Been a while since we last heard from movie guy extraordinaire Wade Williams….
For years the prolific writer-producer-director-exhibitor shared his views in both news stories and the letters section of the Kansas City Star.
No mas.
“You know, I quit taking the Star after all these years because there’s nothing in it,” Williams says. “You’re not in it – you were fun – there’s no movie reviews worth a (darn) and all the news is a day old. And there’s not much movie news in the entertainment section; everything is about rock or some not very talented band playing at some bar.
“There’s nothing in it but sports and a bunch of ads. And the first thing I do is throw the sports section away and all the ads and then there’s nothing left. I’m not a sports fan and much of the paper deals in every aspect of sports. They don’t have much of a movie section anymore – they pick up syndicated reviews and have a couple of local freelancers.
Does Williams miss reading the Star?
“Yes, I do,” he says after hesitating. “I miss coming in and sitting down in a chair and reading the paper – but not enough to spend 100 bucks to get it back. I miss the way it used to be.”
His advice to the powers-that-be at 1`8th and grand: Act your age.
“Most of the people they’re trying to appeal to in the entertainment section don’t take the paper,” he says. “I think if they would concentrate more on movies and other things their readers care about instead of rock bands, they’d be better off.”
Williams is best known locally for resurrecting and restoring historic movie theaters like The Leawood at 95th and Mission, The Englewood in Independence and Overland Park’s Rio and Glenwood Arts theaters.
The latter is on the endangered species list after word that new owners plan to raze the Metcalf South Shopping Center, where the Glenwood is located.
Should that go down, “I think we’ll probably just move all of the arts stuff over to The Leawood,” Williams says. “I own the Glenwood sign, so we’re planning on taking it out to the Englewood at Winner Road and Sterling in Independence. And Acme Sign will convert it to read Englewood – it’s a pretty simple process – just add or switch a few letters. That’s what should happen.”
But why not keep the Glenwood near its historic, original home and move the sign to Williams’ Ranch Mart location?
“Are you kidding?” he quips. “They won’t let you do anything in Leawood.”
As for razing Metcalf South, “I wish they would just redo the facade on the Metcalf side like they did at Ranch Mart and put in some pad sites,” Williams says. “It’s really not a big enough area to build a new mall.”
Aztec / Fine Arts
Should the Glenwood Arts go bye-bye, Williams would take another look at the long-stalled, former Aztec movie theater in downtown Shawnee.
“We finished the exterior of the Aztec, it’s beautiful on the outside,” Williams says. “And we’d probably finish the interior and call it The Fine Arts. It was a silent movie theater in 1926. You know, I invested a fortune out there in Shawnee and the building code has changed, but I would like to finish that theater because with the Rio, that would give us two historic theaters. I would like to have it operate and be the jewel of Shawnee.”
Williams purchased the Fine Arts marquee from the small movie theater in Abilene, Kansas, the hometown of World War II hero and former president Dwight D. Eisenhower.
“It’s the most beautiful marquee I’ve ever seen on a small town movie theater,” Williams says. “Eisenhower used to go there.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower
In his porcelain youth
Emphasis on the word, “go.”
“They tried to sell me the urinal in the men’s room that Eisenhower had used,” Williams says. “I probably would have taken it if it had been an easy removal, but it was poured into the concrete and we probably would have broken the porcelain.”
And while that odd bit of history somehow got away, the theater’s “Mens” sign over the bathroom – that the former president undoubtedly passed under however many times – is proudly on display in the lobby of the Rio outside its men’s room.
Williams is a cool guy…has all those thousands of old sci fi movies….
he’s trying everything to keep these art treasures alive..
but cities are fighting him….and redevelopers could care less.
One of the cool guys in kc who has a understanding of real art….
and yes hearne…I agree with him…when he talks about YOU:
“You’re not in it – you were fun
I grew up going to the Glenwood when they still had the motor hotel there and there was not much else on that section of Metcalf besides the Bud Brown dealership across the street. When the Glenwood had finally seen it’s last flicker of light, I was glad someone came in to the save the sign. It was iconic and had some nostalgic value for me for years, even in its present location. But the more I drive by it now, the less regard I have for it. Just seems like an old relic to me now. I won’t be sorry to see it go.
Metcalf South has seen it’s better days, too. Between the two sites those developers bought, that’s a lot of real estate that has been vacant and depressing for years – pad sites included. Time for a change and no façade redo is going to help.
The Englewood has been closed for years.
They have been working on collecting some flood insurance and appear to be close to reopening it though
I frequent Winner Road, and a few of the shops there.
They’ve been ‘close to opening’ for 2 or 3 years now.
I wish they’d hurry!
Interesting.
Abilene is a beautiful little town. Great day trip.