Trail Theatre
910 Main Street,
Bridgeport,
NE
69336
910 Main Street,
Bridgeport,
NE
69336
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Gibraltar Enterprises Inc.
Styles: Spanish Gothic, Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: New Theatre
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The New Theatre was opened on September 25, 1927 with Mildred Davis in “Too Many Crooks”. It was equipped with a Robert-Morton pipe organ. On December 9, 1927 it was renamed Trail Theatre. It was given a Streamline Moderne style makeover in 1934.
My father owned and operated the Trail Theatre until the early-1970’s. It was originally equipped with an orchestra pit and facilities for live shows when built in 1927. My father upgraded it for CinemaScope on March 25, 1954, screening Richard Burton in “The Robe”. Projectors were Simplex XL’s, sound was Altec.
The theatre was decorated with western murals which, sadly, perished during the demolition.
It had four large beautiful oak and brass entrance doors and a marquee featuring a western scout.
Contributed by
John Schmidt
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
Gibraltar Enterprises Inc. should be added as a previous operator
Boxoffice, April 15, 1963: The Trail Theatre … suffered $3,000 in marquee damage when a truck ran into and completely demolished the triangular portion of the marquee."
Boxoffice, Aug. 8, 1966: “Dorrance Schmidt has permanently closed the Trail Theatre, Bridgeport, Neb.”
Prior To The Trail Theatre’s Grand Opening In Late 1927, There Is The Lyric Theatre And The Miller’s Opera House (Also In Bridgeport) Which Both Will Have Its Own Pages Soon, Possibility Tomorrow.
Sallows and Hughes Amusement Enterprises Circuit luanched the New Theatre in Bridgeport on September 25, 1927 with Mildred Davis in “Too Many Crooks.” Customers were impressed with the Robert Morton pipe organ. On December 9, 1927, the theatre was named the Trail Theatre. The Circuit added talkies on April 1, 1930 with the film, “Why Leave Home.”
New operators came in 1934 giving the theatre a streamline moderne makeover and improved sound system. Lloyd Gladson would take on the venue switching the Trail to widescreen for CinemaScope presentations with 10-speaker “moving sound” beginning with “The Robe” on March 25, 1954.
Address was 910 Main Street, which is a small park today in between the USDA Service Center and 385 Meat Market. US-385 Scenic is the current name of Main Street. If you Google search 385 Meat Market, that is currently in the building that was to the right of the Trail Theatre. Same building in the Overview photo, of which I added a cripser version a while back to the photo gallery.