Castle Theatre
1500 E. 12th Street,
Kansas City,
MO
64106
1500 E. 12th Street,
Kansas City,
MO
64106
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The Castle Theatre was located on East 12th Street just a block from the Paseo. It was an African-American theatre which opened on June 6, 1936 with Lily Pons in “I Dream Too Much”. It was closed in 1966. The area the Castle Theatre was located was planned for renewal, and the vacant building was set alight by arsonists on June 24, 1969. The remains were later demolished.
Contributed by
Chuck, dallasmovietheaters
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
Seems that the Castle Theater was in operation, it was mainly served the Black Community. It was actually a very nice theater and was still operating when a plan was approved to build some new housing in the area of Paseo and 12th Street. It was demolished completely intact. The projectors were still in the booth and the seats were still installed including the screen and stage curtain. There was some kind of organ to the right front of the stage. I was able to bet the standing box that the manager would put the halved tickets into. It had a beautiful marquee that lit up very nicely at night. I think it was a sad loss for that part of town and could have been saved for a performing arts center and museum for the history of 12th Street Jazz.
Chuck writes: “The Castle Theatre was located on East 12th Street just a block from the Paseo. I could find no time line on the Castle and very little information.” Please don’t alter that though technically the theatre was at the corner of East 12th and Paseo (not a block away).
Adding just a bit more here (my research - not Chuck’s). Jasper Brancito and John Donici opened the Castle Theatre for African American audiences on June 6, 1936 with “I Dream Too Much.” Sporting RCA projectors, Silver King projection screen and RCA Photophone sound system, the venue was equipped by Stebbins Theatre Equipment. S. Patti Construction built a streamline moderne theater that stood the test of time. Orville Copeland was the opening day projectionist. The neighboring Crystal Hamburger Hut was open 24 hours a day serving theater patrons. The Castle Theatre building also housed Archie’s Beauty Shop #2.
The Castle joined the Boone Theatre, the Paseo, and the Lincoln Theatre as leading African American movie houses. It would be joined by the Linwood, Princess, Gem and others. The Castle operated to the end of a 30-year lease in 1966. In 1968, the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of Kansas City targeted the African American business district on The Paseo for Urban Renewal decimating the neighborhood. Buildings that weren’t immediately sold were targeted by arsonists setting off a string of fires on June 24, 1969 that including the Castle Theatre Building. It would later be razed along with the entirety of the business district.