Warner Theatre

The Warner Theater is a historic Art Deco movie theater at 147 High Street in downtown Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. Opened June 12, 1931, it was designed by architect John Eberson, whose theaters included the since-demolished Colonial and Astor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Calvert in Washington, D.C., and the Capitol in Chicago, Illinois; and the extant Cinema le Grand Rex in Paris, France, the Capitol in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, the Dixie in Staunton, Virginia, and the American in The Bronx, New York City. Built at a cost of $400,000, about $5 million today, it featured a 50-foot vertical marquee illuminated with over 6,000 light bulbs of different colors, though the vertical marquee has since been removed, and many of the original light bulbs on the rest of the marquee were replaced with neon strips.

The Round Table Corporation purchased the theater in 2004 with the intention[1] of restoring it to its original condition, though the originally single-screen theater already became a multiplex in the early 1970s.

After 79 years of business, The Warner Theater closed on September 5, 2010.

Several factors contributed to this closure. One such cause was a growing maintenance backlog. The heating, cooling, and projection systems were in need of replacement. The condition of the roof was also a major issue. Several leaks had caused brickwork to deteriorate as well as moisture and mold issues. Another cause for the closure was financial difficulties. The Warner Theatre struggled to compete with the newer multiplexes in the area. The entrance was boarded up in 2014 after interior damage was caused by vandals. [2] [3]

Don Knotts worked at the Warner Theatre while he was a student at West Virginia University. On March 20, 1964, the Warner Theatre hosted the national premiere of The Incredible Mr. Limpet, a Live-action/animated film featuring actor Don Knotts.

On December 28, 2021, The Dominion Post published an article announcing that The Warner Theater had been purchased by Mark Downs and Rich Brant. The new owners plan to return the venue to a single-bay theater and use the theater to host live performances.[4]

References

  1. ↑ The Warner Theater (2004). "Warner Theater". Archived from the original on March 3, 2007. Retrieved December 9, 2006.
  2. ↑ GRIFFITH, KATIE. "That's All Folks". Morgantown Magazine. New South Media. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  3. ↑ Kasey, Pam. "Warner, the Sequel". Morgantown Magazine. New South Media. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "Warner Theatre owners hope to resurrect downtown's sleeping giant". Dominion Post. 2021-12-28. Retrieved 2022-03-01.

39°37′43″N 79°57′26″W / 39.62859°N 79.95718°W / 39.62859; -79.95718

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