Hutchison, Kansas
Architect: Killis Almond Associates, Inc., San Antonio, Texas

The Fox Theatre opened June 8, 1931 and was designed and built by the Boller Brothers (Carl Heinrich Boller and Robert Otto Boller). The Bollers we re well known for their “grand movie palaces” across the Midwest. The theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, State of Kansas Register, and is admired as a local landmark. The Fox, a founding member of the Kansas Historic Theatre Association, was named the “State Movie Palace of Kansas” by the State Legislature in 1994.

The Fox Theatre is considered one of the finest examples of art deco architecture in the Central United States. The Fox marquee was the first flashing display of neon in Kansas and is one of only several surviving, functioning, original marquees in the country. This historical theater is an example of the theatrical, a rchitectural details that flourished after the industrial revolution and it reflects the wide use of cast iron as a building material. The restoration of the lobby, the lobby finishes, and the cast iron ticket booth were made possible through the use of the original drawings which had been preserved in a local architect’s o ffice. The ornate elements of the ticket booth were originally carved and sculpted into master patterns then cast in iron with a painted finish. Allen Architectural Metals, Inc. was asked to re-create the cast elements in aluminum, ke eping their original, ornate designs but providing less maintenance of the booth for the owners. The fabricated booth has a gilded gold finish and custom designed, frosted glass windows as specified by the architect. The completed booth sits like a jewel box welcoming patrons to each performance.