Thanks for all the updates! A few weeks ago I spoke with the granddaughter of Harry Miller, the original owner. Had a delightful visit and viewed the oldest photo I’ve seen of the theater building.
Wizards was released in Feb of 1977. Crimpers was a hair salon which occupied half of the front portion of the building and part of the upstairs. Crimpers Attic was especially for men who wanted to have their hair styled but didn’t want to be seen in the front window. They had a spiral staircase that went up to the Attic.
There was a Varsity Theatre in Manhattan, Kansas on the west end of Moro Street from 1931 to 1935, which became the Sosna Theatre. There was later a smaller Varsity Theatre 1 ½ blocks east at 1126 Moro. The 1930 date doesn’t match my records on the old Varsity, but the triple windows on the second story do…
Harry Miller built the Miller Theatre in 1926 as a silent movie house. The architect was Henry Winter, a Kansas State graduate. It was, indeed, made in the Egyptian style, with huge murals of desert scenes on the interior walls. It was sold in 1927 to W.R. & Etta Browning. The Brownings changed the name to The Varsity in 1931. A fly gallery was added to accommodate live productions. In 1935 the theatre was purchased by Sam Sosna and the name changed to The Sosna Theatre. In the mid-1950s, the theatre lobby was expanded to include a complete concessions stand and the name was changed to The Campus Theatre. In 1998, Carmike Theatres put the building up for sale. About 6 months later it was purchased by Varney’s Book Store and converted to retail space.
Best wishes,
Dan Walter
www.aggievillearchives.com
www.facebook.com/aggieville.archives
Thanks for all the updates! A few weeks ago I spoke with the granddaughter of Harry Miller, the original owner. Had a delightful visit and viewed the oldest photo I’ve seen of the theater building.
Wizards was released in Feb of 1977. Crimpers was a hair salon which occupied half of the front portion of the building and part of the upstairs. Crimpers Attic was especially for men who wanted to have their hair styled but didn’t want to be seen in the front window. They had a spiral staircase that went up to the Attic.
I stand corrected. The Varsity Theatre showed Dixiana September 17-20, 1930. Thank you!!
There was a Varsity Theatre in Manhattan, Kansas on the west end of Moro Street from 1931 to 1935, which became the Sosna Theatre. There was later a smaller Varsity Theatre 1 ½ blocks east at 1126 Moro. The 1930 date doesn’t match my records on the old Varsity, but the triple windows on the second story do…
Harry Miller built the Miller Theatre in 1926 as a silent movie house. The architect was Henry Winter, a Kansas State graduate. It was, indeed, made in the Egyptian style, with huge murals of desert scenes on the interior walls. It was sold in 1927 to W.R. & Etta Browning. The Brownings changed the name to The Varsity in 1931. A fly gallery was added to accommodate live productions. In 1935 the theatre was purchased by Sam Sosna and the name changed to The Sosna Theatre. In the mid-1950s, the theatre lobby was expanded to include a complete concessions stand and the name was changed to The Campus Theatre. In 1998, Carmike Theatres put the building up for sale. About 6 months later it was purchased by Varney’s Book Store and converted to retail space. Best wishes, Dan Walter www.aggievillearchives.com www.facebook.com/aggieville.archives