The architectural plans of 1926 for the proposed Star turned Rockhill Theatre are by Charles E. Shepherd then of Shepard & Wiser Architects. Shepherd’s dome at the north end of the project are in both drawings for Midwest Theatres Circuit. The expansion of multi-use offices as seen in the revised 1927 now Rockhill plans are also signed by Charles E. Shepherd though then of Shepherd & Pickett Architects. I haven’t found any Boller input in the building’s drawings that are available.
The project was expensive for its era as a neighborhood theater at $300,000 including its Robert Morton pipe organ on just a 15-year leasing contract - netting a guarantee of $180,000 over that period. It worked out, though, with Fox re-upping the lease though closing on March 10, 1954 with a repertory double feature of “The Public Enemy” and “Little Caesar”.
The venue reopened as the Rockhill Art Theatre September 6th, 1956 with “The Proud and the Beautiful.” Fire interrupted things gutting the auditorium on October 31, 1967 after the venue’s final film, Bob Dylan in “Don’t Look Back.” They didn’t with the operators posting “That’s All Folks” on the marquee and the building was refurbished for other purposes.
The Waldo-Westmoreland Theatre launched on August 10, 1924 with Constance Bennett in “Cytherea” and live music from the venue’s $10,000 Hope-Jones pipe organ. Operator W.C. Gumm said that the patrons liked the music as much as the films shown during his time at the Waldo-Westmoreland. That appears to have come to an end in 1927 with the operator likely unsure how to make the transition to sound. Midwest Theatres / Fox Midwest Theatres took on the venue making that transition and changing the name to the Waldo Theater.
The Tivoli Theatre closed at the expiry of a leasing period on March 28, 1954 with a triple feature of Yvonne DeCarlo in “Salome, Where She Danced,” John Wayne in “Island in the Sky” and Edward G. Robinson in “Vice Squad.” Not a bad way to go. and On April 21, 1954, owner Herman Illmer received permission to convert the venue into the Tivoli Roller Rink. A 1980s fire gutted the former theater.
National General Corporation appears to have closed the Linwood not long after 50 years of service on October 2, 1966 (although it may have continued without advertisements).
Chuck writes: “The Castle Theatre was located on East 12th Street just a block from the Paseo. I could find no time line on the Castle and very little information.” Please don’t alter that though technically the theatre was at the corner of East 12th and Paseo (not a block away).
Adding just a bit more here (my research - not Chuck’s). Jasper Brancito and John Donici opened the Castle Theatre for African American audiences on June 6, 1936 with “I Dream Too Much.” Sporting RCA projectors, Silver King projection screen and RCA Photophone sound system, the venue was equipped by Stebbins Theatre Equipment. S. Patti Construction built a streamline moderne theater that stood the test of time. Orville Copeland was the opening day projectionist. The neighboring Crystal Hamburger Hut was open 24 hours a day serving theater patrons. The Castle Theatre building also housed Archie’s Beauty Shop #2.
The Castle joined the Boone Theatre, the Paseo, and the Lincoln Theatre as leading African American movie houses. It would be joined by the Linwood, Princess, Gem and others. The Castle operated to the end of a 30-year lease in 1966. In 1968, the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of Kansas City targeted the African American business district on The Paseo for Urban Renewal decimating the neighborhood. Buildings that weren’t immediately sold were targeted by arsonists setting off a string of fires on June 24, 1969 that including the Castle Theatre Building. It would later be razed along with the entirety of the business district.
Charles A. Pittman opened the Jest-A-Mere Theatre on November 27, 1918. Pittman was the only African American owner/builder of a new-build St. Louis movie theater at that time as labor unions reportedly tried to tamper with the construction of the venue.
Its grand reopening as the (Frederick) Douglass Theatre on September 1, 1927 with Ralph Graves in “The Swell-Head” supported by live vaudeville and selected film shorts in in photos. The venue added sound to remain viable. It closed at end of lease on April 22, 1962 with Elizabeth Taylor in “Butterfield 8” and, appropriately enough, “The Last Sunset” with Kirk Douglas.
The New Lincoln Theatre opened on March 13, 1921 with a live presentation by the Conolly Colored Players of “Mutt and Jeff” supported by a film, “Leigh Whipper’s Reel Negro News” newsreel with Leigh Whipper in person.
T he Dexter Theatre opened on April 7, 1940 in the existing Bretlinger Building . On September 3, 1943, it reopened as the Gem Theater with “Boots and Saddles.” Advertisements cease on November 10, 1954 with a four-wall screening of “Martin Luther.”
This was a different theater / building than the Gordon (sorry). It did open as the Bloomfield operating for 15 years from 1912 through January 21, 1927 under that name. On April 18, 1927, it was renamed under new operators, Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Baehl as the Joylan Theatre seating 300 patrons. They closed at the theater’s 15-year lease expiry that November.
New operators took on the venue still as the Joylan before skipping town late in December of 1927. The building at 401 S. Prairie has since been demolished. For the next ten plus years, the townspeople had to commute 7.5 miles to nearby Dexter, Missouri for films. That changed when the town got a movie theater under a variety of names operating in the sound era from 1938 to 1960. It has its own entry under its final operational name as the SEMO Theatre.
The Allen Theater closed May 18, 1950 for the summer at the end of a 30-year lease. That summer was a long one lasting through 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953. The Allen reopened on August of 1953 now equipped with widescreen projection equipment and likely on a 5-year sublease. It closed in 1958. Dr. Robert H. Merz salvaged the 40-year old venue and spent $200,000 on purchasing and refreshing the theater. It reopened as the Astor Theatre in 1960. Dropping burlesque it became the all new Astor Adult Cinema in 1978.
Correction from above. The Astor closed permanently on October 26, 1978 with a double feature of Linda Wong in “The Final Sin” and Jean Dalton in “Peach Fuzz.” The local police shut down the building due to safety concerns. The venue moved two blocks away resuming as the “all new” Astor Adult Cinema. It closed with a double feature of Veronica Hart in “Touch Me In the Morning” and Kitty Shayne in “Three Ripening Cherries” on August 30, 1981. Meanwhile, the original Allen/Astor and Hotel Marne/Millner building was sold at a sheriff’s auction in 1982 bringing just $20,500. It was demolished beginning in March of 1982.
College Hills Mall opened on August 14, 1980 and its theater, the College Hills Movies 4, opened by George Kerasotes Cinemas (GKC) four months later on Christmas Day 1980. At launch, it opened with two 240 seat auditoriums and two 340 seat auditorium or 1,160 seats total. Opening films were A Change of Seasons, Private Benjamin, Private Eyes and The Formula. GKC closed at the end of a 20-year leasing agreement on December 10, 2000 with What Lies Beneath, The Exorcist, Dr. T and the Women, and Ladies' Man.
Parkway Cinemas was opened in the Parkway Shopping Center on a 20-year leasing agreement on May 18, 1990 by George Kerasotes Corporation / GKC Theatres. Carmike Theatre bought the GKC locations on April 22, 2005. Carmike closed at the expiry of that lease on May 13, 2010.
Charles J. Goodwin grand opening ad on April 5, 1926 with Colleen Moore in “Orchids and Ermine” supported by Hedda Hopper in “The Mona Lisa” and organist Ruby McMathe at the console of the Etsey Pipe Organ in photos. Reboot ad under Gulf States as the Rose Cinema on November 10, 1967 with “The Dirty Dozen” in photos.
The Rose Drive-In grand opening with August 1, 1950 with “Rock Island Trial.” It closed in 1963 screening exploitation films. It became the Bastrop Raceway race track in 1968.
The Swan launched December 22, 1935 with “Whipsaw.” J.W. Smith and Associates did the architectural work. After a November 1, 1941 fire after hours, it was rebuilt as the Swan Theatre opening June 5, 1942 with Sabu in “Jungle Book.” The theatre closed at the expiry of its 20-year leasing agreeing in 1955. In 1956, the building was gutted for other retail purposes.
The architectural plans of 1926 for the proposed Star turned Rockhill Theatre are by Charles E. Shepherd then of Shepard & Wiser Architects. Shepherd’s dome at the north end of the project are in both drawings for Midwest Theatres Circuit. The expansion of multi-use offices as seen in the revised 1927 now Rockhill plans are also signed by Charles E. Shepherd though then of Shepherd & Pickett Architects. I haven’t found any Boller input in the building’s drawings that are available.
The project was expensive for its era as a neighborhood theater at $300,000 including its Robert Morton pipe organ on just a 15-year leasing contract - netting a guarantee of $180,000 over that period. It worked out, though, with Fox re-upping the lease though closing on March 10, 1954 with a repertory double feature of “The Public Enemy” and “Little Caesar”.
The venue reopened as the Rockhill Art Theatre September 6th, 1956 with “The Proud and the Beautiful.” Fire interrupted things gutting the auditorium on October 31, 1967 after the venue’s final film, Bob Dylan in “Don’t Look Back.” They didn’t with the operators posting “That’s All Folks” on the marquee and the building was refurbished for other purposes.
The Waldo-Westmoreland Theatre launched on August 10, 1924 with Constance Bennett in “Cytherea” and live music from the venue’s $10,000 Hope-Jones pipe organ. Operator W.C. Gumm said that the patrons liked the music as much as the films shown during his time at the Waldo-Westmoreland. That appears to have come to an end in 1927 with the operator likely unsure how to make the transition to sound. Midwest Theatres / Fox Midwest Theatres took on the venue making that transition and changing the name to the Waldo Theater.
Closed May 30, 1954 with a double feature of Clara Kimball Young in “Wages of Sin” and Irene Ryan in “Sultan’s Daughter.”
The Tivoli Theatre closed at the expiry of a leasing period on March 28, 1954 with a triple feature of Yvonne DeCarlo in “Salome, Where She Danced,” John Wayne in “Island in the Sky” and Edward G. Robinson in “Vice Squad.” Not a bad way to go. and On April 21, 1954, owner Herman Illmer received permission to convert the venue into the Tivoli Roller Rink. A 1980s fire gutted the former theater.
National General Corporation appears to have closed the Linwood not long after 50 years of service on October 2, 1966 (although it may have continued without advertisements).
Chuck writes: “The Castle Theatre was located on East 12th Street just a block from the Paseo. I could find no time line on the Castle and very little information.” Please don’t alter that though technically the theatre was at the corner of East 12th and Paseo (not a block away).
Adding just a bit more here (my research - not Chuck’s). Jasper Brancito and John Donici opened the Castle Theatre for African American audiences on June 6, 1936 with “I Dream Too Much.” Sporting RCA projectors, Silver King projection screen and RCA Photophone sound system, the venue was equipped by Stebbins Theatre Equipment. S. Patti Construction built a streamline moderne theater that stood the test of time. Orville Copeland was the opening day projectionist. The neighboring Crystal Hamburger Hut was open 24 hours a day serving theater patrons. The Castle Theatre building also housed Archie’s Beauty Shop #2.
The Castle joined the Boone Theatre, the Paseo, and the Lincoln Theatre as leading African American movie houses. It would be joined by the Linwood, Princess, Gem and others. The Castle operated to the end of a 30-year lease in 1966. In 1968, the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of Kansas City targeted the African American business district on The Paseo for Urban Renewal decimating the neighborhood. Buildings that weren’t immediately sold were targeted by arsonists setting off a string of fires on June 24, 1969 that including the Castle Theatre Building. It would later be razed along with the entirety of the business district.
Architects: Copaken, White & Blitt
Address 110 South Walnut
304 North Walnut - address. Demolished
January 10, 1932 reopening ad under the Chicago Amusement Company Circuit with Stepin Fetchit in person in photos.
Charles A. Pittman opened the Jest-A-Mere Theatre on November 27, 1918. Pittman was the only African American owner/builder of a new-build St. Louis movie theater at that time as labor unions reportedly tried to tamper with the construction of the venue.
Its grand reopening as the (Frederick) Douglass Theatre on September 1, 1927 with Ralph Graves in “The Swell-Head” supported by live vaudeville and selected film shorts in in photos. The venue added sound to remain viable. It closed at end of lease on April 22, 1962 with Elizabeth Taylor in “Butterfield 8” and, appropriately enough, “The Last Sunset” with Kirk Douglas.
The New Lincoln Theatre opened on March 13, 1921 with a live presentation by the Conolly Colored Players of “Mutt and Jeff” supported by a film, “Leigh Whipper’s Reel Negro News” newsreel with Leigh Whipper in person.
T he Dexter Theatre opened on April 7, 1940 in the existing Bretlinger Building . On September 3, 1943, it reopened as the Gem Theater with “Boots and Saddles.” Advertisements cease on November 10, 1954 with a four-wall screening of “Martin Luther.”
June 24, 1950 grand opening ad with “Valley of Giants” In photos.
This was a different theater / building than the Gordon (sorry). It did open as the Bloomfield operating for 15 years from 1912 through January 21, 1927 under that name. On April 18, 1927, it was renamed under new operators, Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Baehl as the Joylan Theatre seating 300 patrons. They closed at the theater’s 15-year lease expiry that November.
New operators took on the venue still as the Joylan before skipping town late in December of 1927. The building at 401 S. Prairie has since been demolished. For the next ten plus years, the townspeople had to commute 7.5 miles to nearby Dexter, Missouri for films. That changed when the town got a movie theater under a variety of names operating in the sound era from 1938 to 1960. It has its own entry under its final operational name as the SEMO Theatre.
(Grossberg and Cahill Florists is in the foreground, btw)
The Circle opened September 25, 1920 with a speech by Governor Albert Ritchie - big crowd and the films “High and Dizzy” and “Scratch My Back”
The Allen Theater closed May 18, 1950 for the summer at the end of a 30-year lease. That summer was a long one lasting through 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953. The Allen reopened on August of 1953 now equipped with widescreen projection equipment and likely on a 5-year sublease. It closed in 1958. Dr. Robert H. Merz salvaged the 40-year old venue and spent $200,000 on purchasing and refreshing the theater. It reopened as the Astor Theatre in 1960. Dropping burlesque it became the all new Astor Adult Cinema in 1978.
Correction from above. The Astor closed permanently on October 26, 1978 with a double feature of Linda Wong in “The Final Sin” and Jean Dalton in “Peach Fuzz.” The local police shut down the building due to safety concerns. The venue moved two blocks away resuming as the “all new” Astor Adult Cinema. It closed with a double feature of Veronica Hart in “Touch Me In the Morning” and Kitty Shayne in “Three Ripening Cherries” on August 30, 1981. Meanwhile, the original Allen/Astor and Hotel Marne/Millner building was sold at a sheriff’s auction in 1982 bringing just $20,500. It was demolished beginning in March of 1982.
William Koehl of Cleveland architectural layout from 1920 in photos.
College Hills Mall opened on August 14, 1980 and its theater, the College Hills Movies 4, opened by George Kerasotes Cinemas (GKC) four months later on Christmas Day 1980. At launch, it opened with two 240 seat auditoriums and two 340 seat auditorium or 1,160 seats total. Opening films were A Change of Seasons, Private Benjamin, Private Eyes and The Formula. GKC closed at the end of a 20-year leasing agreement on December 10, 2000 with What Lies Beneath, The Exorcist, Dr. T and the Women, and Ladies' Man.
Parkway Cinemas was opened in the Parkway Shopping Center on a 20-year leasing agreement on May 18, 1990 by George Kerasotes Corporation / GKC Theatres. Carmike Theatre bought the GKC locations on April 22, 2005. Carmike closed at the expiry of that lease on May 13, 2010.
Charles J. Goodwin grand opening ad on April 5, 1926 with Colleen Moore in “Orchids and Ermine” supported by Hedda Hopper in “The Mona Lisa” and organist Ruby McMathe at the console of the Etsey Pipe Organ in photos. Reboot ad under Gulf States as the Rose Cinema on November 10, 1967 with “The Dirty Dozen” in photos.
The Rose Drive-In grand opening with August 1, 1950 with “Rock Island Trial.” It closed in 1963 screening exploitation films. It became the Bastrop Raceway race track in 1968.
The Swan launched December 22, 1935 with “Whipsaw.” J.W. Smith and Associates did the architectural work. After a November 1, 1941 fire after hours, it was rebuilt as the Swan Theatre opening June 5, 1942 with Sabu in “Jungle Book.” The theatre closed at the expiry of its 20-year leasing agreeing in 1955. In 1956, the building was gutted for other retail purposes.
The Semri June 28, 1951 grand opening ad with “Give My Regards to Broadway” is posted in photos.