Star Theatre
Bloomfield,
NE
68718
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The Star Theatre in Bloomfield is known to have been open and in operation from the 1920’s until its closure on December 9, 1962. The relatively small two story building had an ornate and possibly brick inlaid arch reaching from one side of the building to the other. Above the arch was the familiar type sign that extended out from the building on two pipe supports. In white letters on black it vertically displayed “STAR”. An outcrop the width of the building extended out over the entrance and sidewalk. Prominently displayed on each side of the entrance were movie poster display frames.
Contributed by
Billy Holcomb / Don Lewis / Billy Smith
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
The Star Theatre dates back to at least the mid-1920’s.
John Decker launched the new-build Orpheum Theatre on July 1, 1916 on Broadway Street in downtown Bloomfield (in the building described above without the star). At that point, Bloomfield had three operating theaters with the (original) Star Theatre which played movies, the new Orpheum also playing movies and the Pospeshil Theatre / Opera House mostly programming live events.
By December of 1916, it was clear that all three venues couldn’t survive. Decker sold out the Orpheum to the Star’s Beckman and Yeagar. The Star was closed on December 14, 1916 but its signage was moved to the Orpheum becoming the New Star Theatre on December 28, 1916 and resuming soon after as the Star Theatre (dropping the “New”).
The original Star Theatre was repurposed as an auto garage in 1916. The Pospeshil Theatre / Opera House became the Bloomfield Opera House and added motion pictures to its mix in the 1920s.
The Star Theatre closed for the final time on December 9, 1962 after the owner, Otto Leise, stated in the letter to the Chamber Of Commerce that other business interests and distance of commuting between Bloomfield and Yankton prompted his decision. Otto does not want to let go of the theater and he should’ve continued to operate the theater.
Otto has been operating at the Star since February 12, 1952, after switching hands from his brother, Al, who had been operating the Star since New Year’s Day 1951. Al would later operate at the Lyric Theatre in Hartington shortly afterward. Otto was also the one who announced the installation of CinemaScope at the Star on December 30, 1954, and formerly operated a farm at the east section of Crofton.