Gem Theatre

1615 E. 18th Street,
Kansas City, MO 64108

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Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on April 22, 2018 at 6:44 pm

This house was still listed as the Star Theatre in the 1914-1915 edition of The American Motion Picture Directory.

Patsy
Patsy on January 27, 2012 at 6:14 am

Again, what a lovely theatre and thanks “Driveintheatre” for the addtional flickr photos! This theatre is truly a “gem”!

Driveintheatre2001
Driveintheatre2001 on January 26, 2012 at 11:57 pm

Here’s 3 Photos I took of the GEM back in November of 2007.. Enjoy!

Randy A Carlisle – Historical Photographer

Patsy
Patsy on October 12, 2009 at 6:55 pm

This theatre has a Vitrolite tile exterior. The work was done by Tim Dunn, Vitrolite specialist located in St. Louis MO.

RobbKCity
RobbKCity on November 21, 2007 at 10:20 am

Don, that’s a lovely picture.

RobbKCity
RobbKCity on December 22, 2006 at 11:48 pm

The Gem Theater was designed by local Kansas City architect George Carman.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on May 30, 2006 at 4:16 pm

For the technically minded (which excludes me), here is an article about sound recording at the theater:
http://tinyurl.com/qcnj6

RobbKCity
RobbKCity on January 2, 2006 at 11:50 pm

The marquee appears to be art deco. Would one say that the building is Colonial Revival?

drneel
drneel on May 25, 2004 at 9:35 pm

Correction: …18th and Vine area…

drneel
drneel on May 25, 2004 at 9:26 pm

In the mid 1990’s the Gem Theatre and immediate surrounding 14th and Vine area received a $20 million facelift from then mayor Cleaver. The old theatre was gutted and only the outside was restored to original. Today the theatre IS spotlessly clean and attracks audiences from all over the K.C. area and beyond. Black and white, young and old, especially young people from area elementary schools in convoys of school busses. Often charitable business owners purchase blocks of hundreds of seats for these young people to enjoy theatre that they otherwise may have never been exposed to…a great idea.

JimRankin
JimRankin on April 29, 2004 at 3:35 am

Tour of Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas Theatres in 2004
From June 26 through July 1, 2004 the Theatre Historical Society of America will tour a number of theatres in Kansas City Missouri and surrounding areas, including theatres in Lamar, Joplin, Richmond, St. Joseph and Springfield, MO, as well as Miami, OK, and these cities in Kansas: Leavenworth, Kansas City, Emporia, El Dorado, Augusta, Wichita, Hutchinson, McPherson, Salina, Concordia, and Topeka. More information is contained on their web site: http://www.HistoricTheatres.org and special photos and information concerning the Kansas City theatres: UPTOWN and the MIDLAND is available on this temporary page of their site at: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~angell/thsa/fromarch.html A glossy brochure about this “Heart of America” Conclave is available from the Society’s headquarters listed on their homepage, via E-mail to the Ex. Director, or via snail mail. Membership in the Society is not required to attend the Conclave and tour the theatres, but fees do apply as detailed on their site. Bring your camera and lots of film, for it is usually difficult or impossible to enter these theatres for photos, and some of them will surely not be with us in the years to come.