El Paso Theatre
E. Front Street and N. Cherry Street,
El Paso,
IL
61738
E. Front Street and N. Cherry Street,
El Paso,
IL
61738
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Grand Opera House
Nearby Theaters
Opened in 1895, the Grand Opera House was screening movies in around 1912. It converted to sound in 1930 and was renamed El Paso Theatre in the late-1930’s. It was air-conditioned by 1950 and closed in the 1960’s. It has since been torn down and the site is now a parking lot.
Contributed by
Lou Rugani
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
This web page has a transcript of the “Entertainment” section of El Paso Story, a book published in 1954. It describes the Grand Opera House and the El Paso Theatre as the same house. The Opera House was not replaced by the El Paso Theatre, it was renamed the El Paso Theatre at some point. Out page for the El Paso just has the wrong location.
Here is a photo of the Opera House and Masonic Temple in El Paso, Illinois, from a souvenir album published in 1896.
(May 27, 1955) El Paso Children Escape Unhurt In Theater Fire
Three hundred and fifty grade school children were led to safety at 11:30 a. m. Thursday when fire broke out in the projection booth of the El Paso Theater. The children were attending a free show at the theater as part of their end of the school year activities.
Speedy Exit
Don Rist, co-manager of the theater, saw smoke coming from the projector and sped downstairs to warn H. B. Tate, superintendent of schools. Edward Heiken, principal of the Jefferson Park School in El Paso, gave orders for the 12 teachers present to lead their pupils out. Most of the youngsters were on the sidewalk before they knew what had happened. The El Paso Fire Department quickly extinguished the blaze.
Projector Damaged
Bill Fever, who was operating the projector, said the film broke and snapped against a carbon arc. One reel of the film was destroyed and the lens and the projector were damaged. In addition to the El Paso pupils, classes were present from the Secor and Spring Hill schools. A show for another group of children, scheduled for Thursday afternoon, has been cancelled.