Ritz Theatre

1460 E. William Street,
Decatur, IL 62521

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Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on May 10, 2024 at 5:30 am

The final closure of the Ritz Theatre was the consequence of a late 1937 fire, reported in the December 22 issue of The Decatur Daily Review. The Crescent had been closed following an earlier fire in March, 1929. The house was reopened by an F. M. Mertz (Fred, perhaps?) in March, 1934, and sold to the Ritz Theater Company the following year. The December, 1935 remodeling had cost Ritz $8,000, a not inconsiderable sum for a modest, neighborhood house in a provincial city during the depression.

rivest266
rivest266 on February 11, 2016 at 11:48 pm

December 21st, 1935 grand opening ad as Ritz in photo section.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on February 24, 2011 at 11:06 pm

Thanks Joe.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 11, 2011 at 10:34 am

Here’s an item about the Crescent from The Moving Picture World, July 12, 1913:

“Wilson L. Augustine has opened a moving picture theater in the residential section of East Decatur, Ill. The building represents an investment of $6,000, and has a seating capacity of 500. Brick and concrete material were used in the construction, making the house fireproof. The name of the theater is the ‘Crescent.’”