Beverly Theatre
2515 N. Knoxville Avenue,
Peoria,
IL
61604
2515 N. Knoxville Avenue,
Peoria,
IL
61604
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This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Peoria: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1976-Present”.
March 17, 1937 Grand Opening ad added credit Peoria Journal Star, courtesy Steve Tarter via Local History Collection : Peoria Public Library.
1969 photo added courtesy of Frank Larkin, via Local History Collection, Peoria Public Library.
1937 photo added from the book: J. Fletcher Lankton Architect, courtesy of the Peoria Public Library.
A brief item in the April 21, 1971, issue of Bloomington, Illinois' daily paper The Pantagraph noted the death of architect J. Fletcher Lankton and said that he had “….designed Peoria’s Varsity and Beverly theaters as well as numerous other theaters in the Midwest.” So far I’ve been able to identify only one of those numerous other theaters, that being the Esquire in Springfield, Illinois. Kerasotes was a partner in the Esquire, along with Frisina Theatres. As George Kerasotes hired Lankton for two of his own projects, it seems very likely that some of those other theaters he designed were also Kerasotes houses.
Here is an undated interior photo of the Beverly Theatre’s auditorium, from the Peoria Historical Society.
Like Kerasotes' Varsity Theatre of 1939, the Beverly was designed by Peoria architect J. Fletcher Lankton. This web page has a history of Kerasotes Theatres.
I was thinking this was on University down by McClure, but maybe I’m wrong. Last movie I saw there was Silence of the Lambs. I remember being a child and my mom taking me to see Disney movies there (Bambi, Freaky Friday, and Snow White come to mind).
Whoops: says at the top of the page that a Walgreens is on the site. That’s it.
I was in Peoria not too long ago after a very long absence. It was good to be back! I believe the theatre is still there, but is used for some other purpose (?). Those who live in Peoria, please advise.
Nice Theatre. i dated a Beverly.
Very nice vintage and more modern photos.
The Beverly Theater I believe was close to my grandparents' home in Peoria, IL. During my time there (1953-1975 when my grandparents passed away) it showed “road show” films, notably two which I saw during those years, “Around the World in 80 Days” and “The Sound of Music.” The town where I lived did not show first-run motion pictures, so this was really appreciated. I wish I remembered the theater’s interior, but I do not other than the lack of a balcony.
Here is a 1987 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/y8jkrbh
Here is another 1985 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/y8tdhd8
Here are a couple different vintage shot:
View link
View link
Here is a 1985 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c9vnyb
Here is a 1941 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cknorr
I worked at the Bevery from 1989 – 1991. It had a searing capacity of 725. It did not have a balcony. The building also housed the chain’s District Office for a time. The projector was capable of showing standard 35mm films as well as 70mm films.
After this theater closed, there was some small effort to turn it into a comedy museum highlighting such Peoria-area artists like Fibber Magee & Molly, Richard Pryor and Sam Kinison. It never got past the planning stage.