Plaza III

1323 Main Street,
Columbia, SC 29201

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc., Wilby-Kincey

Previous Names: Ideal Theatre, Ritz Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Plaza III

The Ideal Theatre was opened June 14, 1912. It was renamed Ritz Theatre on July 9, 1928. On November 27, 1971 it was renamed Plaza III. It was closed in 1980, and the area has since been redeveloped.

Contributed by Ken McIntyre

Recent comments (view all 5 comments)

reg41
reg41 on February 26, 2013 at 7:34 pm

I grew up 55 miles from Columbia, but the Ritz is the only Columbia theatre that I attended. I saw “The Bridges at Toko-ri” in the early 1950’s, and “The Hanging Tree” in 1959 as a high school senior. Between those two movies, the theatre had been given the “Skouras treatment” with new thickly padded seats, and light green curtains covering all the walls. I belive the admission in 1959 was 85 cents.

Dennishawley
Dennishawley on June 2, 2013 at 1:50 pm

I was doing a search for Wilby Kinsey, as my father worked for him managing theaters in the southeast, mostly Florida. He managed the Ritz when I was a child, in the mid-1950s, before transferring to Florida. I have only the vaguest memory of it, as I was only 4 or 5 at the time. Still, it was nice to find this picture.

rivest266
rivest266 on September 1, 2017 at 3:52 pm

This opened as Ideal on June 14th, 1912 and reopened as Ritz on July 9th, 1928. Both grand opening ads in the photo section.

rivest266
rivest266 on September 4, 2017 at 5:36 am

Also reopened as Plaza III on November 27th, 1971. Grand opening ad in the photo section.

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