https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/3a9557cc2ca067a2cb96440508c51607.pdf a0e9cac29c56914b6a7e1a1c7751b9f5 PDF Text Text EARLY MOTION-PICTURE THEATERS IN CASPER, 1908-1929 Casper has enjoyed motion-picture entertainment since 1908 when a movie room was set up in the city’s Odd Fellow building located on the northwest corner of Second and Wolcott streets. For the two decades taht followed this early event, more than a half-dozen movie theaters were operated at one time or another in Casper’s downtown business district or its immediate environs. A brief look at the history of these moving-picture houses reveals some interesting details about the city’s early Twentieth-century cultural character. Casper’s first movie theater was opened by Messrs. Willett and Carroll on 5 September 1908, in the center room of the old Odd Fellow building on east Second street. Harry E. Rodell of Denver was the theater’s manager. Patrons attending performances on the first two evenings were invited to submit names for the new theater, and the local businessmen Kimball, Webel and Lobdell were asked to select from the names a title for the theater. The name they chose was ’’Temple” which was submitted by Mrs. R.W. Adams. For her suggestion, Mrs. Adams was awarded a ten-dollar gold piece. A second motion—picture house was opened in the fall of 1909 by James Ingram and Joe Darrin with Guy Trevetts as manager. This theater Tas located in Casper’s town hall on the west side of the 100 block of south Center street and was called the Bell Theater because of a prominent fire-alarm bell tower on the roof above the building's front door, Roy Sample purchased the theater in 1910. The Temple and Bell theaters were run simultaneously for some time, but it appears that by the winter of 1911-12 Casper had no movie theater in operation. On 8 January 1912, the Bell was gutted by fire and, from comments made in a local newspaper (Casper Press) in April 1912, it can �it can be inferred that the Temple was also out of business. Roy Sample, however, hired Chalres Galusha and N, Ferguson to construct a new theater building next to the burned-out Bell. This work was started in the spring of 1912 and completed during the summer so that Sample was able to open his new movie house on 22 August 1912. Named the Iris Theater, Sample’s 520-seat motion-picture theater was an impressive brick structure that represents:- Casper's first building that was constructed specifically for the purpose of movie entertainment. In the ten years following the opening of the Iris, Casper was to have five additional show houses. On 14 March 1914, Ray Barnes and George Kropp started the Hub Theater on the north side of the 100 block of east Second street (near the site of the former Temple Theater). This was followed by Henry F. Brennan's opening of the Lyric Theater in the Daly Building at 221 South Center Street on 5 January 1915. The Bishop-Cass Theater company then constructed the America Theater on Center street and commenced operations on 15 October 1920. later, 3 March 1921, a company of Casper business men Five months opened the Pavilion Theater on the Sand Bar under the management of A. B. Griffin. Sometime soon after the opening of the Pavilion, Henry Brennan built the Rialto Theater at the corner of Second and Center streets. Having encountered financial difficulties, however, Brennan was forced to relinquish his interest in the Rialto, and E.J. Schulte took over the theater and opened it on 17 October 1922, In the meantime, the old Lyric Theater was remodelled and had its name changed to the Wyoming Theater. With the opening of the Rialto in 1922, Casper could momentarily bask in the pleasure of six theaters: and Rialto, Iris, Hub, Wyoming, America, Pavilion, The early 1920s was a heyday for theatrical entertainment in the "Oil Capital of the Rockies," Price of admission ranged from a low of 25d for adults and lOd for children at the Hub to the high of 55c for evening performances at the Iris. The bill of fare at the theaters �was as varied as the cost of tickets. As far back as 1914, the Iris began to provide live entertainment as well as silent movies and even had the famous Buffalo Bill Cody perform on stage. added variety programs to its offerings. By 1918, the theater had Henry Brennan made his Lyric Theater attractive by standing out front and announcing the presence of beautiful women in specialty acts, while the Hub became popular, particularly the Saturday matinee crowds, for its serial movies such as the "Perils HKBUSHH of Pauline." The Iris, America, Columbia and Rialto also became known for their mix of vaudeville troupes, musical revues, stock companies, local and professional wrestlers, magicians, community players and ministrel shows. The high times represented by six theaters in full operation did not last beyond 1922 in Casper, however. Sometime around the- end of the year the Hub closed its doors only to be followed by the Wyoming Theater within he next two years. In 1925, the well-known Iris was renamed the Rex. After a series of troubled events the Columbia went out of business In October 1928. Coinciding with the closing of the Columbia Theater the history of Casper’s movie houses experienced another change that marked the end of 'ary^era that had begun with the opening of the Temple, In August, 1928, the Rialto’s management installed sound equipment to offer the city’s residents talking-picture entertainment. city the age of sound. in the spring of 1929. This event ushered into the The America Theater added similar equipment Then in July, 1929, The Rialto Theater Company under the direction of E.J. Schulte, bought out the two remaining competitors: The Rex and the America. Thusly KHHxid consolidated and with the ability to offer talking movies, Casper’s three thaaXaKS downtown theaters formed a combination that would weather the Great Depression and endure until the closing of the Rex in 1957, These motion-picture �were the surviving links to the city’s first movie theater and^ carried more than on the history of downtown movie entertainment for HKariy thirty years beyond the city’s movie-house heyday. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Walter R. Jones Manuscripts and Other Writings Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Description An account of the resource Manuscript versions of Walter R. Jones's Sand Bar and other pieces of his writing, published or unpublished. Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Walter R. Jones Papers, NCA 01.v.1996.01 US WyCaC. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context NCA 01.v.1996.01 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Early Motion-Picture Theaters in Casper, 1908-1929 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Subject The topic of the resource Casper (inhabited place) Description An account of the resource Article written by Walter R. Jones on the early motion-picture houses in Casper. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Walter R. Jones Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Walter R. Jones Papers, NCA 01.v.1996.01 US WyCaC. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context NCA 01.v.1996.01_Earlymotion-picturetheatersincasper1908-1929 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Extent The size or duration of the resource. 4 pages