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Home » Theater Guide » Location » United States » Iowa » Osage » Watts Theatre

  This theater is featured in our companion book, Cinema Treasures. Find out more…

Watts Theatre

Osage, IA
714 Main Street
, Osage, IA 50461 United States
(map)
641.732.4904
Status: Open
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Art Moderne
Function: Movies (First Run)
Seats: 364
Chain: Unknown
Architect: Unknown
Firm: Unknown
Add a photo for this theater!
The Watts Theatre was opened in 1950 by the Jim Watts family, with a showing of "Dancing in the Dark." The 44 by 132 foot building was designed and built as a state-of-the-art theater and included 580 seats and living quarters upstairs for the Watts family.

In 1994 Paul and Gloria Bunge purchased the building (which had been closed and stripped of all its equipment and seating) and restored it to its previous glory, including new heating and air conditioning, new projection equipment and a new sound system. The Bunges widened the aisles, left more room between rows, and installed 364 new seats designed for the building.

On June 14, 1994, the theater was reopened, again showing "Dancing in the Dark".

Related Websites

Watts Theatre (Official)
Contributed by Dan Landherr

YOUR COMMENTS

 
Photos of the Watts Theatre.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/Iowa%20Theatres/WattsTheatreAuditoriumOsageIa.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/Iowa%20Theatres/WattsTheatreLobbyOsageIa.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/Iowa%20Theatres/WattsTheatreOsageIa.jpg
posted by Chuck1231 on Aug 31, 2005 at 7:22pm
I personally knew Jim and Millie Watts, nice folks who had a dream. Jim was a commercial artist and he had a rendering of the theatre that he did and it came off just as he designed it. I still have one of their opening brochures showing off Jim's art work. The only problem was that to build new theatres in the 1950's was risky, because about ten or fifteen years later tv became a keen competitor...but it seems to do well as I drive by there every now and then you can't miss it on the main street which is also state hwy 9.....thankfully there are people who appreciate a good theatre and restore them. The theatre contractor was E.W. Epperson & Co. of Sumner, Iowa
posted by scrimger on Apr 30, 2007 at 3:14pm
Mr. Scrimger,

My name is Enrique and I am a student at the art institute of California. I am currently conducting research for my thesis project, i read on one of your comments for the California that you were manager on site. If I could only ask you a couple of questions that would mean allot to me.
enrique----ec425@stu.aii.edu
posted by enrique on Aug 4, 2007 at 1:32pm
This is a photo of the Watts Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Apr 29, 2008 at 6:19pm
Here are more photos of the Watts Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Nov 7, 2008 at 11:29am
There was also a Colonial Theatre at 605 Main Street, does anyone have any info on the Colonial?
posted by Chuck1231 on Mar 28, 2009 at 7:46pm
1985 photo of the Watts Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c15%2c3%2c-1&ProductID=27353
posted by Chuck1231 on Apr 7, 2009 at 11:14pm
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