"From Hopalong Cassidy at the Virginian to Sunday nights at the Cavalier Cafe: How the West won St. Charles."

 

The Saddle & The Screen: When the West Came to St. Charles

By Jerry Buchanan


Long before Matt Dillon and the Cartwrights entered our living rooms every week, the Wild West didn't just exist on a screen—it walked right down the streets of St. Charles.

The Faces Behind the Marquee

The magic of the Virginian Theater didn't happen by accident; it was run by neighbors we knew by name. In those days, Mr. Earl C. Murphy managed the theater, ensuring St. Charles stayed connected to the glamour of Hollywood.

Behind the ticket glass, you’d often find a familiar face. For a long time, it was Miss Margaret Wynn greeting you at the window before she moved on to the Kemmerer Gem Store. She was replaced by Miss Thelma Thompson, who took over the job of handing out those precious stubs that were our passports to adventure.

Bargain Days and Continuous Reels

If you lived in St. Charles or the nearby coal camp of Bonny Blue in the early 40s, Tuesday was "Family Day." While we look at inflation today, the prices back then were a dream: 14 cents for kids and 20 cents for adults.

The best part wasn't just the price—it was the freedom. The movies ran continuously. You could walk in halfway through a feature like Fabulous Suzanne, watch it end, stay for the newsreels and the serials (like Captain Midnight), and then watch the beginning of what you missed. If you loved a film, you could stay in your seat as long as you wanted.

The Duke and the Virginian

One of the most enduring memories for many of us was seeing John Wayne on the big screen. I still watch Angel and the Badman to this day. Seeing the original ad for it at the Virginian—running on a Sunday and Monday—reminds me of how "The Duke" defined the era.

But the screen wasn't the only place to see a hero. Cowboy icons like Lash LaRue and Bill Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy) would often appear in person to promote their latest releases. They didn’t just bring their talent; they brought their famous horses, turning our mountain town into a temporary frontier outpost.

From the Theater to the Cavalier Cafe

As the 1950s rolled in, the "Saturday Matinee" magic began to share the spotlight with the television. Westerns transitioned from the radio and the cinema into household rituals. Shows like Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, and The Cisco Kid became the new language of the frontier.

Since not everyone had a set, we turned to our community. In the heart of town, the Cavalier Cafe became our makeshift theater. I remember those Sunday nights vividly—the cafe crowded with locals, all eyes fixed on the screen as the burning map of the Ponderosa signaled the start of Bonanza.

Whether it was the flickering light of the Virginian or the glow of the TV at the Cavalier, these stories defined our sense of grit and justice—lessons that still ring true today.

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