Talk about movie Theaters

Only four seats left! At 7 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2021, I’ll be talking at the Columbia Public Library about my book “Historic Movie Theaters of Columbia, Missouri.”

Registration and wearing a mask is required. Here’s a link to register. https://events.dbrl.org/event/5813052

But what I really hope I’ll be doing is listening — to your stories about any of the 28 movie theaters that have graced Columbia since the first movie was shown in 1897 at the Haden Opera House.

Haden Opera House, circa 1895. From the book, Columbia Missouri Herald 25th Anniversary, 1870-1895. Collections of the Boone County Historical Society.

That first movie wasn’t much and was simply noted in the newspaper as a moving picture exhibit at the Haden Opera House. Movies back then were novelties and were often only a minute or two with no plot or storyline. Just as movies and movie theaters grew up, so did Columbia.

Come and learn about how entertainment and Columbia have changed since then.

2 Comments Add yours

  1. Prissy Lee says:

    I was born in Boone County Hospital and saw movies at the Uptown & Missouri theaters. Will the Movie Theaters presentation be on zoom? If not, will it be available later for viewing? Thanks, Prissy Lee, Brookfield, CT

    On Thu, Dec 2, 2021 at 4:52 PM CoMo Historic Places wrote:

    > diannaobrien posted: ” Only four seats left! At 7 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2021, > I’ll be talking at the Columbia Public Library about my book “Historic > Movie Theaters of Columbia, Missouri.” But what I really hope I’ll be doing > is listening — to your stories about any of the 28 mov” >

    1. diannaobrien says:

      Thanks for your comment. I’ll check with the library to see if they’ll be recording it for later. By the way, if you’d like, you can buy the book from me personally via my website or the publisher at https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467146401.
      If you have photos of any of the movie theaters, I’d also be delighted to post them, with your permission, on this website. Again, thanks for the comment!

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