Star Theatre
122 E. Main Street,
Benton,
IL
62812
122 E. Main Street,
Benton,
IL
62812
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The Star Theatre was built and opened in the late-1910’s. It was closed in 1957 and was demolished in 2001.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
A February 2, 1952, article in Boxoffice Magazine about fire damage to the Capitol Theatre in Benton mentions in passing that, like the Capitol, the Star was at that time run by the Fox Midwest theater circuit.
My grandfather, Carl Ackley, worked as usher, janitor, and handyman for the Capitol Theater in the 50’s. My mother and her siblings got in free, and were there everytime there was a new movie showing. My mother met my father the day the theater burned. She worked at McCann’s drug store on the square, and he came in for a Coke after watching the fire. They were married a year later. My grandparents are buried there in Benton Cemetary south of town. Just a little history. Thought you might enjoy.
The Star was across the street from my step-grandfather’s furniture store, Reliable Furniture. I don’t remember that we ever attended the movies here, though.
Address on the 1925 map is 122. 120 and 124 were tiny storefronts either side of the entrance. This was constructed sometime after 1915, when the map shows a vacant lot. This looks like it was a fairly simple one story brick rectangle. It’s been gone for many years, and is now a gravel parking lot.