Wilson Theatre

1417 Cass Avenue,
St. Louis, MO 63106

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Additional Info

Previous Names: Grand and Cass Tent Theater, Frair Theatre, Acme Theatre, Colonial Theatre

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The Grand and Cass Tent Theater was opened in 1910. It was given a roof in 1911 and renamed Fair Theatre. It was renamed Acme Theatre in 1916 which closed within months. A new operator took over. On April 17, 1919 it reopened as the Wilson Theatre. In 1922 it was renamed Wilson Theatre. It seated 283 and was known as the Colonial Theatre in 1929 when it closed as a silent movie theatre.

Contributed by Chris1982

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

JAlex
JAlex on January 1, 2017 at 1:10 pm

Theatre located at 1417 Cass. Earliest reference found was in 1916 as the ACME. In 1922 it was known as the WILSON. Last reference found for being open was in 1929 and known as the COLONIAL. Seating capacity of 283.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on January 1, 2017 at 3:32 pm

The September 2, 1916, issue of The Moving Picture World had this item about the Acme Theatre:

“J. J. Barrett Buys the Acme. St. Louis, Mo.—James J. Barrett, of the Chippewa and Knickerbocker theaters, has added the Acme, on 1417-19 Cass avenue, to his string of amusement houses and is getting it in readiness to open within a few weeks. The Acme seats 800 persons, and it is being treated to a set of new furnishings and equipment. Mr. Barrett has made a huge success of his other two houses, and the same system of management will prevail at the Acme.”
The reference to new furnishings and equipment suggests that the house had already been in operation for some time. The 800 given as the seating capacity might have been a typo for 300.

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on November 3, 2024 at 3:08 pm

dallasmovietheatersdallasmovietheaters on November 3, 2024 at 11:07 am (remove) This could be incorrect but the local paper and trade press indicate that this venue opened as the Grand and Cass Tent Theater in 1910. In 1911, it is given a roof likely under threat of closure by the City which was cracking down on tent and airdome venues in 1911. It appears to be called the Fair Theater with 600 seats from 1911 to early 1916.

Building operator Frank Obear & Son offer the lease of it and the neighboring retail store for a very low price. Soon after in 1916, it becomes the Acme Theater. That ends within months. New lessee J.J. Barrett operates it along with the Chippewa and Kinckerbocker that same Fall . On April 17, 1919, William Jaskiewic reopens it as the Wilson Theater on a grind policy showing films until 11p daily. Pete Rybaki owned the theatre as the Wilson in 1927. The theater is said to have finished silent as the Colonial Theater though there is little evidence of its operation.

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