Circle Theatre
4472 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive,
St. Louis,
MO
63113
4472 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive,
St. Louis,
MO
63113
2 people
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Additional Info
Architects: W.P. McMahon
Functions: Church
Previous Names: Easton-Taylor Theatre, Easton Theatre
Nearby Theaters
One of many theatres that lined Easton Avenue. The Circle Theatre had a varied life. It opened in 1910 as the Easton-Taylor Theatre, later shortened to the Easton Theatre, and later renamed the Circle Theatre. From 1943 until it closed in 1951, it was an African-American theater.
For a neighborhood house it was elaborately decorated. It had a small balcony with colums along the staircase that led to the balcony. There were a lot of mirrors in the lobby with lush red draperies and trim.
Contributed by
Charles Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
Original name was the EASTON-TAYLOR. Shortened to EASTON during the early-30s. Final name, CIRCLE, appeared in September 1936 when house began to be operated by the Kaimann chain.
Building permit issued in 1910. Capacity of the house was 580. Architect of record was W. P. McMahon.
In 1943 theatre became a Black-movie house.
House operated until December 1951, when the projectionists of Local 143-A went on strike at all Black-movie theatres. Strike was settled in a few weeks but Circle apparently didn’t reopen as no further ads appeared.
Here is an article on a robbery of a bank next door to the theatre on April 5, 1920. The robber hid in the theater from police and the Post Dispatch has a nice map of the theater layout drawn out.
http://kenzimmermanjr.com/easton-taylor-trust-robbery/