10/06/2026
For the month of October, we will be displaying part of the ‘Miss Bish’ collection from Legacy of the Plains. This collection includes dresses sewn and worn by Hubert ‘Mish Bish’ Bishop himself, who we are proud to recognize as the Midwest Theater’s resident ghost.
“When Hubert Clair Bishop was born on Aug. 6, 1890, in Aurora, Nebraska, his parents never imagined he would become a household name in Scottsbluff.
Bishop was the eldest son of Annabel Myers Bishop and Seymour D. Bishop. Some time before Annabel and Hubert moved to Scottsbluff in 1916, Annabel became a widow. Census records lead to confusing information about the number of siblings Bishop had, varying from one to four, but his World War I draft registration form lists a need to take care of his mother and sister as why he should remain in America and not fight in the war.
According to records at the Legacy of the Plains museum, Bishop worked for the Fliesbach Store, McCreary Brothers and the Parisian Dress Shop from about 1928 to 1940. Bishop and his mother operated the Bishop Drapery Service at 110 E. 22nd St. in Scottsbluff.
“He worked in his mom’s drapery shop and picked up his sewing skills from her,” said Amanda Gibbs, archivist at the Legacy of the Plains museum.
Bishop’s claim to fame in town, however, was as a female impersonator, Miss Clair Bish. In Scottsbluff, he wore costume gowns he made and sang in many theatricals and church plays. According to documents at the Legacy of the Plains museum, “He sang in a lovely lady’s voice. His costume included a brown wig, jewelry accents, hair combs and fancy elegant gowns.”
In the Oct. 29, 2009 edition of the Gering Courier, the article “Wanna Hear Some Ghost Stories?” claimed that several local residents believe Bishop’s spirit still lingers in the Midwest Theater. Over the years, moviegoers and staff alike have shared accounts of unexplained happenings they attribute to Miss Bish.
According to the article, Miss Bish has been identified as a, “spirit of a man wearing a red boa and a tiara who resides in the south stairwell of the theater.”
North, Irene. “From the Archives: The Story of The Great Miss Bish.” AP News, 17 Feb. 2017
