Teatro Tampico

813 W. 39th Street,
Kansas City, MO 64111

Unfavorite No one has favorited this theater yet

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Fox Circuit

Previous Names: Spillane Theatre, Roanoke Theatre, Teatro Tampico

Nearby Theaters

Roanoke Theater in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Roanoke Theatre was opened on January 26, 1913 with Clara Kimball Young in “The Little Minister”. By February 1918 it had been rebuilt and renamed Spillane Theatre. By 1924 it had been renamed Roanoke Theatre. It was another small neighborhood theatre located on Summit Street at W. 39th Street. It was just a short distance from the Vogue Theatre on Broadway. The Roanoke Theatre was still open in 1943, but on July 25, 1946 it was operating as the Teatro Tampico screening Mexican movies. It closed in 1968 and has since been demolished.

Contributed by Chuck

Recent comments (view all 10 comments)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on November 23, 2011 at 4:29 am

The Roanoke Theatre at 39th and Summit Streets was mentioned in the February 16, 1924, issue of The Reel Journal. The house had just been purchased by L. J. Lenhart, formerly of the Gladstone Theatre. Mr.Lenhart planned to expand the Roanoke by about 200 seats, remodel the front, and redecorate throughout.

Mike Gallagher
Mike Gallagher on December 16, 2014 at 7:58 am

Did the Roanoke Theater become the Glen Theater or was that another one?

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on December 16, 2014 at 12:29 pm

The Westport Theatre became the Glen, according to our Glen page.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on December 16, 2014 at 3:49 pm

The autumn, 2009, issue of the Jackson County Historical Society’s quarterly had an article about Kansas City’s neighborhood theaters, and had this to say about the Roanoke:

“Little has been found about the Roanoke Theater. It was in operation as the Spillane by November 1918. By 1924, it was the Roanoke; it appears to have closed by May 1929, but was in operation again by September 1930 and was operating in 1937 as part of the Fox chain.”
This item from the November 3, 1917, issue of The Moving Picture World indicates that the house had not yet been built then:
“KANSAS CITY. MO. — Tim Spillane, 832 Reserve Bank building, has temporarily abandoned plan to erect theater at 39th and Summit streets, to cost $40,000.”
November, 1918, is the earliest mention I’ve found in the trades of the Spillane Theatre being in operation.

midtown_kc
midtown_kc on September 8, 2015 at 9:41 am

I believe the address for the Roanoke Theatre would have been 811 or 813 West 39th Street. It is now a parking lot. In the picture, there is a building on the left and a house on the right that are still there. Here is a little better picture …. http://kcur.org/post/walk-down-midtowns-memory-lane-these-historic-kansas-city-photos

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on September 8, 2015 at 1:18 pm

Midtown_kc is correct. The description of this folder of 1940 tax assessment photos (including the one depicting the theater above) says that the Roanoke Theatre was at 813 East 39th Street (it should actually be West 39th, though.)

Texas2step
Texas2step on September 13, 2016 at 3:31 pm

813 West 39th Street is the correct address. The Roanoke Theatre became the Tampico Theatre in the late 1940s. The Tampico Theatre showed Mexican motion pictures.

The Tampico Theatre listing should be merged with this page.

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/9250

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on April 22, 2018 at 6:30 pm

If the Spillane Theatre was indeed newly built around 1918, then it had a predecessor that was called the Roanoke Theatre earlier. The Roanoke Theatre was listed at 39th and Summit streets inthe 1914-1915 edition of The American Motion Picture Directory.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 5, 2018 at 9:38 am

Este reabrió como el teatro de Tampico el 25 de julio de 1946. Anuncio de inauguración en la sección de fotos.

This reopened as the Tampico theatre on July 25th, 1946. Grand opening ad in the photo section.

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on November 29, 2020 at 6:20 pm

The Roanoke Theater opened January 26, 1913 with “The Little Minister.” After a refresh, it relaunched as the Spillane Theater with Douglas Fairbanks in “Flirting with Fate” and Charlie Chaplin’ in “The Champion” on September 7, 1918. On September 4, 1921, it reverted to the Roanoke moniker. The theater was wired die sound to stay relevant. As Teatro de Tampico, the venue closed with Fernando Fernandez in “Frontera Norte” on May 12, 1955. It then was offered for sale and became a financial agency.

You must login before making a comment.

New Comment

Subscribe Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.