Regent Theatre
78 Michigan Avenue W,
Battle Creek,
MI
49015
78 Michigan Avenue W,
Battle Creek,
MI
49015
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The Regent Theatre was opened November 18, 1918 with Charlie Chaplin in “Soldier Arms”. It was operated by W.S. Butterfield Theaters Inc. and was closed in 1955. It was demolished in the very late-1950’s or early-1960’s.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
An Estey organ, opus 1688, was installed in this theatre in 1918.
Various 1918 issues of the Michigan Film Review gave tentative opening dates for this theater of around July 1, around September 1, late September, sometime in October, and finally November 21. I’ve found no explanation of the repeated delays.
The Regent was built for investment partners Berry and Montgomery, and was leased to Harvey Lipp and Glenn Cross, who were to operate the new house in partnership with W.S. Butterfield. Glenn Cross was to be the manager of the Regent.
Lipp & Cross had been listed in the 1914 Battle Creek city directory as operators of the Rex and Queen theaters. In 1918 they were also operating the Garden Theatre and the Strand, according to items in Michigan Film Review.
This timeline of Battle Creek events says that the Regent Theatre closed in 1955, but it doesn’t mention when the building was demolished.
Grand opening ad with Charlie Chaplin opening the Regent with “Shoulder Arms” on November 26, 1918 in photos. The Regent closed December 3, 1955 with “Tennessee’s Partner.”
The Regent, which is where Battle Creek heard its first talking pictures in 1928 and its first widescreen CinemaScope films in 1953, was torn down in 1964.