The Hudson Theater opened in 1910 as a silent movie house and was apparently in a converted malthouse. A neighboring confectionery served as its de facto concession stand. The Hudson closed in 1929 unable to convert to sound. But the theater fulfilled one final function during the Depression beginning on February 21, 1933 when it served as the home for the Dramatic League of St. Louis which staged free plays for the unemployed and for members of the American Unemployed Benefit Association as a service.
Just in the rear of the theater was an dual-level, below-ground opening that has been reported as connecting to the Wainwright Brewing cave running underground some six blocks away and used by the former malthouse. Urban legend purports that the Hudson served as a prohibition-era, banned beverage pickup spot using the tunnel between it and the closed Wainwright brewery - though that is certainly not documented. What was documented in 1919 was reported as a gang violence brawl that led to panic in the Hudson auditorium which led to customers being pressed through the glass entry/exit doors and the manager and staff being pummeled. Not fun.
The Chippewa Theatre Company opened the Chippewa here in 1911. The silent-era theater landed on the front page of a local newspaper on April 2, 1916 when local police took seized the film “Undine” and arrested owner James J. Barrett and Universal Film’s Barney Rosentahal for showing an immoral film specifically for a “nymph rescuing a man from drowning.” The venue showed the film apparently without the scene only to be seized again for showing women without draperies. Under pressure, Barrett sold out the theater to new operators in 1916 who promised only high class films.
The operator of the Aubert Theater took over the venue in November of 1924 reopening after a refresh. It was closed permanently on May 15,1927 with Constance Talmadge in “Venice of Venice” supported by live vaudeville. It never converted to sound and was converted a Jim Remley grocery store.
The Orpheum Circuit vaudeville shows played at the Fargo Playhouse in the 1900s and the Savoy in 1910. The Circuit decided to invest funds to convert the Fargo Mercantile building to the Orpheum Theatre adding Fargo to the traveling show’s list following Minneapolis and St. Paul. Just 14 months later, the Orpheum Theatre launched on April 4, 1911. The Milch Sisters, the Gee-Jays, Jotta Gladstone and many other vaudevillians were there for the sold-out first night. But the first act of the Orpheum on opening night was Kinodrome short films.
Films were worked into the off-season parts of the Orpheum' s schedule when no acts were touring or available. American Amusement took on the venue in 1923 with Paramount / Publix actually renewing the lease in 1925. Under Minnesota Amusement and Paramount/Publix, lawsuits were raised with the theater largely going dark as sound film theaters took hold and vaudeville’s popularity and profitability subsided.
The Orpheum actually launched its 1935 season with a single play, “Petticoat Fever,” in November of 1935. But Publix / American Amusement/ Minnesota Amusement went into receivership and the lease was allowed to lapse or broken effectively January 31, 1936 with Minnesota Amusement removing anything of value including lighting, seats, and projection. That seems to have ended the Orpheum’s run officially ending with a V.F.W. speech on November 29, 1935. Likely with new 25-year lessees using the multipurpose building, the property was bulldozed at the end of that cycle in 1960.
The Strand opened March 29, 1915 in the Sons of Norway Building with Donald Crisp in “The Escape”. Berhnhard’s Dance Hall was directly above the theater. It showed John Gilbert in “Cameo Kirby” on October 25, 1923. Hours after the show, the building burned in a fire that ended the venue.
Harry B. Moore opened the Grand Family Theatre for the International Theatrical Circuit on December 24, 1906 with live vaudeville supported by short comedy films. “Family” was dropped in Sept. 1908 becoming the Grand. It appears to have closed sticking with vaudeville until November of 1927. It became a moviehouse in 1935.
The 400-seat Ideal Theatre was built in the new-build Morris Block opening on November 1, 1906 - the first movie theater in town with an inclined floor. And it had a penny arcade, to boot.
It became the Savoy on September 22, 1910 briefly becoming a live vaudeville venue. In December of 1917, it was closed for a remodeling and reopened on February 4, 1918 as the Liberty Theatre with “On Trial” supported by music from its Seeburg pipe organ.
The Liberty Theatre played “Ladder Jinx” on May 5, 1923 and, after hours, it was destroyed by fire in the early hours of May 6, 1923. The nearby Strand Theatre was destroyed by fire just months later on October 26, 1923.
L.J. Simonds opened April 25, 1906 as the Bijou with motion pictures including Blair, the Dog in “Rescued by Rover.” It moved from nickelodeon to theater in 1915 when it was rebuilt as the Garrick Theatre launching September 27, 1915 by D.W. Chamberlin with Pauline Frederick in “Sold.” American Amusement decided against wiring the Garrick or the Lyceum for sound with both theaters converted - one to retail and one to a restaurant.
Opened with Norma Talmadge in “The Wonderful Thing” supported by Fargo native star Angela Gibson’s short, “The Ice Ticket,” and live music from the venue’s $15,000 Robert Morton Concert pipe organ (billed as “The Organ with a Soul”) on November 28, 1921. Norman Wright was at the console. Opening ad in photos.
The State converted to sound to remain viable. It became the “new” Towne Theatre after a major refresh in 1951.
There were two Casino Theaters operating simultaneously in St. Louis. This was one was opened by Edward Twiehaus & Son in 1907 whose license was revoked apparently for blocking the sidewalks to Union Station. John Karzin improved the Casino in 1907 apparently easing the blocking problem. E. Jacob Weiss then expanded the building in 1915 moving from a nickelodeon to a legitimate theater with, now, fire exits which its predecessor did not have. This Casino closed on August 7, 1927 with Hoot Gibson in “A Hero on Horseback.”
Another Casino Theater operated at 608 Olive Street. It was a 330-seat nickelodeon opening in 1908 by E.M. Hanauer. It had a piano, two Powers No. 6 projectors, and dual stereopticon units that dissolved from one image to the other. All the leases were terminated in the building including the Casino Theater’s late in 1911 with this Casino auctioned off on January 30, 1912. The building was demolished weeks later and replaced with a modern building.
Reading about this, it appears that the Airdome operated under one owner, as it states above - I.J. Manheimer, until 1910 showing films. Then it becomes both the Gem Airdome (named after the hard top Gem Theatre) and renamed as the Idle Hour Airdome (when the Gem was renamed the Idle Hour) in 1911 operating through 1915. It’s discontinued thereafter.
The Grand Opening of the De Soto Theatre took place with “Red Salute” on October 1, 1935. The De Soto closed for the season on May 28, 1953 with “My Son John.” It promised to reopen when the new Sky-Vue Drive-In closed for its first season and it would have a new 3D compatible screen. That date came and went and, in 1954, the former De Soto Theatre’s concession equipment and theater seats were offered for sale.
The Gem Theatre opened in the 1899-built “new” Kempe Building with “high class” motion pictures on September 30, 1910. (And not to be confused with an earlier 1876-built Kempe Building on Clement Street.) The Gem Airdome was built in May of 1911 to get theater out of the stuffy theater. Later that month, Harry E. Miller, C. Earl Miller and Steven Sepp took on the theater and Airdome on May 30, 1911 changing the hardtop theater to the Idle Hour Theatre. Harry Miller was the son of C. Earl Miller who, along with Stephen Hug, had opened De Soto’s Opera House in 1890.
The 168-seat Idle Hour Theater remained in this location until 1918. The Gem Airdome was renamed as the Idle Hour Airdome and was in use until 1915. The town would get one more airdome, the Arlington in 1931.
Opened February 23, 1947 with “Gallant Bess" with ad in photos. Architect Oliver W. Stiegemeier. The Wehrenberg Theatre Circuit took on the Collins and Sky-Vu on June 10, 1963 improving both. The Collins was closed throughout the summer and improvements included few seating with new wider rows, new air conditioning, it included moving the signage from its out of business Melba Theatre in St. Louis to De Soto and it saw them renaming the theater as the Melba effective October 18, 1963. The Sky-Vu Drive-In closed for the season allowing an exclusive Grand Opening with “The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm.”
The Melba opened on December 1, 1917 with a grand opening with “Their Compact”. Architect Arnold Tuchschmidt drawings on behalf of the firm, Maritz & Henderson of St. Louis from 1917 are in photos. Architect George Sokol created a 14-store arcade and multipurpose building that augmented the 8-year old Melba Theatre with a new entry and sign. Its new entry was in the center of the Grand View Arcade Building in 1925.
On September 1, 1929, the Melba installed Vitaphone sound to intersperse silent and talking pictures along with its live stage shows. On April 14, 1954, the theater installed a new curved widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. The Melba ended with a grind policy of second run double-features on August 7, 1960 with “A Summer Place” and “Guns of Timberland”. The fire-damaged theatre was demolished in 1964 in favor of an apartment building that can be seen on Miami Street directly behind the arcade. The Grand View Arcade containing the entryway to the Melba’s former lobby and auditorium was being refurbished in the mid-2020s.
Joseph Halleman built the Melvin Theater for $20,000 opening in 1914. It was one of the city’s most enduring neighborhood venue operating for almost 80 years. It converted to sound to remain viable. It closed permanently on October 18, 1992 with John Ritter in “Stay Tuned.” The theater’s contents including seating and projection were auctioned off in 1993. It was used as an outreach center in 1994 and turned to a house of worship in 2017.
John Zuzack built the Red Wing Theatre in 1915 opening in 1916. The neighboring Red Wing confectionery at 4555 Virginia was its de facto concession stand. The Red Wing’s name was clipped when Harry Greenman of Greenman Theaters bought the venue along with the Yale Theater late in 1936. He reopened the former Red Wing on Christmas Day as the Dakota Theatre with “The Littlest Rebel” and “China Clipper.” He would soon sell it to Franchon & Marco.
Movies were discontinued at the Dakota on June 13, 1948 with “Road to Rio” and “Adventure Island.” The Southtown Players took it on as their theatrical home next staging live fare. The rent was just $16.75 a month. They took their act to the Virginia Theater in 1957 ending the Dakota’s run.
Technically, the venue should be given credit for hitting the rare 14 different operational names. It clearly started as the 1) Colonial Theatre in 1910 relying on live fare.
In 1912, it was renamed as the 2) Majestic Theatre. In December of 1912, it was rebranded as the 3) Monarch Theatre showing films.
In November of 1914, it became the 4) West End Lyric Theatre showing films. It was operated by one of the first St. Louis female exhibitors, Rose Cornelius, who also operated the Lyric, the Royal and the Lyric Skydome. She sold it to St. Louis Amusement which shifted to Skouras Brothers Circuit in 1919. They sold out in 1927 and under new operators Arthur Chain (Franchon & Marco), the W.E. Lyric received sound to remain viable. Fanchon and Marco remodeled both it and the Hi-Pointe to bring more of a streamline moderne look to the venues.
The theater paused for July 17, 1937 refresh coming back September 19, 1937 as the 5) West End Theatre for African American audiences.
The West End Theatre closed in 1953. It reopened in 1954. Operators Thomas “Tommie” and Jimmie James who owned the Comet and the Douglass took on the venue and held a naming contest. It was renamed as the 6) Midtown Theatre remaining with African American audiences effective May 9, 1958 rebooting with “And God Created Woman” with “Witness for the Prosecution.” The Midtown closed September 2, 1963 with “Jason and the Argonauts” and Duel of the Titans" directing audiences to the remaining James' theater, the Comet.
Harry Waid took on the lease continuing it as the 7) Paris Art Theatre for all adult audiences beginning September 13, 1963 with “Nights of Same” and “Five Day Lover.” But in the Summer of 1964, when St. Louis' downtown burley house, the Grand Theatre, was targeted for demolition they agreed to move to the Paris Art Theatre location and fit it with a stage beginning August 27, 1964. But at the 11th hour, the license was revoked and the Grand project was in limbo until Summer of 1965. The building was named the (Coming Soon) Grand Theatre but never opened under that moniker.
The theatre relaunched as the 8) Midtown Art Theatre on June 26, 1965 with Cleopatra and Fanny Hill. James was back in charge but passed away in May of 1967.
The theatre, under yet another new operator, rebranded as the 9) Expo Art Theatre on July 19, 1967 with “A Woman’s Urge” and “Nature Around the World.”
It was rebranded as the 10) Studio Adult Cinema in 1974. It became the 11) Studio Cinema later in 1974 dropping “Adult” and yet still playing adult films. It closed at the end of a leasing agreement on April 29, 1975.
Its next operational name was 12) World Studio Theatre in the Summer of 1975. That name was flopped changing in December of 1975 to 13) Studio World Theatre. Studio World closed March 24, 1977 with “Sextet” and “Rosebud.”
The theatre was the first of two homes for the 14) Comet West End Cinema, a discount house no longer playing adult films but trying to reach urban audiences. That location would move a few blocks away leaving the 70-year old venue empty. The name that I couldn’t find was the 15) West End Art Theatre… but that means little.
The Union Sarah Economic Development Corp. took possession of the theater and its two neighbors. The USEDC demolished the venue in July of 1985 before any operator could give it a 15 (or 16th) operational name and apparently knocked it down with most of the theatre totally intact from seats to concession stand according to the report.
Grand reopening as the (Frederick) Douglass Theatre on September 1, 1927 with Ralph Graves in “The Swell-Head” supported by live vaudeville and selected film shorts. The venue added sound to remain viable. It closed at end of lease on April 22, 1962 with Elizabeth Taylor in “Butterfield 8” and, appropriately enough, “The Last Sunset” with Kirk Douglas.
The Movie Theater opened in 1914 and its second owner was 20-year old Tom James of the Brighton Airdome and World’s Dream Theatre. In 1915, he repositioned the venue for African American audiences. The Movie Theatre added sound and was remodeled reopening on May 24, 1930 likely on a new 20-year lease and rebranded as the New Movie Theater. Because, why not? In 1950, the theater was offered for sale after closing.
The Palace Theater opened by John H. Tielkemeyter in June of 1910 with vaudeville. By 1912, it was a movie house run by O.T. Crawford. Sold to Franklin Amusement, Yiddish vaudeville takes place there during World War I in addition to films. Things are a bit confusing in 1924 as the neighborhood’s composition was such that Franklin Amusement sublet the venue to Jesse S. Horowitz.
On February 29, 1924, the Palace reopens with an all-inclusive policy allowing integrated audiences. Based on the lawsuit that followed, it’s assumed that this transition was unsuccessful in part because Horowitz claimed that clashes were common between White and African American audiences requiring police presence. Horowitz identified Edward P. Laurent and the Little Theater Corporation to run the venue which they did officially as the New Palace Theatre. Their policy in June of 1924 separated audiences with 502 lower floor seats exclusively for White audiences and the 250 balcony seats were for African American audiences.
The Palace audience composition lawsuit in July of 1924 came from lease-holder Franklin Amusement saying that the subleasing agreement allowed for an integrated, “mixed colored and white” or all-African American audience composition. Franklin claimed that an all-White seating area lower floor policy drew audiences away from its Majestic Theatre just three blocks away. Horowitz claimed that the separate seating area was within the mixed audience clause of the leasing agreement. Hyman Komm’s lawsuit on behalf of his Franklin Amusement was tossed.
The most successful Palace event of the 1920s was when Ethel Waters appeared there for a week beginning May 4, 1924. But the venue would definitely makes its mark playing movies. The Palace would install Vitaphone sound under new operators on May 16, 1930 to remain viable. However, the sound mustn’t have been success as the theater veered back to more live events. In 1932, it’s rebranded as the Globe Theater and they bring in Bessie Smith and Her Gang in person August 4-6, 1932. New operators appear on January 27, 1933 installing new RCA sound on film technology and veering the theater back to films. Its policy is as a sub-run grind house policy. The Globe lasted 11 years closing in April of 1943.
The venue reopened under new management as the Carver Theatre on February 19, 1944 with “Pacific Blackout” and “Moonlight Masquerade”. It closed permanently on October 9, 1955. Monsanto Chemical purchased the building demolishing it in March of 1956 in favor of an office building. The entire business area there has been removed.
The Anderson Theatre was opened by former Sanger Theatre manager, C.B. Anderson, with Monte Blue in “Red Hot Tires” on November 14, 1925. supported by the Fox comedy short “Sweet Marie” and a Fox newsreel. Anderson headed to Texas four years later and the lease transferred to the Majestic Theatre Company which renamed it as the Majestic Theatre on August 30, 1929. It opened with talking pictures featuring Leonard and Dunn in “Melody Lane” supported by the short, “The Medicine Man.” Actor Jack Hoxie made a personal appearance there on October 16, 1929. The Majestic closed on October 29, 1929.
Prim S. Broadus took on the venue and, after a $10,000 refresh to the plans of architect Juan G. Landry, he relaunched it as Prim’s Rio Theater on July 4, 1932 with “Wise Girls.” Broadus closed two months later. A.H. Yeomans was next changing its name to the Rose Theatre on October 3, 1932 with Jack Holt in “The Sporting Age.” The Rose Theatre got new operators in Paramount-Richards Theatres Circuit briefly rebranding as the New Rose Theater after a makeover in 1940.
Paramount-Richards closed both the Rose and the Buck theaters on September 10, 1949. After a refresh and under new ownership, the theatre became the Ritz Theatre on March 1, 1950 with a double feature of “The Family Honeymoon” and “The Countess of Monte Cristo.”
Lloyd Royal of the Royal Circuit was bought out of his location a block away where he was operating the Rebel Theatre in December of 1958. So he moved the Rebel Theatre to the Ritz Theatre and reopened there after a refresh on Feb. 28, 1959 with the religious film, “I’ll Give My Life.”
The former Anderson turned Majestic turned Rio turned Rose turned New Rose turned back to Rose turned Ritz turned Rebel was purchased by Gulf States operating briefly as the Rebel Art Theatre showing adult/overseas titles. That rebranding occurred on September 1, 1967 with “I, A Woman.” Mayor Paul Grady instructed Police Chief Hugh Herring to either arrest or shut down the Rebel Art for obscenity. Gulf States bowed to the pressure reducing “adult” fare. They then opened the new-build Cinema Theatre elsewhere in town in early 1968. Within weeks, they subsequently closed the Rebel which closed March 1, 1968 permanently with “Enter Laughing.” The Rebel Art Theatre was later demolished. The Rebel’s former home at the Lomo was also demolished.
Auction: January 30, 1912. The building was demolished in February of 1912 and replaced by a new building.
The Hudson Theater opened in 1910 as a silent movie house and was apparently in a converted malthouse. A neighboring confectionery served as its de facto concession stand. The Hudson closed in 1929 unable to convert to sound. But the theater fulfilled one final function during the Depression beginning on February 21, 1933 when it served as the home for the Dramatic League of St. Louis which staged free plays for the unemployed and for members of the American Unemployed Benefit Association as a service.
Just in the rear of the theater was an dual-level, below-ground opening that has been reported as connecting to the Wainwright Brewing cave running underground some six blocks away and used by the former malthouse. Urban legend purports that the Hudson served as a prohibition-era, banned beverage pickup spot using the tunnel between it and the closed Wainwright brewery - though that is certainly not documented. What was documented in 1919 was reported as a gang violence brawl that led to panic in the Hudson auditorium which led to customers being pressed through the glass entry/exit doors and the manager and staff being pummeled. Not fun.
The Chippewa Theatre Company opened the Chippewa here in 1911. The silent-era theater landed on the front page of a local newspaper on April 2, 1916 when local police took seized the film “Undine” and arrested owner James J. Barrett and Universal Film’s Barney Rosentahal for showing an immoral film specifically for a “nymph rescuing a man from drowning.” The venue showed the film apparently without the scene only to be seized again for showing women without draperies. Under pressure, Barrett sold out the theater to new operators in 1916 who promised only high class films.
The operator of the Aubert Theater took over the venue in November of 1924 reopening after a refresh. It was closed permanently on May 15,1927 with Constance Talmadge in “Venice of Venice” supported by live vaudeville. It never converted to sound and was converted a Jim Remley grocery store.
The Orpheum Circuit vaudeville shows played at the Fargo Playhouse in the 1900s and the Savoy in 1910. The Circuit decided to invest funds to convert the Fargo Mercantile building to the Orpheum Theatre adding Fargo to the traveling show’s list following Minneapolis and St. Paul. Just 14 months later, the Orpheum Theatre launched on April 4, 1911. The Milch Sisters, the Gee-Jays, Jotta Gladstone and many other vaudevillians were there for the sold-out first night. But the first act of the Orpheum on opening night was Kinodrome short films.
Films were worked into the off-season parts of the Orpheum' s schedule when no acts were touring or available. American Amusement took on the venue in 1923 with Paramount / Publix actually renewing the lease in 1925. Under Minnesota Amusement and Paramount/Publix, lawsuits were raised with the theater largely going dark as sound film theaters took hold and vaudeville’s popularity and profitability subsided.
The Orpheum actually launched its 1935 season with a single play, “Petticoat Fever,” in November of 1935. But Publix / American Amusement/ Minnesota Amusement went into receivership and the lease was allowed to lapse or broken effectively January 31, 1936 with Minnesota Amusement removing anything of value including lighting, seats, and projection. That seems to have ended the Orpheum’s run officially ending with a V.F.W. speech on November 29, 1935. Likely with new 25-year lessees using the multipurpose building, the property was bulldozed at the end of that cycle in 1960.
The Strand opened March 29, 1915 in the Sons of Norway Building with Donald Crisp in “The Escape”. Berhnhard’s Dance Hall was directly above the theater. It showed John Gilbert in “Cameo Kirby” on October 25, 1923. Hours after the show, the building burned in a fire that ended the venue.
Harry B. Moore opened the Grand Family Theatre for the International Theatrical Circuit on December 24, 1906 with live vaudeville supported by short comedy films. “Family” was dropped in Sept. 1908 becoming the Grand. It appears to have closed sticking with vaudeville until November of 1927. It became a moviehouse in 1935.
The 400-seat Ideal Theatre was built in the new-build Morris Block opening on November 1, 1906 - the first movie theater in town with an inclined floor. And it had a penny arcade, to boot.
It became the Savoy on September 22, 1910 briefly becoming a live vaudeville venue. In December of 1917, it was closed for a remodeling and reopened on February 4, 1918 as the Liberty Theatre with “On Trial” supported by music from its Seeburg pipe organ.
The Liberty Theatre played “Ladder Jinx” on May 5, 1923 and, after hours, it was destroyed by fire in the early hours of May 6, 1923. The nearby Strand Theatre was destroyed by fire just months later on October 26, 1923.
L.J. Simonds opened April 25, 1906 as the Bijou with motion pictures including Blair, the Dog in “Rescued by Rover.” It moved from nickelodeon to theater in 1915 when it was rebuilt as the Garrick Theatre launching September 27, 1915 by D.W. Chamberlin with Pauline Frederick in “Sold.” American Amusement decided against wiring the Garrick or the Lyceum for sound with both theaters converted - one to retail and one to a restaurant.
Opened with Norma Talmadge in “The Wonderful Thing” supported by Fargo native star Angela Gibson’s short, “The Ice Ticket,” and live music from the venue’s $15,000 Robert Morton Concert pipe organ (billed as “The Organ with a Soul”) on November 28, 1921. Norman Wright was at the console. Opening ad in photos.
The State converted to sound to remain viable. It became the “new” Towne Theatre after a major refresh in 1951.
There were two Casino Theaters operating simultaneously in St. Louis. This was one was opened by Edward Twiehaus & Son in 1907 whose license was revoked apparently for blocking the sidewalks to Union Station. John Karzin improved the Casino in 1907 apparently easing the blocking problem. E. Jacob Weiss then expanded the building in 1915 moving from a nickelodeon to a legitimate theater with, now, fire exits which its predecessor did not have. This Casino closed on August 7, 1927 with Hoot Gibson in “A Hero on Horseback.”
Another Casino Theater operated at 608 Olive Street. It was a 330-seat nickelodeon opening in 1908 by E.M. Hanauer. It had a piano, two Powers No. 6 projectors, and dual stereopticon units that dissolved from one image to the other. All the leases were terminated in the building including the Casino Theater’s late in 1911 with this Casino auctioned off on January 30, 1912. The building was demolished weeks later and replaced with a modern building.
Opened as the Lowell Family Theater in 1909.
July 17, 1953 grand opening ad in photos. Definitely still going in 1986.
Reading about this, it appears that the Airdome operated under one owner, as it states above - I.J. Manheimer, until 1910 showing films. Then it becomes both the Gem Airdome (named after the hard top Gem Theatre) and renamed as the Idle Hour Airdome (when the Gem was renamed the Idle Hour) in 1911 operating through 1915. It’s discontinued thereafter.
The Grand Opening of the De Soto Theatre took place with “Red Salute” on October 1, 1935. The De Soto closed for the season on May 28, 1953 with “My Son John.” It promised to reopen when the new Sky-Vue Drive-In closed for its first season and it would have a new 3D compatible screen. That date came and went and, in 1954, the former De Soto Theatre’s concession equipment and theater seats were offered for sale.
The Gem Theatre opened in the 1899-built “new” Kempe Building with “high class” motion pictures on September 30, 1910. (And not to be confused with an earlier 1876-built Kempe Building on Clement Street.) The Gem Airdome was built in May of 1911 to get theater out of the stuffy theater. Later that month, Harry E. Miller, C. Earl Miller and Steven Sepp took on the theater and Airdome on May 30, 1911 changing the hardtop theater to the Idle Hour Theatre. Harry Miller was the son of C. Earl Miller who, along with Stephen Hug, had opened De Soto’s Opera House in 1890.
The 168-seat Idle Hour Theater remained in this location until 1918. The Gem Airdome was renamed as the Idle Hour Airdome and was in use until 1915. The town would get one more airdome, the Arlington in 1931.
Opened February 23, 1947 with “Gallant Bess" with ad in photos. Architect Oliver W. Stiegemeier. The Wehrenberg Theatre Circuit took on the Collins and Sky-Vu on June 10, 1963 improving both. The Collins was closed throughout the summer and improvements included few seating with new wider rows, new air conditioning, it included moving the signage from its out of business Melba Theatre in St. Louis to De Soto and it saw them renaming the theater as the Melba effective October 18, 1963. The Sky-Vu Drive-In closed for the season allowing an exclusive Grand Opening with “The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm.”
The Melba opened on December 1, 1917 with a grand opening with “Their Compact”. Architect Arnold Tuchschmidt drawings on behalf of the firm, Maritz & Henderson of St. Louis from 1917 are in photos. Architect George Sokol created a 14-store arcade and multipurpose building that augmented the 8-year old Melba Theatre with a new entry and sign. Its new entry was in the center of the Grand View Arcade Building in 1925.
On September 1, 1929, the Melba installed Vitaphone sound to intersperse silent and talking pictures along with its live stage shows. On April 14, 1954, the theater installed a new curved widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. The Melba ended with a grind policy of second run double-features on August 7, 1960 with “A Summer Place” and “Guns of Timberland”. The fire-damaged theatre was demolished in 1964 in favor of an apartment building that can be seen on Miami Street directly behind the arcade. The Grand View Arcade containing the entryway to the Melba’s former lobby and auditorium was being refurbished in the mid-2020s.
First ads appeared in 1911.
Joseph Halleman built the Melvin Theater for $20,000 opening in 1914. It was one of the city’s most enduring neighborhood venue operating for almost 80 years. It converted to sound to remain viable. It closed permanently on October 18, 1992 with John Ritter in “Stay Tuned.” The theater’s contents including seating and projection were auctioned off in 1993. It was used as an outreach center in 1994 and turned to a house of worship in 2017.
John Zuzack built the Red Wing Theatre in 1915 opening in 1916. The neighboring Red Wing confectionery at 4555 Virginia was its de facto concession stand. The Red Wing’s name was clipped when Harry Greenman of Greenman Theaters bought the venue along with the Yale Theater late in 1936. He reopened the former Red Wing on Christmas Day as the Dakota Theatre with “The Littlest Rebel” and “China Clipper.” He would soon sell it to Franchon & Marco.
Movies were discontinued at the Dakota on June 13, 1948 with “Road to Rio” and “Adventure Island.” The Southtown Players took it on as their theatrical home next staging live fare. The rent was just $16.75 a month. They took their act to the Virginia Theater in 1957 ending the Dakota’s run.
Technically, the venue should be given credit for hitting the rare 14 different operational names. It clearly started as the 1) Colonial Theatre in 1910 relying on live fare.
In 1912, it was renamed as the 2) Majestic Theatre. In December of 1912, it was rebranded as the 3) Monarch Theatre showing films.
In November of 1914, it became the 4) West End Lyric Theatre showing films. It was operated by one of the first St. Louis female exhibitors, Rose Cornelius, who also operated the Lyric, the Royal and the Lyric Skydome. She sold it to St. Louis Amusement which shifted to Skouras Brothers Circuit in 1919. They sold out in 1927 and under new operators Arthur Chain (Franchon & Marco), the W.E. Lyric received sound to remain viable. Fanchon and Marco remodeled both it and the Hi-Pointe to bring more of a streamline moderne look to the venues.
The theater paused for July 17, 1937 refresh coming back September 19, 1937 as the 5) West End Theatre for African American audiences.
The West End Theatre closed in 1953. It reopened in 1954. Operators Thomas “Tommie” and Jimmie James who owned the Comet and the Douglass took on the venue and held a naming contest. It was renamed as the 6) Midtown Theatre remaining with African American audiences effective May 9, 1958 rebooting with “And God Created Woman” with “Witness for the Prosecution.” The Midtown closed September 2, 1963 with “Jason and the Argonauts” and Duel of the Titans" directing audiences to the remaining James' theater, the Comet.
Harry Waid took on the lease continuing it as the 7) Paris Art Theatre for all adult audiences beginning September 13, 1963 with “Nights of Same” and “Five Day Lover.” But in the Summer of 1964, when St. Louis' downtown burley house, the Grand Theatre, was targeted for demolition they agreed to move to the Paris Art Theatre location and fit it with a stage beginning August 27, 1964. But at the 11th hour, the license was revoked and the Grand project was in limbo until Summer of 1965. The building was named the (Coming Soon) Grand Theatre but never opened under that moniker.
The theatre relaunched as the 8) Midtown Art Theatre on June 26, 1965 with Cleopatra and Fanny Hill. James was back in charge but passed away in May of 1967.
The theatre, under yet another new operator, rebranded as the 9) Expo Art Theatre on July 19, 1967 with “A Woman’s Urge” and “Nature Around the World.”
It was rebranded as the 10) Studio Adult Cinema in 1974. It became the 11) Studio Cinema later in 1974 dropping “Adult” and yet still playing adult films. It closed at the end of a leasing agreement on April 29, 1975.
Its next operational name was 12) World Studio Theatre in the Summer of 1975. That name was flopped changing in December of 1975 to 13) Studio World Theatre. Studio World closed March 24, 1977 with “Sextet” and “Rosebud.”
The theatre was the first of two homes for the 14) Comet West End Cinema, a discount house no longer playing adult films but trying to reach urban audiences. That location would move a few blocks away leaving the 70-year old venue empty. The name that I couldn’t find was the 15) West End Art Theatre… but that means little.
The Union Sarah Economic Development Corp. took possession of the theater and its two neighbors. The USEDC demolished the venue in July of 1985 before any operator could give it a 15 (or 16th) operational name and apparently knocked it down with most of the theatre totally intact from seats to concession stand according to the report.
Grand reopening as the (Frederick) Douglass Theatre on September 1, 1927 with Ralph Graves in “The Swell-Head” supported by live vaudeville and selected film shorts. The venue added sound to remain viable. It closed at end of lease on April 22, 1962 with Elizabeth Taylor in “Butterfield 8” and, appropriately enough, “The Last Sunset” with Kirk Douglas.
The Movie Theater opened in 1914 and its second owner was 20-year old Tom James of the Brighton Airdome and World’s Dream Theatre. In 1915, he repositioned the venue for African American audiences. The Movie Theatre added sound and was remodeled reopening on May 24, 1930 likely on a new 20-year lease and rebranded as the New Movie Theater. Because, why not? In 1950, the theater was offered for sale after closing.
The Palace Theater opened by John H. Tielkemeyter in June of 1910 with vaudeville. By 1912, it was a movie house run by O.T. Crawford. Sold to Franklin Amusement, Yiddish vaudeville takes place there during World War I in addition to films. Things are a bit confusing in 1924 as the neighborhood’s composition was such that Franklin Amusement sublet the venue to Jesse S. Horowitz.
On February 29, 1924, the Palace reopens with an all-inclusive policy allowing integrated audiences. Based on the lawsuit that followed, it’s assumed that this transition was unsuccessful in part because Horowitz claimed that clashes were common between White and African American audiences requiring police presence. Horowitz identified Edward P. Laurent and the Little Theater Corporation to run the venue which they did officially as the New Palace Theatre. Their policy in June of 1924 separated audiences with 502 lower floor seats exclusively for White audiences and the 250 balcony seats were for African American audiences.
The Palace audience composition lawsuit in July of 1924 came from lease-holder Franklin Amusement saying that the subleasing agreement allowed for an integrated, “mixed colored and white” or all-African American audience composition. Franklin claimed that an all-White seating area lower floor policy drew audiences away from its Majestic Theatre just three blocks away. Horowitz claimed that the separate seating area was within the mixed audience clause of the leasing agreement. Hyman Komm’s lawsuit on behalf of his Franklin Amusement was tossed.
The most successful Palace event of the 1920s was when Ethel Waters appeared there for a week beginning May 4, 1924. But the venue would definitely makes its mark playing movies. The Palace would install Vitaphone sound under new operators on May 16, 1930 to remain viable. However, the sound mustn’t have been success as the theater veered back to more live events. In 1932, it’s rebranded as the Globe Theater and they bring in Bessie Smith and Her Gang in person August 4-6, 1932. New operators appear on January 27, 1933 installing new RCA sound on film technology and veering the theater back to films. Its policy is as a sub-run grind house policy. The Globe lasted 11 years closing in April of 1943.
The venue reopened under new management as the Carver Theatre on February 19, 1944 with “Pacific Blackout” and “Moonlight Masquerade”. It closed permanently on October 9, 1955. Monsanto Chemical purchased the building demolishing it in March of 1956 in favor of an office building. The entire business area there has been removed.
The Anderson Theatre was opened by former Sanger Theatre manager, C.B. Anderson, with Monte Blue in “Red Hot Tires” on November 14, 1925. supported by the Fox comedy short “Sweet Marie” and a Fox newsreel. Anderson headed to Texas four years later and the lease transferred to the Majestic Theatre Company which renamed it as the Majestic Theatre on August 30, 1929. It opened with talking pictures featuring Leonard and Dunn in “Melody Lane” supported by the short, “The Medicine Man.” Actor Jack Hoxie made a personal appearance there on October 16, 1929. The Majestic closed on October 29, 1929.
Prim S. Broadus took on the venue and, after a $10,000 refresh to the plans of architect Juan G. Landry, he relaunched it as Prim’s Rio Theater on July 4, 1932 with “Wise Girls.” Broadus closed two months later. A.H. Yeomans was next changing its name to the Rose Theatre on October 3, 1932 with Jack Holt in “The Sporting Age.” The Rose Theatre got new operators in Paramount-Richards Theatres Circuit briefly rebranding as the New Rose Theater after a makeover in 1940.
Paramount-Richards closed both the Rose and the Buck theaters on September 10, 1949. After a refresh and under new ownership, the theatre became the Ritz Theatre on March 1, 1950 with a double feature of “The Family Honeymoon” and “The Countess of Monte Cristo.”
Lloyd Royal of the Royal Circuit was bought out of his location a block away where he was operating the Rebel Theatre in December of 1958. So he moved the Rebel Theatre to the Ritz Theatre and reopened there after a refresh on Feb. 28, 1959 with the religious film, “I’ll Give My Life.”
The former Anderson turned Majestic turned Rio turned Rose turned New Rose turned back to Rose turned Ritz turned Rebel was purchased by Gulf States operating briefly as the Rebel Art Theatre showing adult/overseas titles. That rebranding occurred on September 1, 1967 with “I, A Woman.” Mayor Paul Grady instructed Police Chief Hugh Herring to either arrest or shut down the Rebel Art for obscenity. Gulf States bowed to the pressure reducing “adult” fare. They then opened the new-build Cinema Theatre elsewhere in town in early 1968. Within weeks, they subsequently closed the Rebel which closed March 1, 1968 permanently with “Enter Laughing.” The Rebel Art Theatre was later demolished. The Rebel’s former home at the Lomo was also demolished.