Wellington Regent Theatre
114 W. Lincoln Avenue,
Wellington,
KS
67152
114 W. Lincoln Avenue,
Wellington,
KS
67152
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It’s interesting to note the small reference in the Chisholm page that Mr. Jocelyn was forced to move his Edison Theatre and did so to lots on West Lincoln where he was to have an airdrome seating 400 as opposed to the 100 which the Edison held.
This web page from the Chisholm Trail Museum has a history of Wellington’s theaters by Jim Bales. The Regent was opened by Charles W. Ash as the Ashland Theatre on April 5, 1921. In June, 1928 the Ashland and the Majestic Theatre came under the control of the Miller Show Company, who operated a regional chain of theaters featuring movies produced by William Fox’s studio. Following Mr. Fox’s bankruptcy in the early 1930s, this company was reorganized as Fox Midwest Theatres, affiliated with the reorganized 20th Century Fox studio.
Soon after Miller’s acquisition, the Ashland Theatre was closed for major remodeling, which included increasing the rake of the auditorium and reseating in a semi-circular pattern so every seat faced the center of the screen. A Robert Morton organ replaced the Wurlitzer which had been installed in 1924. The house was reopened as the Regent on September 3, 1928. Sound was installed the next year, with the first show on April 3, 1929. Miller Show and its successor Fox Midwest operated the Regent until March, 1959, after which it was operated by a series of independent owners.
This building was constructed sometime between 1899 and 1905 as a skating rink, replacing a wooden livery on this site. It was then a wholesale grocery on the 1912 map. The theater does not appear in the 1914-15 AMPD. The Spanish facade probably dates from the theater conversion. The KHRI entry suggests it may have been a Boller Brothers project.
By the way, the website is AI slop with fake reviews. It is not official. Apparently the whole domain of edan.io is stuff like this.
They use FB: https://www.facebook.com/WellingtonRegentTheater/ Even that page refers to an ‘official’ site which appears to be a fake full of malware! They probably abandoned it to save money.
When I saw this in 2010, it had godawful wood paneling covering the front. So glad it’s been removed.
The January 11, 1930 issue of Motion Picture News had this item mentioning the Regent: “Competition Causes Change
“Wellington, Kan. — Opening of the Regent has resulted in a switch to Friday and Saturday shows only at the Majestic. Both are Fox houses.”
However, the 1922 Sanborn map of Wellington shows a 700-seat theater at the Regent’s site, but it must have operated under a different name. The 1926 FDY lists only the 400-seat Ashland and the 500-seat Majestic at Wellington, and no theater of 700 seats.
The Sanborn maps of 1912 and 1922 show two movie theaters on Main Street, a 425-seat house at 106 S., and a 360-seat house across the street at 105. The house at 106, per various sources, opened by 1909 as the Pioneer Theatre and was listed in the 1914-1915 AMPD, but had been renamed the Isis Theatre by 1916. I’ve found no name for the house at 105.
The NRHP registration form for the Wellington Downtown Historic District says the Isis was converted to retail in 1923 and the information about the building at 105 is ambiguous and does not mention a theater, so I’m unable to determine the locations of the Ashland and the Majestic. At this time all I can be sure of is that the theater at 114 W. Lincoln was in existence by October, 1922, and had become the Regent by the start of 1930.
Now known as the Wellington Regent Theatre at last check 11/28/2024.
Open — my photo from April 2011
.Very nice marquee on the Regent.
Sold, re-opening soon.
Why can’t the city or community come together to keep this Theater open. Lord knows, as well as the people of wellington, that there isn’t much to do here. I know a lot of people would be interested in a dinner and a movie. There are several video stores closing out with movies @ here..The Movie Gallery, and HomeTown Video in Belle Plaine.
With the proper advertising we could bring in business from a lot of surrounding towns. Is the “Casino” really the only thing people want their families to be involved in and can we afford the consequences of that?
Regent theater up for auction on May 11th 2010. Interested in buying projection equipment?…contact me as soon as possible at
View link
REDUCED PRICE TO $129,000 MUST SELL!!
I appreciate all the wonderful comments left here. Yes our theater has been for sale for sometime. We are currently open and running just fine. We have the showtimes listed because of our small town and the fact that we also have full time jobs. For anyone interested in finding out more about our situation you can email us at
Thanks
Do you have an information on the price.
MY GOD HOW DO THEY STAY IN BSNS WITH THOSE SHOWETIMES?
tHIS HAS BEEN FOR SALE A LONG TIME…SEEMS LIKE A NICE THEATER……
The Regent Theater no longer houses a Bakery or Dinner Theater. Currently just open for first run movies. Thank you
I am the current owner of the Regent Theater in Wellington Kansas.
Yes we do own a Bakery and it is located in the Regent Theater.
We also provide Dinner Theater and Banquet Room Rental. We would like to also show Classic Movies. If anyone has a good lead to a broker of Classic Movies, I would be greatful! Thanks
Known as the Fox Regent Theatre in Film Daily Yearbook; 1941 and 1943 editions. The seating capacity is given as 737. In the 1950 F.D.Y. it is listed as the Regent Theatre with 727 seats.