Massac Theatre
119 W. Fifth Street,
Metropolis,
IL
62960
119 W. Fifth Street,
Metropolis,
IL
62960
1 person
favorited this theater
The Massac, located in downtown Metropolis, has been closed for years. Further information on this Moderne style theater would be appreciated.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 22 comments)
I had been saying for years how great it would be for the Massac Theater to be restored, and I was happy to hear that Lisa Gower and several other like-minded citizens in Metropolis had taken up the cause of preserving and protecting this wonderful old movie house.
While I can’t do much financially to help save the Massac, I have spoken with Lisa and donated my services as a videographer and film editor so we can create a documentary to capture the community’s memories of the theater, and to hopefully help bring in further financial support by educating people as to the dire need to restore this beautiful theater.
In order to do this, though, we’re going to need people who are willing to speak on camera. Even more important, we need pictures of the theater from its heyday- including pictures from inside and outside to show how the theater looked when it was operating. (And if anyone has any pictures from its opening- or from its early days- that would be a major windfall for this project!)
If anyone has any information or photos that they would like to contribute for this documentary, or if anyone would like to be interviewed or help out in the production, please email me at Beyond photos and interviewees, we just need someone who would be willing to donate their services as a hair and makeup person to help our interviewees look good on camera.
Another photo of the Massac Theater is here.
This is a 2009 close-up shot.
According to a report in Boxoffice of July 23, 1938, the general contractor for the Massac Theatre, Ed Barenfanger of Salem, Illinois, expected that the theater could be opened by late August or early September. There is today a Barenfanger Construction Company operating in Vandalia, Illinois. I wonder if it could be the successor firm of Ed Barenfanger’s operation and, if so, they might have old records about the Massac project?
I’ve been unable to find any mention in Boxoffice of the name of the architect of the Massac, but this web log post by Michael R. Allen, about the Merry Widow Theatre in St. Louis, points out the similarity between that house and the Massac, pictured in this web log post about the latter theater by the same author. Could the 1938 Massac have been designed by St. Louis architect Jack Shawcross, who designed the New Merry Widow a few years later?
The Massac Theater made the Landmarks Illinois 10 Most Endangered Historic Places List:
www.landmarks.org/ten_most_2010_e.htm
A story about the efforts to restore this theater: View link
From Metropolis an undated postcard view of the Massac Theatre.
The URLs have been changed for the weblog posts by Michael Allen that I linked to in my previous comment:
Post about the New Merry Widow Theatre in St. Louis.
Post about the Massac Theatre.
I’m still trying to track down any confirmation of the surmise that Jack Shawcross was the architect of the Massac Theatre, but so far no luck.
Hi I am a member of a Facebook group dedicated to saving the Massac Theater. We are trying to raise money to save the theater and bring it back to its former glory. The theater is in Metropolis, Il which is the official home of Superman. There is an official Superman Celebration the second weekend in June every year. Our goal is to try and raise enough money to have the theater renovated and open for the premier of the new Superman movie which is premiering on June 14, 2013. Please feel free to visit and “like” our page. Wee need all the help we can get. Thanks.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/76406108623
According to the original newspaper article in the local Metropolis paper, the list of contractors are: Designing architect – O W Steigemeyer of St. Louis Contractor & Supervising Architect – E H Barenfanger of Salem, IL Interior Decorator – Archie Bethel of Mount Carmel, IL Air Conditioning by Betz Air Conditioning Corp, Kansas City Brick and Stone work – Barfield & Sons, Metropolis Concrete – Odis Oaks – Metropolis Roof & Metal – W. C. Scott – Metropolis Plumbing – Louis Laveau – Metropolis Electrical Wiring – Orval Conley – Metropolis
The Theatre had 542 seats on the main floor and 185 seats in the balcony. It also had a stage as well as the movie screen and hosted bluegrass bands, radio station grand openings, different traveling acts and even a cooking show.
They were very proud of the seats and the air conditioning system. Both were state of the art.