The Arcade Theatre originally had a capacity of 1,000 seats from the 1938 rebuilt, and some original equipment featured a 15x19ft screen, Super Simplex projection, and a bubble type fountain in the ornate lobby.
ABC Florida State Theatres was the last operator for the Arcade Theatre until the Arcade closed as a movie theater on February 22, 1977. The Arcade Theatre relaunched as a performing arts theater right afterward.
When the Arcade Theatre was renovated during a nearly two-year closure that left the theater completely dark in 1989 due to low attendance, the Arcade Theatre relaunched back as a performing arts house with a downsized 393-seat capacity on November 1, 1991.
The original Arcade Theatre opened its doors on February 5, 1917 with Frank McIntyre in “The Traveling Salesman”.
This was first known as the “Hilltop Twin Cinema”. Although I cannot find its opening date, it opened around 1972. The theater was renamed “Hilltop Expanded Cinema” in January 1983 (although it was never expanded) and was lastly known as the “Hilltop Square Two Theatres” in the mid-1980s back when AMC ran the theater. I cannot find its closing date either.
The Pembroke Mall Theatres operated from October 1971 until Spring 1987, and it was actually first operated by ABC Southeastern Theatres, not ABC Southern Theatres.
Once operated by ABC Southeast Theatres, later by Plitt, and finally by NEI. The theater closed in January 1998 after it failed to gain its audience after switching its format to discount during its final years of operation.
At the time of the Twinlake’s opening, it was his 26th year in the theater business.
Novak started his life as a doorman for the Strand Theatre in Jonesboro in 1952, which at the time was a Malco theater. Shortly after the first couple of drive-ins opened in Jonesboro, Malco transferred the manager to Jonesboro from Memphis and he called Novak that if he will be interested on running a drive-in. At the time, Jonesboro had three drive-in theaters (the Starlite, the Skyvue, and the Indian; all Malco theaters). He once remembered that one of the drive-ins there jammed over the number of cars on Saturday nights, also adding that we got an 800-car capacity once-a-week. At the time, it is a year-round drive-in and he said that it was the first drive-in in Arkansas to give out free in-car heaters. Novak would later have a partnership with the Imperial Theatre in Pocahontas and would later build and open the Cherokee Drive-In in Ash Flat. At the time while Novak worked at the Skyvue Drive-In in Jonesboro in the mid-1970s, that’s when Novak brought the idea of the Twinlake Tri-Cinema.
On August 22, 1997, Novak passed away from an undergoing heart surgery at St. Bernard’s Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro.
The Ohio Valley Mall Cinema opened theater-less on October 4, 1978, and was built next to the former Shia’s Hilltop/St. Clairsville/70-40 Drive-In.
Less than a year later, a new theater was built inside the mall and the Ohio Valley Mall Cinema held its grand opening on July 13, 1979 as 4-screen theater. The theater opened with 007’s “Moonraker” at Screen 1, “The Main Event” at Screen 2, Disney’s “101 Dalmatians” at Screen 3, and “Bloodline” at Screen 4.
In October 1985, one of the four screens closed for extensive remodeling, which at the time, five more screens were added and it became a 9-screen theater in December 1985. Two more screens were added in the 2000s bringing a total to 11 screens.
The Ohio Valley Mall Cinema throughout its history was first operated by Cinemette Corporation of America, then by Cinema World in January 1987, then Carmike after it took over Cinema World in April 1994, and finally AMC.
The Sunset Beach Drive-in opened its gates on May 30, 1948 with Ginger Rogers in “Magnificent Doll” with no extra short subjects. However, what’s unique about the Sunset Beach Drive-In is that one of its original installations is a swimming pool according to the Wheeling News-Register. Unfortunately I cannot find where on earth the pool sits in the theater property.
Opened on July 1, 1949 with Anthony Quinn in “Black Gold” (unclear if any short subjects were added) with an original installation of a mammoth screen.
It appears that the 1983 aerial view shows nothing but it appears that the theater was opened before 1994, but I’m still looking.
Hmm, Where’s “The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh?”
The Tiger probably operated until the late-1970s, as the 1981 aerial view shows the traces surrounded by some sort of construction.
Once operated by Gulf State Theatres.
Once operated by Floyd Theatres.
The Arcade Theatre originally had a capacity of 1,000 seats from the 1938 rebuilt, and some original equipment featured a 15x19ft screen, Super Simplex projection, and a bubble type fountain in the ornate lobby.
ABC Florida State Theatres was the last operator for the Arcade Theatre until the Arcade closed as a movie theater on February 22, 1977. The Arcade Theatre relaunched as a performing arts theater right afterward.
When the Arcade Theatre was renovated during a nearly two-year closure that left the theater completely dark in 1989 due to low attendance, the Arcade Theatre relaunched back as a performing arts house with a downsized 393-seat capacity on November 1, 1991.
The original Arcade Theatre opened its doors on February 5, 1917 with Frank McIntyre in “The Traveling Salesman”.
This was first known as the “Hilltop Twin Cinema”. Although I cannot find its opening date, it opened around 1972. The theater was renamed “Hilltop Expanded Cinema” in January 1983 (although it was never expanded) and was lastly known as the “Hilltop Square Two Theatres” in the mid-1980s back when AMC ran the theater. I cannot find its closing date either.
The Pembroke Mall Theatres operated from October 1971 until Spring 1987, and it was actually first operated by ABC Southeastern Theatres, not ABC Southern Theatres.
Last operated by ABC Southeast Theatres.
Once operated by ABC Southeast Theatres, later by Plitt, and finally by NEI. The theater closed in January 1998 after it failed to gain its audience after switching its format to discount during its final years of operation.
Closed in mid-1999.
This is taken shortly before his death from surgery in Jonesboro.
This is taken shortly before his death from surgery in Jonesboro.
At the time of the Twinlake’s opening, it was his 26th year in the theater business.
Novak started his life as a doorman for the Strand Theatre in Jonesboro in 1952, which at the time was a Malco theater. Shortly after the first couple of drive-ins opened in Jonesboro, Malco transferred the manager to Jonesboro from Memphis and he called Novak that if he will be interested on running a drive-in. At the time, Jonesboro had three drive-in theaters (the Starlite, the Skyvue, and the Indian; all Malco theaters). He once remembered that one of the drive-ins there jammed over the number of cars on Saturday nights, also adding that we got an 800-car capacity once-a-week. At the time, it is a year-round drive-in and he said that it was the first drive-in in Arkansas to give out free in-car heaters. Novak would later have a partnership with the Imperial Theatre in Pocahontas and would later build and open the Cherokee Drive-In in Ash Flat. At the time while Novak worked at the Skyvue Drive-In in Jonesboro in the mid-1970s, that’s when Novak brought the idea of the Twinlake Tri-Cinema.
On August 22, 1997, Novak passed away from an undergoing heart surgery at St. Bernard’s Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro.
The Cinema became a triplex in 1979, and closed on December 31, 1988.
Closed in November 1971.
The Lincoln flipped its format from mainstream to adult films in 1979. The Lincoln closed for the final time on September 15, 1984.
Edited from my October 8, 2022 comment:
The Ohio Valley Mall Cinema opened theater-less on October 4, 1978, and was built next to the former Shia’s Hilltop/St. Clairsville/70-40 Drive-In.
Less than a year later, a new theater was built inside the mall and the Ohio Valley Mall Cinema held its grand opening on July 13, 1979 as 4-screen theater. The theater opened with 007’s “Moonraker” at Screen 1, “The Main Event” at Screen 2, Disney’s “101 Dalmatians” at Screen 3, and “Bloodline” at Screen 4.
In October 1985, one of the four screens closed for extensive remodeling, which at the time, five more screens were added and it became a 9-screen theater in December 1985. Two more screens were added in the 2000s bringing a total to 11 screens.
The Ohio Valley Mall Cinema throughout its history was first operated by Cinemette Corporation of America, then by Cinema World in January 1987, then Carmike after it took over Cinema World in April 1994, and finally AMC.
Opened on June 2, 1967 with “The Tall Woman” and “Bikini Paradise”, and closed after the 1977 season.
Correction: Both the Coronet and the Warwood received multiple struggles during the mid-1980s.
The Starlite was renamed Airport Drive-In at the start of the 1956 season, and was closed in November 1983.
Ah I see, and right next to the pool is the screen still standing in decent condition as of 2023.
The Sunset Beach Drive-in opened its gates on May 30, 1948 with Ginger Rogers in “Magnificent Doll” with no extra short subjects. However, what’s unique about the Sunset Beach Drive-In is that one of its original installations is a swimming pool according to the Wheeling News-Register. Unfortunately I cannot find where on earth the pool sits in the theater property.
So this is probably the first drive-in theater in Erie.
Opened on July 1, 1949 with Anthony Quinn in “Black Gold” (unclear if any short subjects were added) with an original installation of a mammoth screen.