The Gem Theater

119 South 3rd Street East 

The Gem TheaterThe Gem Theater opened on Thanksgiving weekend, 1950. The Gem was a very modern theater for its time and boasted the highest quality in luxury seating, equipment, and design. The first showing included a newsreel, a short, and "Pretty Baby" starring Dennis Morgan & Betsy Drake was the first full length film.

The owners of the Gem, Tom and Winifred Knight, strove to use local labor and supplies in the construction of the theater. It was designed and built by Jack Heppe and Roscoe Butler, with all of the subcontracting done locally. At the end of 2002, the theater closed for 7 months to expand and remodel. Once again keeping the work in the community, ninety percent of the contractors came from Fremont County. The theater reopened in 2003 with more seating and remains open and in use today.

Tidbit:

  • Tom Knight also owned two other theaters in town: The Knight Drive-in and the Acme Theater. Additionally, Knight served as an aviator, an emergency volunteer, a mason, and as both the Fire Chief and Mayor.

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