Rosendale Theatre

Rosendale, MO 64483

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Joe Vogel on August 17, 2023 at 2:38 am

Here is an item about the first Rosendale Community Theatre, from the January 5, 1918 Moving Picture World:

“Pathe Men Saved the Show at Roesendale. [sic]

“Kansas City, Mo.—The Kansas City Pathe office endeared itself recently to the exhibitors at Roesendale, Mo., as well as to the community. A new house costing about $12,000, owned by the business men of the community, and built as a community center, was about to be opened when it was discovered that there was an operator lacking to run the new power-driven machine. The Pathe office, hearing of this misfortune, sent Morton Van Praag, cashier, and Phillip Smith, bookkeeper, to the rescue. The opening of the big house was accomplished according to the prearranged plans, due to the willingness of the Pathe force.”

Joe Vogel on August 17, 2023 at 2:09 am

In early 1918, several theater industry trade journals, including the January 5 issue of Moving Picture World noted that the new Opera House at Rosendale, Missouri, had recently opened.

The April 12, 1924 issue of The Reel Journal said that “[a] stock company is being organized at Rosendale, Mo., to rebuild the opera house recently destroyed by fire.”

In 1938 and 1939, issues of Boxoffice mentioned an E. L. Lewellyn as a visitor to film row in Kansas City, but never gave the name of Mr. Lewellyn’s theater. The 1938 FDY lists a 400-seat house called the Rosendale Theatre, but it is closed. In 1940, FDY lists the 150-seat Airdome, in 1943 and 1945 a 150-seat house called the Community, and in 1947 and 1950 the Airdome is back again, though with 200 seats in 1947 and 220 in 1950. Small as it was (FDY lists the population as 150) Rosendale had movies at least as late as 1950,even if they were outdoors and probably seasonal.