“Phil-Kron Drive In Theater – Opened on July 3rd 1947 as the Phil-Kron, located at 1720 S Main Street. Renamed to Drive In Theater in 1957. Renamed again in 1979 to Kerasotes Drive-In Theatre. Closed after a fire destroyed it on September 13th 1984.”
The Grand Opera House/ Chatterton Opera House/ Illini Theater – Originally The Grand Opera House opened on February 2nd 1891 and located at 108 E Market Street. Mainly vaudeville acts, occasionally showing nickelodeons. It burned on May 3rd 1909, and the current building was built at the same location as The Chatterton Opera House and opened on April 7th 1910. Also vaudeville acts – with the exception of showing the silent film “Birth of a Nation” in January 1916 as part of a national tour. Closed and reopened as Illini Theater on October 5th 1923, showing vaudeville and movies. Closed in 1933. Still standing and being used as a church today.“ (Abundant Life In Christ Church)
Images added.
Additional history credit Stephen Leigh.
“Cineplex Odeon’s Eaton Place Cinema opens on July 28, 1988. Located at Eaton Centre, 3rd Floor, Phase II, 101st Street and 102 Avenue in Edmonton. With nine screens and a seating capacity of 3,400 seats, making it the largest complex of it’s kind in Canada. Lucasfilm THX Sound Systems with 70MM projection capabilities are featured in two of the largest houses. "Midnight Run”, “Die Hard” in 70 MM, “Big”, “Monkey Shines”, “License to Drive”, “The Great Outdoors”, “Lady in White” and “Bull Durham” are the opening features. January 19, 2002, theatre changes name to Edmonton City Centre, due to mall’s name change. Ownership change to Empire Theatres on September 30, 2005. Ownership change to Landmark Cinemas on November 22, 2013. Theatre is still open and showing movies."
Various images added.
Additional history credit Christine Phoenix Theriault:
“My father, Craig Phoenix managed this theater for about 15 yrs. & Mason Siler owned the Lido and the Mesa Theaters.”
Per the Dunsmore Historical Society:
“It was located on North Blakely St. Approximately across the street from the current post office. The locacation is now part of the Fidelity Bank parking lot.”
1940 photo as Midway Theatre added, and below additional history credit Historic Lubbock County.
“Lubbock theater history is sketchy, but historian Lawrence Graves said Lubbock’s first movie theater, the Orpheum, opened in 1909. It lasted only one year but more theaters followed in the 1920s and ’30s, with most in the downtown area. At one point, Lubbock had 22 walk-ins and six drive-ins. The building at 1805 Broadway opened as the Midway Theater in 1940. As the theater changed hands, so did the name. The Midway later was the Centre, the Gay 90s, the El Tejas, the Varsity and the Continental in 1964. It was renamed the Bijou in 1976 and was converted into an apartment building in 1977. The photo (added) is not dated but “Cherokee Strip” was released in 1940. Perhaps the bicycles are from kids wanting to see “The 3 Stooges” for 9 cents! The time period was during World War II as evidenced by the pile of paper. Encouraged by the government, towns had paper drives, rubber drives and scrap metal drives for the war effort. People collected scrap paper so it could be used for packing around equipment and weapons.”
Thanks. So even further proof that limited information submissions are a good thing.
You never would have discovered the wrong Orient listing, were it not for this Happy Hour submission.
I believe the CT Admins add these limited information early theatres once confirmed, as a basis for other contributors to build onto as further research is done. For instance I cross checked with the CinemaTour page for Dunsmore PA, and found an Orient Theatre at 204-14 S. Blakely St. that does not yet have a CT page. But they had no listing for the Happy Hour. I then found a Dunsmore Historical Society on Facebook, and messaged them for any info on the Happy Hour they may be able to provide. In 16 years I’ve added plenty of theatres with basic information, and then was able to add photos and additional history as I researched them in the following days. Sometimes it takes the CT Admins several days to add submissions, so we contributors have to e-mail ourselves any additional info we find in the meantime, until we can add it to an approved page. Remember even photos cannot be added to a submission, they can only be added after one is approved. Once a photo is uploaded to a “no address” theatre, I do a street view search with a generic “100 Main Street” in the given city, and miraculously have found the very building in the one photo provided. I can then add the missing address. If the CT Admins ignored every submission that had limited information, but were able to document it’s existence, then they would just have to add them at a later date anyway, if and when they were resubmitted again by someone else.
Closed May 16, 1991. Town of Normal purchased the building in November 1991. Via Tom Cherry.
Additional history credit Christopher Myers:
“Phil-Kron Drive In Theater – Opened on July 3rd 1947 as the Phil-Kron, located at 1720 S Main Street. Renamed to Drive In Theater in 1957. Renamed again in 1979 to Kerasotes Drive-In Theatre. Closed after a fire destroyed it on September 13th 1984.”
Demolished on October 3rd 1987.
Additional history credit Christopher Myers:
“Chatterton Opera House
The Grand Opera House/ Chatterton Opera House/ Illini Theater – Originally The Grand Opera House opened on February 2nd 1891 and located at 108 E Market Street. Mainly vaudeville acts, occasionally showing nickelodeons. It burned on May 3rd 1909, and the current building was built at the same location as The Chatterton Opera House and opened on April 7th 1910. Also vaudeville acts – with the exception of showing the silent film “Birth of a Nation” in January 1916 as part of a national tour. Closed and reopened as Illini Theater on October 5th 1923, showing vaudeville and movies. Closed in 1933. Still standing and being used as a church today.“ (Abundant Life In Christ Church)
Photos added.
1917 photo added courtesy Kenneth R. Davis.
Backstage at the Majestic.
https://mchistory.org/blog/backstage-majestic-theatre-bloomington-undated?fbclid=IwAR3UeFtk0T8Nz27AfrN4zYUsLnM61cRNwgBuSWAwc1_Zn-SK_IbEuMFOIV4
1950 photo added courtesy Perk Wilson.
Glad to help. They were posted on a Facebook page called Retro York.
Image of screen coming down added.
Trail Drive-IN also mentioned in this blog.
https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/trail/
Image added courtesy Tammy Markel Poff. Presumably just before demolition, as the marquee is advertising the Strand & Capitol.
Facebook page for Hanover Theatre. Many photos.
https://www.facebook.com/StateTheaterHanover/?tn=%2CdkCH-R-R&eid=ARDTfyw3Ijex5qm-PcAwxBf_dU2jT_611Yd9MUq3vTpgXH5N9HdIu19S8nFWzc_ui9BSK_vlQfMPPYLw&hc_ref=ARTvM2DCboCldVV3Ghlw15wM8fDnJ3n0JHCpXcPYr4pP8tJ4NzUHkItHC0ak5cJHjw0&fref=nf&hc_location=group
June 2020 article about renovation.
https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2020/06/18/business-owners-look-remodel-hanover-theater-into-multi-use-space/3191976001/?fbclid=IwAR30Lpi3qQQMzCUx1pvhEqJM0twqNlS_NxbIxuC1lvP6X4ceKcblinu7jLs
1963 photo added credit Old Ontario Series Facebook page.
Two `70s images added with then modern facade.
Images added. Additional history credit Stephen Leigh.
“Cineplex Odeon’s Eaton Place Cinema opens on July 28, 1988. Located at Eaton Centre, 3rd Floor, Phase II, 101st Street and 102 Avenue in Edmonton. With nine screens and a seating capacity of 3,400 seats, making it the largest complex of it’s kind in Canada. Lucasfilm THX Sound Systems with 70MM projection capabilities are featured in two of the largest houses. "Midnight Run”, “Die Hard” in 70 MM, “Big”, “Monkey Shines”, “License to Drive”, “The Great Outdoors”, “Lady in White” and “Bull Durham” are the opening features. January 19, 2002, theatre changes name to Edmonton City Centre, due to mall’s name change. Ownership change to Empire Theatres on September 30, 2005. Ownership change to Landmark Cinemas on November 22, 2013. Theatre is still open and showing movies."
Update, Photo credit Barry Kazmer.
Various images added. Additional history credit Christine Phoenix Theriault: “My father, Craig Phoenix managed this theater for about 15 yrs. & Mason Siler owned the Lido and the Mesa Theaters.”
1949 Grand Opening photo as Port Theatre added credit Michael Newman.
“Patio Theater Continues Restoration, Launches Membership Program While Doors Closed.”
https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/07/29/patio-theater-owner-continues-restoration-efforts-rolls-out-membership-program-during-pandemic/?mc_cid=8659614506&mc_eid=173b7b99f7
Per the Dunsmore Historical Society: “It was located on North Blakely St. Approximately across the street from the current post office. The locacation is now part of the Fidelity Bank parking lot.”
1940 photo as Midway Theatre added, and below additional history credit Historic Lubbock County.
“Lubbock theater history is sketchy, but historian Lawrence Graves said Lubbock’s first movie theater, the Orpheum, opened in 1909. It lasted only one year but more theaters followed in the 1920s and ’30s, with most in the downtown area. At one point, Lubbock had 22 walk-ins and six drive-ins. The building at 1805 Broadway opened as the Midway Theater in 1940. As the theater changed hands, so did the name. The Midway later was the Centre, the Gay 90s, the El Tejas, the Varsity and the Continental in 1964. It was renamed the Bijou in 1976 and was converted into an apartment building in 1977. The photo (added) is not dated but “Cherokee Strip” was released in 1940. Perhaps the bicycles are from kids wanting to see “The 3 Stooges” for 9 cents! The time period was during World War II as evidenced by the pile of paper. Encouraged by the government, towns had paper drives, rubber drives and scrap metal drives for the war effort. People collected scrap paper so it could be used for packing around equipment and weapons.”
Photos added of one time Biograph owner Jack Cooney. Below is Roger Ebert’s July 13, 1967 interview with Cooney. Via Tim O'Neill.
https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/interview-with-jack-cooney?fbclid=IwAR0RGZYQYWS0bS3Ywq1y88Psn7fTCaItf2iyjBsuSFHtvlTvOQItXKi-7MU
Thanks. So even further proof that limited information submissions are a good thing. You never would have discovered the wrong Orient listing, were it not for this Happy Hour submission.
I believe the CT Admins add these limited information early theatres once confirmed, as a basis for other contributors to build onto as further research is done. For instance I cross checked with the CinemaTour page for Dunsmore PA, and found an Orient Theatre at 204-14 S. Blakely St. that does not yet have a CT page. But they had no listing for the Happy Hour. I then found a Dunsmore Historical Society on Facebook, and messaged them for any info on the Happy Hour they may be able to provide. In 16 years I’ve added plenty of theatres with basic information, and then was able to add photos and additional history as I researched them in the following days. Sometimes it takes the CT Admins several days to add submissions, so we contributors have to e-mail ourselves any additional info we find in the meantime, until we can add it to an approved page. Remember even photos cannot be added to a submission, they can only be added after one is approved. Once a photo is uploaded to a “no address” theatre, I do a street view search with a generic “100 Main Street” in the given city, and miraculously have found the very building in the one photo provided. I can then add the missing address. If the CT Admins ignored every submission that had limited information, but were able to document it’s existence, then they would just have to add them at a later date anyway, if and when they were resubmitted again by someone else.