El-Jon Theatre
105 W. Broadway,
Brunswick,
MO
65236
105 W. Broadway,
Brunswick,
MO
65236
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Mr. Elmer and Mrs. “Jonnie” Bills got approval to transform the Myer Building to a short-term, new theatre after their Roxy burned on November 24, 1943. The naming is a bit confusing in that the temporary theatre opened January 5, 1945 with “The Singing Sheriff” and “Murder in the Blue Room” named as “The Theatre Across the Street” just until a naming contest was completed. The theatre “across the street” was delayed due to Wartime material shortages. The temporary venue became the El-Jon on January 24, 1945 with Mrs. Ben Kinkhorst winning a prize for the moniker - a fusion of the Bills' first names.
That name was then moved to the new theatre - whose architectural plans by Al Hauetter carried the name of the New Roxy. However, the venue opened as the “new” El-Jon Theatre on March 23, 1945 with “Thunderhead.” In the mid-1950s, it was converted to widescreen presentation to present CinemaScope titles. At the 15-year leasing point, the El-Jon closed with “It Started with a Kiss” on January 31, 1960.
The facility was converted to a bowling alley called the El-Jon Bowl on April 8, 1960 - undoubtedly utilizing the same marquee. (It’s not clear if Mrs. Ben Kinkhorst received a second prize for the El-Jon bowling alley name or, perhaps, considered launching a trademark lawsuit.) The lanes were sold off in December of 1966 signaling the end of the operation.
I just spoke to my cousin Carolyn recently and they have torn down the El Jon theater. When I was a kid, I remember seeing “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” there. Was a wonderful old theater. My cousin told me that in the basement, they had an old dance floor and it seems it was used quite a bit in the 50’s and 60’s. Very sad to hear that it is now gone.
I may have the street wrong. I don’t recall where I got the original information, but there doesn’t appear to be a Main Street in Brunswick.
The El-Jon Theatre opened on March 23, 1945. There were 472 seats. It was designed by Kansas City architect Al Hauetter, who also designed the NRHP-listed Burlington Opry in Burlington, Kansas. He gave the El-Jon Theater a simple, streamline moderne facade of ceramic tiles in shades of rose, cream, and granite red.
The walls of the auditorium were covered with acoustic tiles laid in a pattern of light coral and buff. A ceiling tray held indirect lighting as well as the outlets for the air conditioning. The seats had plush upholstery, and the aisles featured the same carpeting as was used in the lobby.
An unusual feature of the new house was a basement recreation room with a juke box, cold drink bar, and a dance floor. This was called the Fiesta Room, and was decorated in bright colors with a Mexican theme.
The El-Jon was featured in an article in Boxoffice Magazine, July 21, 1945. The house was built for Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Bills, whose Roxy Theatre in Brunswick had burned to the ground in 1943. The new building was built of fireproof masonry.