The Metropolitan Opera House opened as early as 1896 and was renamed the Metropolitan Theatre in the late-1900s or early-1910s. At the time, two more theaters began popping up in Owatonna. There is the Gem Scenic Theatre which opened on September 15, 1909 by S.L. Manhart, and the Harvey’s Airdome which opened on May 13, 1911 by W.L. Harvey.
The two other theaters didn’t last long, with the Gem Scenic closing in July 1911 and the Harvey’s Airdome closed in late-1912, the Metropolitan Theatre once again served as the only movie house in Owatonna into the rest of the silent era. New management by F. R. Thompson took over the Metropolitan and was renamed the Roxy Theatre in October 1933. The Roxy remained as the only movie house in Owatonna until the launch of the popular State Theatre in September 1935.
For its first couple of decades of operation, both the drive-in and the screen tower were located right next to North Broadway Street. It wasn’t until the late-1970s when both the drive-in and the screen were relocated several feet behind from its original location when the triplex Poteau Theatre was built on its original site.
The Poteau Theatre was built in the late-1970s on the Tower Drive-In’s original site. When the building of the Poteau Theatre began construction in the late-1970s, the entirety of the Tower Drive-In was relocated several feet behind its original location.
There are two theaters in Heavener that are named the New Theatre. This one is the second one, which opened on November 11, 1946 with Walter Pidgeon in “Holiday In Mexico” (unknown if extras added).
The actual opening date is November 16, 1933 with Spencer Tracy in “Man’s Castle” along with several short subjects (one of which is the technicolor short “Operator’s Opera”).
The Capitol Theatre did suffer damage from a fire on January 4, 1940, and was the second out of two fires that occur in downtown Andover in the past two days, with the other being the J. Edward Armstrong Machine Shop.
The Bays Theatre was renamed the Plaza Theatre on January 4, 1930, reopening as Blackwell’s second talkie theater with Richard Dix in “The Love Doctor” along with a unnamed comedy (listed as Talkomedy) and a serial episode of “The Pirate of Panama”. The Plaza Theatre closed in 1934 and the theater was abandoned for almost three years.
After extensive remodeling, it reopened back as the Bays Theatre on February 19, 1937.
This started life as the New Criterion Theatre for only a single week, opening on January 5, 1935 with Dick Powell in “Happiness Ahead” along with the technicolor Merrie Melodies cartoon “Mr. and Mrs. Is The Name” starring Buddy and Cookie, the Laurel & Hardy comedy “Peach Of A Pair”, and Paramount News. It was first owned by W.H. Williams who also operated the nearby Rialto, and featured sound installations of Western Electric.
The theater was renamed the Ray Theatre on January 31, 1935 exactly two weeks after a theater-naming contest as part of its Amateur Night hosted by Williams himself.
The Criterion Theatre launched on April 9, 1923 with Douglas McLean in “Bell Boy 13” and a live comedy of Mr. Frank Norton in “The Marriage Of Elizabeth” with music by the theater’s orchestra (simply named “Jazz Orchestra”).
A fifth screen was added in June 1990 and was renamed “Linden Fiveplex Cinemas”. The theater closed for the final time on December 31, 1999, and was notable for being the last movie theater in America to close in the 20th century.
The Beckley Open Air Theatre was renamed the Raleigh Drive-In on April 12, 1968, and was still open as late as 1977. The drive-in was gone in the 1980s.
The Blue Moon Theater opened its doors on October 19, 1934 with “The Case Of The Howling Dog” and “Come On, Tarzan” along with an unnamed technicolor cartoon.
The Midwest Theatre opened its doors on Thanksgiving Day 1931 with James Cagney in “Blond Crazy” and an unnamed Laurel & Hardy comedy, featuring sound installations of RCA.
On December 12, 1944, the Midwest Theatre began screening first-run A-films following the fire and explosion at the Tower Theatre, the previous day. The Midwest Theatre went back to B-films following the reopening of the Tower Theatre in June 1946.
The Midwest Theatre closed for the final time on May 30, 1951 with the Zane Grey double feature “To The Last Man” and “Heritage Desert” along with the Dingbat Terrytoon “Sour Grapes” (listed as a Heckle & Jeckle cartoon for unknown reasons but its truly just a plain Dingbat cartoon) and a newsreel.
The Circle A Theatre launched on November 21, 1937 with Cary Grant in “The Awful Truth” along with an unnamed cartoon and a MGM News Of The Day newsreel.
On July 27, 1948, the Circle A Theatre almost suffered destruction from a fire after a trailer reel caught fire from a projection jam. This happened during intermission before Dick Powell’s “To The Ends Of The Earth” along with the Noveltoon “The Bored Cuckoo” and a newsreel.
The Metropolitan Opera House opened as early as 1896 and was renamed the Metropolitan Theatre in the late-1900s or early-1910s. At the time, two more theaters began popping up in Owatonna. There is the Gem Scenic Theatre which opened on September 15, 1909 by S.L. Manhart, and the Harvey’s Airdome which opened on May 13, 1911 by W.L. Harvey.
The two other theaters didn’t last long, with the Gem Scenic closing in July 1911 and the Harvey’s Airdome closed in late-1912, the Metropolitan Theatre once again served as the only movie house in Owatonna into the rest of the silent era. New management by F. R. Thompson took over the Metropolitan and was renamed the Roxy Theatre in October 1933. The Roxy remained as the only movie house in Owatonna until the launch of the popular State Theatre in September 1935.
The popularities over DVDs and Netflix. That was all according to the then-manager.
For its first couple of decades of operation, both the drive-in and the screen tower were located right next to North Broadway Street. It wasn’t until the late-1970s when both the drive-in and the screen were relocated several feet behind from its original location when the triplex Poteau Theatre was built on its original site.
The Poteau Theatre was built in the late-1970s on the Tower Drive-In’s original site. When the building of the Poteau Theatre began construction in the late-1970s, the entirety of the Tower Drive-In was relocated several feet behind its original location.
Still open in 1974.
On September 17, 1943, the Kemp Theatre was destroyed by a fire causing an estimate $11,000 in damages. The theater was then rebuilt.
There are two theaters in Heavener that are named the New Theatre. This one is the second one, which opened on November 11, 1946 with Walter Pidgeon in “Holiday In Mexico” (unknown if extras added).
The actual opening date is November 16, 1933 with Spencer Tracy in “Man’s Castle” along with several short subjects (one of which is the technicolor short “Operator’s Opera”).
It was later renamed Strand Cinema and closed on July 10, 1989 when an EF4 tornado ripped through parts of Hamden and New Haven.
Opened by RKO Stanley-Warner on Christmas Day 1963 with Cary Grant in “Charade”.
Opened in 1954.
The Capitol Theatre did suffer damage from a fire on January 4, 1940, and was the second out of two fires that occur in downtown Andover in the past two days, with the other being the J. Edward Armstrong Machine Shop.
The Capitol Theatre was still open in 1969.
The Palace Theatre opened as early as 1923 and was remodeled on March 23, 1928.
The Bays Theatre was renamed the Plaza Theatre on January 4, 1930, reopening as Blackwell’s second talkie theater with Richard Dix in “The Love Doctor” along with a unnamed comedy (listed as Talkomedy) and a serial episode of “The Pirate of Panama”. The Plaza Theatre closed in 1934 and the theater was abandoned for almost three years.
After extensive remodeling, it reopened back as the Bays Theatre on February 19, 1937.
This started life as the New Criterion Theatre for only a single week, opening on January 5, 1935 with Dick Powell in “Happiness Ahead” along with the technicolor Merrie Melodies cartoon “Mr. and Mrs. Is The Name” starring Buddy and Cookie, the Laurel & Hardy comedy “Peach Of A Pair”, and Paramount News. It was first owned by W.H. Williams who also operated the nearby Rialto, and featured sound installations of Western Electric.
The theater was renamed the Ray Theatre on January 31, 1935 exactly two weeks after a theater-naming contest as part of its Amateur Night hosted by Williams himself.
The Criterion Theatre launched on April 9, 1923 with Douglas McLean in “Bell Boy 13” and a live comedy of Mr. Frank Norton in “The Marriage Of Elizabeth” with music by the theater’s orchestra (simply named “Jazz Orchestra”).
The Gem opened as early as 1919.
The Ozaukee Theatre closed in 1958 due to the retirement of its manager.
A fifth screen was added in June 1990 and was renamed “Linden Fiveplex Cinemas”. The theater closed for the final time on December 31, 1999, and was notable for being the last movie theater in America to close in the 20th century.
The Beckley Open Air Theatre was renamed the Raleigh Drive-In on April 12, 1968, and was still open as late as 1977. The drive-in was gone in the 1980s.
Closed in the 1960s.
The Blue Moon Theater opened its doors on October 19, 1934 with “The Case Of The Howling Dog” and “Come On, Tarzan” along with an unnamed technicolor cartoon.
Opened on October 15, 1947 with Wayne Morris in “Deep Valley” (unknown if any extras added).
The Midwest Theatre opened its doors on Thanksgiving Day 1931 with James Cagney in “Blond Crazy” and an unnamed Laurel & Hardy comedy, featuring sound installations of RCA.
On December 12, 1944, the Midwest Theatre began screening first-run A-films following the fire and explosion at the Tower Theatre, the previous day. The Midwest Theatre went back to B-films following the reopening of the Tower Theatre in June 1946.
The Midwest Theatre closed for the final time on May 30, 1951 with the Zane Grey double feature “To The Last Man” and “Heritage Desert” along with the Dingbat Terrytoon “Sour Grapes” (listed as a Heckle & Jeckle cartoon for unknown reasons but its truly just a plain Dingbat cartoon) and a newsreel.
The Circle A Theatre launched on November 21, 1937 with Cary Grant in “The Awful Truth” along with an unnamed cartoon and a MGM News Of The Day newsreel.
On July 27, 1948, the Circle A Theatre almost suffered destruction from a fire after a trailer reel caught fire from a projection jam. This happened during intermission before Dick Powell’s “To The Ends Of The Earth” along with the Noveltoon “The Bored Cuckoo” and a newsreel.