Mercantile space accommodates theater

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent
With Leonard Cash
 
Historian Leonard Cash continues the history of the Newcastle Mercantile and lots 10 and 11 of block 10 in this week’s installment of “History on Main” by diving into News Letter Journal records that report when the establishment moved off of block 10 to block 6, lot 14 and 15, where the Hardware Hank store was previously located. 
The paper reported on Feb. 13, 1930, that the construction for the new store was “progressing nicely” and expected to be completed by middle of March. The “fine new building” would serve as “wonderful quarters.”
“The week the store opens for business, the News Letter Journal will publish what will probably be the largest edition of this paper printed for several years,” the article says. “The paper will probably run to 20 pages or better and it is planned to print at least 3,000 copies.” 
The paper contained many advertisements from various businesses and professionals in town that wanted to extend their greetings to the mercantile.
According to the June 6, 1930, issue, the “talkies” were coming to Newcastle, referring to a movie theater. Cash wanted to include this information because Castle Theatre eventually opened up in the mercantile building. (The history of the theater can be confusing, Cash said, because there were three different Castle theaters in town. The one we will focus on was opened by O.S. Cleveland).  At the time of this article, it was speculated that three different parties were interested, although the reports were unconfirmed. 
“There is question about the city needing a sound equipped theater and there is every probability that one will be established here before the summer is far advanced,” the article says.
Around July 3, the paper said that local businessman Robert Spurgeon proposed to organize a local stock company to finance the erection of a $20,000 theater. Two weeks later, it was noted that “Newcastle and Weston County investors are urged to respond quickly or they may lose the opportunity to share in a locally financed, owned and operated sound-equipped theater.” 
However, by July 31, 1930, the paper reported that Spurgeon dropped his plans to finance the theater. Other outside interests wanted to operate a theater in town, but due to the lack of a suitable building, it seemed improbable. 
“Unless other private capital sees fit to enter the field, probability of a theater here seems remote,” the article says. 
On Sept. 4, 1930, a news report announced that hope for a theater “before the snow flies” was rekindled once again. The mercantile moved out, and the “recent vacation has prompted an operator from a neighboring city to investigate the possibilities here.” Remodeling and alterations were necessary, but the article noted that “the need for a sound equipped theater here is so apparent…it is believed that some local capitol may be put behind the project.” 
And by Sept. 11, 1930, O.S. Cleveland bought the Newcastle Mercantile building, hoping to have the theater up and running within 60 days. To prepare for the theater, which would seat 350 people, an addition was going to be built on the back to the alley. 
“A theater front will be built into the west room and a modern store front into the east room. The latter will be rented for mercantile purposes,” the article says. “The assurance of a theater in Newcastle is one of the most important announcements made here in a long time.”
The Sept. 25, 1930, issue of the paper reported that detailed plans were in the making, but they were not fully worked out. The theater was going to seat around 350 people, and there was to be a storeroom on the first floor and four apartments on the second, one of which would be occupied by the Clevelands. 
“When the new theater is opened, it will give Newcastle its first ‘talkie’ house and will end a period of over four months during which time Newcastle has been entirely without a theater of any kind,” the article says. 
The theater didn’t open as soon as originally hoped for, but an article from Oct. 2, 1930, assured that it would be up and running shortly after the new year. Dr. Beatty of Butte, Nebraska, was “financially interested in the enterprise” as an associate with Cleveland. Beatty spoke at the Lions Club meeting and told his audience that “no expense is being spared” and a “first class theater in every respect and equipment of the finest and most approved type only will be installed.” 
Another article from the same issue said that workers had officially begun work and had already dismantled the frame rear part of the building, which was formerly the meat department and warehouse of the mercantile. 
According to an article from Jan. 1, 1931, manager Cleveland announced that the “sound-equipped” theater was opening up soon, although an exact date hadn’t been determined yet, until the Jan. 8 paper said that the tentative opening date was set for Jan. 16. 
On Jan. 15, 1931, the paper reported that the theater was opening Friday evening, starring “De Maurice Chevalier in Playboy of Paris.” This marked the first “talkie show” in town in what was the first sound-equipped movie. Chevalier was known as a “French state idol” with a “million dollar smile,” and the featured movie was a comedy. Two evening shows were presented on opening night, starting at 7:30 and 9:15, respectively on Friday. Tickets were 50 cents apiece. On Saturday, one show premiered in the afternoon, and two others were shown in the evening. Tickets for children were only 25 cents.
“Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey the comedy nitwits who starring in the ‘Cuckoos’ will furnish the laughs starting Sunday and running through Monday and Tuesday. Half Shot at Sunrise, ‘a side-splitting’ comedy’ is to feature for (the) three days,” the article says. “A host of other top notch attractions have been booked.” 
The article said that the theater was one that towns even larger Newcastle could be proud of. Cleveland and his associate Dr. Beatty were to be commended for their high type used at the theater.
The theater continued to be an “outstanding” success, according to the Jan. 22, 1931, edition of the News Letter Journal. 
Around July 9, 1931, an improvement to the theater was made to make it even better when a blower ventilation system was installed, “so that a temperature comfortable for patrons can be maintained regardless of outside weather condition.”
Cash will continue his discussion on the Castle Theater in next week’s installment of “History on Main.”