Mullen Theatre
Senk's Theatre
The Theatre/Grocery Store Building was on First Street in Mullen, NE. The front of the building had two signs that said “J.L. Roseberry & Sons” and “General Merchandise and Ranching Supplies” with the brand of the Roseberry Cattle Ranch. In the initial years of the business, the basement of the building held the water well and a coal furnace for the hot water heating system. A huge engine that generated electricity for the whole building was on the main floor. There was a lobby entrance for the Opera House on the second floor. A space for motion picture projectors that were in evidence from about 1921 until 1948 was on the third floor. The fourth floor of the tower could have housed a supply tank for the original water well in the basement, but it is not for sure because nobody explored it much. On November 30, 1974, a fire burnt down many buildings in Mullen, which included the Roseberry Building. The fire started near the basement furnace in the Johnson building.
The late John J. Motl furnished early silent movies because he brought the first movie projector to Mullen in 1917. The brand name of the first movie projector was Baird. Motl showed the first movies that were usually two-reel episodes lasting about 20 minutes. In 1922 when feature-length films came in prominence, the movie crowds were thrilled to watch movies with actors such as Tom Mix or Hoot Gibson, on their western steeds galloping across the silver screen. After WWI until 1919 Senk Management ran the business. In the early twenties, the Senk firm took over the movie operation and in the summer of 1930 they brought sound movies to Mullen. The initial grand opening feature was Rudy Valee in the “Vagabond Lover.”
The ‘roll-up-type' state curtain on the stage was canvas material with a beautiful waterfall scene painted in the center position of it. There were business advertisements around it. Businesses advertising at the time were B.G. Eivins & Son, Citizen State Bank, J.L. Motl Drug, Farmers Elevator, A.G. Humphrey, Senk Merc. Co., Steve Yagadich, J.E. Lowe Co., E.E. Elliott Service Station, W.H. Wigent, Matthews Chev. Co., Campbells, C.P. Mercure, J.M. McIntosh, H.H. Dietrich, and Ham's Hotel.
Senk Management owned this business until 1936. In 1936, the late Chester R. Johnson took over. Mr. Johnson came to Mullen in the 1920's from Kirwin, Kansas. He worked for the Senk firm and managed the theatre until 1956 when Edgar J. Macke purchased it.
In 1930, even though the Senks owned the movie business, it was leased to Clara Stoner. Senk sold the equipment to Gibson and Jeffords in 1938. The Macke families then took over about 1944 and it was known, by most, as just the Theatre. In 1947, the theater relocated one block west on Main Street.
Don Sullivan remembers the Senk Theatre because it was around when he was in high school in the 1950's. Movies were played on Saturday and Sunday evenings and sometimes in the afternoons. There was a different movie every week. Admission and refreshments such as popcorn and pop were 25 cents each.