Bagdad Theatre
2711 Troost Avenue,
Kansas City,
MO
64109
2711 Troost Avenue,
Kansas City,
MO
64109
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Additional Info
Architects: Robert O. Boller
Firms: Boller Brothers
Previous Names: Carrol Thetare
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One of the many neighborhood houses that lined Troost Avenue. Opened on July 21, 1926 with Bebe Daniels in “Palm Beach Girl”. It had seating for 1,200 and was equipped with a Wurlitzer organ.
It was closed on May 30, 1954. The vacant building was destroyed by a fire on May 28, 1957.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
I have found references to the Bagdad Theater being at 27th and Troost on the KC Library Web site.
The address for this theater should be 2711 Troost. Per material from the Kansas City Star on July 18, 1926, the theater opened on July 21, 1926, with a seating capacity of 1,200. It had a “mammoth” Wurlitzer organ, smoking and crying rooms, a cooling system, and a “large stage fully equipped for vaudeville presentation.” The opening feature was “The Palm Beach Girl” with Bebe Daniels. Owner of the building was A. Baler and the theater was operated when it opened by the W.H. Hurley Amusement Co. It was, as Chuck mentioned, designed by Boller Brothers.
The Bagdad (and the office building around it) was destroyed by a fire on May 28, 1957. It had stopped showing movies about 3 years prior and was at the time of the fire in the process of being converted into a union hall for Laundry Workers Local No. 238.
As a young boy, my parents had very good friends that lived across the street in an apartment building. We used to go to a movie there on a few occasion. I recall that the marquee was beautifully lit up at night with all kinds of neon. Not sure what it was called then. Did the name Carrol come later in the mid 40’s?
KCB3. I don’t remember it being called anything but the “Bagdad”. We livv3d in a apartment at 27th and Forrest in the early 1940’s and my folks used to go there.
Grand opening ad in the photo section.
Grand opening ad:
Bagdad theatre opening Sun, Jul 18, 1926 – 39 · The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Missouri) · Newspapers.com
Closed May 30, 1954 with a double feature of Clara Kimball Young in “Wages of Sin” and Irene Ryan in “Sultan’s Daughter.”
“Wages of Sin” was a 1938 movie & “The Sultans Daughter” was a 1943 release. What a strange closing program for 1954!
“Wages” was re-released as an “adults only” film in 1954 generally with “Fig Leaf for Eve” and I believe by Willis Kent Studio. The titles were likely booked for television audiences and found new theatrical life as “adult only” special cuts for theatrical. Kind of a “see what you missed on TV” version.