Charles Theatre

405 N. Main Street,
Charles City, IA 50616

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Central States Theatres Corp, Paramount Pictures Inc.

Architects: Roland 'Tip' Goucher Harrison, Frank E. Wetherell

Firms: Wetherell & Harrison

Functions: Movies (Classic), Movies (First Run)

Styles: Streamline Moderne

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 641.228.3821
Manager: 641.228.3821

Nearby Theaters

Charles Theatre

The 1935 Charles Theatre, designed in beautiful Art Moderne style, including its dramatic mulicolored tile facade other other stylish Moderne details inside, still operates today as a movie house, seating 450.

It originally could seat 600 and was first operated by A.H. Blank a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures Inc. In addition to first-run fare, the Charles Theatre also on ocassion shows classic movies as well.

Contributed by Bryan

Recent comments (view all 12 comments)

MPol
MPol on September 27, 2008 at 9:34 pm

I love that outside design!!

MPol
MPol on September 28, 2008 at 3:15 pm

This theatre most definitely is a real attention-getter! Love that photo.

LFOP
LFOP on October 30, 2008 at 6:08 pm

Here’s a 2008 black and white view of the CHARLES: http://www.boxsetgallery.com/stein/index.html

MPol
MPol on November 1, 2008 at 9:31 pm

I love all those photographs, hstein and Lost Memory. Thanks for sharing.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 22, 2009 at 1:51 am

The Charles Theatre was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm Wetherell & Harrison.

MPol
MPol on March 22, 2009 at 1:59 am

Thanks for the information, Joe.

scrimbo
scrimbo on July 5, 2018 at 12:09 pm

the CAPITOL theatre in Burlington Iowa has a very similar façade….designed by same architects…..the Charles continues to operate nightly and sometlimes has a matinee

scrimbo
scrimbo on July 10, 2018 at 2:22 pm

for people with interest in Charles city iowa, I have a facebook group which has many pics of our two theatres that we had (only one left, the Charles)…you have to friend me on flacebook its dave scrimger and my icon is a guy on a red motorcycle….secret group so you have to do it my way.

scrimbo
scrimbo on July 10, 2018 at 2:23 pm

This theatre runs nightly with occasional matinees…a great deja vu of a nice small town theatre

SethG
SethG on October 24, 2023 at 9:57 am

Built to replace the Hildreth theater which was previously located here, and burned in February 1935.

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