Burt Theatre

The Electric Theatre opened in 1913 in downtown Burt, Iowa playing one reel movies. EC.O. Larson sold out to Elmer Nelson. Elson upgraded the product to Unviersal studio films and feature-length photoplays. Mr. N.Ingner Morness and his wife, F.L. Pratt Morness was next and moved the venue to new digs on February 25, 1927 along with a naming contest. Mrs. F.L. Ryerson was among 90 entrants choosing Our Town Theatre. It remained silent until March 5, 1930 and closed briefly.

Morness went to St. Paul to bring back a Beltone Sound System to play talkies. The venue was renamed as the Beltone Theatre on March 29, 1930 with its first talkie, “Roadhouse Nights” starring Helen Morgan. Under new operator Will Gorman and with a new sound system, the venue became The New Royal Theatre on October 8, 1937 with Jack Randall in “Riders of the Dawn".

Gorman gave the venue a Streamline Moderne style makeover in 1938 with its ticket booth in the center of the lobby. Gorman sold it to Fred Clasing. Clasing soon sold it to Fred Thacker in 1942. Thacker decided to rename it as the Burt Theatre. He sold it to George Gerhard. Gerhard closed it after World War II. Burt William Perry took on the venue reopening it in May of 1946 and liking the existing theatre name of Burt Theatre.

Perry spent a lot on marketing and advertising the Burt Theatre to no avail. It closed on August 30, 1947 at the end of its 20-year leasing period with Deanna Dubrin in , “I’ll Be Yours". The Burt Theatre was converted to a Pentacostal church two months later. E.H. Swasand took on the venue converting it back to the Burt Theatre but closing in the early-1950’s. The theatre and its predecessor have both been demolished.

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