William Englert died in the family’s second-floor apartment in 1920 at the age of 46. In 1926, the theater was destroyed by a massive fire that caused $125,000 in damage. Etta Englert and her new husband, James Hanlon rebuilt the showplace and ran it in partnership with A.H. Blank, a DesMoines theater mogul who operated Central States Theaters in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1999, after a decade when downtown theaters had closed around the country,
The Englert Theater as it looked circa 1912.
The Englert Theater is open again in Iowa City thanks to the work of scores of citizens. The showplace has been a destination for theater-goers since 1912.
Beautiful Englert entertains thousands since 1912
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A Guide For Newbies and Out-Of-Staters.
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On September 26, 1912, one of the state’s most beautiful theaters – and a prime example of an era when movie houses were palaces of entertainment – opened its doors in Iowa City. The Englert Theatre was built by William and Etta Englert and hosted its first show on September 26, 1912; it played an important role in the evolution of downtown Iowa City as an important cultural Mecca; the theater took the place of a livery stable.
The theater, with its 1071 seats, packed in customers with regular Vaudeville touring acts and movies. The Englert also possessed a state-of-the-art three-reel projection system making it a primary destination for the movie loving public.
the Englert was slated for closure and plans were made to convert the building into a nightclub. However, a group of concerned citizens convinced the city council to save the building by temporarily buying it to allow a non-profit group time to raise money to save it.
People and businesses across eastern Iowa – and particularly in the Iowa City area – contributed money to allow for the Englert’s restoration. In December, 2004, the Englert reopened and hosted a live performance for the first time in six decades. In a short period it’s hosted an eclectic group of performers include Leo Kottke, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and Greg Brown. The theater regularly showcases local performers and devotes gallery space on the second floor to highlight the work of local visual artists.
Information about the theater’s schedule is available at http://www.englert.org/