East Alton Theaters
EASTGATE
CINEMA
Originally called the Lewis & Clark Eastgate Cinema I and II, the
Eastgate Cinema opened on June 20, 1973. It was the area’s first new
indoor movie theater in 32 years, and is located in the Eastgate
Shopping Center in East Alton, off of Rt. 3. Clarence Decker, the
president of the Lewis & Clark Cinema Company, previewed the theater
for invited guests the night before opening.
The theater featured an automated projection system for the twin
theater, which seated 350 patrons in each. The theater offered a
family movie in one theater, and an adult and actions movie in the
other. Bob Decker was manager of the theater. The projection
booth-level of the theater features “VIP Rooms” for both theaters,
where invited guests sat in living-room comfort and watched the
movie away from the general audience. The theater, now called the
AMC Classic Eastgate 6 Movie Theater, closed its doors on July 19,
2022.
GEM AIRDOME
The Gem Airdome, located at 341 W. St. Louis Avenue in East Alton
(where Dominos Pizza is currently), was opened by proprietor T. L.
Vanpreter on June 11, 1919. The theater was managed by Frank R.
Davis, who later managed the Gem Theater in Upper Alton. For 5
cents, patrons were entertained by vaudeville acts.
RITZ THEATER
In October 1932, J. B. Vanpreter (brother of T. L. Vanpreter)
remodeled his garage on West St. Louis Avenue (just across Goulding
Street from the Gem Airdome), which included an addition to the rear
for a stage, and a sloping floor. There he opened the Ritz Theater,
showing a new invention - “talking pictures.” In addition to the
theater, he opened a recreation and dance hall in the west side of
the building. Elizabeth Vanpreter, wife of T. L. Vanpreter, operated
both theaters.
The Ritz Theater was built on the same site where the Four Mile
House – an old-time inn where stage coaches stopped – was located.
The inn was named Four Mile House, as it was four miles from the old
Alton City Hall. In about 1954, the Ritz Theater was closed, and the
building was used by the East Alton Furniture Company, owned by Al
Bierman.
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Photo of the Ritz Theater courtesy of Jason Bricker, from "Images of
American - East Alton.