Civic Theater
217 W. Daugherty Street,
Webb City,
MO
64870
217 W. Daugherty Street,
Webb City,
MO
64870
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More notes from the Webb City Register files:
While the Blake was closed for its October 1926 remodeling (not reported on by Moving Picture World until the following spring, as noted above), the Hammond brothers moved their show to the former Empress Theatre, calling it the Blake Junior for that period.
In December 1940, Civic manager Larry Larsen Jr. announced that the Civic and his other property, the Junior Theater (a.k.a. Civic Junior; 21 S. Main), would show the same movies at the same time to handle overflow crowds.
The May 2, 1927 Moving Picture World ran this item about the Blake Theatre: “The Blake theatre, Webb City, Mo., has just completed a remodeling job which cost $20,000. The improvements included new upholstered seats, painting of the ceiling and replacing of the floors.”
Now houses a bed and breakfast.
Closed on January 1, 1958.
Howard Larsen was the son of Larry Larsen who was a scenic backdrop painter from Denmark originally. Here is the article about Larry: https://drypigment.net/2022/03/02/sosman-landis-shaping-the-landscape-of-american-theatre-employee-no-79-larry-larsen/
Howard Larsen, who would later build the Webb City Drive-In, owned the Civic for a while. I wonder whether he was any relation to architect Larry Larsen.
Howard was included in Neosho MO Daily News story on March 28, 1947 as having attended the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Assocation of independent owners. On Feb. 11, 1950, the Joplin Globe quoted Howard to say the scandalous Bergman film “Stromboli” would not be shown at the Civic.
Boxoffice, March 30, 1957: “WEBB CITY, MO. – The Civic Theatre, closed since last December, was reopened under new management Friday (22). Bill Bradfield of Carthage is the new owner … The Civic had been refurbished before its opening.”
Also known as the Blake theatre. Address is 217 West Daugherty Street.
From what I found this theatre goes back to the 1920’s when it was known as the Blake Opera House.