Apache Theatre
2227 S. Broadway,
St. Louis,
MO
63104
2227 S. Broadway,
St. Louis,
MO
63104
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Komm Theaters
Previous Names: New Shenandoah Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The New Shenandoah Theatre was opened by April 1910. It was one of the better theatres located in the densley populated near South St. Louis. It had a free standing box office at the sidewalk. Once entering the marble lobby you went a half block before reaching the auditorium. Once you reached the auditorium you had the concession and restroom at the left of the back of the theatre and making a right you would enter through one of three aisles.
The auditorium was a block long and on one level. There was a small stage and a screen from wall to wall. Nothing ornate about the auditorium. Wall scones on six pillars on each side of the auditorium for lighting.
On January 29, 1955 it was renamed Apache Theatre. Mrs. Ells Savage was the manager and also sold the tickets. She worked the theatre for 42 years until it was closed for redevelopment of the area. It was a Komm theatre along with thirteen others in the neighborhood. The last movie shown was in January 1961, a double bill of “The Magnificent Seven” and “A Dog’s Best Friend”.
Contributed by
Charles Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 18 comments)
I’m wondering if anyone remembered an Indian bust located somewhere in the theater? I have an Indian bust that my dad said came from an old theater in St. Louis. After my dad aquired it, he had it displayed in Carson Pontiac’s showroom on Manchester Rd.
On the ohter hand, there was a Thom’s Ponticaa dealership that always had Indian Tom-Toms in their comercials beating. It may have come from there. I do not remember an Indian bust at the Apache.
James
responce to fujiwest
When the New Shenandoah was converted to the Apache on the marque in the very front there was an indian head in neon. Could this be what you were thinking of?
James Grebe
James, this was an actual bust made of an Indian, probably made of plaster and then painted. This has been 40+ years ago. I do have a picture of the Indian if anyone thinks it would help.
Lisa
Yes, it would if you can send me it as an attachment to
Name change from New Shenandoah to Apache took place in January 1955.
Anyone interested in doing further research should take into account that Jablonow and Komm are the correct spellings of the names of the families involved in the running of this and many other theaters. (Source: multiple mentions in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and St. Louis Globe-Democrat)
January 29th, 1955 grand opening ad as Apache in photo section. Quite small.
The name change from New Shenandoah to Apache was a manoeuvre to become first in the alphabetical neighborhood theatre listings in the newspaper.
The earliest ad I have come across was published in April 1910.