Jefferson Theatre
116 W. Jefferson Boulevard,
Fort Wayne,
IN
46802
116 W. Jefferson Boulevard,
Fort Wayne,
IN
46802
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Closed on December 21st, 1946, for repairs as Quimby pulls its equipment and reopened by Alliance Theatre Corporation on August 20th, 1947. 1947 grand opening ad posted.
Opening article:
Jefferson Theatre opening 08 Feb 1913, Sat Fort Wayne Daily News (Fort Wayne, Indiana) Newspapers.com
An article in the November 17, 1912, issue of The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette saying that contracts for construction of the Jefferson Theatre had been let noted that the project had been designed by local architect Charles R. Weatherhogg.
The February 2, 1913, issue of the paper carried an ad announcing that the Jefferson would open on February 8. Admission to the house, built exclusively for movies, would be five cents.
Here is a 1927 photo of the Jefferson Theatre.
The Jefferson Theatre was open from 1912-1978.
The Jefferson was across the street from the Embassy, more or less. The even side of the block is now taken by a Hilton hotel.
From 1940, a photo ad announcing the re-opening of the Jefferson Theatre after having been remodeled.
Most of the Alliance properties went to Cinecom, then through a legal settlement to Sportservice Theaters. Sportservice sold all their theaters in the 80’s. I do not know if any of their drive ins survived, notable loss Miles in Cleveland, OH. Beautiful Paramount and State Theaters in Anderson still survive.
The Jefferson was part of Alliance Amusement Co. in the early sixties. This chain, headquartered in Chicago, operated numerous theaters in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Washington. In Fort Wayne alone, Alliance ran the Jefferson, Embassy, Lincolndale Drive-In, East 30 Drive-In, Ft. Wayne Drive-In and Northcrest Drive-In. President of Alliance in 1963 was S.J. Gregory.
Film Daily Yearbooks;1941 and 1943 editions, give the seating capacity as 1,298. In the F.D.Y. 1950 edition it is listed with a seating capacity of 1,100.
Here is a 1947 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/yz9bo5