The Clarksville Drive-In closed for the final time with a triple feature on September 30, 1984 with “The Jungle Book” (the reissue of the 1967 Disney classic), “Splash”, and “Mr. Mom” as its final films.
The theater I believe was still mostly abandoned right after the adjacent Walmart opened south of the former drive-in on October 18, 1994. So I believe that Walmart did not purchased the drive-in property and decided to buy it south of it.
The Lexington Drive-In became statewide headlines in its last year of operation after a 24-year-old man was shot there right after the Lexington Drive-in reopened for the 1987 season. The suspect, 22-year-old Stephen Michael Jones, was later charged with first-degree murder.
The New Albany Drive-In opened its gates on July 9, 1954 with Jeff Hunter in “Three Young Texans”, William Holden in “Escape From Fort Bravo”, and John Wayne in “Island In The Sky” with no extra short subjects.
The New Albany Drive-In looks like it closed for the final time on September 5, 1994 with “Jurassic Park” and “Forrest Gump” as its final films. A 1995 article said that the drive-in didn’t reopen in mid-1995.
The Family Outdoor Theatre opened its gates on September 24, 1948 with John Wayne in “Tycoon” along with an unnamed Disney cartoon. The theater changed its name to the Family Drive-In by 1955, and later the Grayslake Outdoor Theatre by 1960.
After almost 50 years of operation, the Grayslake Outdoor Theatre closed for the final time on September 6, 1998 with “Saving Private Ryan” and “Blade”.
This Liberty Theatre is the second theater with the “Liberty Theatre” name to operate in Libertyville. There’s an earlier Liberty Theatre in Libertyville which operated from 1915 until 1923 beforehand.
The LaVilla Theatre first opened its doors as the Auditorium Theatre on August 13, 1921 with Tom Moore in “Hold Your Horses” along with a two-reel mermaid comedy “A Fresh Start”. The theater opened on Red-Letter Day.
The Auditorium Theatre became the LaVilla Theatre in June 1929, and a couple of weeks after its name change, the then-manager of the LaVilla Theatre, Nathan Slepyan, announced the installation of both Vitaphone and Mastertone sound systems in July 1929. The sound was purchased from Richard Budd, the engineer of the Milwaukee-based Sound Reproducing Corporation.
Information about the installation and details on the LaVilla Theatre as of 1929 goes as follows: In the projection booth features non-synchronized projection, but in the rear of the LaVilla contains a double-channel amplification system that was installed during talkie-transition and in connection of its sound installment. Each of its projectors is attached a turntable but it supports a large disc record as well which comes with each reel of film. As the film feeds through the machine, tones are reproduced from the record carried by wire to the 400-seat capacity auditorium and resonated through two dynamic speakers set in six-foot squared baffleboards being located on each side of the screen. Its first talkie attraction was Dolores Costello in “The Glad Rag Doll” with no sign of selected short subjects on July 17, 1929.
The LaVilla’s flashing neon marquee is 22½ feet in length and 3½ feet wide, but during the talkies installation, it was extended 10 feet above the roof and the top of the sign has an installation of a large sunburst with each side containing 200 orange/amber bulbs. A double row of bulbs on either side of the sign contains a running green border, and the word “Talkie” in flashing orange/opel neon was also installed at the bottom of the sign.
A few years right after talkies were installed, special events were also held at the LaVilla Theatre sometimes but it was still a main movie house.
While the new Liberty Theatre (the second theater with the “Liberty Theatre” name in Libertyville) was still under construction in early 1937, the then-manager of the LaVilla, simply named Mr. Mikesell, cannot make up his mind on who should be owner of the “new” Liberty. He has five operators to choose left but ended up choosing Robert Coller as the manager of the Liberty.
The opening of the “New” Liberty Theatre forced the LaVilla Theatre to close for the final time on August 26, 1937 after 16 years and 13 days of operation.
The Opera House became the Strand Theatre as early as 1921. After the Strand was damaged by a fire on September 23, 1933, it was rebuilt and reopened on December 12, 1934 with John Boles in “Music In The Air” and Ben Blue in “Out Of Order” along with a Big V comedy and a Fox Movietone Newsreel.
On June 10, 1966, the Strand Theatre almost suffered another fire after a small blaze occur near the adjacent to the Strand.
On October 28, 1967, the Strand Theatre closed for a couple of days due to a new screen installation. The Strand Theatre changed its name to the Berwick Theatre when it reopened on November 1, 1967.
Opened on December 28, 1961 with Jerry Lewis in “The Errand Boy” (with no extra short subjects only on grand opening day. A one-hour cartoon marathon was added on the day after grand opening).
The Parsons closed for the final time on December 18, 1986, and its final attractions by screen order are “Three Amigos” at Screen 1, “Star Trek IV” at Screen 2, “Song Of The South” at Screen 3 and “An American Tail” at Screen 4. It was last known as the “Parsons Quad” and was last operated by Epstein. After closure, the New York Daily News continued listing the theater as “closed” until the first day of 1987.
The Studio Theatre opened its doors on September 29, 1933 with Ronald Colman in “The Masquerader” along with Ethel Waters in “Rufus Jones for President”, a sportlight in “Who Said Weaker Box”, an unnamed Krazy Kat cartoon, and a Universal International Newsreel.
The Clarksville Drive-In closed for the final time with a triple feature on September 30, 1984 with “The Jungle Book” (the reissue of the 1967 Disney classic), “Splash”, and “Mr. Mom” as its final films.
Opened in 1956, closed in the 1980s.
The LeRose Theatre suffered a Christmas Eve fire in 1923, so this probably opened sometime in the late-1910s or early-1920s.
The theater I believe was still mostly abandoned right after the adjacent Walmart opened south of the former drive-in on October 18, 1994. So I believe that Walmart did not purchased the drive-in property and decided to buy it south of it.
The Lexington Drive-In became statewide headlines in its last year of operation after a 24-year-old man was shot there right after the Lexington Drive-in reopened for the 1987 season. The suspect, 22-year-old Stephen Michael Jones, was later charged with first-degree murder.
Second screen added in 1996.
Early July 1994.
The New Albany Drive-In opened its gates on July 9, 1954 with Jeff Hunter in “Three Young Texans”, William Holden in “Escape From Fort Bravo”, and John Wayne in “Island In The Sky” with no extra short subjects.
The New Albany Drive-In looks like it closed for the final time on September 5, 1994 with “Jurassic Park” and “Forrest Gump” as its final films. A 1995 article said that the drive-in didn’t reopen in mid-1995.
It was demolished right after the 2021 season.
Grand Opening ad posted.
The Family Outdoor Theatre opened its gates on September 24, 1948 with John Wayne in “Tycoon” along with an unnamed Disney cartoon. The theater changed its name to the Family Drive-In by 1955, and later the Grayslake Outdoor Theatre by 1960.
After almost 50 years of operation, the Grayslake Outdoor Theatre closed for the final time on September 6, 1998 with “Saving Private Ryan” and “Blade”.
This Liberty Theatre is the second theater with the “Liberty Theatre” name to operate in Libertyville. There’s an earlier Liberty Theatre in Libertyville which operated from 1915 until 1923 beforehand.
The LaVilla Theatre first opened its doors as the Auditorium Theatre on August 13, 1921 with Tom Moore in “Hold Your Horses” along with a two-reel mermaid comedy “A Fresh Start”. The theater opened on Red-Letter Day.
The Auditorium Theatre became the LaVilla Theatre in June 1929, and a couple of weeks after its name change, the then-manager of the LaVilla Theatre, Nathan Slepyan, announced the installation of both Vitaphone and Mastertone sound systems in July 1929. The sound was purchased from Richard Budd, the engineer of the Milwaukee-based Sound Reproducing Corporation.
Information about the installation and details on the LaVilla Theatre as of 1929 goes as follows: In the projection booth features non-synchronized projection, but in the rear of the LaVilla contains a double-channel amplification system that was installed during talkie-transition and in connection of its sound installment. Each of its projectors is attached a turntable but it supports a large disc record as well which comes with each reel of film. As the film feeds through the machine, tones are reproduced from the record carried by wire to the 400-seat capacity auditorium and resonated through two dynamic speakers set in six-foot squared baffleboards being located on each side of the screen. Its first talkie attraction was Dolores Costello in “The Glad Rag Doll” with no sign of selected short subjects on July 17, 1929.
The LaVilla’s flashing neon marquee is 22½ feet in length and 3½ feet wide, but during the talkies installation, it was extended 10 feet above the roof and the top of the sign has an installation of a large sunburst with each side containing 200 orange/amber bulbs. A double row of bulbs on either side of the sign contains a running green border, and the word “Talkie” in flashing orange/opel neon was also installed at the bottom of the sign.
A few years right after talkies were installed, special events were also held at the LaVilla Theatre sometimes but it was still a main movie house.
While the new Liberty Theatre (the second theater with the “Liberty Theatre” name in Libertyville) was still under construction in early 1937, the then-manager of the LaVilla, simply named Mr. Mikesell, cannot make up his mind on who should be owner of the “new” Liberty. He has five operators to choose left but ended up choosing Robert Coller as the manager of the Liberty.
The opening of the “New” Liberty Theatre forced the LaVilla Theatre to close for the final time on August 26, 1937 after 16 years and 13 days of operation.
On April 8, 2023, two people were taken into custody after shots were fired inside the ICON right after a fight.
The Opera House became the Strand Theatre as early as 1921. After the Strand was damaged by a fire on September 23, 1933, it was rebuilt and reopened on December 12, 1934 with John Boles in “Music In The Air” and Ben Blue in “Out Of Order” along with a Big V comedy and a Fox Movietone Newsreel.
On June 10, 1966, the Strand Theatre almost suffered another fire after a small blaze occur near the adjacent to the Strand.
On October 28, 1967, the Strand Theatre closed for a couple of days due to a new screen installation. The Strand Theatre changed its name to the Berwick Theatre when it reopened on November 1, 1967.
Opened on December 28, 1961 with Jerry Lewis in “The Errand Boy” (with no extra short subjects only on grand opening day. A one-hour cartoon marathon was added on the day after grand opening).
Completely demolished in the early-1960s.
Still in operation in 1977, but was gone by 1983.
Last operated by United Artists and closed on October 4, 1983 with “The Lonely Lady”.
The Parsons closed for the final time on December 18, 1986, and its final attractions by screen order are “Three Amigos” at Screen 1, “Star Trek IV” at Screen 2, “Song Of The South” at Screen 3 and “An American Tail” at Screen 4. It was last known as the “Parsons Quad” and was last operated by Epstein. After closure, the New York Daily News continued listing the theater as “closed” until the first day of 1987.
Opened in Spring 1985.
That’s what I thought too. Thanks for the update!
The Studio Theatre opened its doors on September 29, 1933 with Ronald Colman in “The Masquerader” along with Ethel Waters in “Rufus Jones for President”, a sportlight in “Who Said Weaker Box”, an unnamed Krazy Kat cartoon, and a Universal International Newsreel.
Opened in Spring 1973.
Grand Opening ad posted.