Kendall Theatre
213 South Main Street,
Farmer City,
IL
61842
213 South Main Street,
Farmer City,
IL
61842
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The Scenic Theatre opened in 1909 on Main Street and was sold to the Kendall family in 1914. The theatre was renamed the Kendall Theatre in 1916. During its early decades, it was not only host to vaudeville acts and movies, but also various other forms of live entertainment, including talent shows and legitimate theatre.
The Kendall Theatre remained in operation until the late-1970’s, and after closing was used for a short time as a concert venue. It is today used for storage.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
The address of the theater is 213 S. Main Street.
The history of the building is: W.T. Bean & A. Davidson Druggists 1870-1875; Lawman & Davidson Druggists 1875-1979; Vanscayor Corner Drug Store 1880s; Chicago Store – Variety Store J.N. Clouse 1904-1910; Scenic Theatre – Dave Mitchell 1910-1914, John Kendall 1914-1917; Kendall Theatre – John Kendall family 1917-1970s; Prairie Town Collectibles – Fine Arts Studio & Gallery and Antiques 1986.
The building is owned by a relative of John Kendall who also owns and runs the antique store to the left (on the other side of the vacant lot). He uses the building for storage. He says that he has a row of seats, the projector, and other items from the old theater.
The Scenic Theatre opened along with the Nickeldome as the town’s first two moving picture parlors in 1908. Hand cranked one reelers with a single projector and songs between was pretty much the programming in both venues. The Nickeldome failed under two operators closing in a year in 1909. The Scenic started on the West Side of Main Street and moved across the street in improved conditions and getting the Paramount Studios film contract to block book its products.The Scenic would get competition from the 1893-opened Columbian Opera House which largely switched to movies during World War I under the operation of Johnson & Phillips in 1914 followed by L.W. Weedman and George Shell in 1915.
In January of 1917, the Kendall family took on the Scenic under the Kendall Theatre nameplate. The theatre had a continuous 54-year run by the Kendall family. It did close in 1930 for remodeling as it transitioned to Moviephone sound - an inferior but cost effective choice - (ad in photos) and an early type of air conditioning. In 1935, they switched to more conventional sound by Motiograph. The Opera House didn’t make the transition to sound and became a lightly used live operation on its way to obsolescence and razing.
The Kendall went widescreen beginning on January 27, 1956 with “Hit the Deck..” The theatre closed on December 17, 1969 ending the Kendall family’s operation. They sublet the venue to George Carroll who reopened it very briefly.