Gladstone Theatre
4608 St. John Avenue,
Kansas City,
MO
64108
4608 St. John Avenue,
Kansas City,
MO
64108
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I have not been able to find any information on the St John theater just east of the Gladstone at 3608 St John. There were three or four theatres on St John back in the day. Only two are listed on this site. Anyone?
Much of the interior equipment, seats, stage curtain, speakers and projectors were taken over to the Ritz on 12th Street. The Ritz got spruced up pretty nice but it did not take very long for teen goons to rip up all the seats with knives. They were very nice when first set up at the Ritz. The seats that were replaced actually were broght over from the Aladdin.
Sadly, the old theater building was destroyed by fire yesterday, 27 February, 2011. Many childhood memories of this place spent with my family back in the 1940’s. You always hate to loose one of these grand old ladies.
This is from Boxoffice magazine, May 1960:
KANSAS CITY-The Gladstone Theater, a Fox Midwest theater for a number of years, closed Saturday night, April 30. Located at 4608 St. John, the theater was built by the late John G. Hiatt and opened in 1919. In 1922 it was taken over by the old Capitol Enterprises and 1926 was acquired by Universal of New York.
Fox Midwest first leased the Gladstone in 1930 and operated it under a lease until 1945, at which time Fox Midwest bought the building. In 1958 the theater was sold to Frank and Manuel Zoglin, and Fox Midwest continued to operate it under a lease.
With the termination of the lease, Fox Midwest is moving its equipment from the theater. The Zoglins said the building will be remodeled and made into business property. Jess Spain, manager of the Gladstone, also manages the Vista for Fox Midwest and will continue in that capacity.
I wasn’t able to come up with any businesses at 4608 St. John Road, not ones that advertise anyway. Except for some graffiti on the front, the building still looks impressive.