The Capitol Theatre opened with Shirley Temple in “Our Little Girl” (unknown if any extra short subjects were added).
Information about the Capitol as of 1935 goes as follows: Throughout the entire building interior features lounging rooms for both genders. The lounging room for men featured glowing hunting reds with red furniture, while the lounging room for women features delicate peach color with apple green furniture. The powder room is in pink and ivory equipped with triple full-sized mirrors and make-up shelves featuring a third section in lavender. The color combinations are carried out with unusual blends that are most pleasing to the eye.
The mezzanine from which the lounging rooms lead are finished in blue with a silver leaf in the ceiling, and was trimmed in gold. The overhead is also in a lighting fixture in variegated colors. There are thick floors and cushion rugs woven especially for room while canary yellow furniture was installed. Throughout the foyer and the grand staircase featured the same color. The staircase woodwork is in ebony black capped with silver leaf while the overhead lighting is a long narrow fixture extending the length of the foyer giving a soft lighting effect.
Inside the auditorium proper, the lighting fixtures above the capacity of seats are constructed with possible 25 different color combinations. A wide isle extends down the center of the auditorium and wide aisles are on each side. The entirety of its original seats are blue seats with gold plush backs. They are both roomy and wide apart so that nobody need to stand if another desires to move out first. The drapery in the stage extends across the entire front of the building’s interior, and was listed by the Dubinsky Brothers as one of the largest draperies ever in the midwest.
The entirety of air conditioning and filtering systems are Westinghouse installations. Some of these include its 425hp direct connected fully automatic compressors and an F-12 dichlorodifluoromethane refrigerant systems. The F-12 is non-toxic, non-inflammable, and odorless gas giving them the very last degree of safety to patrons. These compressors are able to give the sum of 74 tons of refrigeration when all four machines are operating or the equivalent of the melting of 148,000 pounds of ice in 24 hours. They are turn connected means of cooper pipe to one large copper expansion coil known to be one of the largest single air conditioning coils to be fabricated and weigh in itself almost 2,000 pounds. There are also elaborate systems of ducts, with six large openings into the main ceiling and five under the balcony where comparatively low velocity cold dry air will spill over the plate defuser neatly made a part of the lighting fixtures onto the audience below causing no drafts and no rapid rush of air against patrons. On the mezzanine lounge and entrance foyer are four high velocity directional flow grills giving the customizers a cool breeze as they enter the theater during summer months. Behind all this is the elaborate control system by which the entire plant operated by one master switch located in the manager’s office in the rear of the house. When the manager wants cooling, he has only to throw the switch to an “on” position which in turn, by means of electronically controls starts the supply fan and the condenser water circulating pump which feeds water through condensers and thus up onto the roof where it is cooled in an all-metal cooling tower. In winter months, it takes outside air through a preheater coil which is supplied with heat through an automatically controlled supply valve which is in turn controlled by the temperature of the incoming outside air. It is then mixed in the mixing chamber with some recirculated air and all passes through the filters and then through a large heating coil also regulated by an automatic supply valve which is regulated by the temperature of the return air. Then on through the supply fan and distributed over the theater by means of the system of ducts.
American Multi-Cinema (AMC Theatres) last operated the Capitol for only a month following the announcement to the theater building’s sellout to the chain. AMC closed the Capitol on May 15, 1970 with the Three Stooges in “The Outlaws Is Coming”.
Despite being first operated by AMC Theatres, it was later taken over by Crown Cinema Corporation later in the 1970s. This was followed by Dickinson Theatres and finally Hollywood Theaters.
The Crown Cinema Corporation (or Crown Theatres as I called it) opened the twin-screen Capital 2 Theatres on February 15, 1978. Both auditoriums split in 1985 and became the Capital 4 Theatres, with a total capacity of 1,250 seats.
It was later operated by Dickinson Theatres, then Hollywood Theaters, and finally Goodwich Quality Theaters.
This closed in the 1980s. A 1981 aerial view shows the theater still in operation, but the screen was removed by 1988. With the exception of the screen, the rest of the drive-in remained standing for years. It was in good condition that the entire traces were converted into parking lots until it was gutted in late-2003.
On July 20, 1960, the Woodlane Drive-In became statewide headlines following the assassination of 20-year-old James Barnhart in an attempted robbery led by three negro soldiers. The soldiers were soon identified as 24-year-old Julius A. Thompson of Anderson, Indiana, 28-year-old Marcus Thomas of Springfield, Ohio, and 25-year-old Cleavester Smith of St. Louis, Missouri. All three were charged with first-degree murder, and held without bond for Pulaski County authorities at the Laclede County Jail in Lebanon, Missouri. After the murder happened, the three men jumped into a car that was traced through the license plate. Thompson was soon arrested after hanging out with his girlfriend at her house where Waynesville Police deputies found him hiding under her bed. Thomas was arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol while Fort Leonard Wood Military Police arrested Smith.
In October 1966, resident Craig Crawley was blown through the ticket booth door at the theater attempting to rescue his wife.
It was also once known as “Waynesville Cinema 5” when a fifth screen was added in 1993. The theater also needs to be added in the B&B Theatres previously-operated list.
The theater was actually located on 100 Tremont Center which now houses the Waynesville City Hall. B&B opened the theater with four screens in the early-1990s.
Update: Commonwealth opened the Forum Cinemas in 1982.
According to aerial views, both East 18th Street and the theater building were not presented in the 1981 aerial view but it appears that they are preparing construction at the time. Both East 18th and the theater showed up in the 1983 aerial view.
Actually, Commonwealth Theatres opened the Forum Cinemas in the early-1980s and yes it started life as a twin. United Artists operated the Forum after Commonwealth folded into UA in 1988 before being taken over by Crown Theaters in 1990.
The Uptown Theatre opened with Jack Oakie in “Rise And Shine” (unknown if extras added) featuring installations of RCA sound and screen equipment, and was first owned by the Gasconade Theatre Company. It opened two days after Pearl Harbor.
Like most theaters in Rolla, the Uptown Theatre operated for many decades. Throughout its history, the Uptown went into several chains over the years, including Commonwealth Theatres, United Artists, Crown Theatres, Hollywood Theaters, and lastly Wallace Theaters before closing in 1998.
The Ritz Theatre opened its doors on July 19, 1941 with a one-day showing of Jackie Moran in “The Gang’s All Here” along with a few short subjects featuring sound installations by Western Electric.
Like most theaters in Rolla, the Ritz operated for many decades. Throughout its history, the Ritz went into several chains over the years, including Commonwealth Theatres, United Artists, and Crown Theaters.
The Ritz Theatre closed for the final time on June 18, 1995 with “Braveheart” and was demolished on May 30, 1998.
The Knights Of Pythias actually operated as early as 1888 at a different location inside a lodge, but members from the Pythias purchased a vacant lot on Main Street in February 1889 with an estimate $2,500.
The Cathay Theatre had several name changes over the years. When it opened on January 1, 1932 with Lionel Barrymore in “A Free Soul” (unknown if any extra short subjects were added), it first went under the name “Cathay Grand Theatre”. The Grand part of the name was dropped soon after. It originally housed 1,080 seats featuring a special ear-phoning system for Chinese audio translation over American first-run features. Without those special earphones are just normal English audio with Chinese subtitles below on-screen.
In 1966, the Cathay Theatre’s name was changed to “People’s Cinema”, but in 1979, the Cathay name was restored and was renamed the “Cathay Cinema”. The Cathay Cinema originally used projection equipment from Simplex until 1964 when it switched on over to Sempres, and it would later install Dolby optical stereo sound in 1986, followed by DTS surround digital stereo in 1997 and reinstallations in 1999. During the early-1990s, the seating capacity was downgraded from 1,080 to 978 seats.
The Cathay Theatre was tripled in 2003 after reconstruction, downgrading its total capacity to 584 seats. At the same time, a 150-square-meter lounge was added as well. Inside all three screens goes as follows: Screen #1 has a capacity of 225 seats with red dipping. Screen #2 has 236 seats with blue dipping, and Screen 3 accommodates 123 people with gray dipping.
This first went with the name “Xinxin Grand Theater” with funds raised by Peking opera actor Ma Lianliang when it was built in 1937, but was renamed Capital Cinema in 1950. It also officially became China’s first widescreen stereo theater on July 1, 1957.
Once operated by the Dubinsky Brothers.
First operated by the Dubinsky Brothers.
Also in the middle of the commercial, it has that same aerial shot except one of the “Flick My BIC” snipes was playing on the screen.
The Capitol Theatre opened with Shirley Temple in “Our Little Girl” (unknown if any extra short subjects were added).
Information about the Capitol as of 1935 goes as follows: Throughout the entire building interior features lounging rooms for both genders. The lounging room for men featured glowing hunting reds with red furniture, while the lounging room for women features delicate peach color with apple green furniture. The powder room is in pink and ivory equipped with triple full-sized mirrors and make-up shelves featuring a third section in lavender. The color combinations are carried out with unusual blends that are most pleasing to the eye.
The mezzanine from which the lounging rooms lead are finished in blue with a silver leaf in the ceiling, and was trimmed in gold. The overhead is also in a lighting fixture in variegated colors. There are thick floors and cushion rugs woven especially for room while canary yellow furniture was installed. Throughout the foyer and the grand staircase featured the same color. The staircase woodwork is in ebony black capped with silver leaf while the overhead lighting is a long narrow fixture extending the length of the foyer giving a soft lighting effect.
Inside the auditorium proper, the lighting fixtures above the capacity of seats are constructed with possible 25 different color combinations. A wide isle extends down the center of the auditorium and wide aisles are on each side. The entirety of its original seats are blue seats with gold plush backs. They are both roomy and wide apart so that nobody need to stand if another desires to move out first. The drapery in the stage extends across the entire front of the building’s interior, and was listed by the Dubinsky Brothers as one of the largest draperies ever in the midwest.
The entirety of air conditioning and filtering systems are Westinghouse installations. Some of these include its 425hp direct connected fully automatic compressors and an F-12 dichlorodifluoromethane refrigerant systems. The F-12 is non-toxic, non-inflammable, and odorless gas giving them the very last degree of safety to patrons. These compressors are able to give the sum of 74 tons of refrigeration when all four machines are operating or the equivalent of the melting of 148,000 pounds of ice in 24 hours. They are turn connected means of cooper pipe to one large copper expansion coil known to be one of the largest single air conditioning coils to be fabricated and weigh in itself almost 2,000 pounds. There are also elaborate systems of ducts, with six large openings into the main ceiling and five under the balcony where comparatively low velocity cold dry air will spill over the plate defuser neatly made a part of the lighting fixtures onto the audience below causing no drafts and no rapid rush of air against patrons. On the mezzanine lounge and entrance foyer are four high velocity directional flow grills giving the customizers a cool breeze as they enter the theater during summer months. Behind all this is the elaborate control system by which the entire plant operated by one master switch located in the manager’s office in the rear of the house. When the manager wants cooling, he has only to throw the switch to an “on” position which in turn, by means of electronically controls starts the supply fan and the condenser water circulating pump which feeds water through condensers and thus up onto the roof where it is cooled in an all-metal cooling tower. In winter months, it takes outside air through a preheater coil which is supplied with heat through an automatically controlled supply valve which is in turn controlled by the temperature of the incoming outside air. It is then mixed in the mixing chamber with some recirculated air and all passes through the filters and then through a large heating coil also regulated by an automatic supply valve which is regulated by the temperature of the return air. Then on through the supply fan and distributed over the theater by means of the system of ducts.
American Multi-Cinema (AMC Theatres) last operated the Capitol for only a month following the announcement to the theater building’s sellout to the chain. AMC closed the Capitol on May 15, 1970 with the Three Stooges in “The Outlaws Is Coming”.
Despite being first operated by AMC Theatres, it was later taken over by Crown Cinema Corporation later in the 1970s. This was followed by Dickinson Theatres and finally Hollywood Theaters.
The Crown Cinema Corporation (or Crown Theatres as I called it) opened the twin-screen Capital 2 Theatres on February 15, 1978. Both auditoriums split in 1985 and became the Capital 4 Theatres, with a total capacity of 1,250 seats.
It was later operated by Dickinson Theatres, then Hollywood Theaters, and finally Goodwich Quality Theaters.
This closed in the 1980s. A 1981 aerial view shows the theater still in operation, but the screen was removed by 1988. With the exception of the screen, the rest of the drive-in remained standing for years. It was in good condition that the entire traces were converted into parking lots until it was gutted in late-2003.
On July 20, 1960, the Woodlane Drive-In became statewide headlines following the assassination of 20-year-old James Barnhart in an attempted robbery led by three negro soldiers. The soldiers were soon identified as 24-year-old Julius A. Thompson of Anderson, Indiana, 28-year-old Marcus Thomas of Springfield, Ohio, and 25-year-old Cleavester Smith of St. Louis, Missouri. All three were charged with first-degree murder, and held without bond for Pulaski County authorities at the Laclede County Jail in Lebanon, Missouri. After the murder happened, the three men jumped into a car that was traced through the license plate. Thompson was soon arrested after hanging out with his girlfriend at her house where Waynesville Police deputies found him hiding under her bed. Thomas was arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol while Fort Leonard Wood Military Police arrested Smith.
In October 1966, resident Craig Crawley was blown through the ticket booth door at the theater attempting to rescue his wife.
It was also once known as “Waynesville Cinema 5” when a fifth screen was added in 1993. The theater also needs to be added in the B&B Theatres previously-operated list.
The theater was actually located on 100 Tremont Center which now houses the Waynesville City Hall. B&B opened the theater with four screens in the early-1990s.
Closed on January 30, 1956 with “Abbott And Costello Meet The Mummy”.
Update: Commonwealth opened the Forum Cinemas in 1982.
Actually, Commonwealth Theatres opened the Forum Cinemas in the early-1980s and yes it started life as a twin. United Artists operated the Forum after Commonwealth folded into UA in 1988 before being taken over by Crown Theaters in 1990.
The Uptown Theatre opened with Jack Oakie in “Rise And Shine” (unknown if extras added) featuring installations of RCA sound and screen equipment, and was first owned by the Gasconade Theatre Company. It opened two days after Pearl Harbor.
Like most theaters in Rolla, the Uptown Theatre operated for many decades. Throughout its history, the Uptown went into several chains over the years, including Commonwealth Theatres, United Artists, Crown Theatres, Hollywood Theaters, and lastly Wallace Theaters before closing in 1998.
The Ritz Theatre opened its doors on July 19, 1941 with a one-day showing of Jackie Moran in “The Gang’s All Here” along with a few short subjects featuring sound installations by Western Electric.
Like most theaters in Rolla, the Ritz operated for many decades. Throughout its history, the Ritz went into several chains over the years, including Commonwealth Theatres, United Artists, and Crown Theaters.
The Ritz Theatre closed for the final time on June 18, 1995 with “Braveheart” and was demolished on May 30, 1998.
Closed on July 1, 1957 with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in “Hollywood Or Bust”.
Speaking of Starline, I wonder how many drive-ins in the United States have that name. I know that there’s not a lot, just like Starnite and Starway.
The Knights Of Pythias actually operated as early as 1888 at a different location inside a lodge, but members from the Pythias purchased a vacant lot on Main Street in February 1889 with an estimate $2,500.
The Cathay Theatre had several name changes over the years. When it opened on January 1, 1932 with Lionel Barrymore in “A Free Soul” (unknown if any extra short subjects were added), it first went under the name “Cathay Grand Theatre”. The Grand part of the name was dropped soon after. It originally housed 1,080 seats featuring a special ear-phoning system for Chinese audio translation over American first-run features. Without those special earphones are just normal English audio with Chinese subtitles below on-screen.
In 1966, the Cathay Theatre’s name was changed to “People’s Cinema”, but in 1979, the Cathay name was restored and was renamed the “Cathay Cinema”. The Cathay Cinema originally used projection equipment from Simplex until 1964 when it switched on over to Sempres, and it would later install Dolby optical stereo sound in 1986, followed by DTS surround digital stereo in 1997 and reinstallations in 1999. During the early-1990s, the seating capacity was downgraded from 1,080 to 978 seats.
The Cathay Theatre was tripled in 2003 after reconstruction, downgrading its total capacity to 584 seats. At the same time, a 150-square-meter lounge was added as well. Inside all three screens goes as follows: Screen #1 has a capacity of 225 seats with red dipping. Screen #2 has 236 seats with blue dipping, and Screen 3 accommodates 123 people with gray dipping.
This first went with the name “Xinxin Grand Theater” with funds raised by Peking opera actor Ma Lianliang when it was built in 1937, but was renamed Capital Cinema in 1950. It also officially became China’s first widescreen stereo theater on July 1, 1957.
The Capital Cinema closed on June 15, 2003.
Last operated by StarNet Cinemas.
Last operated by Hollywood Theaters.
Opened in 1935.
The Pearis Theater opened in 1939 and closed as a movie house in March 1986. It reopened a few years later as a concert/live/community center.
Closed in November 1992.