Theaters

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DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THE JOE THEATER LOCATED AT 4th OR 5th & JULES? I USED TO WATCH OLD TIME MOVIES THERE FOR 5 CENTS IN THE EARLY 1950'S - IF YOU HAVE ANY PICTURES OR INFORMATION, PLEASE LET ME KNOW PHOTOS NEEDED: BELT, SKYLARK, COWTOWN DRIVE-IN THEATERS & THE PLAZA THEATER

SKYLARK DRIVE-IN
THEATER

The first to be built in St. Joe was the Belt Drive-In in the spring of 1947. It sat where the North Belt meets Oakland Avenue today.
The Skylark Drive-In came second. It was built in 1948 where Hy-Vee sits today. The Skylark Drive-in was torn down in the 70's after the snack bar burned down and a huge store was built in it's place. Today numerous stores and a strip mall occupy the area
It was operated for many years by the Kibbles, followed by Chester & Harriet McGaughey until it's closing.
The 1973 photo shown was donated by Michael McGaughey. It shows the entrance to the Skylark. According to the sign on the far left, Return to the Planet of the Apes was "coming soon". Note the costumes, they were promoting the current movie, "The Legend of Boggie Creek

ORPHEUM THEATER The Orpheum Theater was located on the northeast corner of 5th & Edmond. The original Townsend, Wyatt and Wall department store can be seen in the background. I only went there a couple times as a small child before they tore it down. It smelled of stale cigar smoke. Back then, people smoked in the theaters

TRAIL THEATER The only remaining old theater in full operation downtown showing movies, the Trail Theater. It is located on 9th Street, between Francis & Felix Streets.

UPTOWN THEATER

UPTOWN THEATER - 2115 FREDERICK AVE
Currently the home of Lehr Construction Company. The building next to this office once housed the Uptown Theater. The last movie I saw here was Stalag 17 back in 1953 or 1954. It closed shortly thereafter as I remember. When Lehr workers have the big door open in the summer, you can see parts of the old theater wall inside
I need to get some photos taken

HICKORY THEATER Hickory Theater was located on northeast corner of 11th & Hickory. 1958 was the last time I watched a movie at the Hickory. I have no idea when it finally closed

BELT DRIVE-IN

The Belt Drive-In theater used to set at the top right of this photo,on a tall mound. When the drive-in sold, they did major dirt removal. You had to drive UP a steep driveway to enter the drive-in. The back of the screen faced the Belt Highway. (Northwest) The Shangri-la Motel & resturant/lounge with fine dining and dancing, sat at the base of the hill. All traces are gone.Notice that the Belt Highway now has 5 lanes. The center lane is for left turns only. What a great place for an accident.

MISSOURI THEATER Missouri Theater at 7th & Edmond. Current photos of the remodeled Missouri Theater. The Missouri usually only had one A Class movie and a cartoon. The Missouri is primarily now an Arts Theater, dancing, singing, & misc acts George Carlin was the last act that I saw at the Missouri It is no longer a movie theater

ELECTRIC THEATER

The Electric & Missouri Theaters owned by Durwood. What memories! As you came out of the show, you would smell the orange drink & hot dogs produced by Wakely's, a very small snack bar just west of the Electric. Wakely's was torn down, to be replaced by the Victory Cafe. Later, the LaFonda resturant replaced the Victory Cafe.

Only a parking lot remains there now. Does anyone remember the shoe shop to the east of the Electric? How about the shoe shine stand on the sidewalk?

I can't remember the year, but I can remember the introduction of Buttercup Popcorn. Everyone sang the Buttercup song. Does any one have ALL the words? "Mix it up, wrap it up, Buttercup is born. So delicious, so nutritious, each and every bite. Served in a king sized cup." That's all I can remember...........

I do remember buying my first Buttercup Popcorn at the Electric Theater though. Regular popcorn was 15 cents for a box and the Buttercup was 25 cents. That was a lot of money for a kid back then who only got 50 cents to spend for the entire day.

I remember coming to the Electric on Saturdays for cartoon/serial matinees. The 3 Stooges & cartoons all day long for 25 cents. Everyday they always had a newsreel, 3 stooges movie short, (or a serial like Rocket Man,Flash Gordan, etc) plus 2 full length B Class movies. The vacant lot with the trees is where the Electric Theater once stood.