09/10/2026
THEN & NOW: Rodgers Theatre, Poplar Bluff, Missouri
(1949 & 2025)
When the Rodgers Theatre opened at 204 N. Broadway in downtown Poplar Bluff on June 1, 1949, it wasn’t just another neighborhood movie house. It was promoted as one of the finest and most modern theaters between St. Louis and Memphis. The striking building was designed by St. Louis architect Hugo K. Graf in a late Art Moderne/Art Deco style, complete with sweeping lines, a huge illuminated marquee, colorful vertical panels and the towering red RODGERS sign that quickly became a downtown landmark.
Inside were 1,160 plush red seats, a balcony and even a special “cry room” with soundproof glass where mothers with restless children could still watch the movie without disturbing everyone else. Patrons entered through solid walnut doors into a circular lobby furnished with leather benches. Air conditioning was still enough of a luxury in 1949 that advertisements proudly emphasized that the Rodgers was fully air-conditioned as well as heated.
The first movie was “Red Canyon,” starring Ann Blyth, Howard Duff and George Brent. Around 1,800 people turned out for the opening festivities, which included the Poplar Bluff Municipal Band. Mayor E.W. Robinson participated in the dedication and bought the first ticket. If you look closely at the old photo , the marquee appears to be advertising “COMING SOON — RED CANYON,” meaning the view may date from right around the theater’s grand opening.
The theater was the culmination of decades in the movie business for I.W. Rodgers, who had been operating theaters in Poplar Bluff since 1914. The Rodgers family remained in the local theater business until 1966, when the operation was sold to the Kerasotes chain.
As movie-going changed, so did the Rodgers. The huge auditorium was eventually divided into two screens, but the theater continued showing movies until 1998, when Kerasotes opened a modern multiplex elsewhere in Poplar Bluff. In January 1999, Kerasotes donated the historic building to Butler County rather than see it disappear.
For years the old Rodgers looked tired and its once-brilliant marquee and tower deteriorated. The tower was removed in 2018 as part of a major restoration effort. Then came the turnaround: the tower returned, and by 2023 the marquee had been restored and was glowing over Broadway once again.
By 2025, the Rodgers was no longer simply an abandoned old movie theater waiting for its fate. It was once again being used for movies, concerts and community events, while restoration continued. Events held there in 2025 included classic-film screenings such as Casablanca and Superman, along with live musical performances.
It’s hard to imagine a better comeback for one of southeast Missouri’s great old movie palaces. Then, it was the gleaming new entertainment showcase of Poplar Bluff. Now, more than 75 years later, those red R-O-D-G-E-R-S letters are glowing over Broadway again.
Did you ever see a movie at this historic theater? I did, Titanic and Good Will hunting shortly before it closed in 1998. By then it was rundown but I could still tell it must have been amazing in its day.
🇺🇸National Register of Historic Places: Rodgers Theatre Building — listed July 19, 2001. 🇺🇸
