|
Pittsburg
Scenes - Theatres |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
Colonial Theatre - photo 1940's
Pittsburg Morning Sun, March 21,
2000 |
|
 |
|
On Tuesday,
March 16, 1920 the issue of the Pittsburg Daily Headlight said
it all, “You can tell the world that Pittsburg
has one of the finest theatres in [the] Southwest,” announcing
that the Colonial Theatre, now known as the Fox Theatre,
was ready to open its doors to the public. The opening
was a testament to the ambition and dreams of Alexander
Besse and the Pittsburg Amusement Company, who had wanted
to bring the best entertainment available in vaudeville,
stage shows and films to the citizens of Pittsburg.
Alexander
Besse was born November 13, 1868 in La Vout-sur-Loir,
France and came to America, landing in New Orleans
in 1884. He came to Pittsburg a short time later beginning
his business career peddling lamp wicks and shoestrings
in the county. In about 1894, he opened his first store
at 104-108 West Fifth Street offering a variety of
everyday merchandise needed by the citizens of the
growing town. He soon added organs and sewing machines
to his inventory and by 1900 had outgrown his small
store on 5th Street and relocated to 413 N. Broadway,
where he began selling pianos which had become the
instrument of choice for homes at that time.
Around 1910
or 1911, Besse got involved in the mining of coal in
the area by organizing the Besse-Cockerill Coal Company
with Carl Cockerill, a well-known early coal mine operator
in the area. The company was one of the first coal companies
to use large steam shovels in strip mining operations.
He left this company after about five years and sold
the company to John Italiani. After the sale, Besse invested
and owned the Oskaloosa Coal Company in Oskaloosa, Iowa
and the Pittsburg & Arkansas
Zinc Company in Zinc, Arkansas. He also was involved
in lead mining near Joplin, Missouri.
April 1, 1917, businessmen
Willard H. Daly, Robert H. “Bert” Klock and
his son Glenn E. Klock, formed the Pittsburg Amusement
Company to operate several of the theatres in town. Daly
owned the 800 seat Mystic Theatre (1907-1920) at 122
E. Fourth, the current site of Brenner Mortuary. The
Klock’s
owned the Klock Theatre (1919-1926), later the Midland
Theater (1926-1958), at 414 N. Broadway, the current
site of the Kansas Teacher’s Credit Union. Alexander
Besse became involved with the company in 1918 and ran
the Main Street Theatre in Picher, Oklahoma for a few
years.
In June 1919, Besse began construction
on the Colonial Theatre across the street from the Klock
Theatre. To build the new theatre, the Amusement Company
purchased the building at 409 N. Broadway from A. H.
Shafer owner of the Kettler Furniture & Carpet Company.
The furniture company moved to 614-616 N. Broadway, and
ironically in February 1926 the Archie Josephson Amusement
Company of Kansas City purchased that building for a
1500 seat theatre development that never transpired.
The building at 409 N. Broadway was torn down and the
new Colonial Theatre went up fast. The theatre, modeled
after the Isis Theatre in Kansas City, was designed and
built by Asa Messenger, a local contractor who built
many of the buildings on Broadway and at the University.
The footprint of the theatre was 50 by 170 feet and was
built of Italian Renaissance design with raked tapestry
brick and terra cotta trimmings. There were two diamonds
enclosed in a herringbone pattern evenly spaced on either
side of the entryway, which was flanked by two columns.
Fronting
the street there were four retail shops that opened onto
the street and inside the inner lobby. There were also
two sets of stairs leading to the W. H. Kelley Barbershop & Pool
Hall in the basement, one set located outside the building
on the north and the other inside the main lobby. Mr.
Kelley had operated a barbershop in the Commerce Building
next door for many years prior, but decided to open a
new shop in the basement of the Colonial Theatre. White
tile was used on the floor and to a height of 8 feet
on the walls and had 4 pool tables and 3 barber chairs.
The white tile is still downstairs and in good shape.
If you look real close at the walls, you can still see
the imprint of where the sinks used to be.
The other shops
consisted of the Smoke Shop ran by W. H. Seleman, where
one could purchase tobacco, candy, fountain drinks and
magazines, the Little Kitchenette operated by O., M.
Richmond that would serve lunches to the theatre patrons
and anyone passing by. There was also the Consumers Coffee
Company owned by M. L. Probst where he roasted the coffee
beans and peanuts on site. Wright’s Greenhouse
also had a small stand inside the Coffee Company and
sold cut flowers and blooming plants. The fourth business
was the Pittsburg Shoe Shining Parlor. The Pittsburg
Candy Company sold Mexican Hot Cakes, a popular confectionary
candy, in the lobby.
The construction of the Colonial
Theatre was truly a “local” project with
more than 10 local businesses involved. The Hance White & Son
marble works located at Second and Elm furnished the
stonework. The Borden-Brisbin Company installed over
eight miles of electric wiring, which included a fairly
new system, a dimmer that would allow the lights to be
adjusted gradually from very low to a brilliant blaze.
Asa Messenger, architect and local contractor, turned
out all the woodwork at his mill at 201 E. Fourth Street.
The Nuttman-Lemon Lumber Company installed the Acme plaster
that covered the walls. A. O. Wheeler supplied Sherwin-Williams
paint and materials for H. A. Smith to decorate the inside.
Large steel girders that support the roof were made by
the Pittsburg Boiler & Machine Company, later McNally’s,
in the shops at Third and Walnut. The Pittsburg Cornice
Works installed all metal work, inside and out.
At a cost of $80,000, the Colonial was built with the best
materials available and no cost being spared to bring a “charming
and delightful playhouse,” to Pittsburg. Before the
1926 renovation of the facade, the ticket booth was set deep
inside an inner lobby. The auditorium consisted of 1,200
seats on one floor without a balcony. Besse had a strong
dislike for balconies so the seats were placed in a sloping
style, similar to what we now call “stadium seating,” so
no patron’s view was obstructed. There was a 50 by
27 foot stage that was large enough for most traveling vaudeville
shows that the company booked out of Chicago through the
Interstate Booking Agency and feature films. The interior
of the theatre was decorated in white and blue tones and
two large domes in the ceiling, which were removable, and
contained big fans to keep the theatre cool in the summer.
The film projecting room was designed by W. C. Wilson in
the “split air plan,” to allow enough fresh air
for the operator but keep the odors from the film getting
into the theatre. Using a ventilation system that used air
shafts and powerful electric fans, clean fresh air was rotated
in and out of the theatre every few seconds. Music was supplied
for silent films and traveling shows without their own orchestra,
by an in-house orchestra. On special occasions, such as the
grand opening of the theatre, the Botefuhr Orchestra supplied
music. Organized and directed by Frank S. Botefuhr, owner
of a large music supply house in town. The orchestra was
comprised of local musicians, who had been playing in show
houses and theatres in Pittsburg from 1888.
Opening day,
March 17, 1926 over 2000 people attended the premier with
at least 1000 being turned away. Five hundred seats for the
opening were sold for .50 cents with the remaining sold at
.35 cents. The first film in the new theatre was the 8-reel
silent feature film “Everywoman,” which
was billed as “Everywoman, played by Violet
Heming, in search of Love, deserted in turn by Modesty,
Beauty, Wealth and Youth, but rescued by Truth and Devotion.” The
film was based on the stage play of the same name by
Walter Browne and had been produced by the Paramount
Artcraft Picture Corporation, the early parent company
of today’s Paramount Studios. It was directed by George
H. Medford and had opened in the U.S. to great acclaim
on July 14, 1919 with a top-notch cast for the time,
including Noah
Beery and Wanda
Hawley who rose to stardom in Cecil
B. DeMille films.
After the premier, the Colonial
followed a typical schedule showing a matinee at 1 pm
of vaudeville and a movie then another show at 5 pm without
vaudeville. The next show would begin at 6:30 pm followed
by a short vaudeville act at 8:00 pm. The final show
of the day started at 8:30 pm followed by more vaudeville
at 10:00 pm. Most movies were about an hour in length
with the vaudeville acts lasting between 45 to 60 minutes.
Admission prices for the matinees were .25 cents for
adults and .10 cents for children. Evening shows were
.35 cents for adults and .10 cents for children. These
prices stayed pretty constant until 1927 when sound pictures
became available and admission was raised to .55 cents
for adults and .15 cents for children. To entice people
to come to the theatre, various incentives were given
to make sure there was a full house. During the Depression,
theatres would offer dishes for every adult ticket purchased
making sure that most people would return over and over
again to complete their set of dishes.
In the February
15, 1926 Pittsburg Daily Headlight, it was announced
by the Pittsburg Amusement Company that they were going
to remodel and update both the Colonial Theatre and the
Klock Theatre, spending a combined $100,000. The Colonial
was going to be “made modern in every respect.” In
April of 1926, the Midland Theatre & Realty Company
of Kansas announced that it would be taking over the
lease of both the Colonial and the Klock. The Midland
Company operated theatres in Wichita, Salina and Hutchison,
and were in the process of building the Midland Theatre
at 13th & Main in Kansas City, MO. Boller Brothers
of Kansas City and Los Angeles were hired as the architects
and Asa Messenger was brought in to once again be the
contractor on the remodel, which would cost about $15,000
and take about three weeks to complete.
The most visible
changes to the Colonial were done to the front of the
building. The arched entryway was enclosed, by moving
the ticket booth to the street, creating a large inner
lobby with a lowered false ceiling. Stairs that led from
the street to the basement business was eliminated, and
a new set of stairs were built inside the main lobby
going down to the basement which had been remodeled into
a women’s lounge and restroom. But
probably the most visible façade change was the
installation of a new 25-foot electric Colonial marquis
suspended over the sidewalk 10 feet. It was felt that
the new sign would present “a metropolitan theatrical
aspect along Broadway” and “a creditable
attraction not alone to the theatre but also to Broadway
and Pittsburg.” Inside the main theatre was
repainted and new light fixtures installed along with
a new burgundy stage curtain, which is still hanging
in the theatre to this day. The stage was extended out
10 feet, covering the orchestra pit. Under the stage
is a work area and the stairs going up to what was the
orchestra pit are still there ending at the edge of the
stage. Cross aisles were also added between the ‘balcony’ and
the main floor and down the two sides reducing the number
of seats to 900. The Colonial reopened for business on
Monday, May 31, 1926 with the Klock closing for its own
major renovation. The Klock reopened on Labor Day, September
6, 1926 as the Midland Theatre.
The Midland Theatre & Realty
Company operated the Colonial until about 1944 when the
Fox Theatre Company, who also took over the lease on
the Midland, leased the building. In 1959, the facade
of Colonial was once again remodeled with the shops on
the south side being enclosed with brick creating space
for theatre offices. The art deco Colonial
marquis was replaced with the marquis off the Midland
that had been closed in 1958 due to a drop in customers
because of the growing popularity of television. The
Colonial Theatre was officially renamed the Fox Theatre
after the renovation was completed in 1959. The interior
of the theatre has remained mostly unchanged since the
1926 renovation. The Midland building was sold to Dr.
F. H. Rush who owned the building north of it. The building
was torn down in early 1973 and the Teacher’s
Credit Union was built on the site.
In the late 1970’s,
the Fox Theatre changed hands once again with it being
leased by Dickinson Theatres who already were leasing
the Cozy Theatre at 215 N. Broadway and the Drive-Ins
at the north and south end of town. They continued operations
at the Fox until 1987 when it was closed and Dickinson
moved its theatre operations to Meadowbrook Mall at the
south end of town where they now operate an eight-screen
theatre. During this entire time, the building was owned
by the Besse Family and was only leased to the various
theatre operators.
The Colonial/Fox Theatre building has played an important
role in the history and development of Pittsburg from
the day it was opened on St. Patrick’s
Day 1920. It saw the end of vaudeville and silent
films and the introduction of “talkies” and
it was one of the first theatres in the area
to allow African Americans to sit anywhere in the theatre
instead of just in designated areas. In 2007 the 88
year old building the theatre was purchased from the
Besse family by the Colonial/Fox
Foundation who has plans
on restoring it and making it once again an intregal
part of activity in downtown Pittsburg. In early 2008,
the foundation was successful in getting the theatre
on the Kansas State Register of Historical Places and
the National Register of Historical Places.
|
 |
|
|
Click on an item to see a larger image |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Colonial Theatre Opening Ad
- Pittsburg Daily Headlight,
May 16, 1920 |
Colonial Theatre Opening Ad
- Pittsburg Daily Headlight,
May 16, 1920 |
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map,
Colonial Theatre - April 1923 - courtesy Gene DeGrusen Axe Library |
Colonial/Fox Theatre
- webmaster photo 1997 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Signs of the Colonial/Fox
Theatre
- webmaster photo 1997 |
Looking toward the
stage from in
front of the balcony area. The 1926 stage curtain is still hanging and intact
- webmaster photo 1997 |
Looking up toward the
balcony
area. The Colonial/Fox was one of
the first theatres
to use what we call today "stadium"
seating in 1920.
- webmaster photo 1997 |
The original1920 painted
procenium arch located behind the false front of the
stage behind the curtain.
- webmaster photo 1997 |
 |
 |
|
1926 wood trim frames
that had framed murals on the walls. It is believed that
some of the murals
might still exist behind the blue
fabric.
- webmaster photo 1997 |
The projection room
and equipment located at the top of the balcony area.
- webmaster photo 1997 |
|
 |
|
Colonial/Fox
Theatre Articles
*PDH = Pittsburg Daily Headlight |
|
|
-
“Pittsburg’s
New Playhouse” - PDH, Tues,
March 16, 1920 (this was an 8
page section with numerous articles about the companies
that were involved with the building of the theatre
or opening businesses within the theatre. Many were
written as story advertisements and are listed below)
|
|
- "Use Acme Plastering Alone; Best of Material Employed
for Walls of Colonial"- PDH, Mar
16, 1920, p1 c7
- "Made the Big Girders Here; Pittsburg Boiler & Machine
Company Helped With Colonial" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920,
p2 c2
- "Wheeler Supplied the Paint; Colonial Builders Obtained
Material From Him" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920, p2 c2
- "Wright's Flowers Downtown; Products of Greenhousee
Will be on Sale in Theatre Building" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920,
p3 c2
- "Furnishes Big Stone Work; White & Sons Firm Prepares
to Expand Business" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920, p3 c2-3
- "Kelley Will Be Down Below" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920, p3
c3
- "Home Cooking Will be Offered" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920,
p4 c3
- "Smoke Shop is Operational; W. H. Selemen has Tobacco,
Candy and Magazines" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920, p4 c4
- "Hot
Cakes Are In Demand; Pittsburg Candy Company Is Kept
Brisk Making Them" - PDH Mar 16, 1920, p4 c4
- "Miller Wrote the Insurance; Colonial Risks Were Handled
by Veteran Risk Man" - PDH Mar 16, 1920, p4 c4
- "Messenger Adds One More Big Building; Colonial
Theatre Will Stand as Monument to Contractor. While He
Was Erecting New Playhouse, He Also Put Up Deruy Garage
and Several Other Structures" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920,
p6 c1-2
- "Smith Did the Decorating; A Pittsburger Showed Skill
as an Artist" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920, p6 c2
- "Wilson Handled Metal Work; And it Was Some Job For
the Cornice Man" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920, p7 c2
- "Eight Miles of Electric System; Borden-Brisbin Company
Had Intricate Task" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920, p7 c2, p8 c1-2
- "Most Modern Heating System; Harry A. Clark Did
Fine Work on Theatre Plumbing" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920, p8
c2
- "Real Coffee You'll Find Here; Commerce Company
Will Roast Berry in New Store" - PDH, Mar 16, 1920,
p8 c2
- "Make the Old Shoes Glisten; Pittsburg Shining Parlors
Use Lots of Elbow Grease"- PDH, Mar 16, 1920, p8 c2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
updated May 19, 2008
pittsburgksmemories.com
copyright 2008 |
|