Strand Theater - 1940's & 1950's

This posting, contains several pictures of  the Strand Theater.  The above picture was sent to me by my brother Marty, and is believed to have been taken around 1942.  The front of the theater shows the two entrances, the box office, and two placards each listing two upcoming movies.

Picture of the Strand Theater between Whitings Drug Store and Warden's Feed Store.  Would estimate the picture to be taken around 1950.  The building has been the home to many businesses over the years.  The theater closed around 1960 and McLauglin Pharmacy who purchase Whiting's Drug Store next door to the theater moved their business into the old theater building about 1961.  The building now is the home to Miller's Pharmacy.

The two pictures above of the Strand Theater were sent to me by my brother Marty.  The one on the left was taken showing a canopy over the entrance, a ticket booth, the two entrances, and two placards showing upcoming movies.  The picture on the right is the front of the theater without the ticket booth.  Sale of tickets was moved inside to the snack bar.  The front of the building that had been recessed for the ticket booth, is now flush with the buildings on either side.  During this remodeling, a used marque was purchased and hung on the front of the building to advertise the current movie being played.  In Marty's comment accompanying the pictures, he noted that he thought the marque was purchased from a Strand theater in Monroe, Michigan that was remodeling or closing.  Guessing the remodeling of the theater was done in the early 1950's.

As a youngster I can remember my parents dropping me off at the theater to watch a double feature, while they went to the Broadway Bar a couple doors down.  I believe for 50 cents, you could see the movie, and get a coke, and popcorn.

The movie listed on the marque was Alan Ladd staring in "Thunder in the East".  Looked up the movie on Wikiphedia ...the bio listed is as follows:  The film is set in 1947 after India has gained its independence from Britain. Steve Gibbs (Alan Ladd), an American arms dealer, flies into a small Indian state intending to sell weapons to a local maharajah whose capital is facing an attack from a bandit army. He is opposed by the maharajah's prime minister (Charles Boyer), who is a proponent of Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence. He also falls in love with a blind girl (Deborah Kerr).  Was released on February 3, 1953 in New York City.  So would put the date of the picture above as being after that date.