Gem Theatre

Jennings had its opera house, the Ardennes Theatre that had opened in 1908 mostly with live fare and two early silent houses in the Dreamland Theatre that had opened in 1910 as a nickelodeon playing movies and its first female operated theatre in the Princess Theatre opening April 7, 1913 until 1921. But it was the Strand Theater that represented its first “second generation” movie house designed by a chain operator.

Southern Amusement built the Strand Theatre here opening October 4, 1919 reportedly with a Style 40 Fotoplayer pipe organ / piano combo by American Photo Player of Berkeley, and a large capacity auditorium with 575 cooled by a Typhoon fan. Simplex projection and Gold Fibre screen with curtain completed the venue. Southern Amusement ended competition buying the Princess Theatre from Mrs. King in September of 1919, closing it four months later on January 15, 1921 and demolishing it to rid the town of potential competition.

On May 29, 1930, the Strand Theater received Western Electric sound playing Nancy Carroll in “Honey”. At the 20-year leasing mark, Southern Amusement announced plans for the New Strand Theatre, a Streamline Moderne style house on the Huber lot. (The new-build venue has its own Cinema Treasure listing).

The Strand Theater got one more chance retrofitted as the Gem Theatre, the second-tier movie house. It opened August 29, 1941 with Betty Grable and Don Ameche in “Down Argentine Way”. The Gem Theatre closed permanently on April 26, 1947 with British Olympic figure skater and actress Belita in “Suspense” and Charles Starrett in “Roaring Rangers” supported by Episode #7 of the serial, “Hop Harrigan America’s Ace of the Airways” starring William Bakewell. It was used for some non-profit events directly thereafter before becoming a dry cleaner.

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