According to its article about the May 19, 1976 blaze that destroyed the Temple Theatre, a smaller fire causing a reconstruction occur in 1949, not 1945.
The Lyon Theatre became the Rapids Theatre on Christmas Day 1936 right after a short remodel, reopening with Eleanor Powell in “Born To Dance” along with a Fox Movietone Newsreel and a few Paramount short subjects.
Some of its original installations include original walls which were lined with celotex, and over half-a-mile of the material comes with 12-in perforated blocks. The original 1936-installed walls, ceiling, and lobby have mixture schemes of royal blue and gold, brown, pink, yellow, and green. What’s unique about the original lobby of the Rapids Theatre is that one of the centers of attraction in addition to the fine display boards have original installations of “magic eye” drinking fountains, and what’s unique is that neither a button, pedal, or handles were presented in its system. In order to drink it, you bent your head and the water comes out as it was messaged by an electric beam to the automatic controls.
After closure in 1982, the Rapids Theatre sat abandoned until December 1985 when it went for renovation. It officially became a restaurant a short time later.
This drive-in is the oldest drive-in theater in Eastern Ohio, opening on May 2, 1941 with Penny Singleton in “Blondie Has Servant Trouble” along with a few short subjects.
It first opened as simply “Drive-In Theatre”. It was later renamed the LaVerne Drive-In in 1947, and finally the Howland Drive-In in 1950.
The King Theatre opened its doors on October 17, 1930 with Ned Sparks in “Leathernecking” with no extra short subjects.
Information about the King Theatre as of 1930 goes as follows: The theater building results were the use of conder blocks for interior walls and soft plaster and gypsum covering each a deadener of echoes which ruin acoustics. Everything that causes echoes form that installation was cut out such as fancy scrolls and projection’s sound equipment of one kind or another. The original interior look featured terrazzo floored lobby with tile and marble ticket booth. The aisle floors were covered with heavy Wilton Saxon carpets underlaid with padding to deaden sound. Stairways were also carpeted as well as the auditorium lobby, which the original capacity of the auditorium as of its opening in 1930 were listed as 700 seats with seat-installations of red upholstered leathered 16 bottom springs and full padded back seats with soft edges, while the backs are of brown velour with red, orange, and blue figure designs. The auditorium floors were oak through the auditorium with floor coverings to the gallery of Wilton Saxton with Ozite padding. The original stage measures 22ft deep and 38ft across. The stage features the original installations of proscenium opening or grand outer drape and closest to the audience which then comes a burnt orange velour curtain on an automatic track, and back of this is a close-in curtain or screen of green silk also carried on an automatic track. These two original curtains' movements are electrically controlled for the projection booth. Back of that is a drop of black and gold denim of cloth and still back of this is a red velour sack-drop which extends all around the sides and rear of the stage. The sixth and last curtain is the sound screen which is 14ft back of the foot lights and is in the size of 14ft6inx18ft. In case of an emergency, there are two rear exists, one on either side of the stage.
The original installations of its ventilation system as of 1930 brings a special attention, with ample-sized hot air furnace during the winter months in which an oil burner is used to generate heat and powerful fans to force the air into the auditorium and outlet ducts under the stage to draw it out. A complete change of air is provided every three minutes as air enters the rooms from grills placed on either side of the stage and is drawn from the room by cold air ducts under the stage, giving a complete air circulation at all times. Sometimes from time-to-time, fresh air outside is added. During the summer months, it was in reverse, with the cool air coming in from the ducts under the stage and the hot air being drawn out through the grills on either side of the stage.
Other original installations include indirect lighting system featuring two full rows of foot lights with each light in a special reflector by the Kilegle Stage Lighting Company of New York. It gives an original soft mellow light touch, and by the use of the system, the operator at the booth may dim or brighten the auditorium by a usage of a switch. There are six large ceiling lights and in walls on either side of six sets of lights set in panels of green art glass. When films are being shown, the light comes softly from the side panel lights and small concealed aisle lights. The wall effects as of 1930 were originally buff and green over a gray background colored being worked into the plastering to give a pink background effect, featuring a soft and soothing touch with its fixtures.
The Town & Country Drive-In opened its gates on August 1, 1952 with Randolph Scott in “The Cariboo Trail” along with multiple Terrytoons cartoons and a newsreel. The original screen measures 60x50ft.
Correction on its June 14, 1986 closing: The Town & Country Drive-In closed with “Police Academy 3: Back In Training” (not the first one), and “Wildcats”.
The Palace closed due to a massive fire on August 22, 1963 that destroyed the building and left three men injured in the blaze. It opened in August 1937.
First operated by Joe F. Phillips of Baxley, the Worth Drive-In opened its gates on August 27, 1953 with “Gun Belt” and Walt Disney’s “The Olympic Elk” along with a cartoon.
The short-lived Sunshine Mine Drive-In is the first drive-in theater to operate in Centerville since the closure of the Town & Country Drive-In in June 1986. The Sunshine Mine Drive-In was originally planned on October 17, 2002 by Nina Finch and Phil Radosevich (who are the then-current managers of the Majestic Theatre).
After a very slow start of construction beginning in January 2005, the Sunshine Mine Drive-In then opened its gates on August 7, 2005 with “Star Wars: Revenge of The Sith”, and the theater operated for only a few seasons. Unfortunately I cannot find its closing date.
The Majestic is the city’s longtime first-run movie house for 92 years until it closed as a first-run movie house on December 22, 2005. The Majestic would then become a special events theater a short time later.
After a two-year renovation which forced a two-year closure for the Majestic in July 2010, the Majestic relaunched again as a special events theater (which also screens classic movies) on May 11, 2012.
The Lake Center Twin opened its doors on April 14, 1995 with “Jury Duty” at Screen 1 and “Little Women” at Screen 2, featuring an original twin capacity of 581 seats (with 251 seats at Screen 1 and 292 seats at Screen 2). Screen 1 was equipped with Dolby Surround while Screen 2 was equipped with Dolby Digital. Two more screens were added in November 2004 and it became the Cinema 4.
The 475-seat Monte Theatre opened its doors on June 21, 1934 with an all-star cast in “Hollywood Party”, along with a Universal Newsreel, a technicolor short “Fine Feathers”, and the Our Gang short “Bedtime Worries”, featuring installations of Simplex projection.
Information about the Monte Theatre as of 1934 goes as follows: The original marquee contains a three-color flashing border. The word “Monte” appears on the front of the sign while on either side in the center appears the letters “MT” in colors, and below it is the attraction title.
The lobby entrance of the theatre is decorated in silver and black, featuring a green and black rubberized tile floor. The ticket window is situated to the left of the main entrance and is also decorated with the same color motif. The foyer is carpeted with a heavy red, yellow, and black modernistic design, and to the right of the foyer in the basement are restrooms for both genders. A separate lavatory for men is situated at the foot of a short flight of stairs, while the women’s lavatory adjoins the lounge. Both lavatories are painted bright red and black, and includes settees and easy chairs for the convenience of patrons. No matter what the temperature is outside, it also contains air conditioners inside the theater as well as the auditorium.
Inside the auditorium featured walls covered with two-tone Nu-wood in tans and browns. Upon entering comes lighting facilities which were five modernistic lights decorated across the ceiling. Each are 9ft6in long and carries three colors of lights from which it is possible to make 27 different color combinations from the switchboard in the operator’s booth. Aside from the glass in the lights were fixtures being manufactured by the proprietors of the theater. They have been the directing head in the erection of the theatre during the previous two months in both April and May 1934. The lights also wall lights that also carry the unusual color combination to be had in the upper lights. The 475 seats in the auditorium are heavily padded leather carrying deep springs. There are three sizes of seats which come with 22in, 20in, and 19in. Lastly, the stage in front of the auditorium is 9ft depth.
The Monte Theatre was first operated by Charles Lambert who had previous theater experiences since he joined the business in 1916.
The Monte Theatre closed for the final time on April 25, 1982 with “Taps” due to the theater failed to gain adult audience. It was last operated by Gerald Peterson of Waverly who was the owner of Peterson Theaters Incorporated. Peterson said in the statement that they were able to get the kids to attend, but not the adults.
The Franklin Theatre opened on July 25, 1946 with Judy Garland in “The Harvey Girls” with no extra short subjects, and closed on April 1, 1968 with Audrey Hepburn in “Wait Until Dark”.
Cocoon didn’t came out until a month, a week, and three days after the Oakridge Center 3 launched their THX system. So I’m pretty sure that rivest266 is right.
Found it! The Adair Drive-In opened its gates on May 21, 1952 with Betty Hutton in “Annie Get Your Gun” along with two cartoons (unlisted on grand opening ad).
It was first owned by F.X. Merkley and Alvin Willis, before being taken over by O.G. Roden a few years later. Roden operated the Adair County Drive-In for a little more than 25 years until his death on May 2, 1983.
Opened on February 6, 1942 with “The Shadow Of The Thin Man” (unknown if short subjects were added). First operated by Mr. Troy Thompson and his son Mr. Robert S. Stevens. Still opened in the 1970s.
According to its article about the May 19, 1976 blaze that destroyed the Temple Theatre, a smaller fire causing a reconstruction occur in 1949, not 1945.
The Verne Drive-In actually opened on June 19, 1953. Indeed, K.C. Sergant of Clarkfield was the one who first operated the Verne.
The Lyon Theatre became the Rapids Theatre on Christmas Day 1936 right after a short remodel, reopening with Eleanor Powell in “Born To Dance” along with a Fox Movietone Newsreel and a few Paramount short subjects.
Some of its original installations include original walls which were lined with celotex, and over half-a-mile of the material comes with 12-in perforated blocks. The original 1936-installed walls, ceiling, and lobby have mixture schemes of royal blue and gold, brown, pink, yellow, and green. What’s unique about the original lobby of the Rapids Theatre is that one of the centers of attraction in addition to the fine display boards have original installations of “magic eye” drinking fountains, and what’s unique is that neither a button, pedal, or handles were presented in its system. In order to drink it, you bent your head and the water comes out as it was messaged by an electric beam to the automatic controls.
After closure in 1982, the Rapids Theatre sat abandoned until December 1985 when it went for renovation. It officially became a restaurant a short time later.
This drive-in is the oldest drive-in theater in Eastern Ohio, opening on May 2, 1941 with Penny Singleton in “Blondie Has Servant Trouble” along with a few short subjects.
It first opened as simply “Drive-In Theatre”. It was later renamed the LaVerne Drive-In in 1947, and finally the Howland Drive-In in 1950.
This started life as the Albany Drive-In, opening on June 7, 1953 with “The Big Sky” with no extra short subjects.
Closed on December 30, 1979 with “The Muppet Movie”.
The King Theatre opened its doors on October 17, 1930 with Ned Sparks in “Leathernecking” with no extra short subjects.
Information about the King Theatre as of 1930 goes as follows: The theater building results were the use of conder blocks for interior walls and soft plaster and gypsum covering each a deadener of echoes which ruin acoustics. Everything that causes echoes form that installation was cut out such as fancy scrolls and projection’s sound equipment of one kind or another. The original interior look featured terrazzo floored lobby with tile and marble ticket booth. The aisle floors were covered with heavy Wilton Saxon carpets underlaid with padding to deaden sound. Stairways were also carpeted as well as the auditorium lobby, which the original capacity of the auditorium as of its opening in 1930 were listed as 700 seats with seat-installations of red upholstered leathered 16 bottom springs and full padded back seats with soft edges, while the backs are of brown velour with red, orange, and blue figure designs. The auditorium floors were oak through the auditorium with floor coverings to the gallery of Wilton Saxton with Ozite padding. The original stage measures 22ft deep and 38ft across. The stage features the original installations of proscenium opening or grand outer drape and closest to the audience which then comes a burnt orange velour curtain on an automatic track, and back of this is a close-in curtain or screen of green silk also carried on an automatic track. These two original curtains' movements are electrically controlled for the projection booth. Back of that is a drop of black and gold denim of cloth and still back of this is a red velour sack-drop which extends all around the sides and rear of the stage. The sixth and last curtain is the sound screen which is 14ft back of the foot lights and is in the size of 14ft6inx18ft. In case of an emergency, there are two rear exists, one on either side of the stage.
The original installations of its ventilation system as of 1930 brings a special attention, with ample-sized hot air furnace during the winter months in which an oil burner is used to generate heat and powerful fans to force the air into the auditorium and outlet ducts under the stage to draw it out. A complete change of air is provided every three minutes as air enters the rooms from grills placed on either side of the stage and is drawn from the room by cold air ducts under the stage, giving a complete air circulation at all times. Sometimes from time-to-time, fresh air outside is added. During the summer months, it was in reverse, with the cool air coming in from the ducts under the stage and the hot air being drawn out through the grills on either side of the stage.
Other original installations include indirect lighting system featuring two full rows of foot lights with each light in a special reflector by the Kilegle Stage Lighting Company of New York. It gives an original soft mellow light touch, and by the use of the system, the operator at the booth may dim or brighten the auditorium by a usage of a switch. There are six large ceiling lights and in walls on either side of six sets of lights set in panels of green art glass. When films are being shown, the light comes softly from the side panel lights and small concealed aisle lights. The wall effects as of 1930 were originally buff and green over a gray background colored being worked into the plastering to give a pink background effect, featuring a soft and soothing touch with its fixtures.
Opened in January 1963.
The Princess actually closed on March 31, 1973 with “Drag Racer”.
The Town & Country Drive-In opened its gates on August 1, 1952 with Randolph Scott in “The Cariboo Trail” along with multiple Terrytoons cartoons and a newsreel. The original screen measures 60x50ft.
Correction on its June 14, 1986 closing: The Town & Country Drive-In closed with “Police Academy 3: Back In Training” (not the first one), and “Wildcats”.
The Palace closed due to a massive fire on August 22, 1963 that destroyed the building and left three men injured in the blaze. It opened in August 1937.
First operated by Joe F. Phillips of Baxley, the Worth Drive-In opened its gates on August 27, 1953 with “Gun Belt” and Walt Disney’s “The Olympic Elk” along with a cartoon.
Closed on May 26, 2023, it said.
I’m sure its now back to one screen after its closure as a triplex in August 2001, as I looked it up recently.
The short-lived Sunshine Mine Drive-In is the first drive-in theater to operate in Centerville since the closure of the Town & Country Drive-In in June 1986. The Sunshine Mine Drive-In was originally planned on October 17, 2002 by Nina Finch and Phil Radosevich (who are the then-current managers of the Majestic Theatre).
After a very slow start of construction beginning in January 2005, the Sunshine Mine Drive-In then opened its gates on August 7, 2005 with “Star Wars: Revenge of The Sith”, and the theater operated for only a few seasons. Unfortunately I cannot find its closing date.
The Majestic is the city’s longtime first-run movie house for 92 years until it closed as a first-run movie house on December 22, 2005. The Majestic would then become a special events theater a short time later.
After a two-year renovation which forced a two-year closure for the Majestic in July 2010, the Majestic relaunched again as a special events theater (which also screens classic movies) on May 11, 2012.
The Lake Center Twin opened its doors on April 14, 1995 with “Jury Duty” at Screen 1 and “Little Women” at Screen 2, featuring an original twin capacity of 581 seats (with 251 seats at Screen 1 and 292 seats at Screen 2). Screen 1 was equipped with Dolby Surround while Screen 2 was equipped with Dolby Digital. Two more screens were added in November 2004 and it became the Cinema 4.
A teenaged boy is recently injured in a shooting at the parking lot of the theater a few hours ago.
The 475-seat Monte Theatre opened its doors on June 21, 1934 with an all-star cast in “Hollywood Party”, along with a Universal Newsreel, a technicolor short “Fine Feathers”, and the Our Gang short “Bedtime Worries”, featuring installations of Simplex projection.
Information about the Monte Theatre as of 1934 goes as follows: The original marquee contains a three-color flashing border. The word “Monte” appears on the front of the sign while on either side in the center appears the letters “MT” in colors, and below it is the attraction title.
The lobby entrance of the theatre is decorated in silver and black, featuring a green and black rubberized tile floor. The ticket window is situated to the left of the main entrance and is also decorated with the same color motif. The foyer is carpeted with a heavy red, yellow, and black modernistic design, and to the right of the foyer in the basement are restrooms for both genders. A separate lavatory for men is situated at the foot of a short flight of stairs, while the women’s lavatory adjoins the lounge. Both lavatories are painted bright red and black, and includes settees and easy chairs for the convenience of patrons. No matter what the temperature is outside, it also contains air conditioners inside the theater as well as the auditorium.
Inside the auditorium featured walls covered with two-tone Nu-wood in tans and browns. Upon entering comes lighting facilities which were five modernistic lights decorated across the ceiling. Each are 9ft6in long and carries three colors of lights from which it is possible to make 27 different color combinations from the switchboard in the operator’s booth. Aside from the glass in the lights were fixtures being manufactured by the proprietors of the theater. They have been the directing head in the erection of the theatre during the previous two months in both April and May 1934. The lights also wall lights that also carry the unusual color combination to be had in the upper lights. The 475 seats in the auditorium are heavily padded leather carrying deep springs. There are three sizes of seats which come with 22in, 20in, and 19in. Lastly, the stage in front of the auditorium is 9ft depth.
The Monte Theatre was first operated by Charles Lambert who had previous theater experiences since he joined the business in 1916.
The Monte Theatre closed for the final time on April 25, 1982 with “Taps” due to the theater failed to gain adult audience. It was last operated by Gerald Peterson of Waverly who was the owner of Peterson Theaters Incorporated. Peterson said in the statement that they were able to get the kids to attend, but not the adults.
Opened in March 1911.
The actual opening date is January 25, 1932.
The Franklin Theatre opened on July 25, 1946 with Judy Garland in “The Harvey Girls” with no extra short subjects, and closed on April 1, 1968 with Audrey Hepburn in “Wait Until Dark”.
Cocoon didn’t came out until a month, a week, and three days after the Oakridge Center 3 launched their THX system. So I’m pretty sure that rivest266 is right.
Found it! The Adair Drive-In opened its gates on May 21, 1952 with Betty Hutton in “Annie Get Your Gun” along with two cartoons (unlisted on grand opening ad).
It was first owned by F.X. Merkley and Alvin Willis, before being taken over by O.G. Roden a few years later. Roden operated the Adair County Drive-In for a little more than 25 years until his death on May 2, 1983.
Its closing date remains unknown at this time.
Opened on February 6, 1942 with “The Shadow Of The Thin Man” (unknown if short subjects were added). First operated by Mr. Troy Thompson and his son Mr. Robert S. Stevens. Still opened in the 1970s.