JO Theatre

The Charwood Theatre opened under operation by Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Phelps on April 18, 1928 with “Say it With Flowers.” An opening address by the city’s mayor, Louis V. Stigall, was followed by a violin solo from Mrs. Paney Phelps Collins. The African American theater also had a tea room in the balcony for daily tea service. The very complete article about the theater said the capacity at opening was 500 (not 185).

The Charwood Theatre was first listed as open in 1929 with 185 seats. It was listed as closed in 1932 and reopened in 1933. It was listed as the Louis Theatre in 1940 with seating as 310. It must have gone throu an expansion and remodel. It was listed as the Jo Theatre in 1942 with the 310 seats. by 1947 seating was increased to 510 so the building must have been expanded again and remodeled.

St. Joseph Memory Lane gives the address of the Jo Theatre as 124 N. 3rd Street. It also says that the house had been known as the Charwood Theatre and the Louis Theatre. It reopened as the Jo Theatre on June 26, 1942, and its last day of operation was Saturday, February 12, 1955.

I’ve found a single mention of the Charwood Theatre in the trade publications. The Film Daily of May 25, 1933, said that the Charwood Theatre had been transferred from Mrs. Charles T. Phelps to McKinney & McManus. Memory Lane says it was called the Louis Theatre from 1939-1941.

forgot to mention if you have ATT as internet provider you probably wont be able to bring it up.

Grand Opening was Friday 26June1942 The movies were The Smiling Ghost with Wayne Morris,Brenda Marshall + a 2nd movie with WM. Hopalong Cassidy Boyd in Wide Open Town. Admission 15 cents.

Ads are usually reliable.

This page indicates that there was a “Joe” theater in St. Joseph; I am wondering if this theater is the same as the “Jo”: http://members.fortunecity.com/wuppie/theater.htm