When the Delmar Theatre burned on September 29, 1926, the Cla-Zel became the primary theatre in town with the aging Lyric the back-up “B” theater. Clark M. And Hazel Young opened the venue fusing their first names as the Cla-Zel. It opened in 1926 with a Marr & Colton Symphonic Registrator Organ. Later operated by the Armstrong Circuit.
The Roxy Theatre opened under Jack “J.J.” Gutilla’s watch on September 6, 1938. This may have been the home of De Graf’s silent-era Ideal Theater renamed after a period of vacancy when conversion to sound was too expensive.
The final owners of the Roxy Theatre, Phil and Mary Christy, closed the venue in January of 1970 with no promise to reopen. The Roxy made a transition from a cinematic to biblio-centric existence when it converted to a bookstore, Anchor Books, on November 15, 1976. The venue later housed a City of De Graf annex that housed one of the safest public libraries in the nation sharing its space as of the 2020s with the local police department.
Cool shot of the building next to the Strand Theatre which - when the building was in its formative stages of being built - had a sign on the neighboring building that read, “The Gayety - New Home of Advanced Burlesque: You can bring your wives, sisters, sweetheart. Always a clean show. New Show Every Week.” That ghost sign reappeared here in February of 1951 after the former Gayety turned Strand (turned Telenews and back to the Strand) was razed.
Associated Theatres Circuit announced tha the Strand would be converted to a Telenews Theatre effective July 17, 1942. The former Strand marquee was donated to the war effort for scrap metal. After the War, the name reverted back to the Strand. It closed “temporarily” for the warm summer months after a double-feature of Jimmy Wakely in “The Lawless Hour” and and Adele Jergens in “Radar Secret Service” which turned out to be the final showings for the Strand on May 27, 1950.
The Strand Theatre was demolished starting late in 1950 through February 1951. Virtually everything was offered for sale by the Cleveland Wrecking Company.
This venue had 1,600 seats. Eastern Federal Theatres downgraded it to a second-run, discount house closing August 4, 1999 with “The Matrix,” “Entrapment, “The Mummy,” “October Sky,” “Never Been Kissed,” and “Instinct.” This became a house of worship for Faith Fellowship Ministries.
The Lincoln Drive-In Theatre opened on January 21, 1953 for African American patrons with “His Kind of Woman” with Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell. That policy lasted all the way until April 27, 1953 when the theatre closed with, “What Price Glory?” It rebooted on May 9, 1953 with its new policy excluding African Americans.
The animosity to potential African American patrons violating the policy were coded into ads and finally led to a lawsuit in July of 1967 with the NAACP and protestors involved. A Federal District Court ruled against the discriminating drive-in operator in late August of 1967. The theatre switched to an adult film policy according to reports. It would return to a mix of Hollywood fare and exploitation titles before closing permanently.
The Star-Lite’s last ad was on February 21, 1971 with an old-school exploitation fest featuring the venerable “See the Birth of Triplets (aka "Mom and Dad,”) Leon Ames in “No Greater Sin” and Kathy Hilton in “Fountain of Love.” Some 20 years later, the road that once housed the drive-in had been renamed Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
The Lee Theatre was opened by Cojac Theatres (a company with deep ties to Warner Bros. and was the type of relationship that led to the Paramount decree in the early 1950s). Opening film was Warner Bros.‘ Manhood with Edward G. Robinson on August 27, 1941. Frank Bail’s streamlined moderne architectural sketch of the new Lee is in photos. The venue was named after property owner Joe Lee and was built by Wheeler Brothers Contracting.
The Edison Theatre was the 142d theatre designed by Roy A. Benjamin with the assistance of local architect Frank W. Bail. The venue was named after Thomas Alva Edison who bought property in Fort Myers in 1886 and spent time there through the 1920s. Florida State Theatres opened the venue on September 9, 1941.
The Lindsey Building was the second home of the New Bonifay Theatre, relaunching there on February 21, 1936. But the Bonifay’s second location would be its shortest of three locations burning down on December 17, 1942. Operator Al Saunders vowed to rebuild despite War-time material shortages. He would deliver a new Bonifay which has its own CinemaTreasure page.
The venue opened as the Skydome Theater, an open-air destination for African American fans of films, live entertainment and boxing in 1925. Wometco took on the venue making it a hardtop called the Harlem Theatre likely in 1933. Wometco closed the Capitol Theatre in downtown and moved the marquee to the Harlem which was renamed the Capitol for its September 6, 1953 relaunch.
The Lindsey Building is the home of the New Bonifay Theatre, the second and newest home in 1936. Spoiler alert: it will burn down less than ten years later and get replaced by a third Bonifay Theatre.
The Ernada Theatre was opened ny Hugh Wear on February 1, 1924 with Mary Philbin in “The Merry-Go-Round.” Louise Gautier was the opening keyboardist. The architect was W.B. Talley and built by W.C. Robertson & Co. At its launch, Marquis Amusement Circuit operated the 736-seat venue.
Operator Vance Marquis proved himself a masterful political tactician when he was requested to equip the theater for sound i 1929. He said without Sunday screenings prevented by local blue laws, he couldn’t afford to do so. The town put that on the ballot and it passed. on April 14, 1929, the Ernada’s new Photophone sound system of North Vernon, Indiana playing, “The Broadway Melody” as its first talkie. The theater refreshed reducing seat count to 663.
New manager Leonard Bennett took on the house with a major streamlined moderne makeover in September of 1936 including a much improved Western Electric sound system. Now seating 600, the venue was rechristened as the Ritz Theater. Florida State Theatres operated the venue in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. But ads are discontinued in December of 1965 which may - or may not - be indicative of its closure.
The July 2, 1916 Grand Opening ad for the New Frolic Theatre is posted as the venue booked Eleanor Woodruff in “Britton of the Seventh” supported by a Charlie Chaplin short. All 1,000 seats were filled for the opener. The previous home of the Frolic was just three doors down at the Knights of Phythias Hall for three years. Its success with African American patrons spawned the construction of the new house.
This photo is at the State Theatre on February 23, 1952. Autry was in town performing with his horse, Champion, at the Orange Bowl and stopped by the venue.
This photo is at the State Theatre on February 23, 1952. Autry was in town performing with his horse, Champion, at the Orange Bowl and stopped by the venue.
You are correct. The closure and story about the theater’s impending demise were printed but there was an eleventh hour appeal made of the demolition’s starting point when there weren’t enough homes provided for displaced elderly residents. The theatre did reopen before Big Chief Demolition came back in and wiped out “Good Bread Alley” finally taking the Capitol Theatre and everything around it early in 1975.
Locals called the urban renewal plan simply a means by which the local government would allow the displacement and destruction of African American neighbors and neighborhoods. Final showtimes for the Capitol are corrected as occurring January 28, 1975 with a double feature of “Savage Streets” and “Street Gangs of Hong Kong.”
Clark M. And Hazel Young opened the venue fusing their first names as the Cla-Zel (CLArk - haZEL)
Final operator - Armstrong Circuit
When the Delmar Theatre burned on September 29, 1926, the Cla-Zel became the primary theatre in town with the aging Lyric the back-up “B” theater. Clark M. And Hazel Young opened the venue fusing their first names as the Cla-Zel. It opened in 1926 with a Marr & Colton Symphonic Registrator Organ. Later operated by the Armstrong Circuit.
Plans - Bowling Green’s S. P. Stewart &. Son Architects
The Roxy Theatre opened under Jack “J.J.” Gutilla’s watch on September 6, 1938. This may have been the home of De Graf’s silent-era Ideal Theater renamed after a period of vacancy when conversion to sound was too expensive.
The final owners of the Roxy Theatre, Phil and Mary Christy, closed the venue in January of 1970 with no promise to reopen. The Roxy made a transition from a cinematic to biblio-centric existence when it converted to a bookstore, Anchor Books, on November 15, 1976. The venue later housed a City of De Graf annex that housed one of the safest public libraries in the nation sharing its space as of the 2020s with the local police department.
The Elder Theatre launched November 19, 1942 with “Priorities on Parade.” The architect was Fred W. Srezel.
Cool shot of the building next to the Strand Theatre which - when the building was in its formative stages of being built - had a sign on the neighboring building that read, “The Gayety - New Home of Advanced Burlesque: You can bring your wives, sisters, sweetheart. Always a clean show. New Show Every Week.” That ghost sign reappeared here in February of 1951 after the former Gayety turned Strand (turned Telenews and back to the Strand) was razed.
Associated Theatres Circuit announced tha the Strand would be converted to a Telenews Theatre effective July 17, 1942. The former Strand marquee was donated to the war effort for scrap metal. After the War, the name reverted back to the Strand. It closed “temporarily” for the warm summer months after a double-feature of Jimmy Wakely in “The Lawless Hour” and and Adele Jergens in “Radar Secret Service” which turned out to be the final showings for the Strand on May 27, 1950.
The Strand Theatre was demolished starting late in 1950 through February 1951. Virtually everything was offered for sale by the Cleveland Wrecking Company.
Open
This venue had 1,600 seats. Eastern Federal Theatres downgraded it to a second-run, discount house closing August 4, 1999 with “The Matrix,” “Entrapment, “The Mummy,” “October Sky,” “Never Been Kissed,” and “Instinct.” This became a house of worship for Faith Fellowship Ministries.
The Lincoln Drive-In Theatre opened on January 21, 1953 for African American patrons with “His Kind of Woman” with Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell. That policy lasted all the way until April 27, 1953 when the theatre closed with, “What Price Glory?” It rebooted on May 9, 1953 with its new policy excluding African Americans.
The animosity to potential African American patrons violating the policy were coded into ads and finally led to a lawsuit in July of 1967 with the NAACP and protestors involved. A Federal District Court ruled against the discriminating drive-in operator in late August of 1967. The theatre switched to an adult film policy according to reports. It would return to a mix of Hollywood fare and exploitation titles before closing permanently.
The Star-Lite’s last ad was on February 21, 1971 with an old-school exploitation fest featuring the venerable “See the Birth of Triplets (aka "Mom and Dad,”) Leon Ames in “No Greater Sin” and Kathy Hilton in “Fountain of Love.” Some 20 years later, the road that once housed the drive-in had been renamed Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
The Lincoln Drive-In Theatre opened on January 21, 1953 for African American patrons with “His Kind of Woman” with Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell.
The Lincoln Drive-In Theatre opened on January 21, 1953 for African American patrons with “His Kind of Woman” with Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell.
The Lee Theatre was opened by Cojac Theatres (a company with deep ties to Warner Bros. and was the type of relationship that led to the Paramount decree in the early 1950s). Opening film was Warner Bros.‘ Manhood with Edward G. Robinson on August 27, 1941. Frank Bail’s streamlined moderne architectural sketch of the new Lee is in photos. The venue was named after property owner Joe Lee and was built by Wheeler Brothers Contracting.
The Edison Theatre was the 142d theatre designed by Roy A. Benjamin with the assistance of local architect Frank W. Bail. The venue was named after Thomas Alva Edison who bought property in Fort Myers in 1886 and spent time there through the 1920s. Florida State Theatres opened the venue on September 9, 1941.
The Lindsey Building was the second home of the New Bonifay Theatre, relaunching there on February 21, 1936. But the Bonifay’s second location would be its shortest of three locations burning down on December 17, 1942. Operator Al Saunders vowed to rebuild despite War-time material shortages. He would deliver a new Bonifay which has its own CinemaTreasure page.
The venue opened as the Skydome Theater, an open-air destination for African American fans of films, live entertainment and boxing in 1925. Wometco took on the venue making it a hardtop called the Harlem Theatre likely in 1933. Wometco closed the Capitol Theatre in downtown and moved the marquee to the Harlem which was renamed the Capitol for its September 6, 1953 relaunch.
The Lindsey Building is the home of the New Bonifay Theatre, the second and newest home in 1936. Spoiler alert: it will burn down less than ten years later and get replaced by a third Bonifay Theatre.
Bonus ad: It’s the Royal Palm Theatre on Cranford Avenue in Fort Meyers - an African American theater in 1926.
The Ernada Theatre was opened ny Hugh Wear on February 1, 1924 with Mary Philbin in “The Merry-Go-Round.” Louise Gautier was the opening keyboardist. The architect was W.B. Talley and built by W.C. Robertson & Co. At its launch, Marquis Amusement Circuit operated the 736-seat venue.
Operator Vance Marquis proved himself a masterful political tactician when he was requested to equip the theater for sound i 1929. He said without Sunday screenings prevented by local blue laws, he couldn’t afford to do so. The town put that on the ballot and it passed. on April 14, 1929, the Ernada’s new Photophone sound system of North Vernon, Indiana playing, “The Broadway Melody” as its first talkie. The theater refreshed reducing seat count to 663.
New manager Leonard Bennett took on the house with a major streamlined moderne makeover in September of 1936 including a much improved Western Electric sound system. Now seating 600, the venue was rechristened as the Ritz Theater. Florida State Theatres operated the venue in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. But ads are discontinued in December of 1965 which may - or may not - be indicative of its closure.
The July 2, 1916 Grand Opening ad for the New Frolic Theatre is posted as the venue booked Eleanor Woodruff in “Britton of the Seventh” supported by a Charlie Chaplin short. All 1,000 seats were filled for the opener. The previous home of the Frolic was just three doors down at the Knights of Phythias Hall for three years. Its success with African American patrons spawned the construction of the new house.
This photo is at the State Theatre on February 23, 1952. Autry was in town performing with his horse, Champion, at the Orange Bowl and stopped by the venue.
This photo is at the State Theatre on February 23, 1952. Autry was in town performing with his horse, Champion, at the Orange Bowl and stopped by the venue.
You are correct. The closure and story about the theater’s impending demise were printed but there was an eleventh hour appeal made of the demolition’s starting point when there weren’t enough homes provided for displaced elderly residents. The theatre did reopen before Big Chief Demolition came back in and wiped out “Good Bread Alley” finally taking the Capitol Theatre and everything around it early in 1975.
Locals called the urban renewal plan simply a means by which the local government would allow the displacement and destruction of African American neighbors and neighborhoods. Final showtimes for the Capitol are corrected as occurring January 28, 1975 with a double feature of “Savage Streets” and “Street Gangs of Hong Kong.”
Closed in October of 2022