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Article: Old Movie Theater Survives in Johnston County, N.C.
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
- Article date:
- May 30, 2002
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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By Adrienne Lu, The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
May 30--SMITHFIELD, N.C.--When the Howell Theatre opened in 1935, audiences for cowboy-and-Indian movies packed its 800 seats on Friday and Saturday nights.
Tickets cost 30 cents for adults and 15 cents for children; hot popcorn or two bags of peanuts went for a nickel. Air conditioning had been invented but wouldn't come to the theater for several more years.
By the 1970s, the Howell would be among four drive-ins and seven indoor theaters in Johnston County.
But today, the Howell is the only one still showing movies. It's the only movie theater ...