished.
It could be.
Opened in September 1994.
The second Autoview Drive-In is a replacement of the first Autoview Drive-In after the first Autoview Drive-In’s screen was destroyed from a large early morning fire on August 31, 1948.
The second Autoview Drive-In opened its gates on April 13, 1950 with Montgomery Clift in “The Heiress” and John Payne in “Captain China” with no extra short subjects, featuring installations of RCA speakers, a 60ft high-tensile steel screen (which is larger than the previous 40x50ft screen that was used in the first Autoview), and ultramodern fireproof equipment. The second Autoview was first managed by former first Autoview operator Frank B. Smith of Tacoma.
The theater closed on September 6, 1986.
Actually, the Auto-View closed for the final time on August 30, 1948 with “A Man In The Iron Mask” and “Gentlemen After Dark” along with a cartoon and a newsreel following a massive early morning fire that destroyed the 40x50ft screen tower the next day estimating $50,000 of damage.
A second Autoview Drive-In would later open almost a year-and-a-half later by former first Autoview operator Frank B. Smith.
Closed on October 5, 2000.
First operated by SRO, later by Cineplex Odeon.
Later (and last) operated by Cineplex Odeon after the chain took over SRO in December 1986. It started life as a first-run house but flipped to a discount house during its last couple of years in operation.