Known Years of Operation

Jul 16, 1916 - Mar 7, 1919

Number of Seats

NA

Owner/Managers

Mr. and Mrs. George Brinn

Additional Facts

  • Even after the Gem theater was sold in 1918, it remained open with it appearing on a Fire Insurance map from in November 1921 that is referenced below. However a Fire insurance Map from after 1921 shows that the Gem Theater had been replaced by a Hall.

The gem theater had a slogan that appeared in multiple editions of the St. Helens Mist that went "now what do you think about that".  Advertising through the St. Helens Mist was the primary way of marketing for the Gem Theater.  For example, they would advertise a week of motion pictures and comedy shows.  For example, the Gem theater management had a special attraction for Charlie Chaplin night, which features a show and a motion picture.  In 1916, there was only one theater in town still in operation and that was the Gem theater.  Other small theaters had burned down in previous years and the main competitor of the gem theater was the LIberty Theater which opened on March 21st, 1918 and the owners bought the gem theater the following year.