NORWOOD HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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Movies At Norwood's Theaters

A sampling of movies shown in the Norwood theaters over the years,
that kept you, your parents, grandparents and maybe great-grandparents entertained..

    Wednesday, November 3, 1915
  • The Plaza listing for the day was a "Vitagraph, Selig and Essanay program."
       The Vitagraph Company was started in 1896 by vaudeville entertainers J. Stuart Blackton, Albert E. Smith and Ronald A. Reader. In 1915, VLSE, a distribution company was formed by production companies Vitagraph, Lubin, Selig and Essanay. The next year, in September, Vitagraph bought out the partners.
       Neither the names of the movies shown nor the production companies were listed in the newspaper. However, a Charlie Chaplin movie may have been shown, since he made fourteen short comedies for Essanay in 1915, including his classic, "The Tramp."
    Saturday, January 1, 1916
  • Around six years after it first opened, the Plaza had two showings, the first from 2:30 to 5:30 and the second from 7:00 to 11pm. The Triangle-Keystone produced, black and white, silent movies were "The Stolen Magic" starring Raymond Hitchcock and "The Coquette" with Rea Martin and Henry Hallam.
    Monday, March 6, 1916
  • The Plaza skipped its usual showing of silent films when The Greater Junior Norwood Club rented the theater for "EIGHT BIG ACTS of VAUDEVILLE and COMEDY PICTURES." The admission was 25¢
    Wednesday, April 25, 1917
  • The two Norwood theaters were showing movies of two famous silent film actresses with quite different reputations. The Plaza was showing Theda Bara in "The Darling of Paris" and the 4-year-old Norwood was showing, by popular request for a return screening, Mary Pickford in the comedy "The Poor Little Rich Girl."
       Theda Bara was born Theodosia Burr Goodman in the nearby Village of Avondale (now part of Cincinnati). She played Esmaralda in this movie adaptation of Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." She was promoted as "the World's Greatest Vampire Woman" after playing a vampire in an earlier movie. The term "vamp" for a certain type of manipulative woman came from her portrayals.
       Mary Pickford was known as "America's sweetheart." Even though she was 24 at the time, her character, Gwendolyn, was only 11! Because of her small stature and by use of physically larger co-stars, oversized sets, clothing and other cinematic tricks, she was able to play a youngster in many movies.
    Sunday, June 16, 1918
  • The Plaza and Airdome were having matinee (at the Plaza?) and night (at the Airdome?) showings of George Beban in "One More American" and Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuckle in "Out West."
  • The Norwood, which called itself the "amusement center and pride of progressive Norwood" with "high-class photo plays and good vaudeville," was presenting the six-reel Paralta "photo play" (as movies were called back then) "The Alien Enemy" with Louise Glaum about the German plots that led to the U. S. entering the war.
    Monday & Tuesday, June 28 & 29, 1920
  • The Norwood Theater was presenting a Universal Special with Precilla Dean in "The Virgin of Stamboul."
  • The Plaza Theater billed itself as "home of all the best stars." On Monday, it screened Wm. Fox's "The Mother of His Children" with Gladys Brockwell and the 2-reel comedy "Excess Baggage," and, on Tuesday, Screen Classics' "Lombardi Ltd." with Bert Lytell.
    Friday, March 4, 1921
  • Today's double billing at the Plaza was King Baggott in "The Man Who Stayed At Home" and Norma Talmadge in "The Probation Wife"
    Sunday, March 3, 1929
  • The Norwood Theatre was showing "Danger Rider", starring Hoot Gibson and three "vodvil acts" and comedy,
  • The Plaza Theatre had a continuous matinee and night showing of "Manhattan Cocktail" starring Richard Arlen and Nancy Carroll and a two-reel comedy.
    Tuesday-Thursday, March 5-7, 1929
  • The Norwood Theatre presented a "Fox Super Special" flick — "Air Circus", starring Sue Carol and Arthur Lake. Also, there were comedy and news reels.
  • The Plaza Theatre three-day showing was "Glorious Betsy" with Delores Costello and Conrad Nagel plus news and comedy films.
    Sunday-Tuesday, April 25-27, 1937
  • The Norwood Theatre at Main and Maple was showing "Lloyds of London" starring Tyrone Powers, Madeline Carroll and Freddie Bartholomew. Also, there was a Three Stoges comedy and the Fox Movietone News. On Sunday, the movies were showing continuously from 2 p.m. until 11 p.m., and 7-11 p.m. On Monday and Tuesday.
    January 30, 1941
  • For 11¢, the Ohio was offering its last showings of "Lucky Partners," with Ronald Goldman and Ginger Rogers — and a cartoon and novelty. Seats were available from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • At the Plaza, you could watch in air conditioned comfort the comedy "One Night In The Tropics" starring Allan Jones, Nancy Kelly and Abbot & Costello. Also shown were a comedy and news with the "March of Time."
    June 1, 1944
  • From "11 to 11," the Ohio was having continuous double-bill showings of Monty Wooley and Gracie Fields in "Holy Matrimony," and Ann Miller in "What's Buzzin' Cousin,"
  • while at the "comfortably air-conditioned" Plaza, two features were being screened — "The Gay Sisters" with Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent, and "Kid Glove Killer" starring Van Heflin and Marsha Hunt.
    Wednesday, August 1, 1945
  • The Ohio films for the day were the Laurel and Hardy comedy "Air Raid Warden" and "Government Girl" starring Olivia DeHaviland
  • and the Plaza was showing "Gaslight" with stars Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman, and "High Powered" starring Phyllis Brooks and Robert Lowery.
    Thursday, December 12, 1946
  • The Ohio was showing "Can't Help Singing" with Deanna Durbin and "Idea Girl",
  • the Plaza's double features were "Three Strangers" starring Sidney Greenstreet and Geraldine Fitzegerald and "Trail to Mexico"
  • and the Norwood was presenting for the last time "They Were Sisters" with Phyllis Calvert and James Mason and "Wild Beauty" with Don Porter and Lois Collier.
    Wednesday, September 29, 1948
  • The Norwood was presenting "Canon City," with Scott Brady and Charles Russell,
  • the Ohio was having continuous showings of "Gone With the Wind" starring Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable, in "glorious technicolor"
  • and at the Plaza, movie-goers were being "cooled by refrigeration" while watching the double-billing of "North Star" with Dana Andrews, Ann Baxter and Walter Brennen, and "Road to Hollywood" starring Bing Crosby.
    Wednesday, June 1, 1949
  • Plaza: "A Connecticut Yankee" starring Bing Crosby and William Bendix;
  • Ohio: "The Walls of Jerico" with Cornel Wilde and Linda Darnell and "Badlands of Dakota" starring Robert Stack and Ann Rutherford
  • and Norwood: Teresa Wright and Cary Cooper in "Pride of the Yankees" and "I Surrender Dear" with Gloria Jean and David Street.
    Monday, July 18, 1949
  • The Norwood was showing "It Happens Every Spring" starring Ray Milland and Susan Peters, plus Gloria Jean in "I Surrender Dear";
  • the Ohio movies were "Without Reservation" with Claudette Colbert and John Wayne, and "Isle of The Dead" featuring Boris Karloff
  • and the Plaza was showing for the last day, the technicolor production "Younger Brothers" starring Wayne Morris, Bruce Bennett, Robert Hutton and Janis Page, plus "Kidnapped" with Roddy McDowall and Sue England.
    Thursday, January 5, 1950
  • At the Plaza, youngsters were enjoying two space adventure films with Gene Rogers and Buster Crabbe — "Mars Attacks World" and "Rocket Ship." At 8:25 p.m. the theater pulled up the screen as The Harris Rosedale Stage Revue took over the stage,
  • the Ohio was presenting Gene Autry in "Loaded Pistols" and Audie Murphy in "Bad Boy,"
  • while the Norwood continued its showing of "Always Leave Them Laughing" and "Fighting Man of the Plains."
    Monday, March 13, 1950
  • At the Plaza, Evelyn Keyes and Dick Powell were starring in "Mrs. Mike" and Lloyd Bridges and Barbara Payton were in "Trapped",
  • the Ohio was showing for the last time "Big Jack" with Wallace Berry and Majorie Main and "Red Canyon" starring Ann Blyth,
  • while, until Sunday, the Norwood was presenting "Battleground" with a cast composed of Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban and George Murphy.
    Thursday-Saturday, June 1-3, 1950
  • At the Plaza, the movies were "Mark of the Gorilla" starring Johnny Weissmuller as Jungle Jim and the color flick "Palomina" with Beverly Tyler and Jerome Courtland,
  • while over at the Norwood, Broderick Crawford and Ellen Drew played in "Cargo To Capetown" with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans in "Golden Stallion", and
  • at the Ohio, on Thursday and Friday, Rod Cameron was acting in "Stampede" while Alexander Knox and Ann Southern were in "The Judge Steps Out", and on Saturday the movies changed to "Frontier Revenge" starring Lash LaRue, plus "The Clay Pigeon" with Bill Williams and Barabara Hall.
—The Ohio closed Monday, October 9, 1950.—
    Thursday-Saturday, November 2-4, 1950
  • At the Plaza, Robert Mitchum was acting in "Blood On The Moon" and Roy Rogers was the cowboy in "Twilight in the Sierras",
  • while, on the same days, the Norwood was showing "Three Secrets" with Eleanor Parker and Patricia Neal and "Sleeping City" starring Richard Conte and Coleen Gray.
    Sunday-Wednesday, April 29-30, May 1-2, 1951
  • At the Plaza, "Tarzan's Peril", starring Lex Barker and Virginia Huston, plus "The Texan Meets Calamity Jane" with James Ellison and Evelyn Ankers were the films shown,
  • while on Sunday-Tuesday, the Norwood had Glenn Ford and Rhonda Fleming in "Redhead and the Cowboy" and Don McGuire and Tracey Roberts in "Side Show".
    Tuesday, February 26, 1952
  • At the Plaza, the movies were "Flight to Mars" with Cameron Mitchell and "Crazy Over Horses" with Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall,
  • while over at the Norwood, Robert Taylor was acting in "Westward the Woman" and David Bruce and Laura Lee were in "Timber Fury"
    Sunday, June 29, 1952
  • Starting a three-day showing at the Plaza was "Wild Stallion" with Ben Johnson and Edgar Buchanan and "Jet Job" starring Stanley Clements.
  • The Norwood's 3-day billing was "Rancho Notorious" starring Marlene Dietrick and Arthur Kennedy and "Carbine Williams" with James Stewart and Wendell Corey.
    Thursday, December 25, 1952
  • On Christmas, the Plaza presentations were "Immortal Sergeant" starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara, and "Black Beauty" with Robert Denning and Mona Freeman (the Plaza opened daily at 11 a.m. with bargain price matinees),
  • and the Norwood's technicolor showings were "Pony Soldiers" starring Tyrone Powers and Cameron Mitchell, and "My Pal Gus" with Richard Widmark and Joanne Drew.
    Thursday, November 4, 1954
  • The Plaza's continuous Technicolor showings were "With a Song in My Heart" with Susan Hayward and Rory Calhoun, and "So This Is Love" starring Kathryn Grayson and Merv Griffin,
  • and the Norwood's movies were "Hell and High Water" starring Richard Widmark and Bella Darvi, and the documentary "Africa Adventure."
    Sunday, December 26, 1954
  • Starting a three-day showing at the Plaza was "From Here To Eternity" with Burt Lancaster and Frank Sinatra and "Hondo" starring John Wayne.
  • The Norwood was on the 2nd day of a 4-day showing of "Drum Beat" starring Alan Ladd and Audrey Dalton and "Drive A Crooked Mile" with Mickey Rooney and Dianne Foster.
    Thursday, May 19, 1955
  • The Plaza was showing "Appointment With Danger," starring Alan Ladd, and "This Woman Is Dangerous" with Joan Crawford,
  • and for the next three days, the Norwood presentations were "East of Eden" with James Dean and Julie Harris, and "Destry" starring Audie Murphy and Mari Blanchard.
    Sunday-Tuesday, October 23-25, 1955
  • The Plaza had a three-day showing of "It's Always Fair Weather" starring Gene Kelly and Dan Dailey and a reshowing of the classic "The Wizard of Oz" starring Judy Garland.
  • For the same three days, the Norwood was presenting "Left Hand of God" with Humphrey Bogart and Gene Tierney and "White Orchid" with William Lundigan and Peggie Castle.

    The Plaza opened daily at 11 a.m. and the Norwood opened at 6:45 p.m. Monday-Friday and at 1:45 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and holidays.
    Thursday, August 23, 1956
  • The Plaza had a double feature starring actress Dorothy Malone: "Law and Order" starring Ronald Reagan and Ms. Malone, and "Lone Gun" with George Montgomery and Ms. Malone,
  • and the Norwood's evening show today and Friday and afternoon Saturday was"The Eddy Duchin Story" starring Tyrone Powers and Kim Knovak, and "Cockleshell Heroes" with Jose Ferrer and Dora Bryan.
    Wednesday, September 19, 1956
  • The Plaza, which opened at 11 A.M., was showing "To Catch A Thief" with Cary Grant and Grace Kelley, and "Desperate Hours" starring Humphrey Bogart and Martha Scott,
  • and the Norwood, which opened at 6:45 P.M., was showing "Moby Dick" starring Gregory Peck and Richard Basehart, and "Steel Jungle" with Perry Lopez and Beverly Garland.
—The Norwood closed in 1959.—
    Thursday-Tuesday, March 21-26, 1959
  • The Plaza shows were "Some Like It Hot" with Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis and "Hey Boy! Hey Girl!" with Keely Smith and Louis Prime.
    Friday & Saturday, November 27-28, 1959
  • The Plaza shows were "Some Came Running" with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin and "Bucket of Blood".
    Sunday-Tuesday, March 12-14, 1961
  • The Plaza was showing Cecil B DeMille's "The Ten Commandments".
    Saturday, February 26, 1966
  • The Plaza's feature attraction was a survival-adventure film, "Sands of Kalahari," with Stuart Whitman and Susannah York, followed by the horror-thriller "The Skull" starring Peter Cushing.
—The Plaza closed in 1966, but reopened in late 1969 and closed again in early 1970
- based on newspaper advertisements at the time.—
    Saturday, December 27, 1969
  • The Plaza Theatre opened December with a series of weekend shows called "MOM-SAVER MATINEE," where mothers could drop off their kids, while the mothers were shopping. This Saturday, at 1 and 3:30 pm, the movie was The Brass Bottle, starring Tony Randall, Burl Ives, Barbara Eden and Edward Andrews. Burl Ives is the genie in this comedy. A color cartoon carnival filled out the bill. Price of admission was 75¢.
    Friday-Saturday, February 6-8, 1970
  • The Plaza Theatre's main attraction was a John Wayne western, "True Grit," with Glen Campbell and Kim Darby, plus "Hello Down There" and "Tarzan and the Jungle Boy". The show started at 7 pm on Friday & Saturday and continuously from 2pm on Sunday. There was a special children's matinee Saturday at 1:30 and 3:30. All seats were 75¢.

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