Roxana Theaters
ROXANA THEATER
The Roxana Theater was located at 400 N. Central Avenue in Roxana.
The theater opened September 1, 1940, and was owned by Albert
Critchlow, who formerly managed the Temple Theater in Alton.
Critchlow and his family lived in an apartment above the lobby.
The
theater was constructed of yellow brick and pre-cast stone, and was
the latest in modern theater design at the time. The projection
machine and sound equipment were the latest available. The theater
had automatic seat-raisers, which lifted the seat as soon as the
occupant stood up. The aisles in the theater were carpeted and
padded to prevent sounds from interfering with the show, and patrons
were cooled with modern air conditioning.
On May 21, 1949, a tornado took the roof off the theater. Mr. and
Mrs.
Critchlow were at dinner at a lunchroom at the north end of Wood
River at the time of the storm. The theater was scheduled to open
its doors that evening in about a half hour from the time the storm
hit. The tornado devasted an 8-block area of North Wood River and
Roxana, and killed five people. The theater was repaired and
remodeled after the tornado, and re-opened November 20, 1949. A new
roof was installed, a lounge was added, and the theater completely
renovated.
Critchlow operated the theater for 26 years until 1966, when the
Bloomer Amusement Company of Belleville purchased the theater.
Critchlow, who was born in New York City in 1896, died February 18,
1966 at the age of 69. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force during
World War I, and was buried in the Arlington National Cemetery in
Arlington, Virginia.
The Bloomer Amusement Company of Belleville (B.A.C.) reopened the
theater on September 24, 1968. The general manager, Richard Wright,
sent invitations for a special showing to 570 guests, with the
premier show being, “With Six You Get Eggroll.” The theater was
extensively redecorated, and a concession stand was added and a
respacing of seats was made for adult comfort. The automation of the
projection booth allowed for the combining of the positions of
manager and projectionist, a spot which was filled by Clarence Budde
of Alton. The seating capacity, after the respacing, was reduced
from 700 to 571. The interior was repainted from pink to green and
white, and the theater’s name was changed from the Roxana Theater to
the Roxana Cine. The Roxana Cine was later (about 1987) owned by
Kerasotes, before it closed as a commercial theater in 2002. In
2002, the building was acquired by the Church of the Nazarene, and
renamed Nazarene Community Center, where movies are shown one
weekend each month. Also held at the center are plays, concerts, and
other programs held by the church.
