20th Century Theatre
Cincinnati, OH
Photo courtesy Jason Kambitsis

The 20th Century Theatre is one of those buildings that immediately grabs your attention. The towering Art Deco facade and vertical sign make it look like a movie set, and it's hard to believe this place first opened its doors back in 1941. 07-06

Built as a neighborhood movie theater, the 20th Century entertained Cincinnati audiences for decades before eventually closing and sitting vacant for years. Thankfully, someone saw its potential, and today the beautifully restored building has become a popular venue for concerts, comedy shows, weddings, and other special events.

The best part is that the theater still looks much like it did during its movie house days. The classic marquee and towering sign continue to light up Oakley Square, making this one of Cincinnati's true Art Deco gems.

UPDATE: The 20th Century Theatre remains one of Cincinnati's premier entertainment venues, hosting a full schedule of live performances and private events. Thanks to its careful restoration, the theater continues to shine as one of the city's finest surviving neighborhood movie palaces. 07-26

Pix Theatre
Lapeer, MI
Photo courtesy Rick McOmber

The Pix Theatre is one of those little downtown movie houses that immediately catches your eye. The bright marquee and Art Deco styling have been lighting up the streets of Lapeer since 1941, and it's great to see another classic theater still standing. 07-06

Like many neighborhood theaters, the Pix eventually closed after years of showing movies. Fortunately, the building was saved and given a new purpose instead of being torn down. Today it hosts concerts, live performances, comedy shows, and community events while still serving as one of downtown Lapeer's best-known landmarks.

UPDATE: The Pix Theatre continues to thrive as a community performing arts venue under the Center for the Arts of Greater Lapeer. The restored marquee still lights up downtown, proving that even a small-town theater can remain the star of the block. 07-26

Ford-Tel Theatre (Gone)
Dearborn Heights, MI
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

The Ford-Tel Theatre wasn't a grand movie palace, but its roadside marquee made it a familiar sight for anyone traveling along Ford Road in Dearborn Heights. It's the kind of neighborhood theater many of us grew up with, where a quick look at the marquee was all you needed to see what was playing. 01-07

The theater opened in 1969 and went through several name changes over the years before finally becoming the Ford-Tel. During its later years, it found a loyal following as a discount movie theater, giving people one last chance to catch films on the big screen without spending a fortune.

When this photo was taken, the theater had already closed and was being offered for lease. It looked like there was still hope that someone might bring movies back to the old building, but that never happened. Instead, the theater space was eventually converted for retail use, ending its run as a neighborhood cinema.

UPDATE: The Ford-Tel Theatre no longer survives as a theater. The auditorium has been repurposed, and the familiar movie marquee has disappeared, leaving only memories for those who remember checking the listings before heading inside. 07-26

Strand Theatre
Alma, MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The old Strand Theatre sign still survives in Alma, MI, even though the building has clearly been remodeled somewhere along the way. It's always nice when a town hangs onto at least one piece of its movie-going past. 03-07

The original Strand opened in 1920 before a fire destroyed the building forty years later. A new theater was built on the same site, allowing the Strand name to carry on for many more years. While the building doesn't look quite the way it once did, the old sign still gives you a pretty good idea of what used to be here.

UPDATE: The Strand Theatre is now home to the Gratiot County Players, who continue to keep the building alive with live performances and community productions. The old theater sign still welcomes visitors to downtown Alma. 07-26

Tivoli Theatre (Rem.)
Spencer, IN
Photo courtesy Bruce R. Cassi / 2005

The Tivoli Theatre has been a downtown Spencer landmark since opening on New Year's Eve in 1928. With its Mission Revival facade and classic marquee, it's easy to see why this old theater has become one of the town's most recognizable buildings. 06-07

After years of serving the community, the Tivoli closed in 1999 as attendance dwindled. Things looked bleak for a while, and the theater was even scheduled for demolition before preservationists stepped in and purchased the building in 2006. Thankfully, the wrecking ball never showed up.

UPDATE: After an extensive restoration, the Tivoli Theatre reopened and once again hosts first-run movies, classic films, concerts, and community events. The restored marquee lights up downtown Spencer, proving that this hometown theater has many more stories left to tell. 07-26

Coral Theatre (Demolished)
Oak Lawn, IL
Photo courtesy Bruce R. Cassi / 1978

The Coral Theater was the place to see first run movies when I was a kid in the 70's. The Coral closed in the early 80's when movie-goers began going to the mall cinema's which featured an unheard of 3 to 6 screens at that time. Many thanks to Bruce R. Cassi for information. 06-07

The Coral opened in 1942 and served Oak Lawn moviegoers for more than forty years. It even survived the devastating 1967 Oak Lawn tornado, but changing times finally caught up with it. As the new mall theaters with three, four, and even six screens became the place to go, attendance at neighborhood theaters like the Coral slowly faded away.

The theater closed in the early 1980s, and before long it was gone. Today a shopping center occupies the site, making this photo one of the few reminders that such a great neighborhood theater once stood here.

UPDATE: The Coral Theatre was demolished in 1984, and Coral Plaza now occupies the property. While the theater is long gone, many people who grew up in the southwest suburbs still remember it as the place where they saw their favorite movies. 07-26