Dallas Theater
351 Oak Street,
Dallas City,
IL
62330
351 Oak Street,
Dallas City,
IL
62330
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Dallas City Opera House, Cathers Opera House
Nearby Theaters
The 200-seat Dallas City Opera House was opened in 1887 as a live event house. Travelling shows brough movies to the building from 1902. From 1903 to 1908 it was operating as the Cathers Opera House. It went back to the Dallas Opera House name from 1909 to 1939. In 1939 a marquee was added to the front of the building and an addition 80-seats were added to the auditorium.
- Justus Garard took over in 1940 and the theatre was given a new facade, and it was renamed Dallas Theater, reopening on November 16, 1940 with Betty Grable in “Down Argentine Way” & a talent show on the stage. In 1947 another 70-seats were added, bringing the total seating capacity up to 350-seats. The Dallas Theater was closed on June 7, 1970 with Dean Jones in “The Love Bug”. It was demolished in the 1980’s and Memorial Park now occupies the site.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
Theater was on the odd side of the 300 block of Oak. For streetview purposes, was right across from the little prefab shed (senior center). Photo here: http://www.dallascity-il.com/photos/viewalbum.php?album=8&photo=18
Survived to at least 1956, another photo has it showing ‘The Searchers’.
The Dallas City Opera House dates back to 1887. It began as a live event house and as early as 1902 traveling shows would bring moving pictures to the opera house, likely the first movies seen by Dallas City residents. The Cathers Opera House is advertised from 1903 to 1908 - likely the same building - and is called the Dallas Opera House from 1909 to 1940.
Like many opera houses, the Dallas City Opera House switched almost primarily to movies by the end of the 1910s. A small 150-seat venue, the Dallas City Theatre located in a converted business building, takes over full-time sound movies at the advent of talkies before going out of business. The Opera House is then equipped for sound running to 1940.
The Opera House gets a new false front becoming the Dallas Theatre which opened in 1940 by C. Justus Garard presumably on a 30-year leasing agreement. Gerard also operated the Woodbine Theatre in Carthage. The Dallas Theatre opened November 16, 1940 by Justus Guard with a live talent show and the first film was screened was Betty Grable in “Down Argentine Way.” It closed June 7, 1970 with “The Love Bug.” The building stood vacant for decades in Downtown Dallas City.