Missouri Movie Theater Collection

Alexander Wiley – justacinephile

4 December 2021

Back in winter of 2020, I made the decision to deliberately seek out movie theaters around Missouri. This is an extension of my goal to see a movie in a theater in every state in the USA, which I’m 49/50 of the way there. Alaska remains! My travels to Alaska will have to wait for a little while when my wife (Amy) and I can travel together to the “The Last Frontier”.

In the meantime, seeing a movie in a movie theater in every major city in Missouri is an enjoyable goal because I love road traveling. Taking solo road trips are relaxing, energizing, and meditative. On my trips I enjoy audiobooks such as James Bond, non-fiction crime, The Invisible Man, The Handmaiden, Aesop fables, and many more. Seeing the various landscapes of The Show Me State where I call home is fascinating, eye-opening, and beautiful.

Missouri Movie Theater Collection guidelines:

1. The theater must be officially established (no personal or private theaters). Drive-in movie theaters totally count.

2. The movie must be a feature-length film (70 minutes plus for a narrative film and 40 minutes plus for a documentary).

3. Official cities/towns count (suburbs don’t count). For example, a movie seen in St. Louis counts for the entire St. Louis area.

I adore going to old movie theaters. Two recent old movie theaters I thoroughly enjoyed were The Davis Theater (since 1934) in Higginsville and Plaza Theater (since 1934) in Lamar. When I walked towards these theaters, the atmosphere transported me back almost ninety years ago; the smell of suits and lady’s perfume surrounded me as I walked into the lobbies. It is magical to think about all the people who enjoyed movies in these theaters for decades and decades. It is sad to read about theaters around Missouri gone out of business because of various reasons. However, it is promising to see The Davis Theater and Plaza Theater doing well and thriving. I hope people from around Missouri continue to strongly support these theaters.

Missouri Movie Theater Collection

29/63 cities visited ~ 46%

Gray = I enjoyed visiting!

Gold = Can’t wait to visit!

Aurora Sunset Drive-In

Aurora

Big Time Cinema

Bethany

Bolivar Cinema 5

Bolivar

Branson Meadows

Branson

Reeltime Cinema

Brookfield

Tyrell Theater

Cameron

Marcus Cape West Cinema

Cape Girardeau

66 Drive-In Theatre

Carthage

BYB Chillicothe Grand 6

Chillicothe

Clinton Cinema 6

Clinton

Forum 8

Columbia

19 Drive-In

Cuba

Melba Theater

De Soto

Dexter Twin Cinema

Dexter

The Opera House

El Dorado Springs

Senate Theater

Elsberry

AMC Farmington 4

Farmington

B&B Festus 8 Cinema

Festus

Fulton Cinema 8

Fulton

Hannibal B&B Cinema 8

Hannibal

B&B Harrisonville Cineplex

Harrisonville

The Davis Theatre

Higginsville

Phoenix Theater

Houston

Independence 20

Independence

Capitol 8

Jefferson City

Northstar 14

Joplin

AMC Barrywoods 24

Kansas City

Kennett Palace Theater

Kennett

Downtown Cinema 8

Kirksville

Plaza Theater

Lamar

Mark Eagles Landing Cinema

Lake Ozark

Lake West Cinema 5

Laurie

Lebanon Ritz 8

Lebanon

Cannonball 6

Lexington

Macon Cinema

Macon

Marshall Cinema

Marshall

Hanger Cinema

Maryville

Mexico Cinema III

Mexico

B&B Moberly Five & Drive

Moberly

Fun City

Mountain Grove

Monett Plaza 8

Monett

Neosho Cinema 6

Neosho

Century Six Cinema

Nevada

The Walt Theater

New Haven

Ozark B&B

Ozark/Nixa

Poplar Bluff 8

Poplar Bluff

Hawkins Theater

Shelbina

Regal Hollywood St. Joseph

St Joseph

Ronnies

St. Louis

Galaxy Cinemas

Sedalia

Malco Cinema Grill

Sikeston

Springfield 11

Springfield

Starlite Drive In

Starlite/ Cadet

Sullivan 6 Cinema

Sullivan

Trenton Cinema

Trenton

Troy Movie House

Troy

Great Eight Cinema

Union

21 Drive In

Van Buren

AMC Classic 10

Warrensburg

Warrenton Cinema

Warrenton

Cinema 1 Plus

Washington

Patriot 12

Waynesville

Glass Sword Cinemas

West Plains

Miles driven, so far, to see these theaters = 4,121

Am I missing any theaters? Suggestions?

All photos taken by Alexander Wiley.

Inside The Davis Theater in Higginsville.