Springfield's early movie business began in fits and starts before finally settling in
Identifying the first local theater that showed only films is an issue complicated by time, confusion, and the chaotic nature of Springfield’s early movie business.
Springfield residents may have seen their first “moving picture” Jan. 1-2, 1897, when the Stephenson Post of the Grand Army of the Republic held a fundraiser at the Central Music Hall, a vaudeville venue at Fourth and Jefferson streets.
The show – “Moving pictures – life-size. Most wonderful entertainment ever presented in this city” – was presented via a Magniscope, a device invented by Edward Hill Amet of Waukegan.
Movies gradually became more sophisticated and more frequent over the next two decades. For most of that period, however, local theaters mainly presented vaudeville or burlesque; films were added attractions and sideshows. Saloons, pool halls and amusement parks also sometimes showed movies.
Springfield’s first full-time movie theater probably was the creation of John A. Karzin, a Greek immigrant who previously had opened St. Louis’s first all-movie showplace. His local theater was at 621 E. Washington St., and it took Karzin three tries to get it right.
The first version opened without a name on Aug. 16, 1907.
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The opening day ad promised:
“The World’s Greatest Historeograph. “French colored moving pictures and up-to-date illustrated songs. “High class and refined exhibition for ladies, gentlemen and children. “The best show in the city for the price. Admission only 5c and stay as long as you like.”
The theater got a name – the Great Paris Moving Picture Show – within a month, but the Paris lasted only through the end of the year.
Undaunted, Karzin opened a new showplace at 621 E. Washington in April 1908; the World’s Dream Theatre (named after the cinema Karzin ran in St. Louis) was still mainly a movie venue, but this time Karzin hedged his bets; live local performers took the stage on Mondays, amateur nights.
The World’s Dream, once again, lasted just a few months. Finally, in October 1908, Karzin and a new partner, George Mills, found the right combination and yet another name, the Casino Theatre, for the building at 621 E. Washington St.
Heat from the film projector caused a fire at the Casino only a month after it opened. “Employees of the theatre jumped through windows, and small children were trampled on in a mad rush to escape,” a newspaper story said.
No one was killed or seriously injured, however, and the Casino reopened that December. It stayed in business under several different owners until 1916.
A trade magazine, The Moving Picture World, later described how Karzin’s businesses in Springfield and St. Louis worked together.
“In 1908 Karzin went to Springfield, Ill., opening that city’s first picture theatre at 621 East Washington street, in connection with his St. Louis houses. In those days film exchanges cared little how often a rented film was shown, as long as it was returned within a reasonable length of time.
“John Karzin smiles as he claims he had the world’s long-distance “bicycling” championship. The film he showed in the World’s Dream in St. Louis one day was shown in the Casino in Springfield the day following.”
Karzin returned to St. Louis in 1912. Before he did so, however, he played a supporting role in the careers of two other Springfield movie entrepreneurs.
The success of Karzin’s Casino inspired showman W.W. Watts to re-enter the fledgling movie business in 1908. He eventually owned three of Springfield’s most successful film palaces. And Karzin was Gus Kerasotes’ partner in the 1909 opening of Springfield’s Royal Theatre, the first in what was to become the U.S.’s sixth-largest chain of movie showplaces.
Excerpted from a three-part series about the history of local movie houses published on SangamonLink.org, online encyclopedia of the Sangamon County Historical Society.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield's movie business caught on after three tries, three names
