Temple Theatre
Highway 27,
Ocala,
FL
34471
Highway 27,
Ocala,
FL
34471
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Additional Info
Operated by: E.J. Sparks Theatres
Previous Names: New Temple Theater
Nearby Theaters
The New Temple Theater opened on January 27, 1910 presenting the operetta “Fra Diavolo” performed by the Manhattan Opera Company. By 1914 it was screening movies. It was a rather ornate with a screen aspect ratio of 4.3. The Temple Theatre was still open in 1937, but had closed by 1938. It became a church for many years and was demolished in 1969.
Contributed by
John Coursey
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
A December 21, 2008 article in the Ocala Star-Banner said that the Temple Theatre opened in early 1910 with an operetta. It was showing movies by 1914, when the New Temple Theatre was listed in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory. The Temple is mentioned in the April 15, 1916 issue of Moving Picture World. The operator at that time was a Mr. E. C. Bennett.
The May 2, 1925 Motion Picture News said that E. J. Sparks was in negotiations to acquire the Temple. Ocala was one of the towns at which Sparks had lately acquired theaters, which he had turned over to the Famous Players chain, according the the June 6 issue of the same journal. The June 20 issue of the News reported that Sparks had also acquired the Dixie Theatre at Ocala on behalf of Famous Players.
After closing as a theater, the Temple was long occupied by a church, but it had been vacant for a number of years when, following an unsuccessful campaign by the local Marion Players theater group to save the house, the city had it demolished in 1969.
Opened on January 27th, 1910. Grand opening ad posted.