Donelson Theatre
Highway 30 and C Avenue,
Central City,
NE
68826
Highway 30 and C Avenue,
Central City,
NE
68826
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Donelson Photoplay Theatre
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No theaters found within 30 miles
D.L. Donelson launched the Donelson Photoplay Theatre on August 18, 1916 calling it, “The House of Quality.” The silent-era theatre played movies, vaudeville, and hosted live sporting events and dances. The theatre opened with the film, “The Idol of the Stage”, and two vaudeville acts in magician Professor Frederick LaPlano and The Two Dales, a song and dance duo.
Mrs. S.J. Donelson took on the theatre redecorating it and relaunching on October 6, 1922 as the “New Donelson Theatre” with Jane Novak in “The Snowshoe Trial.” On February 3, 1923, pro boxing hit the stage as Pressley French defeated Young Goldie at the Donelson Theatre. The theatre was sold at least five times in the 1920’s including a run by the Hostetter Amusement Company Circuit.
The Donelson Theatre was one of three silent theatres in town converted to sound but appears to have discontinued films after a June 21, 1930 showing of “The Love Parade” with Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier. The theatre hosted live events and auctions. But it was converted to a chicken hatchery because why not?
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An item datelined Central City, Neb. in the July 1, 1916 issue of The Moving Picture World said that “[a] moving picture theater will occupy the lower floor of a building which S. A. Danielson will erect on Main Street.” The August 26 issue of the same journal said that “[t]he new moving picture theater here, which will be managed by D. L. Donelson, will be known as the Donelson theater.”
Main Street turns out to be an aka for G Avenue, also now known as Highway 30, though in the past it has been called Broad Street and Stitzer Avenue. It is also part of the Lincoln Highway. The Donelson Theatre was somewhere on the north side of G Avenue, between C and D Streets, but I’ve been unable to find the exact address.