Dakota Theatre
4557 Virginia Avenue,
St. Louis,
MO
63111
4557 Virginia Avenue,
St. Louis,
MO
63111
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Arthur Enterprises Inc.
Functions: Church
Previous Names: Red Wing Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Red Wing Theatre was opened by 1918. On December 25, 1936 it was renamed Dakota Theatre having been purchased by Harry Greenman who opened with Shirley Temple in “The Littlest Rebel” & Pat O'Brien in “China Clipper”. It was soon taken over by Arthur Entermprises Inc. (Fanchon & Marco). It was a small neighborhood house just ten blocks north of it’s sister theatre, the Virginia Theatre (it has its own page on Cinema Treasures). The Dakota Theatre had a very small lobby with box office on the south side and the entry doors just to the north of the box office. The concession stand was small and located to your right as you came into the theatre. The theatre had an aisle along each wall of the auditorium and seated 482. The Dakota Theatre was more a third run than second run. What the Virginia Theatre didn’t play the Dakota Theatre did. It closed as a movie theatre on June 13, 1948 with Bing Crosby & Bob Hope in “Road to Rio” & Rory Calhoun in “Adventure Island”. In 1952 it was taken over by the Southdown Players and became a live theatre.
Located in Dutch Town in a very densly populated area the theatre had a good draw until television caused its demise. It closed in late-1956 when the Southdown Players moved to the Virginia Theatre.
Contributed by
Charles Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
The Dakota (originally the RED WING)was not built by Fred Wehenberg. The same goes for the Virginia.
Great Site!
My grandfather, John G. Zuzack owned the Red Wing Theatre (St. Louis, MO) in 1918 but I have very little information. When did the Red Wing become the Dakota? Apparently, they named the Theatre after the Dakota Indians. In very early Minnesota history, the Dakota Indians had a chief who acquired the name Red Wing. I was wondering if there was a connection between the Minnesota Theatres & the St. Louis Red Wing/Dakota Theatre? Does anyone out there have an old Red Wing Theatre ticket to sell or give away? Any information you can share would be appreciated.
Thank you for your time & efforts,
Joey
I researched the deed & permit records at the St. Louis, MO Court House. Three lots [City Block 2470] were purchased Oct. 26. 1916 at a price of $3,300.00 by my grandfather, John G.Zuzack for the purpuse of building the Red Wing Theatre. The Building Permit #I-7986, showed John Zuzak had permission to build a 1-story brick Picture Show, located at 4557 Virginia Avenue. It was built at a cost of $5,500.00 & the architect was G. Votruba. The Theatre was sold Aug 30, 1919 to Samuel Horwich. The Deed of sale was recorded Sep 2, 1919 at the St. Louis, MO Court House. So it looks like the date 1919 was most likely when the Red Wing Theatre’s name was changed to The Dakota.
Joey
The name change from the Red Wing to the Dakota occurred December 1936. As a movie house, theatre closed in June 1948. Four years later the Southtown Players moved into the theatre for their stage productions and were there until late 1956 when they moved into the nearby Virginia Theatre.
John Zuzack built the Red Wing Theatre in 1915 opening in 1916. The neighboring Red Wing confectionery at 4555 Virginia was its de facto concession stand. The Red Wing’s name was clipped when Harry Greenman of Greenman Theaters bought the venue along with the Yale Theater late in 1936. He reopened the former Red Wing on Christmas Day as the Dakota Theatre with “The Littlest Rebel” and “China Clipper.” He would soon sell it to Franchon & Marco.
Movies were discontinued at the Dakota on June 13, 1948 with “Road to Rio” and “Adventure Island.” The Southtown Players took it on as their theatrical home next staging live fare. The rent was just $16.75 a month. They took their act to the Virginia Theater in 1957 ending the Dakota’s run.