Towne Theatre

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Description credit Urban Remains.

kodachrome images of charles k. ramsey’s caesar’s cafe (1896), located at 210 north 6th street, st. louis, mo. from 1915-1922 it was the known as the royal theater, then rivoli theater from 1922-1970, and finally towne theater until 1983, when it was demolished to make way for the metropolitan square building. the theater was altered in 1922 by the rivoli theater company with new facade (comprised of sgraffito concrete tiles and terra cotta), upgraded ventilation system, and additional seating. the majoirty of the facade and 8 interior hand-painted canvas murals (2 being 40 feet in length) of reclining nudes were salvaded during its demolition in 1983. it was one of the last standing porn theaters in st. louis at the time of demolition. courtesy of dave felling collection.

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Here is an item from the May 27, 1916, issue of The Moving Picture World about the new owner of the Ritz Theatre and his plans for the house. The house had reopened as the Royal on May 7.

“CORNELIUS BUYS THE RITZ. Theater on Sixth and Olive Will be Called the Royal.

“St. Louis, Mo.—J. W. Cornelius, proprietor and manager of the two Lyric theaters and the Lyric Skydome, has added another theater to his string of amusement houses. The Ritz, on Sixth near Olive street, has just passed into the Cornelius management, and opened on Sunday, May 7. The name of the theater has been changed to Royal, and will be known as the downtown home of Paramount pictures, with the price of admission ten and twenty cents.

“The house, which is practically new, has been closed for the past two weeks, undergoing a general brightening up with paint and decorations, and some attractive hangings. One of the finest orchestras in the city, composed of seven pieces with harp and organ accompaniment furnishes the music for the entertainment. The same brand of efficiency prevails at the Royal that has made the Lyric theaters noted for the high quality of their programs, and the excellent deportment of the attendants.

“All the houses under the Cornelius management run with a smoothness and watchful care of detail that speaks for a high degree of study and thought on the business on operating a theater. Mr. Cornelius was one of the first exhibitors in St. Louis to put on high class films In his theaters, and to cater to the better class of patrons. All his houses enjoy a regular clientele of patrons who go to see each bill as it is put on, and the downtown Lyric, which changes program every day, has perhaps the greatest number of these regular patrons.”

An article in The Moving Picture World of January 1, 1916, said that the St. Louis Amusement Company had opened the Ritz theater at 208-210 N. 6th Street as an all-picture house on December 11, 1915. The Ritz operated from eleven o'clock each morning until eleven o'clock at night, with the admission price being ten cents at all times.

Here is TC’s photo as his link has failed:
http://www.builtstlouis.net/opos/townetheater.html

Photo at this link:
http://www.builtstlouis.net/opos/frames.html