Landers Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Landers Theatre
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Missouri
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| Location | Springfield, Missouri |
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| Built | 1909 |
| Architect | Carl Boller |
| Architectural style | neoclassical |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000806 |
| Added to NRHP | August 12, 1977 |
The Landers Theatre in Springfield, Missouri, built in 1909, is a very old and important theater. It's the second oldest and largest theater still running in Missouri! Since it opened, it has always been used for live shows or movies.
In 1928, the Landers Theatre became one of the first theaters in the world to show movies with sound. It was designed by architects Carl Boller and Brother. They worked with local architects Hickenlively and Mark. The building has a beautiful French-influenced style called Neoclassical. You can find it in the Walnut Street Commercial Historic District.
A Look at Its History and Design
The Landers Theatre is special because much of its structure is made of wood. This was unusual for theaters built at that time. Most theaters used steel and cast iron. The original owner, D.J. Landers, was in the lumber business. This might explain why so much wood was used.
The front of the theater is made of Missouri limestone pillars. It also has fancy decorations called terra cotta cornices and parapets. The spaces between these decorations are filled with brick.
Changes Over the Years
A big fire happened in 1920. It completely burned the stage area. Luckily, the rest of the theater was saved by a special fireproof curtain. After the fire, some parts of the theater were changed. The area where the orchestra played was moved. The special box seats were also made higher.
Heavy, clear beams were put in to support the balconies. This meant old columns were no longer needed. Also, separate entrances and ticket booths that were once used for different groups of people were removed. This made the theater more welcoming for everyone.
A TV Star
From March to September in 1961, something exciting happened at the Landers Theatre. A live country music TV show called Five Star Jubilee was broadcast from there. It aired on NBC-TV every Friday night. This show was the first network color television series ever to be filmed outside of New York City or Hollywood! Even with the TV show, new movies were still shown on the other nights of the week.
Landers Theatre Today
The Landers Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It was recognized for its well-preserved Baroque Renaissance and Napoleon architectural style. Over the years, many big projects have been done to restore the theater. These restoration efforts have even won awards from the American Institute of Architects.
Today, the Landers Theatre is the home of the Springfield Little Theatre. This group puts on many wonderful shows for the community.
