World Playhouse
506 St. Charles Street,
St. Louis,
MO
63101
506 St. Charles Street,
St. Louis,
MO
63101
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Firms: Duggan & Huff
Previous Names: Broadway Theatre, Cameo Theatre, Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood Newsreel, World Theatre
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Opened as the Broadway Theatre in late-1910, it shared its address with the Western Photo Play Corp. In February 1930 the newspaper advertisements briefly listed the theatre as the Cameo Theatre (formerly the Broadway), with the latest sound system. By 1936 mainstream movies were being offered at what had become the Hollywood Theatre.
A taste of what would later be shown at the theatre happened in February of 1937, when it screened an “adults only” movie titled “Ecstasy”. The theatre sat vacant through most of World War II, then became the Hollywood Newsreel Theatre during 1946 and changed names again after that as the World Theatre. It would convert to adult films for several years before introducing titillating stage shows featuring touring starlets such as future Russ Carman film star Tura Santana and operating under its final name World Playhouse.
When longtime owner Harry Wald was finally forced to close the World Playhouse in 1974, the building was slated for demolition. The theatre had switched back to movies by this time. The final movie playing at the closing on March 5, was Bunny Ashcraft in “The Great Massage Parlor Bust”.
The local newspaper coverage of the closing of the World Playhouse was rather sentimental and tender. It was demolished in May 1974 and it was reported that souvenir hunters were picking up last bits of debris.
Contributed by
Charles Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
Sure wish dates of original entries were given…which came first, the CinemaTreasures or the CinemaTour entry?…with two different submitters and very similar copy.
The building permit for the Broadway was issued in 1910 and the architect of record listed as the firm of Duggan & Huff. Name changed to the CAMEO in 1930; to the HOLLYWOOD in 1931; to the HOLLYWOOD NEWSREEL in 1945 and, finally, to the WORLD in 1946.
There’s a nice nighttime view of the World, with all its neon, about five minutes into The Hoodlum Priest (1961), shown this week on Turner Classic Movies.
October 4th, 1946 grand opening ad as World in photo section.
The Broadway Theatre probably opened before the end of 1910. The September 17 issue of The American Contractor said that the contracts had been let for gas and plumbing, electrical work, plastering, painting, and roofing had been let. The project at Broadway and St. Charles Street for the St. Charles Amusement Company was one of two Duggan & Huff-designed houses under way in St.Louis in the summer of 1910, the other being the Union Theatre.
Henry Wald’s son, Danny, ended the World on March 3, 1974 with “The Great Massage Parlor Bust.” Within two months, the venue was gone without a trace.