Janet Theatre

6900 W. Florissant Boulevard,
Jennings, MO 63120

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Additional Info

Functions: Auto Repair Shop

Previous Names: Cardinal Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Janet Theater Today (Midas Muffler Shop)

Opened by May 1932 as the Cardinal Theatre. Opened as an independent theatre and small in size with 502 seats. It was located just outside the city limits of St. Louis in Jennings, and was less than a mile away from the bigger Rio Theatre. It was renamed Janet Theatre on April 23, 1938.

Rather plain theatre and located in the middle of the block in a small neighborhood shopping area. Another neighborhood theatre that television took its toll on. They changed their program four times a week with double bills and cartoons and serials between the two features. It was closed May 15, 1955.

Contributed by Charles Van Bibber

Recent comments (view all 9 comments)

DSnow
DSnow on March 27, 2005 at 6:54 pm

Still recognizable as a former cinema, the Janet is now a muffler shop.

JAlex
JAlex on December 26, 2006 at 5:42 am

Indeed, Arthur put no money or time into the Janet—as Arthur had nothing to do with the theatre. Clarence Kaimann and his chain is the correct operator. Theatre closed in May 1955. Structure then used as a church, later a Midas operation.

patrickgenna
patrickgenna on June 26, 2011 at 7:02 pm

Hi Everyone

Regarding the Janet Theatre, (Jennings), this was my childhood theatre between age 9 and 19 years (1952-1963).

Prior to my family’s move to Jennings, we had always lived in the City near Downtown, the West End, North St. Louis near Easton Av. (Sherman Park) and N. Kings highway.

My father and I lived three blocks from The Janet. It was a little and pleasant movie house. It had closed by the time I graduated eight grade and I had moved away after graduating from the closed Corpus Christi High School.

In 2004, I had visited the Midas theatre building and stood in the what was now the bay for installing exhaust systems. The theatre interior was barely recogizable. I was emotionally disappointed.

Yet I can’t seem to remember if it had a vertical sign or a marquee. Can anyone help with this? And thank for the current image of the theatre-turned muffler shop. Does anyone have images of it before its demise?. Please post if you have any images

slussr
slussr on January 23, 2012 at 4:19 am

The Janet theater was not located just inside the city limits of St.Louis , it was located in Jennings , Mo

patrickgenna
patrickgenna on January 23, 2012 at 1:50 pm

Much thanks to slussr. The Janet Theatre now has a photo. As Rich Slusser indicated, its location was in Jennings, north St. Louis County, Missouri. Other theaters nearby were the Rio, (demolished), the Baden, still there but unrecognizable and if you took the bus, there was the Tower(demolished) and the Bremen (still there) theaters near Grand and West Florissant. The Studio Theater in Pine Lawn and the Wellston and Victory theaters in Wellston. Again, thanks for the memories.

patrickgenna
patrickgenna on January 23, 2012 at 2:06 pm

To see the theater as a muffler shop today, go to PHOTOS tab (located above the picture of the former theater) and click on it.

JAlex
JAlex on January 24, 2012 at 9:10 am

Theatre closed May 15, 1955 with double-bill of “The Caine Mutiny” & “On the Waterfront.”

rivest266
rivest266 on February 21, 2016 at 2:39 pm

April 22nd, 1937 grand opening ad in photo section.

JAlex
JAlex on May 18, 2017 at 2:29 pm

Theatre was open as early as May 1932 as the CARDINAL, with a newspaper ad appearing in the Post-Dispatch. Theatre was renamed the JANET and, as such, opened on April 23, 1938. The Arthur chain did not operate this theatre.

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