Harlem Theater
11 South Main Street,
East St. Louis,
IL
62201
11 South Main Street,
East St. Louis,
IL
62201
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This South Main Street theater, originally called the Olympia, was later renamed the Harlem Theater, catering to African-American audiences.
Contributed by
Bryan & Ken
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
I have references to this being named the Olympia Theatre (could be a typo) operating in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1930-1933 as a Negro theatre with a seating capacity of 500. It’s not listed in copies of F.D.Y. for 1941 or 1943.
The F.D.Y. for 1949-1955 also list it as a Negro theatre same seating capacity but called the Harlem Theatre.
Thanks Ken. I read that it was called the Olympic theater. Thanks for the correction.
The Harlem was on the outskirts of downtown between Collinsville Ave. and South Main. It opened as the Olympia and later renamed the Harlem. The building was one of the quonset style theatres. During its entire existance it was a Negro Theatre. After closing in the late 50’s it sat empty for many years until the interstate highway went through and it was demolished. It had a corner entrance to the theatre with a simply but small vertical sign above the middle front with the name Harlem on it. The marquee was also a simple flat style with a few neon stips going around it with no attraction panels.
In 1963, the Harlem was part of the Goldman-Plikos Circuit. Charles Goldman was president and general manager. Other Goldman theaters were the Criterion, Laclede, Regal and Senate in St. Louis.
That’s strange all the theatres you mentioned were black theatres except for the Senate.