Fox Eastgate Theater
712 E. Walnut Street,
Carbondale,
IL
62901
712 E. Walnut Street,
Carbondale,
IL
62901
2 people
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The Fox Eastgate closed on June 24, 2001. Last films shown were “The Dish”, “Memento” and “What’s the Worst That Could Happen”.
June 30th, 1966 and December 19th, 1985 grand opening ads in the photo section. Closed in 2001.
tlogan, neat story,often late shows would come in sorry shape.
The recent opening of the single-screen Fox Eastgate was noted in Boxoffice of August 1, 1966. Neither this nor two earlier items about the house had any photos, but shots of the auditorium and the projection booth appeared this page of the April 22, 1968, issue of Boxoffice. The Fox Eastgate was designed by the local architectural firm Fischer-Koscher-Bowden.
I revisited the Carbondale area in 2007. At least the building for the old Varsity downtown was still standing. They are trying to remake it into a performing arts center now. Saw “Flashdance” there back in 1983 I believe.
Just an update. I said nearly 2 ½ years ago that Gold’s Gym was only expecting to stay in the theater for a short time until they could build their own building. Well, they are still there, and I expect they probably will be for while.
David Daly was also the Springfield News-Leader’s film critic during his tenure at SMSU (now Missouri State University).
Mann Theatres was operating the Fox Eastgate in September 1980, Wehrenberg’s was operating it by July 1982.
I recall catching a double bill midnight show in September 1972 of “The Maltese Falcon” and “Casablanca” at the Fox Eastgate. The big surprise was that the final scene of “Casablanca” was missing from the print! The theater was across the street from the Golden Bear Pancake House, now also long departed from the Carbondale landscape.
I went to SIU-C in the late 70s and I remember the Fox well. Rven saw the now-infamous Andrea True X-rated MASH ripoff film there!
The gymnastics school that is currently in the Fox is closing. It is being replaced by a Gold’s Gym. Gold’s says its stay is only temporary until it can build a new building. That means that the building will probably be empty again in the near future.
For completists: The address was EASTGATE SHOPPING CENTER and its phone number was 457-5685. (and thank you swdguy!)
Both Carbondale theaters have 8 screens. There is a movie theater located just behind the mall in Marion. It also 8 screens.
I went to SIU from ‘81 to '83, and the instructor mentioned by “jackhicko” I think was Dave Daly, who went on to teach at Southwest Missouri State University. I met him there and he got me interested in going to SIU to get a degree in film. Sadly, Dr. Daly died a few years ago. A read awhile back that Kerasotes basically closed all of the smaller theaters in Carbondale and now the only theaters are two larger complexes out by the mall (8 and 12 screens I think). I haven’t been back to Carbondale in 20 years, but I might go next year. Anyone know if there is another theater complex near the newer mall in Marion?
Anyone know when this was tripled? I remember seeing such movies as “Home Alone” and “Lion King” (blech) here in the early 90’s…it was a triple in 1990 i remember correctly… my grandma has a newspaper from December 5, 1980 and the Fox was listed as a single screen, with the movie “Honeysuckle Rose” playing that week.
The late night shows drew a long line of SIU kids, me included….
I think Friday or Saturday midnight R flicks.
I lived near SIU, but still walked to this theater very often for late weekend shows in the 70s. It was managed by a guy named David, who was also a film instructor at SIU. Most memorable were “Whatever Happened To Miss September”, “Zachariah”, “Enter The Dragon” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”.
This theater was literally closed with no notice. Its closing was announced the day it closed. Most people didn’t know until that night, or the next day.