Franklin Theatre

dallasmovietheaters on September 30, 2024 at 9:25 pm

Grover L. Willer ran Beecher’s Theatre and the circuit’s corporate office at this location. From 1917 to 1922 it was known as Beecher’s Division Theatre likely to alleviate confusion with the many Beecher theaters that existed at that time. In September of 1922, it is renamed as the Franklin Theater under new operators. It appears to have closed without converting to sound in 1929. It reopens with sound in January of 1930 and closes.

Herbert R. Boshoven takes on the Franklin operating with the Family, Madison, Liberty, Crown (Marne), Century (Coopersville). He rewires the Franklin with improved sound a an exterior and interior refresh on a 20-year lease. It reopens September 28, 1931 with “Annabelle’s Affairs” supported by “all kinds of short subjects. The Franklin continues until closure in 1951.

Boshoven had run the Franklin on a grind house policy with “low bargain prices” playing third-run double features on weekdays and triple features on weekends. The Franklin’s final show was February 12, 1951 with a double feature of Lew Ayres in “The Capture” and Martha Vickers in “Daughter of the West.”

Joe Vogel on December 2, 2011 at 3:44 am

In the 1916 Grand Rapids Directory there is a house simply called Beecher’s Theatre listed at this address.