JO Theatre

205 N. 3rd Street,
St. Joseph, MO 64501

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Dickinson Theatres

Styles: Streamline Moderne

Previous Names: Charwood Theatre, Louis Theatre

Nearby Theaters

JO Theatre

Located on N. 3rd Street and Francis Street. The Charwood Theatre was opened on April 18, 1928 with “Say It with Flowers”. It originally opened with 185 seats. It was renamed Louis Theatre in 1939. It was enlarged and remodelled, reopening on June 26, 1942 with Wayne Morris in “The Smiling Ghost” & William ‘Hopalong Cassidy’ Boyd in “Wide Open Town” and was re-named JO Theatre. Admission in the 1950’s was 25 cents for adults, kids a dime. It was closed on February 12, 1955.

Contributed by MikeRogers

Recent comments (view all 15 comments)

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois
Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on November 26, 2010 at 8:02 am

Open ~1943-~1955? Anyone care to verify the exact dates?

Owned by Dickinson Operating Co, Inc. of Mission, Kansas, Glen W. Dickinson, Jr. President. They had over 30 theaters in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Iowa.

Could use an exact address, more info and photos.

Tp
Tp on December 11, 2011 at 5:53 pm

Grand Opening was Friday 26June1942 The movies were The Smiling Ghost with Wayne Morris,Brenda Marshall + a 2nd movie with WM. Hopalong Cassidy Boyd in Wide Open Town. Admission 15 cents.

Tp
Tp on March 13, 2013 at 2:51 pm

There is now a picture of this Theater at sjml.net46.net/jo2.jpg

Tp
Tp on March 13, 2013 at 2:54 pm

forgot to mention if you have ATT as internet provider you probably wont be able to bring it up.

Tp
Tp on March 21, 2013 at 6:01 pm

i was told if you have at+t as your internet provider they cant get even i have at+t i have to go to local library to get on this site.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on April 25, 2014 at 6:21 pm

St. Joseph Memory Lane gives the address of the Jo Theatre as 124 N. 3rd Street. It also says that the house had been known as the Charwood Theatre and the Louis Theatre. It reopened as the Jo Theatre on June 26, 1942, and its last day of operation was Saturday, February 12, 1955.

I’ve found a single mention of the Charwood Theatre in the trade publications. The Film Daily of May 25, 1933, said that the Charwood Theatre had been transferred from Mrs. Charles T. Phelps to McKinney & McManus. Memory Lane says it was called the Louis Theatre from 1939-1941.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on April 25, 2014 at 8:17 pm

The streamline modern front on the Jo Theatre dated from 1947. The August 8 issue of The Film Daily noted the project in their “About the Trade” column:

“The contract for the in- stallation of a modern theater front for the Jo Theater, St. Joseph, Mo., recently was awarded to the Glaze Construction Co., St. Joseph, by the owners… . William R. Scott manages the theater… .”

Chris1982
Chris1982 on October 15, 2014 at 12:40 am

The Charwood Theatre was first listed as open in 1929 with 185 seats. It was listed as closed in 1932 and reopened in 1933. It was listed as the Louis Theatre in 1940 with seating as 310. It must have gone throu an expansion and remodel. It was listed as the Jo Theatre in 1942 with the 310 seats. by 1947 seating was increased to 510 so the building must have been expanded again and remodeled.

rivest266
rivest266 on September 10, 2020 at 2:46 pm

Opened on June 26th, 1942. Grand opening ad posted.

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on January 8, 2022 at 4:50 pm

The Charwood Theatre opened under operation by Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Phelps on April 18, 1928 with “Say it With Flowers.” An opening address by the city’s mayor, Louis V. Stigall, was followed by a violin solo from Mrs. Paney Phelps Collins. The African American theater also had a tea room in the balcony for daily tea service. The very complete article about the theater said the capacity at opening was 500 (not 185).

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