WILLIAMS LAKE AND REGION
MOVIE THEATRES
By Mike Rivest

Launched June 24,2001 , Last update Oct 19,2004
100 MILE HOUSE

Rangeland 
?1980- 2008
Leon Appleby, who died in 2007 owned this theatre.

Photo by Jason Maisonet

Red Coach Inn
?1975
This theatre had 120 seats.

BARKERVILLE

Royal
?1935
This theatre had 300 seats, used mostly for live presentions.

BELLA COOLA

Bellvale
?1950-?1975
This 198-seat theatre was owned by: ?1950 H. Rogers and T. Belshow, ?1955 Harold Giles.

McKenzie
?1980
This 257-seat theatre was owned by Stu. McKenzie.

LAC LA HACHE

Rangeland Drive-In
near 100 Mile House
This drive-in closed in the early 1980's

QUESNEL

Carib
?1955 twinned ?1985
P. E. Gauthier and in about 1980 R. Bourque owned this 499-seat theatre.

Casbar Drive-In
?1965-?90
P. E. Gauthier and in about 1980 R. Bourque owned this 350-space drive-in

Rex
?1935-?1950
This 315-seat theatre was owned by P. E. Gauthier

WILLIAMS LAKE


Alston
Opened about 1960
Ken W. Thibaudeau and in about 1980 D. Hothi owned the Alston, which has 320 seats

Oliver
Opened about 1935 and closed about 1955
W. S Western owned the Oliver, which had 100 seats in 1935 and 320 seats in 1950.

WELLS

Sunset
1934-Late 1930's, Late 1960's-1972, 2006-

1934
The theatre was built by Anderson/Stromberg and financed by Fred Wells, Owner, Founder and Proprietor of the Gold Quartz Mine.

1935
A new Sunset Theatre sign and awning were installed because of that year's heavy snowfall.

1940
The 400 seat Lode Theatre was built by then owner C.D. Hoy.
The Sunset Theatre was closed sometime in the late 1930s and was renamed The Dominion Club and turned into a gambling hall.

1947
The Sunset Theatre was used as a temporary morgue to house the dead after the mining disaster that lead to the eventual closing of the gold and quartz mine.

1960s
The Wells Historical Society purchased the theatre to house a museum.

1972
The Lode Theatre is closed leaving the town of Wells without entertainment

1975
Harvey Bryant, who bought the Lode in 1942, closes the theatre permanently and gives the chairs and projection room equipment to the Sunset Theatre where they remain 

June 21st
The Sunset Theatre is reopened after 33 years by the Wells Historical Society as a movie theatre. 

Date Unknown
After a committed and gallant effort, the Historical Society sold the building to raise money for the new community hall.

http://sunset-theatre.com/history.html 

 
Paradise
78 South 3rd Ave. WEBSITE
Opened about 1985
Paradise Theatres Limited owns this twin.
Cinema 1 392 seats
Cinema 2 300 seats
Total 692 seats
In later it has 4 cinemas.

Starlight Drive-In
Opened about 1965 and closed about 1980
WCB owns this drive-in, which had space for 300 cars.

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Rivest's ultimate list of movie theatres and drive-in