And here we have the memory, plus her early programs and newspaper clippings, of Elfriede Rowe, to thank for filling in certain gaps of Lawrence theatre history, not known to exist elsewhere. The New Vaudeville Theatre opened January 9, 1914, featuring latest selections by it five-piece orchestra accompanying the show and advertised as follows:

Act I, Murphy’s Educated Dogs in “A Night in Dayton.” Three dogs perform entirely alone on the stage. (Special scenery comes with the act.) Act II, Brandon and Dun in a Great Riot of Singing, Dancing and Talking. Act III, Skinny Lamont, the Blackface Comedian Hairpin. Act IV, the Great Warner feature Motion Picture, “ A Leaf in the Story,” in three parts (we assume this meant three reels) featuring Marion Leonard, the Great Emotional actress. A big up to date show at popular prices. Shows every night at 7:30 and 9:00 o’clock, $.10 and $.20 night prices.

While having no problems with the student body at the University, with the new Vaudeville house soon became persona non grata with some of its administrators. Comments were heard as: “Such entertainment should be limited to Kansas City. It is certainly not suited for a college town.” Suffice it to say, this was good news for Kansas City’s burlesque theatres, if not for the local more seadate bill of fare.

This simply was not considered proper entertainment for college students. A few years ahead of its time perhaps. Beer drinking and cohabitation weren’t to come till the seventies, as condoned by the University.

Lee Cohn sold out to L.L. (Lloyd) Ware, who re-opened the theatre as The Varsity, a motion picture house. Mr. Ware had married the attractive sister of N.H. Gibbons, manager of the Aurora theatre, and the Kansas City family’s money once more ventured into Lawrence show business. The seven hundred twenty five seat theatre was only eclipsed in size by the Bowersock Opera House. On May 4, 1915, the Varsity was showing well known stage play, “Graustark” , made into a movie starring the matinee idol, Francis X. Bushman.

A few days later, on May 21rst, a fire broke out in the area of the stage scenery and nearly destroyed the building. Mr. Ware had it completely restored. The Varsity, not by any means devalued by its location, continued as a popular spot for townspeople as well as the student patronage.

The Varsity’s next newsworthy event of importance came in 1926 when it was remodeled and enlarged to include a balcony and loges, which swelled the seating capacity to one thousand and twenty- five thus becoming Lawrence’s largest theatre by the margin of twenty-five chairs.

For well into the era of sound pictures, a silent movie held the house record in Lawrence for both attendance figures and gross revenue for a week’s run. The first version of “Ben Hur,” featuring the screen idol, Ramon Navarro, in 1927, extended all superlatives for records at the Varsity Theatre. Advance national publicity had turned the trick, along with the navarro’s burgeoning popularity.

The Monday matinee opening found a line of patrons two deep extending north, then west around the Masonic Temple to the alley. This line held almost steady for the continuous matinee to night performances. The admission price was fifty with, of course no federal exercise or other tax in those times. Silver half dollars and, of course, paper dollars were shoved through the window slot of the box office for tickets. The paper bulk became so great that the cashier was locked in her cubicle and literally stood kneedeep in greenbacks she merely raked in, not having the space or time to do otherwise, until relived for a rest or meal break.

The Varsity was unique in that it had only theatre pipe organ town, a Reuter from Lawrence’s own pipe organ factory. Installed during the remodeling in 1926, it cued the silent pictures until sound came, and then was used for soloing as a special attraction on occasion. Outstanding organists over the nineteen twenties and early thirties, when the organ was moved to the new Dickinson to augment the screen programs and possibly to combat the loss of patrons to the new Patee, included Arlo Hults, lawyer Don Hults’ older brother, Marcibilla Weber, Ken Griffith, Cubby Baer and Jerry Baker. The last three were able to use their talents to heighten their values as theatre managers.

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As mentioned elsewhere, the Bowersock, of course, in March of 1927, became the first Lawrence theatre to be adapted for sound pictures. The Varsity, also under Dickinson management, wasn’t far behind. It, too, received its conversion to talkies when April 22, it followed its sister house. The initial program heralded Al Jolson’s “The Jazz Singer.”

Lawrence theatres over the years have logically been, on occasion, places where large groups could assemble for other purposes than entertainment. This was partially due to the few available facilities of size, but more especially to the civic pride and sense of responsibility by the management. Churches have been the beneficiaries many times when their buildings were damaged or destroyed by fire.

Harold Allen recounts that the congregation of his family, at the First Presbyterian Church held services at the Varsity Theatre in 1929, when fire damage drove them from their edifice at the Ninth and Vermont Street. Not having a regular minister at the time, Mr. Allen recalls that Professor Raymond Schwegeler conducted the services.

From this writer’s personal experience, it is remembered that the janitor would be up early Sunday morning after a Saturday night show, cleaning out the popcorn boxes, candy wrappers and other debris, in preparation for the worshipper’s arrival. The summer of 1930 became noteworthy for the Varsity as the only operating theatre in Lawrence. As partially noted elsewhere, when both Bowersock and Patee were in the throes of remodeling.

The Varsity was to have its name changed to the Dickinson, along with a major redecorating project. After its extensive interior fire on Saturday night, July 12, before renovation had barely commenced, this setback naturally enlarged the project to include a complete redoing of the interior.

Ironically, Lawrencians were soon to have their theatre appetites satiated, when September brought not only the newly remodeled Dickinson, but also the shiny new Commonwealth Patee, complete with talkies, and not to be outdone, the reopened Orpheum, now wired for sound.

Finally, the endurable Varsity Theatre was to have its second renovation in 1966, when the interior as well as the front received a thorough doctoring, including a new canopy and, for the first time, a large sign, plus refrigerated air conditioning.

In 1979 the Varsity, Lawrence’s oldest operating theatre, continues to serve the regulars plus KU’s great grandchildren of those who first entered its portals in 1913.