Kirkwood Cinema
338 S. Kirkwood Road,
St. Louis,
MO
63122
338 S. Kirkwood Road,
St. Louis,
MO
63122
2 people
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According to court documents, the Osage Theatre construction project began in August of 1936 and launched January 8, 1937 with “My Man Godfrey” and “Mine with the Iron Door.” Henry Wendt and his wife, Charlene, operated the theater until his death in August of 1960. Charlene Wendt took it over running the same policy for seven years.
Wendt changed to an art policy on April 28, 1967 starting with “A Thousand Clowns” and “Blow-Up” under the name of the Osage Art Theatre. She hired architect James Ham to conduct a major $125,000 renovation the next year with the venue becoming the Kirkwood Cinema. It opened June 28, 1968 with “Bonnie and Clyde.” It would pass from Wendt to Arthur Theatres Enterprises.
Arthur’s Circuit was in deep financial trouble in 1977 when the Granada and Avalon were sold at foreclosure auction. The final four Arthur locations were the Kirkwood, the Fox, the Webster Groves and the 270 Drive-In. After going independent under the original property holder, Mid-America Theatres Circuit took on the Kirkwood in December of 1979. In 1984, it became part of RKO-Mid-America Theatres. December of 1985, AMC got a foothold in St. Louis by purchasing the RKO-Mid-America Theatres.
The Brentwood and Kirkwood theaters both closed July 31, 1986 as AMC was reducing its portfolio of one screen locations. Lemay Theater operators Marty Tribl and Mark Friedrich were approached by AMC to sublease both venues until they were either sold or demolished (or both). They agreed. The Brentwood relaunched August 29, 1986 closing October 23, 1986. But the Kirkwood was the cinematic renaissance leader opening also on August 29, 1986 continuing to a closure in June of 1989.
It then reopened on September 20, 1991 by Harman Moseley with “Barton Fink.” That ran all the way to October 7, 1999 when the theatre closed for films with “The Thomas Crown Affair” and “Tea With Mussolini” splitting with “The Castle.”
According to court documents, the Osage Theatre construction project began in August of 1936 and launched January 8, 1937 with “My Man Godfrey” and “Mine with the Iron Door.” Henry Wendt and his wife, Charlene, operated the theater until his death in August of 1960. Charlene Wendt took it over running the same policy for seven years.
Wendt changed to an art policy on April 28, 1967 starting with “A Thousand Clowns” and “Blow-Up” under the name of the Osage Art Theatre. She hired architect James Ham to conduct a major $125,000 renovation the next year with the venue becoming the Kirkwood Cinema. It opened June 28, 1968 with “Bonnie and Clyde.” It would pass from Wendt to Arthur Theatres Enterprises to Mid-America Theatres to AMC over the next 18 years.
The Brentwood and Kirkwood theaters both closed July 31, 1986 as AMC was reducing its portfolio of one screen locations. Lemay Theater operators Marty Tribl and Mark Friedrich were approached by AMC to sublease both venues until they were either sold or demolished (or both). They agreed. The Brentwood relaunched August 29, 1986 closing October 23, 1986. But the Kirkwood was the cinematic renaissance leader opening also on August 29, 1986 continuing to a closure in June of 1989.
It then reopened on September 20, 1991 by Harman Moseley with “Barton Fink.” That ran all the way to October 7, 1999 when the theatre closed for films with “The Thomas Crown Affair” and “Tea With Mussolini” splitting with “The Castle.”
Once operated by Mid-America Theaters, later by RKO in April 1984, and lastly AMC in December 1985. AMC closed the Kirkwood Cinema on June 1, 1989 following lease expiration.
I worked at this cinema when I was in high school in 1986-87, when it was a “dollar show.” Actually it cost $1.50. I worked box office, concessions, usher, janitor. I would climb out of the second floor office window onto the top of the marquee to change the movie titles. I remember sitting in the lobby while the movie ran, smoking cigarettes and doing my homework, fishing butts out of the sand ashtrays with a sieve. I had keys to the place and went in on Saturday mornings to mop the floor and count the inventory. The only movies I remember showing there were The Color of Money and Little Shop of Horrors. As I remember it, there was a parking lot just north of the building.
June 28th, 1968 grand reopening ad in photo section.
I use to go to the Osage in 1964-65, and it was definitely called the OSAGE then, not the Kirkwood Cinema….
I think TheWiz may be confused about the dates when he or she worked for AMC and saw “Rocky Horror” at the Kirkwood. AMC didn’t operate theatres in St. Louis in the 70’s. AMC did show “Rocky Horror” but that was probably in the late eighties. The Kirkwood was operated by Arthur Theatres in the 70’s. I worked there as an usher/parking lot attendent, assistant manager and finally manager. I was hired in 1973. “The Harrad Experiment” had been playing there for months when I started. There were pickets outside protesting the sex and nudity in the film. My first night, we also showed “Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels” as a sold-out midnight show. The Kirkwood was known for showing art films for months. Before I started they had shown “Nicholas and Alexandra” exclusively for a long run. When the Arthur Theatres closed, the Kirkwood Cinema and the Webster Groves Cinema remained open because both theatres were partly owned by the original theatre owners and were still able to pay their bills. The Fox and the 270 Drive-in also operated independent of the rest of the Arthur circuit and remained open. I was the manager when the Arthur Theatres closed. Eventually, Mid-America bought us, closed for two days, and reopened, keeping the entire staff as well as me.
I worked for AMC in the early 70’s… A perk of working for AMC, was you could watch a movie at any AMC movie house for FREE… I remember a continuous Midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, what had quite the following.
I always liked the look of the Kirkwood.
I just posted a 1946 photo of the Osage, courtesy of the Vintage St. Louis Facebook page.
My research has shown that the venue first appeared in the Arthur Enterprises blanket ad in April 1967. It was at this time the theatre became known as the Osage Art.
Prior to this time, theatre had been owned and operated by Henry, then Charlene Wendt.
My research also has shown that this theatre had union problems…even before opening. It was in 1944 that this, and two other theatres (the Kirkwood and the Ozark), effectively closed every other theatre in the area. (In brief, the film handlers struck in sympathy with the projectionists.)
My money’s on JAlex’s comment. The brother’s fact checking skills are second to none!
So which is it? 1961 or 1968?
During the period of April 1967 to June 1968 theatre was known as the Osage Art.
Operators over years also include…Mid-America, RKO Mid-America, AMC.
The last operator was Harman Moseley who reopened the house in September 1991 as a twin (each auditorium seating around 200). Closure as a film operation took place in October 1999
Theatre opened in January 1937. The architect was O. W. Stiegemeyer.
Name changed to Kirkwood Cinema in June 1968.
Characters & Company, a non-profit community theatre company, owned the building from October 1999 to August 2002. The organization removed the center wall which had been constructed to convert the building into a two screen cinema and constructed a stage as well as backstage accomodations. With the addition of professional stage lighting and other technical accoutrements, the Kirkwood Cinema became an attractive venue for live theatre. Characters & Company brought new life to the building and served the community by providing family entertainment year-round. Under the leadership of Mark D. Vaughan, the theatre company produced a full-length musical for 2 weekends of each month and a one-act musical every Saturday morning which regularly attracted a large number of families. Unfortunately in 2002, Characters & Company lost the Kirkwood Cinema to a developer who converted the building into loft condominiums. An unattractive neon sign on the front of the building now advertises loft apartments. Despite the neon sign, the building, which was once full of life, now seems dark and lifeless.
I was one of the cashiers at the Osage Theatre from 1961-65 (my high school years). My brother, Bruce, (now deceased), was one of the projectionists and my other brother, Brooks, was one of the ushers.
Would anyone be able to tell me if Mrs. Wendt is still alive and if so how I can get in touch with her. She was a wonderful boss and a dear friend.
My name at the time was Linda Martin. I’m now Linda Tate. My mailing address is 860 East Lakeshore Drive West, Shelton, WA 98584; my phone # is 360-432-1607; and my email address is Hope to hear from someone soon.
Thanks very much.
The children’s theatre only lasted for a couple of years. The building is currently being renovated into loft apartments.