Star Theater

Built in 19th Century Des Moines, Marks' Hall was a meeting place that united throngs of Italian immigrants who had come to the city due to jobs offered in Polk County’s coal mines. The Italian Republican Club, Societa Stemma d'Italia, and the Young Progressive Italians were among the groups meeting there. In early-1909, the Marks Building became the latest movie theater in downtown Des Moines.

Proudfoot and Bird were the architects assigned to the Marks' conversion which - not surprisingly - was steeped in Italian flourishes. The foyer was created with large amounts of Italian marble. The walls reflected “Dance of the Ballet” which was a specific form of dance originating within the Italian Renaissance. The management was the same team as the Lyric Theater in town and the Star Theater was considered the sister theater to the Lyric Theater.

The Star Theater launched on June 6, 1909, with vaudeville and films of the Staroscope projector - not to be confused with the identical Lyriorgraph in use at the Lyric Theater. The opening live acts were Mulliken & Rhinehart and Cheers & Jones supported by film shorts. All for a dime. By 1913, the venue had become the “house of features” phasing out most live performances and reducing admission to a nickel with A.H. Blank in charge.

The Star Theater stressed safety saying that they only projected “non-inflammable” films. It also had an escape tunnel for patrons to vamoose. It all sounded a bit iffy on the safety design. The front of the theater featured a creative Des Moines Electric novelty attractor with a skyrocket bursting into stars forming the word, “Theater”.

In February of 1916, the City closed the Star Theater claiming it was a fire hazard. The former Star Theater location was retrofitted for retail operators.

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