Unruly crowds of young people were intimidating and bullying other patrons initially. But, the final “nail in the coffin” was when a patron was killed by a steel ball bearing thrown from the balcony that hit a patron close to the front row in the back of the head thus killing them. The Park Theatre closed down after this incident and never reopened. The sad end to a very nice neighborhood theatre due to changing patron patterns giving way to a dangerous and finally deadly attack.
The Bijou Theater was showing mostly indie and art films in 1977-78. This theater was definitely in the SE corner building at the intersection of Lake Dr, Wealthy and Norwood SE.
This theater goes back to 1921. The Princess came before this house in the earlier 1900’s. The article about the dispute over playing films on Sunday below indicates both were going concurrently. The ads continue into the 1920’s but stop in 1923 or so. That is not to say the theater didn’t last longer. The Yale Theater seems to have been conceived in 1937 by the owner of the Princess but was a new facility.
Unruly crowds of young people were intimidating and bullying other patrons initially. But, the final “nail in the coffin” was when a patron was killed by a steel ball bearing thrown from the balcony that hit a patron close to the front row in the back of the head thus killing them. The Park Theatre closed down after this incident and never reopened. The sad end to a very nice neighborhood theatre due to changing patron patterns giving way to a dangerous and finally deadly attack.
It’s now the site of California pizza Kitchen
The Bijou Theater was showing mostly indie and art films in 1977-78. This theater was definitely in the SE corner building at the intersection of Lake Dr, Wealthy and Norwood SE.
They are now reopened
This theater goes back to 1921. The Princess came before this house in the earlier 1900’s. The article about the dispute over playing films on Sunday below indicates both were going concurrently. The ads continue into the 1920’s but stop in 1923 or so. That is not to say the theater didn’t last longer. The Yale Theater seems to have been conceived in 1937 by the owner of the Princess but was a new facility.
The tour https://youtu.be/yJiR2biLTAQ
1960
It’s alternate name was Ranch Drive-In
Appeared in the 1986 movie one crazy summer
There’s 48 stars on the flag
1994
1967
First film was Iron Man 3. Final film was a double feature: spider man homecoming followed by Wonder Woman.
1961
It’s now a Honda dealer
A farm is now on the property
1999
One of the screens burned in 2022 after being abandoned
That’s now AMC
2009
2008
1993
1990
1988
2007