Strand Theatre

103 N. Main Street,
Hutchinson, KS 67501

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Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on June 11, 2025 at 2:26 pm

The February 1, 1913 issue of Motography had this item about the new theater under construction in Hutchinson: “The new Umstot building, which is being erected at 103 North Main street, Hutchinson, for a theater building, has been leased by E. Wayne Martin who will conduct the playhouse. The theater will be nicely arranged for both motion picture purposes and as a vaudeville house. There will be a large stage, a sloping main floor, and a balcony for overflow purposes.”

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on November 17, 2017 at 7:41 pm

Unless Hutchinson had more than one house called the Deluxe, the name Martin might have been short-lived for this theater. The July 1, 1914, issue of The St. Louis Lumberman made reference to an event held in the “De Luxe” theater at Hutchinson on June 26.

kpdennis
kpdennis on April 15, 2016 at 6:26 pm

Recent pictures of the former Strand Thester in downtown Hutchinson in the Photo section. April 2016.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on October 7, 2014 at 6:07 pm

This house originally opened on May 10, 1913, as the Martin Theatre. I don’t know when it was renamed DeLuxe, but the DeLuxe Theatre reopened on March 17, 1923, after being remodeled. Wayne Martin’s original lease was for five years, so the house might have been renamed DeLuxe before the 1923 remodeling.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on September 20, 2014 at 4:13 am

Here’s an example from the De Luxe Theatre at Hutchinson, Kansas, of old-school, local movie publicity, or “ballyhoo,” as the industry called it in those days, as reported in the July 24, 1923, issue of The Film Daily:

“Street Cars Boost ‘Souls’

“Hutchinson, Kans — The street car system of Hutchinson, was roped 100 percent, into helping exploit ‘Souls for Sale’ at the De Luxe. Each car on the system carried a four foot banner on the front fender.

“At a cost of $1.75 an hour an old street car was chartered and each side covered with a 24-sheet poster. The car was run through the city between the hours of 11 to 2, and from 5 to 8 the day before the opening and each day of the run.

“Cut-outs from the one-sheet were placed in 10 conspicuous windows; a shadow-box, 25 feet long, with lettering patterned after that on the six-sheet, was placed in front of the theater; a register was placed in the lobby in which girls who wished to receive a letter from Eleanor Boardman wrote their names.”