Moon Theater facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moon Theater |
|
|---|---|
| Alternative names | Town Theater, Cooper Theater |
| General information | |
| Type | Movie theater |
| Location | Omaha, Nebraska |
| Address | 1410 Douglas |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 41°15′29″N 95°56′02″W / 41.258°N 95.934°W |
| Opened | August 30, 1918 |
| Closed | June 1974 |
| Demolished | 1976 |
| Owner | World Realty Co. |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Harry Lawrie of Fisher & Lawrie |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | 1,600 |
The Moon Theater was a movie theater in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. It was located at 1410 Douglas Street. This theater was famous for showing silent movies when it first opened. It had 1,600 seats, which was a lot for its time! The Moon Theater was built where Omaha's very first movie theater, called the Parlor, used to be. Over the years, the Moon Theater changed its name. It was first called the Town Theater and then later the Cooper Theater. The building was taken down in 1976.
Contents
History of the Moon Theater
Building a New Theater
The Moon Theater was built in 1918 for a company called World Realty Company. It was located right next to another theater, the Rialto Theater. The Moon Theater joined other theaters owned by the same company. These included the Sun Theater and the Muse Theater. Later on, a fourth theater, the World Theater, also became part of their group.
Unique Design and Style
The Moon Theater had a special look called Moorish-style. This design was created by Harry Lawrie, an architect from Omaha. The building was made of brick and steel. Its outside walls were decorated with terra cotta, white tile, and marble. Above the main entrance, there was a huge sign. It was thirty feet tall and showed a picture of a crescent moon. Inside, the theater had beautiful painted pictures. These pictures showed famous places and scenes from U.S. National Parks. Before it opened, the theater's sign played on its name. It announced, "Moon Rises Next Sat Eve, Sessue Hayakawa in Gray Horizons".
Fun Promotions and Name Changes
Once, to promote a movie called The Great Air Robbery, a special car was driven through Omaha's streets. It was an Essex Motors car made to look like a 600-pound airplane bomber. This cool car drove right up to the Moon Theater's entrance!
In 1933, the Moon Theater changed its name to the Town Theater. It started showing both movies and live stage shows. The first stage show under its new name was called Talk o' the Town.
Becoming the Cooper Theater
The theater got a big makeover in 1958. This was done by the Cooper Foundation to prepare it for a special movie system called Cinerama. It then reopened as the Cooper Theater. The first movie shown there was South Pacific. This movie played for a record-breaking 78 weeks! At that time, it was the longest a movie had ever played in one theater. Later, the Cinerama equipment was moved to another new theater. The very last movie shown at the Cooper Theater was Serpico in June 1974. The theater building was torn down in early 1976. Today, the Union Pacific Headquarters building stands on that same spot.
See also
