Willis Theatre
112 E. Cherry Street,
Nevada,
MO
64772
112 E. Cherry Street,
Nevada,
MO
64772
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This theatre appears on the 1914 Sanborn, in an old two-story brick commercial building that was constructed sometime before 1885. It was originally a saloon, and not very deep, but with a separate single story pool room behind it. Between 1894 and 1900, it was converted into a bakery, and the structures were combined. This bakery was still operating in 1906. The conversion to a theatre involved expanding the narrower rear section to the same width as the front, and adding a small stage at the rear.
The 1914-15 AMPD confusingly lists the Willis Theatre and Nickel Theatre at this address, as well as a Lyric Theatre on E. Cherry Street, but without a number. It’s possible all three were the same. Despite the fact that this theatre appears to have closed by 1926, the ground floor has a ticket booth and poster case that definitely date to the postwar period. It’s possible it may have later operated as the Crystal Theatre, which is listed in 1929 with 307 seats.
The theatre today has a really repulsive dryvit facade with tacky wooden trim. It is part of a large furniture store next door.
Contributed by
Seth Gaines
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
I’m very sure that the Willis Theatre was the former Nickel Theatre which had been in operation since around 1909. The Nickel name appeared in 1912 but not in 1913, and the Willis name took over that year. There was evidence of a “Willis Wood Theatre” but I don’t think its related to the early motion picture house itself. The Willis was still open in 1915 but appears that it closed later on during World War I.
That would explain why they are both listed at the same address. The Yearbooks often list both names as well the year the name changed. Do you have any explanation for the 1960s(?) theater front?
I don’t know yet. I’m looking at the archives of the Nevada Daily Mail and there’s not a lot of details about it rather than its management and schedules.
Also, during its days as the Nickel, there is another short-lived theater somewhere in Nevada called the Lyric Theatre. The Lyric operated as early as 1908 and closed in 1912 when it relocated to the north side of town and was renamed the Family Theatre. That theater closed in 1914.
The July 4, 1914 Moving Picture World mentioned plans of the owner of the Willis Theatre: “B. L. Murrell, owner of the Willis Theater at Nevada, Mo., has purchased the Photoplay, and will operate both theaters in the future. L. H. Haggard, the former owner of the Photoplay, probably will re-enter the business in Kansas City.” If Mr. Haggard did move to Kansas City at that time, by 1921 he was back in Nevada, operating the Star Theatre.
The March 11, 1922 issue of Motion Picture News said that a partnership of Sears and Jones had purchased all the movie theaters in Nevada, then numbering six. By 1926, the only house listed at Nevada in the FDY was the 800-seat Star.