Theaters have always been the places where memories are made. There, on
Saturday afternoons, children could escape the pressures of growing up
to live for two hours in a fantasy world of daring heroes, dastardly
villains, and dazzling magic. They were the places where awkward teenage
boys could nervously, and often clumsily, put their arms around equally
nervous girls. In years past, every neighborhood had its own local
theater. Downtown was home to the great movie palaces, ornate portals to
a world of motion picture thrills. For a unique experience, nothing
could beat a hot summer night at the drive-in. Today, in the era of the
corporate multiplex, the great movie palaces are just memories. Some
neighborhood cinemas are now churches or venues for meetings, wedding
receptions, and small concerts. Images of America: Cincinnati Theaters
looks back at these marvelous old theaters and the days when they were
in their prime.