The First Movie Theater in Jackson to show a Talking Motion Picture
Jackson movie theater history could fill an entire book...but this time we're zeroing in on the Bijou / Regent, a movie house that was demolished in 1950.
The Bijou sat on the southwest corner of Francis Street and Cortland. Built in 1882, it was formerly the Hibbard Opera House until the Bijou took over in 1908.
In 1920, the Bijou was renamed the Regent Theater. While it was named the Regent, it became the first movie theater in Jackson to show a talking motion picture. The film was "The Lion and the Mouse," that starred Lionel Barrymore, and it debuted at the Regent on Dec. 8, 1928.
During the 1940s, the Regent had enough and closed down.....then demolished in 1950. BIG mistake - they should have made it an Historic Site. Now it's a parking lot.
Scroll down to see a short gallery of the theater from the 1910s-1920s.
Bijou / Regent Theater, jackson
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