The Capitol theater WAS built in Lincoln, Nebraska (the exterior and interior pictures above are of the Lincoln Theater, at 12th & N, not the Capitol). In its later years, it was operated by Cooper theaters, and was on the north side of O street between 14th & 15th streets, where the Federal Building now sits. It operated as Cooper’s “subrun” house (double features, low prices, after the films had already played Cooper’s prime houses — the Stuart, Lincoln and Nebraska.) The Capitol’s proscenium was far too narrow to accommodate a wide Cinemascope screen and remodelling was out of the question, so Cooper closed it in the early 1950’s.
Corrections: The first Varsity Theater (there were 2) opened in 1934 on the site of the old Rialto (1500 O Street). That theater closed in 1941, and the Varsity name went to 13th & P Streets, the location of the old Liberty Theater, which, in turn, replaced the Oliver (not Olivier) in 1924. The Oliver opened in 1889 as an opera house. Walt Jancke did not own the Varsity; he was city manager for Westland Theaters (owned by Larry Starsmore), based in Colorado Springs. They also owned the State Theater in Lincoln. When National Bank of Commerce bought the Varsity site, Westland built the Cinema Twin, Lincoln’s first “multiplex”.
The Capitol theater WAS built in Lincoln, Nebraska (the exterior and interior pictures above are of the Lincoln Theater, at 12th & N, not the Capitol). In its later years, it was operated by Cooper theaters, and was on the north side of O street between 14th & 15th streets, where the Federal Building now sits. It operated as Cooper’s “subrun” house (double features, low prices, after the films had already played Cooper’s prime houses — the Stuart, Lincoln and Nebraska.) The Capitol’s proscenium was far too narrow to accommodate a wide Cinemascope screen and remodelling was out of the question, so Cooper closed it in the early 1950’s.
Corrections: The first Varsity Theater (there were 2) opened in 1934 on the site of the old Rialto (1500 O Street). That theater closed in 1941, and the Varsity name went to 13th & P Streets, the location of the old Liberty Theater, which, in turn, replaced the Oliver (not Olivier) in 1924. The Oliver opened in 1889 as an opera house. Walt Jancke did not own the Varsity; he was city manager for Westland Theaters (owned by Larry Starsmore), based in Colorado Springs. They also owned the State Theater in Lincoln. When National Bank of Commerce bought the Varsity site, Westland built the Cinema Twin, Lincoln’s first “multiplex”.