Vogue Art Theater

dallasmovietheaters on November 8, 2022 at 10:15 am

Emma H. Dodd had the first true new-build movie theater in Wichita built in 1908 across the street from the family’s Elite Theatre operated by William H. Marple in 1908. Dodd fronted the $15,000 venue and Marple added $6,000 in equipment to start and run the new 600-seat Maple Theatre. Marple must have been pleased that it was called the nicest movie house in the West at that time by the local press. Although that point was debatable, the Grand Opening date was not. The Marple launched October 1, 1908. D.W. Griffith’s “Ingomar, the Barbarian” was on the big screen. Bertha Koshler was at the keyboard with Persis Gardner as the vocalist and Sam W. Jones was the chef narrator explaining aspects the silent films.

Arthur and Blanche Ford assumed control of the venue and vaudeville was more heavily added to the programming mix along with film. In 1925, Mr. T.H. and Mrs. Merta E. Slothower took on the venue. 1927 was a year of transition in the film industry with sound exhibition in demand. The Holland Theatre operators decided to close. The State Theater had closed elsewhere in town. To save costs, apparently, the Marple had gone to non-union labor which caused protestations that likely didn’t help its standing as an aging movie theater. It wasn’t the first dance that the Marple had with union workers; in 1922, the venue was picketed and bombs were allegedly planted by activists. On December 27, 1927, the refreshed Marple reopened as the still silent State Theatre with Constance Talmadge in “Venus of Venice.” Vaudeville had been completely removed from the programming at the State. The theater used an Electrola to provide music - likely not pleasing the union folks. And it likely used a repurposed State Theatre sign.

The State closed but reopened with Vitaphone sound on March 6, 1930 for the Slothowers. By decade’s end, the Slothowers would build the Sandra and Southern theaters locally in 1939. They then gave the State, apparently, a much-needed streamline moderne makeover for its relaunch on January 25, 1948. After a period of inactivity, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ross of the Kansas City Strand Theatre took on the venue rebranding it as the Vogue Art Cinema for adult audiences. The seating ws dropped to 400 for or the reboot on September 2, 1966 and the entire theater was modernized with wood paneling hiding the theater’s past. Under manager George Kirk, the business was raided five times by Vern Miller’s request early in 1977 with the final one on February 10, 1977 that would end the Vogue Art’s film run.

Lyndon on December 29, 2014 at 8:21 am

Here are some historical tidbits about the Marple.

Keith Wondra on March 10, 2009 at 5:26 pm

E. M. Dodd was not the builder of the Marple since he died in 1899 according to Emma Dodd’s obituary in the 1928 Wichita Beacon and the Marple was built in 1908.

Keith Wondra on March 10, 2009 at 5:14 pm

It is now a bar.
Here is a 2007 photo:
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