Correction: Barnett Bank MOVED the bank building to where the theatre was and built their parking lot where the bank HAD BEEN next door. Either way, what a loss of an amazing theatre.
The History of the Cameo Theatre was written by scholar Patricia M. Gutierrez and can be found in the digital commons @ Texas A & M University, San Antonio, Spring 2020 and contains a good amount of information on the theatre, it’s owners and the activities that have occurred there.
In 1976, it was named a National Historic Landmark and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Saved and restored, it hosted former president Jimmy Carter’s 2024 one-hundredth birthday event, seating 4,665.
As of this date, Polson has the cinema listed as closed. It appears that it was open in 2017 but I can find no information between that time and 2025. In March 2025,The Montana Pilot Community Tourism Grant Program (MTPCTGP) steering committee has officially approved several community development projects to begin the planning phase, with one of them listed as developing the Entertainer Cinema into a music and arts venue for the city of Ronan. Here is the link to that information: https://www.missionwestcdp.org/about-us/news-and-media/latest-news/p/item/61994/ronan-launches-five-new-community-projects-to-spark-downtown-revitalization
New owners as of 7/2024 - James Devine and Michelle Hutchins. The theater is featured in this story in the SFGATE: https://www.sfgate.com/northcoast/article/northern-california-historic-movie-theater-20002993.php
They could use some help, but trying to make it work!
According to the theatre’s website: “The home of the Grand didn’t start as the Grand however. The building was built in 1920 with a brick façade and a Spanish-style interior as the home of the Alcove Theater. The building was remodeled and reopened as the Grand Theatre. It was remodeled again in 1950 to the look that lasted for over 50 years, with yellow sheet metal over the brick façade.” https://www.grandtheatrestamford.com/history
he USDA has several grants to help fund small towns across America. This is in place to help farmers and other agricultural based towns survive, especially when BIG businesses were telling them to join or get out of the business. Having just spoken to USDA official Robert Lyons this week, I understand why these grants are so critical to the main street town businesses that need help to renovate and update HVAC and other systems to save money and keep them in business.
More information can be found at: https://thearcadiaproject.org/
where a description of the new 93-seat movie theater, a conference/event center, classrooms, and a café are described. The Visulite Theater in Staunton has been the only movie theater in town for a while and is supporting the efforts to get the new space launched to aid in a downtown revival.
The name of the theatre is currently the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center. There are now 540 seats in the auditorium, an African American culture museum, a rotating gallery, and an additional multi-purpose room for events. They are also screening the Lyric Black Lens Film Series and Woodsongs, Old Time Radio Hour.
Since 2017, the theatre has been called the “ Historic Ritz Theatre at the Schaefer Center,” and has received the prestigious Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation from the GA Trust for Historic Preservation. The Historic Ritz now seats 392 patrons.
The other 4 screens are in an additional building in back of the theater. If one travels to the hallway on the left side of the main auditorium, there are signs directing patrons out the back door and into the other smaller theaters.
The Saluda Theater is in great shape and is open! It now seats 274 patrons, and is home to the Saluda Players, a live community theater group. It sits directly across from the county courthouse.
The Palmetto Theatre opened in 1949, and closed in 1966, with the building used for other businesses for 50 years. 6 people joined together to purchase the building and have renovated and reopened the Palmetto, replacing the missing theater blad sign and now seating 140 patrons in a space that is used for movies as well as live performance. Their website is: https://palmettowalnutcove.com/calendar-of-events-at-the-palmetto/
I photographed the Times Theater, as it is now referred to, in May 2024 and it is alive and going strong! Here is their website: https://thetimestheater.com/. A beauty of a small town theater, it looked well loved and very active!
Stopped at the New Castle Playhouse and found the venue and the folks working there to be passionate about live theater. They have done tons of work to keep it viable and alive.
New information regarding the theatre architect from the Manager:
“We have an article about the opening of the building from the August 5, 1948 edition of the Herald-Progress that states: “The building was designed by Bernard Spiegel of Norfolk and built by J. Kennon Perrin Co. of Ashland and Richmond, assisted by N.W. Martin and Bro with the air conditioning and heating; L. E. McAllister of Richmond all brick work, Electrical Service of Ashland, all wiring and light fixtures, J. B. Halbleib and Son of Ashland, All plumbing and fixtures.”
Here is more information on Bernard Spiegel: https://hamptonroadscf.org/stories/enid-w-and-bernard-b-spigel-architectural-scholarship-fund
The theater has reopened and seats 220 in two auditoriums for a total of 440. It is owned by the same family that runs a local restaurant, Alburritos Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar.
Correction: Barnett Bank MOVED the bank building to where the theatre was and built their parking lot where the bank HAD BEEN next door. Either way, what a loss of an amazing theatre.
A new historical marker also lists additional history of the theatre at: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=245210
The History of the Cameo Theatre was written by scholar Patricia M. Gutierrez and can be found in the digital commons @ Texas A & M University, San Antonio, Spring 2020 and contains a good amount of information on the theatre, it’s owners and the activities that have occurred there.
In 1976, it was named a National Historic Landmark and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Saved and restored, it hosted former president Jimmy Carter’s 2024 one-hundredth birthday event, seating 4,665.
As of this date, Polson has the cinema listed as closed. It appears that it was open in 2017 but I can find no information between that time and 2025. In March 2025,The Montana Pilot Community Tourism Grant Program (MTPCTGP) steering committee has officially approved several community development projects to begin the planning phase, with one of them listed as developing the Entertainer Cinema into a music and arts venue for the city of Ronan. Here is the link to that information: https://www.missionwestcdp.org/about-us/news-and-media/latest-news/p/item/61994/ronan-launches-five-new-community-projects-to-spark-downtown-revitalization
Now seating 310 patrons. According to the theatre website, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
New owners as of 7/2024 - James Devine and Michelle Hutchins. The theater is featured in this story in the SFGATE: https://www.sfgate.com/northcoast/article/northern-california-historic-movie-theater-20002993.php They could use some help, but trying to make it work!
The theatre’s name has changed after 2022 at some point to Torrington Cinemas, with seating for 373.
According to the theatre’s website: “The home of the Grand didn’t start as the Grand however. The building was built in 1920 with a brick façade and a Spanish-style interior as the home of the Alcove Theater. The building was remodeled and reopened as the Grand Theatre. It was remodeled again in 1950 to the look that lasted for over 50 years, with yellow sheet metal over the brick façade.” https://www.grandtheatrestamford.com/history
he USDA has several grants to help fund small towns across America. This is in place to help farmers and other agricultural based towns survive, especially when BIG businesses were telling them to join or get out of the business. Having just spoken to USDA official Robert Lyons this week, I understand why these grants are so critical to the main street town businesses that need help to renovate and update HVAC and other systems to save money and keep them in business.
Here is a story published about the USDA grant: https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/blog/2013/07/15/community-rallies-save-its-historic-theater
More information can be found at: https://thearcadiaproject.org/ where a description of the new 93-seat movie theater, a conference/event center, classrooms, and a café are described. The Visulite Theater in Staunton has been the only movie theater in town for a while and is supporting the efforts to get the new space launched to aid in a downtown revival.
The name of the theatre is currently the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center. There are now 540 seats in the auditorium, an African American culture museum, a rotating gallery, and an additional multi-purpose room for events. They are also screening the Lyric Black Lens Film Series and Woodsongs, Old Time Radio Hour.
The architectural firm that designed this theater was Schucker & Bixby, of Vincennes, Indiana.
Since 2017, the theatre has been called the “ Historic Ritz Theatre at the Schaefer Center,” and has received the prestigious Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation from the GA Trust for Historic Preservation. The Historic Ritz now seats 392 patrons.
Current seating listed as 729 on their website.
The other 4 screens are in an additional building in back of the theater. If one travels to the hallway on the left side of the main auditorium, there are signs directing patrons out the back door and into the other smaller theaters.
The Saluda Theater is in great shape and is open! It now seats 274 patrons, and is home to the Saluda Players, a live community theater group. It sits directly across from the county courthouse.
The Orpheum’s website states that the opening was in 1921. https://orpheumnola.net/home/about-the-orpheum/
Now known as the Wellington Regent Theatre at last check 11/28/2024.
The Palmetto Theatre opened in 1949, and closed in 1966, with the building used for other businesses for 50 years. 6 people joined together to purchase the building and have renovated and reopened the Palmetto, replacing the missing theater blad sign and now seating 140 patrons in a space that is used for movies as well as live performance. Their website is: https://palmettowalnutcove.com/calendar-of-events-at-the-palmetto/
I photographed the Times Theater, as it is now referred to, in May 2024 and it is alive and going strong! Here is their website: https://thetimestheater.com/. A beauty of a small town theater, it looked well loved and very active!
Stopped at the New Castle Playhouse and found the venue and the folks working there to be passionate about live theater. They have done tons of work to keep it viable and alive.
New information regarding the theatre architect from the Manager: “We have an article about the opening of the building from the August 5, 1948 edition of the Herald-Progress that states: “The building was designed by Bernard Spiegel of Norfolk and built by J. Kennon Perrin Co. of Ashland and Richmond, assisted by N.W. Martin and Bro with the air conditioning and heating; L. E. McAllister of Richmond all brick work, Electrical Service of Ashland, all wiring and light fixtures, J. B. Halbleib and Son of Ashland, All plumbing and fixtures.”
Here is more information on Bernard Spiegel: https://hamptonroadscf.org/stories/enid-w-and-bernard-b-spigel-architectural-scholarship-fund
The theater has reopened and seats 220 in two auditoriums for a total of 440. It is owned by the same family that runs a local restaurant, Alburritos Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar.