James Theatre

dallasmovietheaters on May 3, 2025 at 5:46 am

The 491-seat New James Theatre opened on March 18, 1938 with “High, Wide and Handsome” by James E. Falls. Falls had gotten into the theater business when out of work as a young man taking on the Unique Theatre in Walton. Falls would also operate the New Kentucky Theater in Dry Ridge, as well as theaters in Williamstown and Berry. The venue was built as a streamline moderne movie house replacing the Unique and it retained that look through closure by the same family 35 years later.

The James did get new ownership briefly in the 1960s though closing in 1963. The venue reopened twice; the first time was in 1965 operating into the early 1970s on weekends only closing in 1971. It then reopened in 1974 by the - then - late Mr. Falls' widow, Alva Falls, who had handled the booking of the theater back in the 1950s. The James Theatre closed on Oct. 6, 1974 with “Devil’s Angels.” The Walton I.G.A. grocery store moved into the space in 1975. It has since been demolished.

kencmcintyre on August 31, 2006 at 4:58 pm

Here is a photo, shortly before demolition:
http://tinyurl.com/ndb4o