BIG Cinema, Golf Glen IL, is listed among the company’s projects on the web site of architectural firm Paradigm Design. As it is listed under that name, I suspect it was only a remodeling job done when the operation was taken over by Phoenix AdLabs.
MSC77: Goodrich Savoy 10 held its formal grand opening on December 19 and 20, 1990. Four more screens were added in 1993, and two more opened in February, 1998. A major renovation began in 2012, with one existing auditorium converted for use as additional restrooms and a party room, plus the addition of a new IMAX auditorium that was opened on May 3, 2013.
The Ezella Theatre was listed in the 1911 Cleveland City Directory. The Cleveland Landmarks Commission confirms Matzinger & Grosel as the architects of the extensive rebuilding of the Ezella done in 1941-42.
A house called the Grand Theatre is listed at East Palestine in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory. The Grand Theatre, East Palestine Theatre, and Midway Drive-In shared a courtesy ad in the local high school’s 1954 yearbook.
The photo Nessa found (clickable link) definitely show the same building in the photos at the web site I linked to earlier, but the movie poster in front of the theater features Florence Vidor, a star of the silent era. The cars in the photo also date from the 1920s, so it’s clear the Rialto was in operation earlier than we’d thought.
Other photos of the America Theatre show a Mission or Spanish Colonial Revival style parapet reminiscent of the Alamo at San Antonio. Movie posters dating from the mid-1920s are on display in these photos. The building certainly dates from that period at the latest, and possibly from the later 1910s.
The November 26, 1938 issue of Boxoffice had news about the Liberty Theatre:
“Hamrick’s Liberty Theatre closing for a complete renovation from December 8 to 22 with B. Marcus Priteca of Seattle as consulting architect. Electrical Research products installing the new marquee.”
The Princess was remodeled in 1938, according to this item from the November 19 issue of Boxoffice:
“Lawrenceburg, Tenn. — The remodeled Princess Theatre reopened the night of November 16. The building has been completely modernized and redecorated, with new sound installed. Louis Ruhlander is manager.”
An item in the November 19, 1938 issue of Boxoffice noted renovation projects at several Detroit area neighborhood houses, all planned by the architectural firm of Wright & Rogvoy. This house was one of them: “Max Mantueffel’s Martha Washington will have a new front.”
According to an item in Boxoffice of November 19, 1938, “Edward S. Pasco’s White Star is undergoing a lobby change….” The project was one of several then being carried out at Detroit area neighborhood houses with plans by the firm of Wright & Rogvoy.
“Wisper & Wetsman’s Fenkell will boast a new front,” said an item in Boxoffice of November 19, 1938. The Fenkell was one of several neighborhood houses in Detroit then being updated with plans by the firm of Wright & Rogvoy.
“Wade Allen’s Arcade is having its face lifted,” noted the November 19, 1938 issue of Boxoffice. It was one of several Detroit neighborhood theater renovations then being carried out by the architectural firm of Wright & Rogvoy.
The November 19, 1938 issue of Boxoffice had news about the remodeling project at the Stratford Theatre: “Detroit— The Stratford Theatre here will complete an extensive remodeling program in about ten days. Wright & Rogvoy, Detroit, are the architects.”
According to this item from Boxoffice of November 12, 1938, a Toronto house called the Liberty Theatre was then being remodeled to be reopened as the La Salle Theatre:
“Toronto — Under the direction of Kaplan and Sprachman, Toronto architects, the Liberty Theatre, which is being renamed the La Salle, is being remodeled. It will seat 700 persons.
“The reconstruction work, costing $30,000, includes in addition to general modernizing, new seats, indirect Neon lighting, a new air-conditioning system, and new Mirrophonic sound and projection equipment being installed by Dominion Sound Equipments, Ltd.”
This web page confirms the 1938 remodeling and renaming, but says that the architect for the project was Harry Dobson. It also notes that the Liberty Theatre opened in 1928, and the house last operated as the Pagoda Theatre in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
The Parkway Theatre underwent another remodeling in 1938, as noted in the November 12 issue of Boxoffice:
“McKees Rocks, Pa. — Parkway Theatre is undergoing extensive remodeling and will be closed until Christmas, Al Glazer, proprietor, stated this week. A glass front and a new marquee are being installed. The auditorium also is being decorated. Sam Barbalat is the architect on the remodeling.”
The October 29, 1938 Boxoffice article about the opening of the new Dickinson Theatre at Mission, Kansas on October 20 listed among the attendees at the event the theater’s architect, Louis Siebers. Siebers also designed Dickinson’s Carlton Theatre at Manhattan, Kansas the same year.
When announced in Boxoffice of October 15, 1938, this house was to have been called the Park Theatre:
“Stamford, Conn. — F. E. Weiss of the Stamford Theatre has awarded the contract for a new theatre. The new house will be known as the Park and will be built on a site on Bedford St. opposite Forest St. Plans by Architect Hosenhauser [sic] of New York City call for a building of colonial design with stadium effect and will have a seating capacity of 750.”
This October 8, 1939 Boxoffice item suggests rather extensive alterations (early October to late December) for the Daw Theatre:
“Work has started on the new theatre in Tappahannock to be operated by the Daw Corp. Edward F. Sinnott of Richmond is architect. The 550-seat house, expected to be ready for Christmas week, will be managed by R. B. Wallace.”
Here is an item from Boxoffice of October 1, 1938: “Bennett and Straight, theatrical architects of Dearborn, Mich., are taking bids for the remodeling of the Strand Theatre for William A. Cassidy circuit at Alma, Mich. New marquee, front, and lobby, as well as other alterations, are planned.”
The July 18, 1953 issue of Motion Picture Herald had this item in the “Des Moines” column: “Julius Wareburg has closed his Irwin theatre at Irwin ‘because of lack of patronage.’… The same reason was given by Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Neumayer who are closing the Breda at Breda.”
BIG Cinema, Golf Glen IL, is listed among the company’s projects on the web site of architectural firm Paradigm Design. As it is listed under that name, I suspect it was only a remodeling job done when the operation was taken over by Phoenix AdLabs.
MSC77: Goodrich Savoy 10 held its formal grand opening on December 19 and 20, 1990. Four more screens were added in 1993, and two more opened in February, 1998. A major renovation began in 2012, with one existing auditorium converted for use as additional restrooms and a party room, plus the addition of a new IMAX auditorium that was opened on May 3, 2013.
A more detailed history is found on this web page.
The Ezella Theatre was listed in the 1911 Cleveland City Directory. The Cleveland Landmarks Commission confirms Matzinger & Grosel as the architects of the extensive rebuilding of the Ezella done in 1941-42.
The Cleveland Landmarks Commission attributes the design of the Parma Theatre to architect Paul Matzinger of Matzinger & Grosel.
A house called the Grand Theatre is listed at East Palestine in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory. The Grand Theatre, East Palestine Theatre, and Midway Drive-In shared a courtesy ad in the local high school’s 1954 yearbook.
The photo Nessa found (clickable link) definitely show the same building in the photos at the web site I linked to earlier, but the movie poster in front of the theater features Florence Vidor, a star of the silent era. The cars in the photo also date from the 1920s, so it’s clear the Rialto was in operation earlier than we’d thought.
Other photos of the America Theatre show a Mission or Spanish Colonial Revival style parapet reminiscent of the Alamo at San Antonio. Movie posters dating from the mid-1920s are on display in these photos. The building certainly dates from that period at the latest, and possibly from the later 1910s.
The November 26, 1938 issue of Boxoffice had news about the Liberty Theatre:
Wometco’s recent acquisition of the Ace Theatre at Coconut Grove was noted in the November 19, 1938 issue of Boxoffice.
The Princess was remodeled in 1938, according to this item from the November 19 issue of Boxoffice:
An item in the November 19, 1938 issue of Boxoffice noted renovation projects at several Detroit area neighborhood houses, all planned by the architectural firm of Wright & Rogvoy. This house was one of them: “Max Mantueffel’s Martha Washington will have a new front.”
According to an item in Boxoffice of November 19, 1938, “Edward S. Pasco’s White Star is undergoing a lobby change….” The project was one of several then being carried out at Detroit area neighborhood houses with plans by the firm of Wright & Rogvoy.
“Wisper & Wetsman’s Fenkell will boast a new front,” said an item in Boxoffice of November 19, 1938. The Fenkell was one of several neighborhood houses in Detroit then being updated with plans by the firm of Wright & Rogvoy.
“Wade Allen’s Arcade is having its face lifted,” noted the November 19, 1938 issue of Boxoffice. It was one of several Detroit neighborhood theater renovations then being carried out by the architectural firm of Wright & Rogvoy.
The November 19, 1938 issue of Boxoffice had news about the remodeling project at the Stratford Theatre: “Detroit— The Stratford Theatre here will complete an extensive remodeling program in about ten days. Wright & Rogvoy, Detroit, are the architects.”
According to this item from Boxoffice of November 12, 1938, a Toronto house called the Liberty Theatre was then being remodeled to be reopened as the La Salle Theatre:
This web page confirms the 1938 remodeling and renaming, but says that the architect for the project was Harry Dobson. It also notes that the Liberty Theatre opened in 1928, and the house last operated as the Pagoda Theatre in the late 1960s or early 1970s.The Parkway Theatre underwent another remodeling in 1938, as noted in the November 12 issue of Boxoffice:
The October 29, 1938 Boxoffice article about the opening of the new Dickinson Theatre at Mission, Kansas on October 20 listed among the attendees at the event the theater’s architect, Louis Siebers. Siebers also designed Dickinson’s Carlton Theatre at Manhattan, Kansas the same year.
When announced in Boxoffice of October 15, 1938, this house was to have been called the Park Theatre:
The Avalon Theatre was at the southwest corner of Main Street and Locust Street, on the south side of the town square. Sadly, it has been demolished.
The October 15, 1938 issue of Boxoffice features a two page article about the new Avalon Theatre in Clarksville.
This October 8, 1939 Boxoffice item suggests rather extensive alterations (early October to late December) for the Daw Theatre:
Here is an item from Boxoffice of October 1, 1938: “Bennett and Straight, theatrical architects of Dearborn, Mich., are taking bids for the remodeling of the Strand Theatre for William A. Cassidy circuit at Alma, Mich. New marquee, front, and lobby, as well as other alterations, are planned.”
The July 18, 1953 issue of Motion Picture Herald had this item in the “Des Moines” column: “Julius Wareburg has closed his Irwin theatre at Irwin ‘because of lack of patronage.’… The same reason was given by Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Neumayer who are closing the Breda at Breda.”
The October 8, 1938 issue of Boxoffice said that the Markesan Theatre had opened on October 1st.