Sale of Roland Building Stirs Memories of Theater’s Heyday
The news that the Roland Theater building had been sold recently stirred a lot of memories in the minds of the older Marion citizens, for that was the place the fellows took their girls and where pa took ma and ma took the kids.
C.F. Roland built the theater and named it for himself in 1906. Activities, however, really started one day when a man, his wife and small son came to town to play an engagement in the old Opera House. The Opera House was then located in a second story room at 400 North Market. This building was damaged by fire several years later and was rebuilt into a one story structure. Until recently, it was occupied by the Daniel Food Store.
The family, E.E. Clark, wife, and son, were scheduled to give a three day performance, but in the interest of their son, the family decided to make Marion their home. They were offered the management of the Roland Theater and accepted.
The Clarks managed the theater, and later the old Opera House, for 12 years until the urge for more work in road shows overtook them and they left Marion again for two years. E.E. Clark died several years ago, the son, Edgar, a successful business executive is married and lives in Ohio, but Mrs. Clark, is still living in Marion in the same apartment the Clarks occupied 43 years ago at 214 ½ N. Market St.
When the sale of the Roland building was announced, Mrs. Clark at the request of a reporter, recalled many incidents in its history, like the time when she and her husband were trying to obtain the contract for the showing of “The Birth of a Nation.”
At the time when the movie was being distributed, every theater in the country was clamoring to show it. The Clark’s wanted it just as badly as anyone, but after several weeks of correspondence, it looked as if the Marion theatergoers would have to go elsewhere to see it.
Clark finally gave up the project and took a group of stock players to St. Louis for an engagement. Soon after he left, word reached Mrs. Clark that the contract for “Birth of a Nation” was on the way.
Encouraged by her husband over the telephone from St. Louis, Mrs. Clark started activities promoting the picture.
The film had been shown the previous week at Jefferson City, Mo., for box office receipts of $1,500, a sum considered enormous for one week’s showing in those days.
Advance ticket sales for the Marion showing was tremendous. People from the farms and outlying districts were anxious to see the film.
But on the day of the showing, Mrs. Clark said, one of the worst electrical storms Marion had ever seen hit the city and lasted for two days. Ticket holders started cancelling. The man who had brought the film to Marion was swearing that Marion was the worse town for a theater he had ever seen. Mrs. Clark was worried, but the storm finally quit.
The picture took in $1,700 during the remainder of the week. The film man uttered his apologies.
Many of Marion’s townspeople who were around during the Roland Theater days will remember some of the names of the stock players and the amateur entertainers who played in the Marion stock company.
Mrs. Clark recalled Bill McLaren, Harry Bracy, Leo Holliday, Lee and Dee Absher, and Charles McAllister as some of the Marion men who had a part in the theater’s activities.
Fred Peebles and L.C. Raybourn played in the orchestra at the old Opera House.
Brooks Warren and his sister, Hazel, used to sing on amateur nights at the Roland Theater and Mrs. Clark said the two were considered quite accomplished.
Vera Abney played the piano and sang illustrated songs at the old Opera House. Inez Davis also played the piano.
Mrs. Clark was a dancer who performed her version of the Butterfly Dance and fancy character dancing that pleased crowds from all over this section of Illinois.
Active about the Roland was Waddie Campbell, Mrs. Clark’s brother. Waddie, who now runs a diner on West Main Street, was once a barker and did street advertising. Many were the nights, Waddie said, when he would be out in front of the Roland yelling his lungs out telling what was showing in the theater.
From 1919, when the Clarks left, until its eventual closing sometime in 1929, the Roland had many managers. It was finally purchased by Louis Moroni. Moroni tried to put the theater on a sound basis, but after the Orpheum Theater was built in the early 20’s, the Roland lost money.
Probably the last show that played in the theater was a film sponsored by the American Legion, showing the history of the 33rd Division of World War I. That was April 15, 1929. Actually, it passed out of business as a theater in 1925, but occasionally, a local group would sponsor a movie or show and the doors would be open again for a while.
The Roland is dead, and not likely to be reborn again as a theater. Pigeons make it their home now. The seats are all gone, and the stage is covered with dust. The stairs are too old to be trusted. At one time hoboes made the theater their winter home, but they too have given it up. Only the ground business rooms have been occupied in recent years.
The new owner of the building, Dr. W.E. Williams, plans extensive improvements but revival of the theater is not included in his plans.
++++++++++++++++++++++
For more information, see the post, Roland Theater.
(Marion Daily Republican article written by John DeLeonardo, November 16, 1950)