Tiger Theatre
109 N. 5th Street,
Columbia,
MO
65201
109 N. 5th Street,
Columbia,
MO
65201
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Frances Theatre, Princess Palm Art, Olde Un Theatre
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Located in downtown Columbia, this opened as the Frances Theatre in 1948. On May 6, 1951, it had become the Tiger Theatre. It was closed in 1955. On January 15, 1959 it reopened as the Princess Palm Art Theatre after some pressure from the University not wanting the name of the theatre being associated with the name of the University mascot. The theatre was playing adult fare at the time and also had an adult video store in the lobby. It was closed in December 1959. The theatre was renamed Olde Un Theatre reopening on August 24, 1972, still operating as an adult movie theatre & bookstore. It closed in the 1970’s. The building was demolished in 1986 and the adult operation moved to E. Walnut Street and is still operating in 2024 (it has its own page on Cinema Treasures).
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
Should be listed as demolished
The 1954 opening of this theater must have been a reopening. Boxoffice of April 17, 1954, had this item, datelined Columbia:[quote]“Insufficient patronage has caused the closing of the Tiger Theatre here. The Columbia Committee on Racial Equality and another group offered to sell subscriptions so that cultural pictures might be brought to Columbia and the theatre continue. The management was unable to secure the desired films.
“At one time the Tiger was known as the Frances Theatre. It was built in 1948 by A.B. Coleman at a cost of $40,000 as a Negro patronage theatre, with a seating capacity of 400. In May 1951 it became known as the Tiger, with a reserved section for Negroes.”[/quote]
Hmm…I don’t know how the Tiger had a video store in the lobby in the ‘70s when video tape and VCRs as a general rule, were not sold much in this country before the mid-1980s!!!
Good point Sam.lol.
The Tiger theatre opened as the “At the new white suburban” theatre on May 6th, 1951, and closed in 1955. It reopened as the Princess Pam art theatre on January 15th, 1959, and closed or stopped placing ads in December 1959. It reopened or placed its first ad as the Old Un showing adult movies on August 24th, 1972. Grand opening ads posted.
Closed May 24th, 1986 as management relocates to its new location.