Gillioz Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Gillioz Theater
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The newly renovated Gillioz Theatre in the Park Central East Street and the neighboring Fine Arts Building
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 Location in Missouri
Location in the United States
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| Location | 325 Park Central E., Springfield, Missouri |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1926 |
| Architect | Larsen, L.P.; Jacobs, Fred |
| Architectural style | Mission/spanish Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 91000887 |
| Added to NRHP | July 9, 1991 |
The Gillioz Theatre is a historic building located in Springfield, Missouri. It was built by M. E. Gillioz from Monett, Missouri. Mr. Gillioz was known for building bridges. Because of this, the theatre was constructed using strong steel and concrete. Only a small amount of wood was used for things like handrails and doors. The original cost to build this amazing theatre was $300,000. Later, it cost about $1.9 million to fix it up.
The Gillioz Theatre first opened its doors on October 11, 1926. Mr. Gillioz made sure the theatre was close to U.S. Route 66. This famous highway helped bring many visitors to the theatre. After many years of shows, both good and tough, the "Gillioz, Theatre Beautiful" closed in the summer of 1980. Its last performance was an opera.
About the Gillioz Theatre
The Gillioz Theatre was built to show different kinds of entertainment. It had a special Wurlitzer pipe organ for silent movies. It also had a stage for live shows, like vaudeville acts. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment with many different acts. These acts included comedians, singers, dancers, and magicians.
The Wurlitzer Organ
The pipe organ was a Wurlitzer's opus 1411 Style D. This organ had two keyboards and six sets of pipes. It also had special sound effects. The organ was sold in 1980 when the theatre closed. It is now owned by a private collector. In 1928, a sound system was added for "talkies." Talkies were movies that had sound and dialogue.
What Happens There Now?
Today, the Gillioz Theatre is mostly a place for concerts. It hosts many famous performers. Some of these include Dave Chappelle, Elvis Costello, George Clinton, and Kacey Musgraves. The theatre can hold about 1,300 people for general admission shows. For shows with reserved seats, it can hold 1,015 people.
The Gillioz Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. This means it is a very important historical building. It is also part of the Springfield Public Square Historic District.
Movie Premieres at the Gillioz
The Gillioz Theatre was a special place for movies. It hosted the first showings, or premieres, of three films:
- 1938 January 14: “Swing Your Lady” starring Humphrey Bogart and Penny Singleton.
- 1952 June 6: “The Winning Team" with Ronald Reagan.
- 1952 July 4: “She’s Working Her Way Through College,” also starring Ronald Reagan.
Interesting Stories and Legends
Many interesting stories are told about the Gillioz Theatre.
Elvis Presley's Visit
One famous story is about Elvis Presley. He spent an afternoon watching a movie at the Gillioz. This was after he finished sound checks for his evening show. His show was at the nearby Shrine Mosque.
Is the Theatre Haunted?
People often ask if the old theatre is haunted. There was a sad event on New Year's Eve in 1962. The projectionist, who ran the movie projector, passed away at his post. This happened just before a midnight movie was supposed to start. Because of this, the theatre is a popular spot for people who investigate paranormal activity.
Restoring the Gillioz Theatre
The Gillioz Theatre is now managed by the Gillioz Center For Arts & Entertainment. This is a non-profit group. Their goal is to keep the theatre special. They also want to improve life for people in the Ozarks area. They do this by offering music, comedy, movies, and educational events.
The Renovation Project
Restoration work on the theatre started in 1990. It was finished in 2006. The lobby and the main auditorium were made to look just like they did in 1926. The theatre is still listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Eighty years after it first opened, the Gillioz had a grand reopening in October 2006. This event was called Encore 2006. Since then, the historic Gillioz has become very popular again. It has been named a top event venue by local magazines and newspapers. In 2017, the Academy of Country Music named the Gillioz one of the top five event venues with under 4,000 seats. Other famous venues on this list included the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Ronald and Nancy Reagan Center
The Gillioz Theatre and the Jim D. Morris Building are together known as the Ronald and Nancy Reagan Center. The Gillioz Theatre was chosen for this name because of Ronald Reagan's connection to movies and theatre. He starred in two movie premieres at the Gillioz.
