Diners and Dives
Prints available.
The theatre opened in 1932 as the Osage Theatre seating 642. Located just a few blocks south of the Kirkwood shopping district. The theatre was nothing to brag about as far as décor when it opened, just a single floor theatre.
Arthur Theatres took over the operations in 1968 and completely remodeled it and it became the Kirkwood Cinema. They did a nice job on the remodel redoing the lobby in an Art Moderne style. The auditorium was at that time lined with draperies covering the old bare walls and new seating was installed cutting the seating to 596. Arthur at times ran art films in the Kirkwood Cinema and when the Arthur Chain went out of business the theatre was operated by the Mosely Brothers. They did their best with showing art, revival and later became a discount house. On June 28, 1968 it was renamed Kirkwood Cinema.
They gave it up in 1998 and it was then turned into a children’s theatre for live presentations. It continued to occasionally have programs for children. One of its biggest problems with the theatre in its later life was lack of parking. They had to make arrangements with the Mo. Dot. across the street to use their parking lot in the evenings.
By 2009, it had closed and was converted into office space and housin