Vermont’s “Little Radio City”, the Tegu Theatre, launched September 10, 1937 with “Vogues of 1938” supported by highlights of the Joe Louis and Tommy Farr fight and a Mickey Mouse cartoon. At launch, the Tegu boasted of its Simplex projection and the same RCA sound system that they have at the Radio City Music Hall… only smaller. The Tegu closed at the end of its 20-year lease with “Top Secret Affair” on June 12, 1957.
The Morrisville Drive-In launched with Peggy Cummins in “Green Grass of Wyoming” supported by short subjects. It operated with a loudspeaker in its first season. The Morrisville D-I was located where the Fairground track once was. News reports said that the loudspeaker system of season one was replaced by 340 individual speakers improving presentation. In 1982, the speakers were replaced with stereo radio sound. The ozoner closed at the end of the 1985 season due attributing home video as the reason for closure. The Brooklyn Street / Route 100 venue became a mobile home dealer in 1987.
Joy Houck’s Joy Theatre Circuit built this New Joy Theatre as a post-War venue announced in 1948. The New Joy opened on November 23, 1949 with Anne Baxter in “You’re My Everything” supported by the MGM cartoon short, “Señor Droopy.” Grand opening ad is in photos. The previous Joy Theatre exited the night before on November 22, 1949 with “Triple Threat,” “Talking Turkey” and “Lost City of the Jungle.”
The second Joy Theatre ceased operations on May 18, 1980 as an independent with a double feature of “Foxy Brown” and “Lips and McCain.” It was offered for sale at $14,000. The city bought it in 1981 but decided against a renovation at that time. In 1982, it became the Rayville Gun & Pawn Shop. When they left, the building fell into disrepair. Two renovation projects were launched - the first in 1999 and the second in 2003 - but neither were completed as the building’s roofline deteriorated more than anticipated during its dormant period making restoration nearly impossible.
S orry - that wasn’t clear. The Arcade Theatre launched here in June of 1926 with a live event. Morris Melz - who operated the existing Melz Theatre - merged with the Arcade on November 1, 1926 with the “The Night Patrol,” “War Paint” and “Snowed In.”
A new co-operator arrived in 1930 to wire the silent theater with sound in January 1930 by the name of Robert L. Bailey. At that time, the venue was renamed the Bailey Theatre and likely on a 20-year leasing agreement. Morris Melz was then simply the venue’s manager.
When Bailey left in 1931, the venue was re-renamed the Melz-Arcade Theatre. The operation was refreshed in 1950 Likely in a new lease at which time it dropped the Melz-Arcade moniker in favor of the Arcade Theatre. Movies were eventually dropped. Today, it goes by the name the Delta Music Hall of Fame and Arcade Theatre and is used for live events.Technically, this never went by the name, solely, as the Melz Theatre.
The Melz-Arcade Theatre launched in the Arcade Building on November 1, 1926 with “The Night Patrol,” “War Paint” and “Snowed In.” The Melz Theatre ended operations at the end of October 1926 to make that transition. The Morris Melz name eventually was dropped in 1950 as the venue was solely the Arcade Theatre.
When the Chief Theatre’s roof collapsed in September of 1973 ending the town’s sole movie theater, a creative plan was hatched. The city, unable to court a new theater operator, agreed to build a new theater. But when costs were presented nearing $250,000, it got even more inventive. The town spent $80,000 to convert the - then - recently-closed Pepsi-Cola bottling plant into the Sunflower Cinema. It then sub-leased the venue to Mid-America Theaters which was already operating the twin mall cinema in nearby Hays as well as locations including WaKeeney, Sharon Springs, and Larned.
The Sunflower blossomed on July 16, 1977 with “Airport ‘77.” In 2011, the faculty added bowling to become the Sunflower Cinema and Recreation to diversify. Operated by donors, the plucky cinema continued operations Into 2018. That said, we are guessing “closed” is now its operating mode.
Millard G. Kirkman launched the Strand with Marguerite Clark in “Snow White” on May 15, 1917. The theatre featured a mirror screen and movies from Paramount, Bluebird and K.E.S.E. (Kleine-Edison-Selig-Essanay) Service at its launch. The Strand was acquired by Fox Midwest in September of 1929 from Kirkman which added sound to the Strand to remain viable. Fox Midwest later closed it on April 11, 1950 with “Dear Wife” and “Thelma Jordan” as it opened its new Fox Theatre the next day.
Fox retained the lease on the Strand keeping it dark until a 1951 consent decree forced the Strand out of its portfolio. The venue reopened with widescreen films in 1953/4 operating on a ten year agreement. It closed permanently on April 7, 1963 with “Black Gold.” The space was converted for retail purposes with the Village Shop taking its place two months later.
Wade Hampton Renick, Jr. built the Drive-In Theatre in Hays in 1948. Technically, it opened and operated for a brief period as Drive-In Theatre. It then became known as the Hays Drive-In. It was twinned operating some 30 years, again, technically under the moniker of the Hays Twin Drive-In Theatre. The Hays Twin was torn down in 1982.
Agreed with Joe Vogel’s comment that Merle F. Baker was the circuit owner of the venue and not the building’s architect. It is likely that the Tallmadge & Watson plans of 1921 were rejected as the trade press lists the architectural plans of the new Grand Theatre to Owen, Payton & Carswell out of Kansas City circa 1922 and into 1923. Then when the building opened, Owen, Payton and Carswell were credited in news and trade reports as the venue’s architects. Mr. Baker likely approved the plans but had little to do with the actual creation of those plans.
Mark Angell launched Orpheum Theatre primarily as a movie house in downtown Keokuk on August 11, 1911. The opening program feature Mary Pickford in “Science,” the Powers Picture western, “Nevada,” and Carl Alstrup in “The Son of the Executioner.” It appears to have closed permanently on June 23, 1917 with Wally Van in “Cutey’s Vacation.” Not sure where the guessy opening date of the “early 1920s” provided by user Chuck in the above synopsis originated.
The venue opened May 18, 1999 with “The Phantom Menace.” It added two screens for its May 19, 1999 operation adding “October Sky” and “Life is Beautiful.” It would then get to its seven screen operation. It would close on November 7, 2018 due to a spreading wildfire. Though the building stood, it did not reopen.
The El Rey Theatre was closed permanently on January 26, 1963. The theater struggled with patronage and when teenaged vandals struck on January 26th, the theater was shuttered.
Vermont’s “Little Radio City”, the Tegu Theatre, launched September 10, 1937 with “Vogues of 1938” supported by highlights of the Joe Louis and Tommy Farr fight and a Mickey Mouse cartoon. At launch, the Tegu boasted of its Simplex projection and the same RCA sound system that they have at the Radio City Music Hall… only smaller. The Tegu closed at the end of its 20-year lease with “Top Secret Affair” on June 12, 1957.
The Morrisville Drive-In launched with Peggy Cummins in “Green Grass of Wyoming” supported by short subjects. It operated with a loudspeaker in its first season. The Morrisville D-I was located where the Fairground track once was. News reports said that the loudspeaker system of season one was replaced by 340 individual speakers improving presentation. In 1982, the speakers were replaced with stereo radio sound. The ozoner closed at the end of the 1985 season due attributing home video as the reason for closure. The Brooklyn Street / Route 100 venue became a mobile home dealer in 1987.
Joy Houck’s Joy Theatre Circuit built this New Joy Theatre as a post-War venue announced in 1948. The New Joy opened on November 23, 1949 with Anne Baxter in “You’re My Everything” supported by the MGM cartoon short, “Señor Droopy.” Grand opening ad is in photos. The previous Joy Theatre exited the night before on November 22, 1949 with “Triple Threat,” “Talking Turkey” and “Lost City of the Jungle.”
The second Joy Theatre ceased operations on May 18, 1980 as an independent with a double feature of “Foxy Brown” and “Lips and McCain.” It was offered for sale at $14,000. The city bought it in 1981 but decided against a renovation at that time. In 1982, it became the Rayville Gun & Pawn Shop. When they left, the building fell into disrepair. Two renovation projects were launched - the first in 1999 and the second in 2003 - but neither were completed as the building’s roofline deteriorated more than anticipated during its dormant period making restoration nearly impossible.
In 2022, the Vaska added a second screen called the Aux while the original auditorium is the Main.
Name: Barksdale Field Air Force Base Post Theatre
Address was 113 South Benedette Street. Sorry
S orry - that wasn’t clear. The Arcade Theatre launched here in June of 1926 with a live event. Morris Melz - who operated the existing Melz Theatre - merged with the Arcade on November 1, 1926 with the “The Night Patrol,” “War Paint” and “Snowed In.”
A new co-operator arrived in 1930 to wire the silent theater with sound in January 1930 by the name of Robert L. Bailey. At that time, the venue was renamed the Bailey Theatre and likely on a 20-year leasing agreement. Morris Melz was then simply the venue’s manager.
When Bailey left in 1931, the venue was re-renamed the Melz-Arcade Theatre. The operation was refreshed in 1950 Likely in a new lease at which time it dropped the Melz-Arcade moniker in favor of the Arcade Theatre. Movies were eventually dropped. Today, it goes by the name the Delta Music Hall of Fame and Arcade Theatre and is used for live events.Technically, this never went by the name, solely, as the Melz Theatre.
The Melz Theatre - located nearby in downtown Ferriday - combines with the newer Arcade Theatre to create the Melz-Arcade Theatre in 1926
The Melz-Arcade Theatre launched in the Arcade Building on November 1, 1926 with “The Night Patrol,” “War Paint” and “Snowed In.” The Melz Theatre ended operations at the end of October 1926 to make that transition. The Morris Melz name eventually was dropped in 1950 as the venue was solely the Arcade Theatre.
August 7, 1953 Grand Opening ad for the Rio Drive-In with “The Naked Spur” and “Too Young to Kiss” in photos
August 7, 1953 Grand Opening ad for the Rio Drive-In with “The Naked Spur” and “Too Young to Kiss.”
When the Chief Theatre’s roof collapsed in September of 1973 ending the town’s sole movie theater, a creative plan was hatched. The city, unable to court a new theater operator, agreed to build a new theater. But when costs were presented nearing $250,000, it got even more inventive. The town spent $80,000 to convert the - then - recently-closed Pepsi-Cola bottling plant into the Sunflower Cinema. It then sub-leased the venue to Mid-America Theaters which was already operating the twin mall cinema in nearby Hays as well as locations including WaKeeney, Sharon Springs, and Larned.
The Sunflower blossomed on July 16, 1977 with “Airport ‘77.” In 2011, the faculty added bowling to become the Sunflower Cinema and Recreation to diversify. Operated by donors, the plucky cinema continued operations Into 2018. That said, we are guessing “closed” is now its operating mode.
Opened by Fox Midwest Theatre Division. I’m quite skeptical that the Fox Circuit of Reading PA would have had anything to do with this location.
Currently listed on Malco’s website as the Summer Quartet Drive-In
Opened with Lois Butler in “Mickey” on May 30, 1951
Also operated by the National General Theatre Circuit in the early 1970s and Mann Theatres in the 1970s
Millard G. Kirkman launched the Strand with Marguerite Clark in “Snow White” on May 15, 1917. The theatre featured a mirror screen and movies from Paramount, Bluebird and K.E.S.E. (Kleine-Edison-Selig-Essanay) Service at its launch. The Strand was acquired by Fox Midwest in September of 1929 from Kirkman which added sound to the Strand to remain viable. Fox Midwest later closed it on April 11, 1950 with “Dear Wife” and “Thelma Jordan” as it opened its new Fox Theatre the next day.
Fox retained the lease on the Strand keeping it dark until a 1951 consent decree forced the Strand out of its portfolio. The venue reopened with widescreen films in 1953/4 operating on a ten year agreement. It closed permanently on April 7, 1963 with “Black Gold.” The space was converted for retail purposes with the Village Shop taking its place two months later.
Wade Hampton Renick, Jr. built the Drive-In Theatre in Hays in 1948. Technically, it opened and operated for a brief period as Drive-In Theatre. It then became known as the Hays Drive-In. It was twinned operating some 30 years, again, technically under the moniker of the Hays Twin Drive-In Theatre. The Hays Twin was torn down in 1982.
Sorry - the autocorrect got me on Payson’s last name.
Agreed with Joe Vogel’s comment that Merle F. Baker was the circuit owner of the venue and not the building’s architect. It is likely that the Tallmadge & Watson plans of 1921 were rejected as the trade press lists the architectural plans of the new Grand Theatre to Owen, Payton & Carswell out of Kansas City circa 1922 and into 1923. Then when the building opened, Owen, Payton and Carswell were credited in news and trade reports as the venue’s architects. Mr. Baker likely approved the plans but had little to do with the actual creation of those plans.
Mark Angell launched Orpheum Theatre primarily as a movie house in downtown Keokuk on August 11, 1911. The opening program feature Mary Pickford in “Science,” the Powers Picture western, “Nevada,” and Carl Alstrup in “The Son of the Executioner.” It appears to have closed permanently on June 23, 1917 with Wally Van in “Cutey’s Vacation.” Not sure where the guessy opening date of the “early 1920s” provided by user Chuck in the above synopsis originated.
The Hippodrome was a $20,000 venue built of stone in downtown Keokuk in 1912. It launched with motion pictures and vaudeville on August 29, 1912.
The venue opened May 18, 1999 with “The Phantom Menace.” It added two screens for its May 19, 1999 operation adding “October Sky” and “Life is Beautiful.” It would then get to its seven screen operation. It would close on November 7, 2018 due to a spreading wildfire. Though the building stood, it did not reopen.
The El Rey Theatre was closed permanently on January 26, 1963. The theater struggled with patronage and when teenaged vandals struck on January 26th, the theater was shuttered.
The opening film was “Puddin' Head” with Judy Canova.