Bonnie Theatre
94 South Main Street,
Helper,
UT
84526
94 South Main Street,
Helper,
UT
84526
No one has favorited this theater yet
The Bonnie located on Main Street was opened in 1935. It was owned by William Littlejohn. The Bonnie had a decent sized stage house and was used for vaudeville for performers as a stop between Salt Lake City and Grand Juncetion, CO.
The Bonnie continued showing movies until it was closed in 1955. When television came to Helper it caused the attendance to drop drastically giving the theatre no alternative but to close.
The old Bonnie was converted to a bowling named the Gateway Lanes and is still in operation.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
This is a 1944 obit for William Littlejohn:
“From the local newspaper, date of death June 17, 1944)
Wm Littlejohn, Leader, Theatre Owner, Killed in Auto Crash; Masonic Funeral Planned Saturday
The Helper community was shocked Wednesday evening to hear of the sudden death of William Littlejohn, 69, who was killed instantly Wednesday at 5 p.m. when the car in which he was riding alone, skidded from the highway between Helper and Castle Gate. He was thrown from his car, which afterward rolled down onto the railroad tracks at Utah Junction. He suffered a broken neck and fractured skull.
Mr. Littlejohn, owner of the Helper Bonnie Theatre, had been in the theatre business for several years, having operated two theatres at Price, prior to moving to Helper about 1936, where he first operated the Strand Theatre, later building the present Bonnie establishment.
Mr. Littlejohn was general superintendent for the Utah Fuel company until 1925, and was considered an authority in the coal industry. Since he left the coal mining business his advice had been sought many times in important coal problems.
He was born in Dreghorn, Ayrshire, Scotland, May 8, 1875, the oldest of 13 children, going to work in the mines at Scotland when 11 years old. He had resided in the United States for 40 years, first living in New Mexico, later coming to Carbon County. He was married to Mary Lindsay in Scotland. She died in Castle Gate in 1918. In 1921 Mr. Littlejohn married Elsie Haas Tanner, who died in 1942.
He was a past grand master of Price lodge, F&AM, also the most worshipful grand lodge of F&AM of the State of Utah, and a former member of the Helper Kiwanis club.
Surviving are three daughters, three sons, and two grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 5 p.m. in the Price Masonic Temple, under direction of Carbon Lodge No. 16. The eulogy will be given by Reverend George J. Weber of Salt Lake City".
Here is a 2004 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/33kmh8