New Grand Theatre
119 W. Main Street,
Mount Olive,
IL
62069
119 W. Main Street,
Mount Olive,
IL
62069
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Based on a note in the January 4, 1924 issue of Moving Picture World. John Rammes and James Lawson “opened the New Grand Theatre, Mount Olive, IL., on the evening of December 20. This house seats 500 and cost $30,000. It will be a strictly picture house and will operate seven days a week”.
The May 30, 1951 issue of The Exhibitor reported, “In Mount Olive, IL., Mrs. Josie Lawson, 500-seat New Grand Theatre, sold the house to Joe Katz, Benld, IL., who also operates the 450-seat Grand Theatre, Benld, IL. Katz plans to operate the theatre during the summer months with shows on Sundays, Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays in the evening”. It was remodeled in October 1953. It was closed in the 1970’s.
Contributed by
Michael Kilgore
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Boxoffice, Oct. 3, 1953: “MOUNT OLIVE, ILL. – Louis Odorizzi, owner of the Sunset Drive-In on U.S. 66 near here has leased the New Grand Theatre from Mrs. Josie Lawson and plans to open that 536-seat theatre about October 15 or when the Sunset closes its season. The New Grand has been dark for several months. It had been operated for some time by Joe Katz of Benld, Ill., also under lease from Mrs. Lawson, but Katz failed to make it show a profit, apparently.”
Independent Film Journal, Nov. 14, 1953: “The 536-seat Grand Theatre at Mount Olive, Ill. reopened Oct 25 under manager of Louis Odorizzi, who also owns and operates the Sunset Drive-In near there.”
This theatre building is not demolished. The correct address is 119 W Main Street. It has been repurposed as a fitness center called “The Bodie Shop.” This name appears on the former theatre marquee which is still in place.