Eagle Theatre
115 S. Locust Street,
Pana,
IL
62557
115 S. Locust Street,
Pana,
IL
62557
1 person
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The Eagle Theatre was opened on March 26, 1920 with Anita Stewart in “Blind Husbands” & Jimmie Adams in “Over the Transom”. It had 400 seats and had an eagle mounted above the marquee. It was equipped with a Bartola pipe organ. It was closed on May 12, 1930 unable to fund the installation of sound equipment. New Operators took over and it reopened on March 12, 1932 with Will Rogers in “Business and Pleasure”, presented as a sound film. In later years it was operated by the Tanner Theater Circuit. The Eagle Theatre was closed and demolished in April 1973.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Address for this theatre, 113 S. Locust St., Pana, IL 62557. It was located down the street from the Roseland Theatre. The building is still standing and should not be listed as demolished.
I’m pretty sure the address is wrong. The 1925 map shows a theater at 115. It’s not on the 1916 map, and seems to be either a replacement or an extensive remodeling of the building shown on the older map. The building was two stories, so it has either been demolished or cut down. Pana was very depressing, and that whole section of the block is a really awful collection of bad remodeling and decay.
Here is an item from the February 11, 1922 Moving Picture World:
The Eagle Theatre itself I’ve found mentioned by name as early as the July 9, 1921 issue of Exhibitors Herald.Harry Tanner of the Palace Theater announced the new-build Eagle Theatre in 1919. Ir opened March 26, 1920 with a $10,000 Bartola pipe organ and Anita Stewart in “Blind Husbands” supported by simian Mrs. Joe Martin in “Over the Transom” and a “Paramount Magazine” short. Tanner closed on May 12, 1930 unable to make the conversion to sound.
After a single silent booking in 1931, it received a major update by new operators Roy M. Kennedy and Paul Stonum as the Illinois Theatre. The Illinois opened March 12, 1932 with Will Rogers in “Business & Pleasure.” Tanner bought the theatre in the Fall closing it during summer months. The town had three theaters with the opening of the Roseland in 1940. After the War, he retained the Roseland and returned the Illinois Theatre to the Eagle namesake. The venue closed and the building was demolished long after in April of 1973.