Two
Theaters That Never Were
Elaborate
plans were drawn up for two Helena movie houses which were never
built. Plans for a large theatre on the 300 block of N. Main
St. were announced in 1941, and again 1946.
In 1955,
a design was made public for a new indoor theatre adjacent to
the Sunset Drive-in Theatre on Helena's north side.
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Proposed
Theater for the 300 Block of N. Main St., 1941
Wyoming
architect Wayne F. Owens' August 1941 drawing of the Fox Intermountain
Theatre Corporation's proposed 1,200-seat venue for the 300 block of N.
Main St. It was to be named the Treasure State Theater. Ground was never broken on the project.
In January
of 1946, the building of a theatre with a similar design at
the same location was announced by Jack Edwards of the Treasure
State Amusement Company. Edwards was a former theatre manager,
who at the time of the announcement was leasing the Wishbone
Cafe at 330 N. Main. The venue, which would have been directly
across the street from the Rio Theatre, was never built. It was to be designed by Missoula architect Henry Elmer "Kirk" Kirkemo.
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The
Proposed Brand Theatre, 1955
The proposed
Brand Theatre, 1955. Sunset Drive-in Theatre owner E. R. "Chub"
Munger and associates planned to construct this 850-seat venue
adjacent to the Sunset. Considering how utterly charmless the
design is, it may be just as well that it was never built.
Munger eventually leased property for an indoor theater next to the Sunset. The Circus Twin opened in 1972, closing in 2005.
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