The Last Picture Show

W. Gray · February 23, 2012, 05:15:23 PM

For those who do not get the local newspaper, it looks like the last movie theater in Greenwood, Elk and Chautauqua counties will have to bow out.

The Gregg Theater in Sedan is going to have to close by next year if they cannot come up with $60-80,000. I believe it was once called the Chief Theater. The nonprofit group running the theater does not believe there is enough community interest in raising that amount.

That much money is needed to convert the theater from film to digital projection. It looks like the movie industry is fast moving to eliminate film distribution. I would think a number of country type theaters would be adversely affected by this move.

It has been a couple years since I was in a movie theater (Aurora, CO). I remember specifically looking to see if there was a projectionist and whether the light projection was coming from the small windows in back and it was all still there--so this must be a rather fast transition.

Not sure when the last movie theater in Howard closed but it was there in '77. When it did close, a row of seats from the theater went to Waldo's Barbershop for customer seating. I wonder what Julie did with those?

Mom70x7 · February 23, 2012, 09:59:11 PM

I read the article about the Sedan theater. That's the last place we went to see a movie - but it was a couple of years ago. When we had kids at home, took them there all the time.

Sad.

W. Gray · January 22, 2014, 01:50:13 PM

It has been almost two years since the last post on this subject, but according to this morning's Prairie Star the Gregg Theater (home of the Howard County players) in Sedan has gone over the top and has the money for a digital projector and maybe some additional for new air conditioning and heating.

sixdogsmom · January 22, 2014, 04:54:09 PM

Good news!

farmgal67357 · January 22, 2014, 08:25:27 PM

Very cool!!

jprxmkt · February 08, 2014, 08:55:49 PM

Unfortunarely those seats were not in the building when we received possession of Waldo's. The only seats that we got were a couple of old airplane seats that we still have. I think the theater in Howard was stlll open when my parents an I moved here '83. I believe Robert Miller ran it then.

W. Gray · February 21, 2014, 05:43:52 PM

Too bad about those Plaza Theater seats, they might have gone up in a local fire. Just conjecturing.

I recall the two airline seats and think they were first class seats.

W. Gray · March 26, 2014, 09:45:05 AM

According to this morning's Prairie Star, the digital Gregg Theater opens in Sedan on Friday, April 4, at 8pm. $5 admission for adults, $3 children.