Broadway Theatre
1320 E. Broadway,
East St. Louis,
IL
62201
1320 E. Broadway,
East St. Louis,
IL
62201
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I have ads for the Broadway Theatre from March and April of 1908 if anyone would like to see them.
I think this theatre was mispelled in the FDY, I think it was the Deluxe Theatre
The Broadway and the Little Broadway were one in the same. It was located on the north side of East Broadway just eat of North 13th Street. It was always a Negro Theatre. I remember seeing the building in the early fifties and the building itself was a quonset hut style like the Gaty AKA Home theatre located at Main and Collinsville Ave. The entire area is now nothing but empty lots and rubble or burned out buildings.
I have nothing on a Delora Theater. You might have discovered another theater Ken.
I Have reference of a Delora Theatre operating as a Negro theatre in editions of Film Daily Yearbook 1949-1955. No further details given.
Another history site that lists some theaters that were operating in 1931:
“The Home Theater at 1701 Gaty (in 1940 it becomes Gaty Theater); the American Theater at 1026 8th Street; a remodeled Avenue Theater at 219 Collinsville Avenue; the Broadway Theater at 1320 East Broadway; the Eagle during the 1930s. Theater at Broadway and Collinsville Avenue; the New Orpheum Theater at 349 Collinsville Avenue; the Liberty Theater at 321 East Missouri Avenue; the Washington at 817 Trendley; the Olympic Theater at 11 South Main Street; the Royal Theater at 918 Market Street, and the State Theater at 2416 State”.
I’m not sure if the Little Broadway and Broadway are the same theaters or two different theaters. I can only find a listing for a Broadway Theater. E. St. Louis appears to recyle the theater names and buildings similar to NY theaters. So far I have found three Lyric, three Majestic and three Erber theaters. I’m getting an Excedrin headache.
Film Daily Yearbook’s 1930-1933 and 1949-1955 list a Little Broadway Theatre, 1312 East Broadway, East St. Louis as operating as a Negro theatre with a seating capacity of 600 (in all editions). Could this be the same theatre or one just along the street?
My copies of F.D.Y. 1941 and 1943 editions only show the Broadway Theatre with 465 seats.
Opening day listed for the Broadway Theater was August 20, 1906.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1940-1949 as a Negro theatre.