Hey Iowa City – Let’s Go To The Movies! Part II.

In an earlier post, we invited you on a road trip to Downtown Iowa City – 1907. There, we covered the story of Iowa City’s first five movie house locations – those theatres that opened in 1907 and 1908.

1. 128 E. Washington – Brown Nickeldom (1907)
2. 111 S. Dubuque – Dreamland (1907), American (1909)
3. 119 E. Washington – Bijou Dream (1907)
4. 215 E. College – Peoples (1908)
5. 120 S. Dubuque – Bijou Vaudeville (1908), Princess (1914)

Here – in Part II – we pick up our journey in 1911 – beginning with Iowa City Movie House Location #6…

In 1911, yet another Iowa City entrepreneur – Fred Dever – opened The Pastime Theatre at 14 S. Dubuque Street. The unique story here was Dever’s invention – The Gold Leaf Curtain – or, as the article (above left) calls it – The Sunshine Curtain. Keep in mind that prior to the ‘Silver Screen’ – which made Hollywood’s projected images come to life – the typical theater screen was nothing more than a sheet of white cloth. But, Iowa City’s own, Fred Dever, came up with his new invention that promised to bring movie images to life, and, beginning in February 1911, his Pastime Theatre on Dubuque Street was the place to see his brainchild at work.

In March, 1911, The Pastime featured the “Greatest Fire Picture Ever Shown”, raising funds for the Iowa City’s Sawyer (Fire) Hose Department. Apparently, a hot movie for one great cause!

By January 1912, Dever had moved his Pastime Theatre to a new location (more on that later), which opened the door for one more entrepreneur – T.A. (Buck) Hanlon…

The December 26, 1911 edition of The Iowa Citizen tells Iowa City that new owner – T.A. Hanlon – will be remodeling The Iowa Theatre.

After Fred Dever left Dubuque Street, T.A. (Buck) Hanlon brought his Iowa Theatre into the open spot at 14 S. Dubuque Street. From all we can tell, pouring money into the Iowa paid good benefits for Hanlon and his wife – including the addition of a brand new $2,000 piano (see story below). Wow!

*On **February 6, 1912**, The Daily Iowan ran a typical movie ad for The Iowa – featuring the tagline “Buck Hanlon Wants To See You At The New Iowa Theatre!”*

Yet, despite his good efforts, city records do indicate that Buck Hanlon and his wife decided to sell out their Iowa Theatre in 1915 (more on that later) – which now brings us back to…

As we briefly mentioned above, in January 1912 (see below left), Fred Dever and his Pastime Theatre relocated from 14 S. Dubuque Street to 205 E. College Street – teaming up with the Dunkel Brothers – Charles F. and Albert C. Dunkel – who, based on the 1908 article (below right), had been developing such an idea for a new theater for some time.

On another post, we introduce you to three generations of the Dunkel family of Iowa City. The third generation Dunkel – Albert C. (or Punch, as he was called) became actively involved in the entertainment business, opening first, in 1905, the Majestic Hall on S. Dubuque Street – which offered both the citizens of Iowa City, and SUI faculty and students, a popular gathering spot for concerts, socials, and dances.

Now located at **205 E. College** – just east of the Dunkel Hotel at 1 E. College – **The Pastime** became an Iowa City classic that remained a popular movie theater well into the 1940’s, when it was renamed **The Capitol Theatre**. For many years, The Dunkel Saloon operated next door to The Pastime – on the corner of Dubuque and College streets – changing into The Dunkel Cigar Store when prohibition hit in the 1920’s.

So, with movies becoming the rage, “Punch” Dunkel soon became the face of The Pastime on College Street, which now sets us up for the big movie house news of 1912…

So, if you’ve been keeping score, we are now five years into our first decade of Iowa City movie houses (1907-1912) with seven different locations with nine different theaters. So now, let’s look at our final four…

As we mentioned earlier, William H. Englert had invested in the Iowa City movie house business in 1911, buying out The Bijou Theatre on Dubuque Street. But, what many didn’t realize at the time – Englert also purchased a large lot in the 200 block of East Washington Street – owned by W.E.C. Foster and housing the three-story Foster & Hess Livery Stable (above left).

*Once Englert owned the lot on Washington Street, the first job was to clear the property.*

In an article in The Daily Press (above right) it was announced that Englert would be constructing a fine “amusement house” that will be built “in twentieth century fashion” – to be completed, hopefully, by 1912.

Owner William H. Englert (above with wife, Etta) was a third generation descendant from the Englert brewing family, and with his brothers, Englert owned and operated the Englert Ice Company. Read more here.

The Englert Theatre – located at 221 E. Washington Street – was constructed at a cost of about $60,000 (equal to $1.5 million today), seated 1,079 patrons, and, when completed, rivaled the finest stage and movie houses throughout the Midwest. Opening on September 26, 1912, the Englert is the lone surviving theater of all those listed on our two movie house pages!

In truth, it was the great success of The Englert that not only put The Coldren Opera House out of business (1912), but also put financial pressure on all of the other Iowa City movie houses we mention on this page.

Over the years, the Englert has served Iowa Citians as both a luxury opera house and a popular movie theater. During the days of vaudeville, national tours made regular stops at the Englert, including those by such notables as Ethel Barrymore, Ed Wynn, Lynn Fontanne, and Sarah Bernhardt. By the 1920’s, early block-buster silent pictures such as The Covered Wagon (1923) and All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) played here and were accompanied by a 60-piece orchestra.

On June 9, 1928, the Englert also hosted Iowa City’s first ‘talkie’ motion picture – The Jazz Singer featuring Al Jolson.

William H. Englert – who sadly died at age 46 in 1920 – was a brilliant businessman, leasing retail spaces on the theater’s first floor to a confectionery and a barbershop, while his family resided on the second floor, with another apartment and sleeping rooms located on the third floor. Read more about William H. Englert here.

A year after William’s death, Etta Englert remarried, at age 38, to barber James J. Hanlon – whose shop was adjacent to the Englert ticket booth. A devastating fire on **Saturday, February 13, 1926** destroyed the original interior of the Englert, but a determined Etta Englert-Hanlon rebuilt the theater at a cost of $125,000 ($1.6 million in today’s dollars).

*Read more about the February 13, 1926 fire here.*

By 1934, the upper floors of The Englert had been converted into apartments, and for many years (1950’s-1990’s) the old lady became just another run-of-the mill movie theater. But, after a historic “Save The Englert” campaign, and the completion of an historic rehabilitation, The Englert Theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 30, 2001 and stands today as one of the iconic buildings of Iowa City. The Englert was – and still is – Iowa City’s finest.

The Paul-Helen Building (see pic above) – 207-215 E. Washington Street – is directly west of the Englert Theatre. It was built around the same time, and is named after the owner’s two children. This massive three-story red-brick building was the home to the Iowa City Gas and Electric Company for decades, and later, to other retail stores. But beginning in 1912, the third floor was the home of the highly-popular Varsity Hall. A dance hall and auditorium, The Varsity offered both live music and movies, and featured Albert C. (Punch) Dunkel’s Orchestra – with Punch’s wife, Emma, playing the piano – despite the fact that she was deaf! BTW – Punch and his band also played for the Englert’s grand opening ceremony (next door) on September 26, 1912. As for the Paul-Helen Building, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 10, 1986.

Across Washington Street from his Englert Theatre, William A. Englert also purchased the Maresh & Holubar Building (see pic above), and in 1915, the young entrepreneur – T.A. (Buck) Hanlon and his wife – rented space from Englert at 212-214 E. Washington Street – opening The Garden Theatre. You might recognize that name of T.A. Hanlon, as he and his wife operated The Iowa Theatre on Dubuque Street back in 1912.

According to articles in Iowa City newspapers, Hanlon – who now is going by the name Archie – and his piano playing wife are a “hustling force in the business and amusement world”, and on May 29th, 1915, The Garden Theatre opened to rave reviews!

It appears that The Garden was a big success – running alongside The Englert until a devastating fire hit the building in the 1930’s.

The buildings that were destroyed in the fire were eventually rebuilt (see below) and in the 1940’s, The Varsity Theatre opened, running successfully into the late 1960’s – as The Astro Theatre.

So now, we come to our final theatre of our Decade of Movie Houses (1907-1917), and appropriately, we end back where we started…

Iowa City’s Movie House Pioneer – Thomas A. (Buster) Brown.

If you recall, Thomas A. Brown opened Iowa City’s first movie house – Brown’s Nickeldom – in 1907, and in 1914, bought The American Theatre as well. And now, here we are again, in 1916, and ‘Buster’ Brown is opening his third investment in the Iowa City movie industry – The Strand Theatre – on the southwest corner of College and Dubuque Street – 129 E. College Street – just across the street from The Pastime.

From everything we read in the April 18th, 1916 article (above) in The Iowa City Citizen, The Strand will be state-of-the-art from top to bottom, with seating for 700+ patrons, and two projectors – so there will be “no tedious waits between reels.”

Here is an article (above) from the August 14th, 1916 Iowa City Citizen that truly shows the promotional side of Buster Brown. With the arrival of the movie Aladdin – The Wonder Worker, The Strand offered free Sho-Gum Chewing Gum, and silverware and other items were auctioned at low prices to all customers! Come one – come all! The Strand continued on successfully all the way into the 1960’s. So, indeed, she was a survivor. Sadly, however, The Strand met her demise when she burned to the ground during the late night hours of February 1, 1968. RIP.

The Strand building on East College Street was host to one of Iowa City’s most popular taverns between 1884 and 1916. Read more about Frank McInnerny’s Saloon here.

So, there you have it – quite the first decade of movie houses in Iowa City, don’t you think?

**1907-1917 –** **One Decade – Thirteen Movie Houses – Eleven Locations – Three Streets…**
1. 128 E. Washington – Brown Nickeldom (1907)
2. 111 S. Dubuque – Dreamland (1907), American (1909)
3. 119 E. Washington – Bijou Dream (1907)
4. 215 E. College – Peoples (1908)
5. 120 S. Dubuque – Bijou Vaudeville (1908), Princess (1914)
6. 14 S. Dubuque – Pastime (1911), Iowa #1 (1912)
7. 205 E. College – Pastime (1912)
8. 221 E. Washington – Englert (1912)
9. 207 E. Washington – Varsity Hall (1912)
**10.** 212-214 E. Washington – Garden (1915)
**11.** 129 E. College – Strand (1916)

*1916 Movie Page (above) features The Strand, The American, & The Princess – the 1918 Movie Page (below middle) features The Strand, The Pastime, & The Englert* – *while the 1921 Movie Page (below bottom) includes those same 3 theatres plus The Garden.*

**The Astro Theatre on Washington Street in the late 1960’s-early 1970’s.**

We shouldn’t close this grand tour of Iowa City Movie Houses without, at least, mentioning the transition that happened in the late 1930’s and after WW II. First, The Iowa Theatre #2 opened in 1937 at 124 S. Dubuque Street, and as we mentioned earlier, The Varsity Theatre replaced the burned out Garden Theatre (1940’s) – becoming The Astro Theatre (see above) in the 1960’s. And don’t forget – The Pastime Theatre became The Capitol Theatre in the 1940’s as well. And then, there was that unique invention that changed America in the 1950’s and ’60’s – The Drive-In Theatre! But, we’ll save that story for another day!

Thanks for visiting our Iowa City Movie Houses – Come back again – real soon!

On July 1, 1976, The Iowa City Press-Citizen published a special 76-page Bicentennial edition. In that edition there were articles and pictures related to stories found on this page. You can read more here.