Arista Theatre #2

Like many towns, Lebanon had a second story opera house on its Main Street. It then got its first movie theater – here – the Alamo Picture Theater – also on Main Street. The Alamo was operated in a former retail store and its business was so brisk that operator Rowland Clark opened the first of three Arista Theatres in downtown Lebanon. The first was in the E.N. Hundley building on Main Street that opened March 19, 1914 and burned down after its second fire within a year of opening on December 4, 1914. (it has its own page on Cinema Treasures)

The second Arista Theatre was also located in a converted retail space on Main Street launching February 5, 1915. Clark would buy and open other Kentucky movie houses before selling out here to Taylor M. Estes. Estes and partner, J.Phil Hundley, installed a Photophone system on June 24, 1929 with sound films beginning with Jack Holt in “The Donovan Affair".

With its 20-year lease up, Hundley designed the New Arista Theatre which was ready by the end of 1935. The “old” Arista closed on December 22, 1935 with Norma Shearer in “Smilin' Through". The Motiograph projector was moved along with 350 seats from Main Street over venue to the New Arista Theatre on Spalding Avenue. The neighboring Harmon’s Jewelry Store would also move with the Arista Theatre.

The New Arista Theatre opened on Christmas Day 1935 launch, with W.C. Fields in “David Copperfield” and Peggy Conklin in “One Way Ticket”. (It has its own page on Cinema Treasures) The former Arista Theatre was converted for other retail purposes, and the building still exists on Main Street in the 2020’s.

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