General Cinema opened the Forest Mall Cinema I & II on August 1, 1973 with “Scarecrow” at Screen 1 and “Cahill” at Screen 2. GCC operated the Forest Mall Cinema until Marcus Theatres took it over in 1987.
During construction on December 9, 1927, one of the construction workers (who was identified as Newton Bottomley) fell off a scaffold and suffered a broken shoulder.
The Plaza Theatre opened its doors on February 15, 1928 with George K. Arthur in “The Gingham Girl” along with the short comedy “Oui Oui Heidelberg”, a newsreel, a special local attraction “A Trip Through Burlington”, and special performances by the theater’s orchestra named after the theater itself conducted by assistant manager Harold York (who also plays violin), and Ms. Gladys Krueger on the Brilliantone Barton organ (who also plays the piano in the orchestra). The organ performance was also used in the special local attraction.
On opening day, 6-year-old Charlotte Oberg (the daughter of the theater’s original constructor Mr. F.L. Oberg and his wife), parted the original rich velvet curtains and introduced to Burlington’s mayor at the time, L.A. Forge, who congratulate the owners and managers of the theater, including C.W. Nebel Sr. who was the resident manager, and H.B. Mortimer of Milwaukee who was the secretary-treasurer of Community Theaters Incorporated.
First known as the Empress Theatre, opening in 1912 by William Alderman (who received many headache problems during his routine). It was renamed the Rialto on June 15, 1918 with a showing of Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in “Flirting With Fate” after being taken over by C.J. Kremer who was a young Stanton insurance agent. This was followed by a 1919 remodel which featured new projection. At the time, the theater had a common velvet gold faber canvas screen.
In September 1925 after a lobby and foyer remodel, the Rialto suffered damage from a fire causing closure to the theater for two weeks for remodeling. When talkies first arrived in 1929 at the Rialto, its first equipment didn’t last long when it was replaced in 1933 by its second equipment. The Rialto was remodeled again in November 1942.
It was closed in 1972 (this came right before an unexpected vandalism that took place at the theater) and demolished on January 10, 1973.
Right at the start of the CinemaScope boom comes a miracle. Both the Tivoli Theatre in Hamilton and the Seneca Theatre in Niagara Falls were tied for being the fourth movie house in Ontario to have their CinemaScopes installed, and both theaters ran their first CinemaScope feature on Christmas Day 1953, which is “The Robe”.
The Tivoli originally housed an Ornate Italian Renaissance Scheme before its August 20, 1954 remodel/reopening which turned into a lavish production/tradition. The Tivoli reopened with Dean Martin’s “Living It Up” with no extra short subjects.
Some information about its 1954 remodel features updated traveling lights direct patrons to the focal point of the box office which is an open visual typed face of Swedish pearl granite. The office is lined with maroon vitrolite and stainless steel. The upper structure is armor plate glass with a special glass roof, and the shadow boxes on either side in the outer lobby are trimmed in shaped natural white oak with indirect lighting, stainless steel, and glass facings, and were also conspicuous by mirror-flector down lighting effects. The vestibule floor is in terrazzo with a modern design in red, black, and beige, the walls being real-wood oak Formica, and the front doors are transom are in polished aluminum and plate glass with imported Swedish shepherd’s crook door pulls and pushes. The ceiling is illuminated by a recessed lighting trough with Luminaire fluorescent units combined with circular pot lights. The outer lobby’s color scheme combinations are turquoise and mushroom. In the inner lobby features the attractive schemes of a turquoise ceiling and old rose walls relieved by ivory trim. The ceiling fixtures are in specially cast white plastic and provide indirect lighting as well. This leads through a shaped plaster arch to a large and elaborate lounge area which features a novel real-wood oak Formica with natural oak Formica trim refreshment center. This is accentuated by a floating canopy light fixture over the candy counter, and it is embellished with a background setting in which residents there will see a number of photographic murals of scenic attractions.
A stainless steel railing leads into the main auditorium. With a surprising note, the lounge ceiling was retained in its original green and ivory intrinsic Italian renaissance scheme from its 1924 opening as the Tivoli, along with some wall plaques and cherubic figures. The amphitheater received a major update though but there was a slight change in the color scheme, as its paneled ceiling previously was in a cream and gold color, but in the 1954 remodel it resembles a squared design emphasizing turquoise and highlighted in off-white and gold. Approaching the auditorium are short stairs with a stainless steel railing and at the right is a plant box of gold-flecked black marble. The steps have white rubber nosing which were first developed in Canada and have since became standard equipment in Famous Players theaters at the time. In its original decor, the Tivoli has galleries on either side of busts of the classical poets and playwrights including Shakespeare, Byron, Keats, Shelley, and others. Sadly all of these were no longer seen in the 1954 remodel, but however they are hidden inside the theater somewhere. Each of these artistic alcoves have been faced with specially designed panels of tapestry cloth in a swag design. At intermission, it will be notice that the draw curtains was much different in figured old gold. Then, it will be seen the grandiose candelabra in cast plaster overhead and the complementary white wall brackets. The seats at the time in the auditorium are Kroehler push-back seats.
There are easy elbow-room as you approach the rail of attractive real-wood natural oak Formica facing and mahogany trim. The rail is offset with concealed lighting. The aisle carpeting is a special design in a luminous chevron which averts stumbling by patrons on the way to their seats. The bathrooms are also updated, which off the entrance of the second lobby is mirrors along two walls and it is finished in dusty rose. The cosmetic bar itself featured mirrors on all sides and a padded leatherette for the apron of the bar. Lastly, there used to have a confectionery store in the corner of the theater but that since was gone in the 1954 remodel.
The building was built in 1875 and originally housed a carriage factory before becoming a movie house.
Famous Players closed the Tivoli for the final time on September 28, 1989 with “Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade” in connection of the screen-expansion of the nearby Jackson Square Cinemas.
Opened on April 17, 1922 with Norma Talmadge in “Love’s Redemption” and Buster Keaton in “The Boat” (both features with music by the theater’s orchestra led by J. Hamilton Kerr). It was closed on March 18, 1978.
Back known as the Niagara Square Triple Cinema, it had an original total capacity of 1,025 seats (with 450 seats at Screen 1, 325 seats at Screen 2, and 250 at Screen 3). Screens 1 and 2 featured cushioned velvet upholstered seats. Some original features in the lobby include live plants along with gallery of classic movie stars. The original triplex was first managed by Dave Molnar and the original projectionist is Dave Taylor.
Information about the Seneca as of 1940 goes as follows: The front of the theater featured a gray stone trimmed with a Macotta base in black. On either side of the front of the theater are designs in stone depicting the meeting of the chiefs of the Five Nations. The original marquee is in a design of a streamlined war bonnet illuminated by incandescent and neon lighting. The original lobby has a casted plaster from natural birch bark and is surmounted by a then-modernistic mural painted by one of Canada’s foremost theatrical decorators led by Emmanuel Briffa, and the mural is illuminated by concealed neon tubing. The box office in front of the theater is treated in blue mirror topped with silver plaque and the mirror glass is etched in Indian designs.
There are floor mats by employing the Seneca “Hospitality Belt of Welcome” in a pattern. Shown at the left are the designs depicting the “Calling Of The Tribe”, the “Treaty Belt”, and the “Hospitality” belt, which are combined in the floor covering design. The lobby floor is covered in Roman Travertine Marble. Entering the theater auditorium featured a surprising feature where the patron first sees the beautiful Indian fireplace which rises to the ceiling. It is decorated with mirrors skillfully illuminated by concealed lights and flanked by carved feathers, tomahawks, and other Indian designs in plaster. Extending from either side of the fireplace are standee rails of plate glass which act as a break against draughts and outside sound. The air-conditioning system features a complete change of air every 90 seconds with 60,000 cubic feet of fresh water-washed and filtered air being constantly forced through many outlets into the theater.
The Seneca Theatre is the first movie house in Canada to have blacklights. The side wall lighting consists of 18 plaques designed in the shape of Seneca masks. These are circled by ultra-violent ray tubing giving the plaques a glowing fluorescent light. The ceiling is indirectly lighted by fixtures which are built into the ceiling itself and both fluorescent and incandescent lighting are employed. The front row is very unusual with the arranged seating known as the “front row vision”. This means that every patron will have an unobstructed view of the entire screen at all times no matter where you are seating. This was accomplished by grading the floor to a fixed position of the screen there by giving each person clear light over the person directly in front of him. The result is the semi-reserved of the floor slope toward the stage and a minimum angle from seats closer to the screen. The carpeting of the theater was also very dazzling with a copy of the “To-Ta-Da-Ho Belt” leading a colorful and attractive touch to the decorative scheme of the theater.
Inside the auditorium featured are rows of green restful streamlined 42-springed seats. The exit doors featured two large replicas of the “Door Keeper’s or Medicine Man’s Masks” of the Seneca Indians. These masks are 9x5ft wide and especially illuminated. The wall plaques alternate in two designs, one of which are exact duplicate of the “Door Keeper’s or Medicine Man’s Masks” and the other is the Charm or “Gah-Gonh-Sah Mask”. A dazzling curtain design was made of green velour fringed with rawhide thong with two Seneca symbols reproduced at the base. The first is a copy of the “Hiawatha Belt” worked in gold (which was the Great Council Belt of the Five Nations commemorating the founding of the League of the Iroquois). Each square represents a nation and the heart of the center of the Onondaga. Beneath this also has a running full-width of the curtain which is the “George Washington Covenant Belt” (the symbolic of the peace treaty between both the Indians and the United States during Washington’s presidency).
On opening night, then-Mayor George R. Inglis (along with his wife), Famous Players president Mr. L. Nathanson, delivered a special announcement before the cutting of the ribbon featuring a pair of silver scissors handed by Dorothy Hawkins. Other speakers also include W.L. Houck and Dr. A.B. Whytock. The Seneca was first managed by Jack V. Ward.
This was generically known as the “Northern Lights Family Entertainment Center Cinemas” (or simply “Northern Lights Cinema”). When the cinema first opened its doors on August 1, 2000, it started life as a single-screener. But after a few months, it was twinned in November 2000 allowing for a wider selection. The theater originally has a total capacity of 244 seats (with 122 seats in each auditorium) but was downgraded over time to 218 seats (with 109 in each auditorium). Both screens featured installations of stereo sound. On January 2, 2001, the theater had its first sell-out since its grand opening.
The theater closed for the final time during the first week of September 2003.
The Center Theatre opened its doors on June 13, 1940 with a one-day showing of Ray Milland in “The Doctor Takes A Wife” along with a couple of short subjects (including a soundie on Vincent Lopez and his Orchestra), with an original capacity of 600 seats.
The Plaza closed in 1998 and was converted into an Ames for a short period of time. The Ames closed less than a year later, and Kmart occupied the former location.
The Kmart opened on March 15, 2000 marking the last of the ten Kmarts to open in the city of Chicago, but the Kmart only operated for a little more than three years as it was then closed on April 13, 2003.
The Opera House took two years to construct between 1890 and 1892. The original opera house was constructed in red brick with a wooden-built clock tower. The tower extends from the ground level to a heigh of some 90ft and the huge clock with four faces (one in each direction) featured an 1890-built brass bell cast by the McShane Bell Foundry of Baltimore, Maryland. The Seymour Opera House was renamed the Majestic Theatre in 1908.
During the vaudeville and early movie heyday, Mr. and Mrs. Walter W. Eagleston became prominent names in the Illinois theater business. The Eaglestons bought the Majestic Theatre in early-1911.
Right after the Majestic Theatre closed for the final time in July 1966, the theater businesses in Seymour received struggles. The only indoor theater remaining, the Vondee Theatre, was a seasonal-only theater from October to April at the time (which began doing that in 1959), while the Stardust was the theater for April to October. People who want to watch movies indoors must head to Columbus for a time. That all changed when the Vondee Theatre reopened back as an all-season indoor theater on October 4, 1967.
General Cinema opened the Forest Mall Cinema I & II on August 1, 1973 with “Scarecrow” at Screen 1 and “Cahill” at Screen 2. GCC operated the Forest Mall Cinema until Marcus Theatres took it over in 1987.
Functions Update: Classics films are also presented.
The Plaza Theatre’s current marquee was erected in September 1953.
During construction on December 9, 1927, one of the construction workers (who was identified as Newton Bottomley) fell off a scaffold and suffered a broken shoulder.
The Plaza Theatre opened its doors on February 15, 1928 with George K. Arthur in “The Gingham Girl” along with the short comedy “Oui Oui Heidelberg”, a newsreel, a special local attraction “A Trip Through Burlington”, and special performances by the theater’s orchestra named after the theater itself conducted by assistant manager Harold York (who also plays violin), and Ms. Gladys Krueger on the Brilliantone Barton organ (who also plays the piano in the orchestra). The organ performance was also used in the special local attraction.
First known as the Marcus Twin Cinemas.
June 7, 1984, I think.
Closed on September 4, 1986 with “Bullies”.
Closed on January 18, 2001.
Closed on October 7, 1984 with “Private School” and “Conan The Destroyer”.
Opened as Gem in October 1917, renamed Traill in October 1941. Still operating in the mid-1960s, but closing date has not been found yet.
The marquee shown here was erected in October 1941.
First known as the Empress Theatre, opening in 1912 by William Alderman (who received many headache problems during his routine). It was renamed the Rialto on June 15, 1918 with a showing of Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in “Flirting With Fate” after being taken over by C.J. Kremer who was a young Stanton insurance agent. This was followed by a 1919 remodel which featured new projection. At the time, the theater had a common velvet gold faber canvas screen.
In September 1925 after a lobby and foyer remodel, the Rialto suffered damage from a fire causing closure to the theater for two weeks for remodeling. When talkies first arrived in 1929 at the Rialto, its first equipment didn’t last long when it was replaced in 1933 by its second equipment. The Rialto was remodeled again in November 1942.
It was closed in 1972 (this came right before an unexpected vandalism that took place at the theater) and demolished on January 10, 1973.
The Imperial was also the first movie house in Canada to have CinemaScope on October 23, 1953.
Right at the start of the CinemaScope boom comes a miracle. Both the Tivoli Theatre in Hamilton and the Seneca Theatre in Niagara Falls were tied for being the fourth movie house in Ontario to have their CinemaScopes installed, and both theaters ran their first CinemaScope feature on Christmas Day 1953, which is “The Robe”.
The Tivoli originally housed an Ornate Italian Renaissance Scheme before its August 20, 1954 remodel/reopening which turned into a lavish production/tradition. The Tivoli reopened with Dean Martin’s “Living It Up” with no extra short subjects.
Some information about its 1954 remodel features updated traveling lights direct patrons to the focal point of the box office which is an open visual typed face of Swedish pearl granite. The office is lined with maroon vitrolite and stainless steel. The upper structure is armor plate glass with a special glass roof, and the shadow boxes on either side in the outer lobby are trimmed in shaped natural white oak with indirect lighting, stainless steel, and glass facings, and were also conspicuous by mirror-flector down lighting effects. The vestibule floor is in terrazzo with a modern design in red, black, and beige, the walls being real-wood oak Formica, and the front doors are transom are in polished aluminum and plate glass with imported Swedish shepherd’s crook door pulls and pushes. The ceiling is illuminated by a recessed lighting trough with Luminaire fluorescent units combined with circular pot lights. The outer lobby’s color scheme combinations are turquoise and mushroom. In the inner lobby features the attractive schemes of a turquoise ceiling and old rose walls relieved by ivory trim. The ceiling fixtures are in specially cast white plastic and provide indirect lighting as well. This leads through a shaped plaster arch to a large and elaborate lounge area which features a novel real-wood oak Formica with natural oak Formica trim refreshment center. This is accentuated by a floating canopy light fixture over the candy counter, and it is embellished with a background setting in which residents there will see a number of photographic murals of scenic attractions.
A stainless steel railing leads into the main auditorium. With a surprising note, the lounge ceiling was retained in its original green and ivory intrinsic Italian renaissance scheme from its 1924 opening as the Tivoli, along with some wall plaques and cherubic figures. The amphitheater received a major update though but there was a slight change in the color scheme, as its paneled ceiling previously was in a cream and gold color, but in the 1954 remodel it resembles a squared design emphasizing turquoise and highlighted in off-white and gold. Approaching the auditorium are short stairs with a stainless steel railing and at the right is a plant box of gold-flecked black marble. The steps have white rubber nosing which were first developed in Canada and have since became standard equipment in Famous Players theaters at the time. In its original decor, the Tivoli has galleries on either side of busts of the classical poets and playwrights including Shakespeare, Byron, Keats, Shelley, and others. Sadly all of these were no longer seen in the 1954 remodel, but however they are hidden inside the theater somewhere. Each of these artistic alcoves have been faced with specially designed panels of tapestry cloth in a swag design. At intermission, it will be notice that the draw curtains was much different in figured old gold. Then, it will be seen the grandiose candelabra in cast plaster overhead and the complementary white wall brackets. The seats at the time in the auditorium are Kroehler push-back seats.
There are easy elbow-room as you approach the rail of attractive real-wood natural oak Formica facing and mahogany trim. The rail is offset with concealed lighting. The aisle carpeting is a special design in a luminous chevron which averts stumbling by patrons on the way to their seats. The bathrooms are also updated, which off the entrance of the second lobby is mirrors along two walls and it is finished in dusty rose. The cosmetic bar itself featured mirrors on all sides and a padded leatherette for the apron of the bar. Lastly, there used to have a confectionery store in the corner of the theater but that since was gone in the 1954 remodel.
The building was built in 1875 and originally housed a carriage factory before becoming a movie house.
Famous Players closed the Tivoli for the final time on September 28, 1989 with “Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade” in connection of the screen-expansion of the nearby Jackson Square Cinemas.
Expanded to six on September 29, 1989. The expansion caused the closure of the downtown Tivoli Theatre.
It’s on the ad, but was listed in the text section.
Opened on April 17, 1922 with Norma Talmadge in “Love’s Redemption” and Buster Keaton in “The Boat” (both features with music by the theater’s orchestra led by J. Hamilton Kerr). It was closed on March 18, 1978.
Back known as the Niagara Square Triple Cinema, it had an original total capacity of 1,025 seats (with 450 seats at Screen 1, 325 seats at Screen 2, and 250 at Screen 3). Screens 1 and 2 featured cushioned velvet upholstered seats. Some original features in the lobby include live plants along with gallery of classic movie stars. The original triplex was first managed by Dave Molnar and the original projectionist is Dave Taylor.
Information about the Seneca as of 1940 goes as follows: The front of the theater featured a gray stone trimmed with a Macotta base in black. On either side of the front of the theater are designs in stone depicting the meeting of the chiefs of the Five Nations. The original marquee is in a design of a streamlined war bonnet illuminated by incandescent and neon lighting. The original lobby has a casted plaster from natural birch bark and is surmounted by a then-modernistic mural painted by one of Canada’s foremost theatrical decorators led by Emmanuel Briffa, and the mural is illuminated by concealed neon tubing. The box office in front of the theater is treated in blue mirror topped with silver plaque and the mirror glass is etched in Indian designs.
There are floor mats by employing the Seneca “Hospitality Belt of Welcome” in a pattern. Shown at the left are the designs depicting the “Calling Of The Tribe”, the “Treaty Belt”, and the “Hospitality” belt, which are combined in the floor covering design. The lobby floor is covered in Roman Travertine Marble. Entering the theater auditorium featured a surprising feature where the patron first sees the beautiful Indian fireplace which rises to the ceiling. It is decorated with mirrors skillfully illuminated by concealed lights and flanked by carved feathers, tomahawks, and other Indian designs in plaster. Extending from either side of the fireplace are standee rails of plate glass which act as a break against draughts and outside sound. The air-conditioning system features a complete change of air every 90 seconds with 60,000 cubic feet of fresh water-washed and filtered air being constantly forced through many outlets into the theater.
The Seneca Theatre is the first movie house in Canada to have blacklights. The side wall lighting consists of 18 plaques designed in the shape of Seneca masks. These are circled by ultra-violent ray tubing giving the plaques a glowing fluorescent light. The ceiling is indirectly lighted by fixtures which are built into the ceiling itself and both fluorescent and incandescent lighting are employed. The front row is very unusual with the arranged seating known as the “front row vision”. This means that every patron will have an unobstructed view of the entire screen at all times no matter where you are seating. This was accomplished by grading the floor to a fixed position of the screen there by giving each person clear light over the person directly in front of him. The result is the semi-reserved of the floor slope toward the stage and a minimum angle from seats closer to the screen. The carpeting of the theater was also very dazzling with a copy of the “To-Ta-Da-Ho Belt” leading a colorful and attractive touch to the decorative scheme of the theater.
Inside the auditorium featured are rows of green restful streamlined 42-springed seats. The exit doors featured two large replicas of the “Door Keeper’s or Medicine Man’s Masks” of the Seneca Indians. These masks are 9x5ft wide and especially illuminated. The wall plaques alternate in two designs, one of which are exact duplicate of the “Door Keeper’s or Medicine Man’s Masks” and the other is the Charm or “Gah-Gonh-Sah Mask”. A dazzling curtain design was made of green velour fringed with rawhide thong with two Seneca symbols reproduced at the base. The first is a copy of the “Hiawatha Belt” worked in gold (which was the Great Council Belt of the Five Nations commemorating the founding of the League of the Iroquois). Each square represents a nation and the heart of the center of the Onondaga. Beneath this also has a running full-width of the curtain which is the “George Washington Covenant Belt” (the symbolic of the peace treaty between both the Indians and the United States during Washington’s presidency).
On opening night, then-Mayor George R. Inglis (along with his wife), Famous Players president Mr. L. Nathanson, delivered a special announcement before the cutting of the ribbon featuring a pair of silver scissors handed by Dorothy Hawkins. Other speakers also include W.L. Houck and Dr. A.B. Whytock. The Seneca was first managed by Jack V. Ward.
This was generically known as the “Northern Lights Family Entertainment Center Cinemas” (or simply “Northern Lights Cinema”). When the cinema first opened its doors on August 1, 2000, it started life as a single-screener. But after a few months, it was twinned in November 2000 allowing for a wider selection. The theater originally has a total capacity of 244 seats (with 122 seats in each auditorium) but was downgraded over time to 218 seats (with 109 in each auditorium). Both screens featured installations of stereo sound. On January 2, 2001, the theater had its first sell-out since its grand opening.
The theater closed for the final time during the first week of September 2003.
The Center Theatre opened its doors on June 13, 1940 with a one-day showing of Ray Milland in “The Doctor Takes A Wife” along with a couple of short subjects (including a soundie on Vincent Lopez and his Orchestra), with an original capacity of 600 seats.
Correction: The event lasted for two weeks, not one.
The Plaza closed in 1998 and was converted into an Ames for a short period of time. The Ames closed less than a year later, and Kmart occupied the former location.
The Kmart opened on March 15, 2000 marking the last of the ten Kmarts to open in the city of Chicago, but the Kmart only operated for a little more than three years as it was then closed on April 13, 2003.
The Opera House took two years to construct between 1890 and 1892. The original opera house was constructed in red brick with a wooden-built clock tower. The tower extends from the ground level to a heigh of some 90ft and the huge clock with four faces (one in each direction) featured an 1890-built brass bell cast by the McShane Bell Foundry of Baltimore, Maryland. The Seymour Opera House was renamed the Majestic Theatre in 1908.
During the vaudeville and early movie heyday, Mr. and Mrs. Walter W. Eagleston became prominent names in the Illinois theater business. The Eaglestons bought the Majestic Theatre in early-1911.
Right after the Majestic Theatre closed for the final time in July 1966, the theater businesses in Seymour received struggles. The only indoor theater remaining, the Vondee Theatre, was a seasonal-only theater from October to April at the time (which began doing that in 1959), while the Stardust was the theater for April to October. People who want to watch movies indoors must head to Columbus for a time. That all changed when the Vondee Theatre reopened back as an all-season indoor theater on October 4, 1967.