Kit Theatre

The first Ritz Theatre in High Point opened August 11, 1928 with Marie Corda in “Moon Of Israel”. Located on what was known as the West End, it became the Delano Theatre on June 4, 1934, reopening with Paul Lucas in “Sing Sinner Sing”. The High Point Enterprise noted the 500-seat Delano Theatre was operated by 28-year-old Fred S. Bugg, a former assistant manager of the New York and Brooklyn Paramount-Publix chain. Named after the President, the Delano was the 48th theatre Mr. Bugg had built or remodeled on his own.

According to advertisements in the High Point Enterprise, from 1936 to 1937 it had a brief run as the Temple Theatre. Later referred to as the West End Theatre, it became the Kit Theatre, redecorated with new equipment and reopening on November 4, 1948, with Wallace Beery in “Alias A Gentleman”.

The Kit Theatre’s first advertised adult movie was “Main Street Girl”, which opened on January 2, 1949. The Enterprise reported that on September 17, 1949, the police raided the theatre, which was cleared of 50 men and teenage boys. Apparently, the Kit Theatre was then closed as all of the equipment and film was seized and advertising in the Enterprise wasn’t seen again.

The manager was charged and later convicted and fined for exhibiting obscene and immoral motion pictures. The Kit Theatre’s owner, who was never charged, was out of town at the time. According to one report, evidence was gathered by sending two plainclothes policemen into the theatre beforehand. Some of the obscene and immoral movies, which played at the Kit Theatre in 1949 were “10 Days in a Nudist Camp”, “Child Bride” and “Marihuana”.

Get Movie Tickets & Showtimes

Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.