Avenue Theatre
219 Collinsville Avenue,
East St. Louis,
IL
62201
219 Collinsville Avenue,
East St. Louis,
IL
62201
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The caption on the photo, which seems to be a promotional photo of some sort, is “Erber’s Avenue Theatre, East St. Louis Leading Playhouse.”
According to my friend, the music in the theatre was a piano. He only heard theatre organs in St. Louis when they’d cross the river.
He also tells me of another community theatre in his area that is not listed here and of the time when “talking pictures” came to East St. Louis.
I have a photo of this theatre that I hope to get high quality scanned and entered here before long. It was given to me by a 95 year old gentleman who now lives in Atlanta and is a good friend. He attended this theatre in the 1920’s. The photograph shows a two story building with the words Avenue Theatre at the top and a overhanging marquee with “Erber’s Vaudeville and Photoplays” on the side and “Erber’s” on the front. There is a horse and wagon in front of the theatre.
No, it gives the phone number Bell East 2646 and one of the ads states the following. Re-opens Sunday March 15. Aveneau Theatre E. St. Louis IL.
Mike,
Did the ad list the street that it was located on? I have a list of the early theatres and nicolodeons in E. St. Louis.
Thanks Chuck, this Aveneau Theatre must have been a different building, and also carried with it a different spelling.
Mike it opened in 1907 as the Erba Theatre, later became the Empress and finally the Avenue.
I have some newspaper ads for the Aveneau Theatre from 1907, would this be the same theatre?
Still an empty lot.
This is from Boxoffice magazine in January 1946:
EAST ST. LOUIS-A fire caused damage estimated at $5,000 at the Avenue Theater here recently. Most of the damage was from smoke and water. The fire was confined to stage properties and the contents of a room used by stagehands. The theater, owned by Dave Komm, continues to operate.
The Avenue was lcoated across the street and west of the Majestic Theatre. Both were located in the once bustling business district of East St. Louis, Ill. It was a single floor theatre and was not very wide. The building that once housed the theatre and the Asian restaurant has been demolished for several years.
Another brief mention of this theater:
“In 1917 the Avenue Theater showed silent films and featured vaudeville acts. The Avenue Theater had the largest stage in
central and southern Illinois until the Majestic Theater came along”. I would assume that this theater was already named the Avenue by 1917.
Opened in 1907 as Erba’s Theater. Became the Empress Theater and then the Avenue Theater.
In 1936 the Avenue theater is listed as a second run movie theater in the E. St. Louis bluebook.
Here is a small photo of the interior of the Avenue Theater taken after the 1931 remodeling.