Clarion Theatre

50sSNIPES on May 26, 2023 at 5:17 pm

The Clarion Theatre opened its doors on July 28, 1938 with Lewis Stone in “Love Finds Andy Hardy” along with a Captain and the Kids cartoon, a newsreel (featuring the behinds of “Wrong Way Atlantic Flyer”), and a sportlight (a fishing sportlight but was unnamed) and was first operated by Eagle Grove resident E.E. Morris (with it being managed by Larry Day).

On December 2, 1982, the Clarion Theatre was forced to close its doors for the season due to high heating bills and low attendance during the winter months. At the same time, the town’s scheduled showing of “An Officer And A Gentleman” at the Clarion Theatre was canceled due to Paramount’s printing issues and shipping delays. Unfortunately, the theater took a wrong turn, because later that same day, the Clarion Theatre was gutted by a fire.

The Clarion was rebuilt and reopened on June 22, 1984. At the time of the reopening, the management promised towngoers on bringing back some titles that didn’t pick up at the Clarion throughout the past year due to the fire.

Joe Vogel on March 18, 2016 at 4:09 am

The September 17, 1938, issue of Motion Picture Herald said that Central States Theatres had opened their new Clarion Theatre at Clarion. The $50,000 project had been designed by Des Moines architects Wetherell & Harrison.

RoadsideArchitecture.com on December 29, 2009 at 9:46 pm

I’m pretty sure this is a mix-up with the Clarion Theatre in Clarion, IA.