Marlow's Theater
14 S. 13th Street,
Murphysboro,
IL
62966
14 S. 13th Street,
Murphysboro,
IL
62966
No one has favorited this theater yet
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Marlow Brothers
Firms: Gill & Fath
Styles: Neo-Classical
Previous Names: Hippodrome Theater
Nearby Theaters
The Marlow’s Theater in Murphysboro, Illinois, was one of the largest of several theaters in southern Illinois operated by the Marlow Brothers, it opened as the Hippodrome Theater on January 1, 1919. The theater was operated in a truly first class manner, seven-days-per-week, with matinees on Saturday and Sunday.
The theater featured a 32-foot-wide CinemaScope screen and full, 4-track magnetic sound that showcased such films as “Ben Hur” and “South Pacific” at premium prices ($2.50; the usual admission as late as 1967 was 75 cents for adults and 35 cents for children).
The Marlow’s Theatre was closed in July 1969 when the original owner James Marlow sold the building to the National City Bank and retired. The theatre was demolished in 1969, and the lot now houses the Regions bank drive-up.
Contributed by
Michael Ellis
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
This must be the theater that was the subject of an item in the trade journal Motion Picture News, issue of November 15, 1919:
Theater operator James Marlow is the subject of this article from the Murphysboro American of July 25, 2011. The article says that the Hippodrome/Marlow’s Theatre operated from 1919 until 1968.
An item in the October 23, 1973, issue of the Southern Illinoisan newspaper says that Marlow’s Theatre was demolished in 1969 to make way for a bank’s parking lot.
I’m the author of the Murphysboro American article series about James Marlow. The theater ceased operation in 1968 and was razed the following year.
An advertisement for the Philip Carey Roofing Company of Cincinnati appearing in the December, 1921, issue of the Journal of the American Institute of Architects featured a photo of the Hippodrome Theatre in Murphysboro. The caption credited the design of the house to the Murphysboro architectural firm Gill & Fath.