History of Shows

[SHOW GAL]

Need help and thought if anybody could help, it would be here. We recently bought a home in Branson and I have become very interested in the history of the theaters and shows. We have been coming to Branson many years and know how shows switch theaters year to year. I am trying to track down the past theaters as well as who used to be in the current theaters. By using the internet, I have been able to find out a lot but I am stuck on trying to figure out the Osmonds theater. I know they came here in 1992 but can't find the address of their theater, only that is was called the Osmond Family Theater. I found several names of theaters but addresses are the only thing that can really identify them as they move so much. I know that the Lengends theater and Country Tonite are theaters they have switched around with but from there its a puzzle. Would appreciate any help you can give me.

[SweetSue]

I remember that Freddy Fender was at the theater before The Osmonds; The Legends show is there now. Am I correct in this?

[Grizzly]

The theater is located just east of Hwy 165 intersection and was originally the Bob-O-Link theater Bob Mabe owned it. It was leased to the Texans for a few years and then Jimmy Osmond bought the property. It is now the Legends theater.

Hope that helps.


.

[mrmiczim]

Yes I believe you are right. Also the Bob-O-Links were the first to be in that theater, I hope anyway. They were there in 1979-1980 time freame anyway. Then in the late 1980's there was another group in there (the Texans I think, but not sure).

[StarsRUs]

This may be of some help. I've gone to this site several times for Branson History.

http://www.bransontourismcenter.com/...narticle30.htm

[Branson Bluesman]

Originally Posted by SweetSue

I remember that Freddy Fender was at the theater before The Osmonds; The Legends show is there now. Am I correct in this?

Nope...you're incorrect. Freddy Fender was in the same building the Haygoods are in, which was then called the Kirkwood. This was about 89-90.

[OkieAnon]

if you have the time to search for it.... there is a timeline that gives the dates of all the theater opening, and who played there. it comes out in the chamber of commerce book... and i've seen it on various web sites, including I believe a time or two on this one.

i'd look but it's almost 5;00 time to turn things off and lock up.

[preacherman]

I can't remember where I got this - maybe even on the Presley's site. Anyway, it mentions a simple building that they started in. I just wondered if they are still in the same place.

"So the Presleys put up a simple metal building on the road west of Branson. And they waited. "Some nights we would all stand out in front and watch for car lights coming down the road, hoping the would turn in here," says Gary Presley. Everyone in that family helped out too. They did double and triple duty. After performing, they cleaned the building. And during intermission,10 year old Steve dropped his drumsticks and ran to the parking lot to tape bumper stickers on cars."

[preacherman]

Originally Posted by OkieAnon

if you have the time to search for it.... there is a timeline that gives the dates of all the theater opening, and who played there. it comes out in the chamber of commerce book... and i've seen it on various web sites, including I believe a time or two on this one.

i'd look but it's almost 5;00 time to turn things off and lock up.

Here is a brief time capsule of Branson's history.
1837: Taney County was established with Forsyth, a popular and important river town, named as county seat.
1882: Rueben Branson opened a general store which became the post office and was listed as Branson, Missouri - obviously named after Rueben. During the 1880's & 90's one of the largest industries in the area was tomato canning.
1884: Settlers began to move to the Ozarks for the promise of free land and the area was homesteaded on 160 acre lots.
1894: William Henry Lynch bought a cave 6 miles outside of Branson. Later, the Marvel Cave would become a tourist attraction in the heart of Silver Dollar City.
1903: The men who founded Branson were planning an industrial center that would generate trainload after trainload of logs, lumber, and manufactured products for the world outside the Ozarks.
1904: A new bank, livery stable and hotel, and resorts began to spring up to accommodate travelers and fisherman.
1907: "The Shepherd of the Hills," a book written by Harold Bell Wright about this area of the Ozarks, was published and became a nationwide best seller. Overnight, tourists from across the country began coming to "Shepherd of the Hills Country" and tourism was born.
1912: This was a banner year for Branson with incorporation on April 1 with 1200 residents, and the idea of Branson as a resort began to take root. Major industry came to Branson in the form of The Winch Spoke Company, which built spokes and wagon parts, and American Pencil Company of New York established a logging factory in Branson. The business section of Branson burned in August of 1912 and was rebuilt. The Powersite Dam at Ozark Beach created Lake Taneycomo with its construction in 1912 and 1913.
1914: The women of Branson, many of whom were employed or helped operate family businesses, organized a Civic League. They began a decades long effort to beautify the streets, establish parks, and make life better in their community. This included a well-equipped municipal bathing beach and picnic grounds on Lake Taneycomo.
Post World War II: Many artists, craftsmen and retirees came to the area, along with returning servicemen and war industry workers. Branson proved to be the perfect spot for a growing hand-craft community.
1949: Hugo and Mary Herschend bought the Marvel Cave from Mr. Lynch's daughters and began square dances in the cave. Artist Steve Miller and businessman Joe Todd, with the help of local carpenters, created and constructed a huge lighted Adoration Scene on the bluff of Mount Branson overlooking the downtown and Lake Taneycomo. The crèche's figures, up to 28 feet tall, were lighted on the first day of December in front of thousands of awe-struck visitors, beginning a Branson tradition.
1953: With more people coming for the lighting of the Adoration Scene each year, the Chamber of Commerce included with the lighting of the scene the Adoration Parade, adding to the long history of other Branson parades. Today it draws crowds as large as 30,000 people.
1959: The first show in Branson, The Baldknobbers Hillbilly Jamboree Show, opened, taking the name of their show from a vigilante group of the Civil War Era which roamed the area making their own justice.
1960: "Shepherd of the Hills" opened its Old Mill Theater and Silver Dollar City opened its doors for the first time as a theme park. The Presley Family began a music show in the Underground Theatre, now known as Talking Rocks Cavern near Branson West. Just as tourism began to increase rapidly in the area, the Missouri Pacific canceled its service on the White River Line. With so many visitors now arriving by automobile travel often slowed to a crawl on the 75 mile winding route between Springfield and Branson. So, dynamite crews and massive earth moving equipment blasted a new road through our limestone hills, shortening the route to 40 miles.
1963: Table Rock Dam was completed and the area's largest man-made lake, Table Rock Lake, was formed.
1964: The Baldknobbers music show moves into a downtown Branson theater.
1967: The Presley family opened the first theater on "the Strip," Hwy. 76.
1968: The Baldknobbers moved to a theater on Hwy. 76. The movement to Hwy. 76 had begun and the first two shows were followed closely by the Plummer Family Music Show on West Hwy. 76.
1974: The Foggy River Boys, who had been performing since 1971 at a theater in Kimberling City, moved to Hwy. 76. Mutton Hollow Entertainment Park opens. A four lane by-pass was completed in the mid-1970's routing traffic away from Branson's congested downtown district, creating interchanges at Hwy. 76 and Hwy. 248, and a new bridge across Lake Taneycomo. At that time, businesses were just beginning to develop along W. Hwy. 76 with only a few scattered shops and music shows. Today the number of theaters top 40 and there are over 70 live theater shows.
1981: The Wilkerson Brothers Theater, Hee Haw Theater and Starlite Theater are completed.
1983: While tourism remained steady throughout the 1970's and 1980's, 1983 marked the start of a tremendous boom. The Swiss Villa with 7,500 seats opens. The Lowe Family moves to "The Strip." The Roy Clark Celebrity Theater, The Thunderbird Theater, and the Echo Hollow Amphitheater at Silver Dollar City open.
1984: The Braschlers Music Show opens in the old Lowe's Theater. Musicland USA opens with the Lester Family and The Sons of the Pioneers opens at Lowe's theater
1985: The Braschlers Music Show moves to Musicland USA, The Hee Haw Theater becomes Country Music World and the Sons of the Pioneers join the Foggy River Boys.
1986: The Texans join Bob Mabe and open the Texans/Bob-O-Links Music Show. The Ozark Mountain Amphitheater opens with 8,500 seats.
1987: "Box Car Willie" becomes the first celebrity entertainer to perform on a permanent schedule in his own theater. Campbell's Ozark Country Jubilee and the 76 Music Hall open their doors.
1988: The first Ozark Mountain Christmas is held and The Factory Merchants Mall opens.
1989: Inspiration Tower opens at Shepherd of the Hills. Shoji Tabuchi opens a music show. Christy Lane buys the Starlite Theater and Danny Davis & the Nashville Brass perform at Country Music World.
1990: Shoji Tabuchi moves to Shepherd of the Hills Expressway. Mel Tillis moves to Branson and starts a music show. Mickey Gilley starts a new theater.
1991: National news organizations "discover" Branson. In August of 1991 "Time" magazine published a story about their "discovery" of Branson and the interest by that media giant was followed closely by coverage in "People," "The Los Angeles Times" and the "Wall Street Journal." "60 Minutes" put the television spotlight on this small town in the Ozarks that had more theater seats than Broadway and a host of impressive names headlining its then 22 theaters.
1991: Shepherd of the Hills and Ray Stevens start the Ray Stevens Theater. Moe Bandy opens the American Theater and Buck Trent opens a dinner theater.
1992: Mel Tillis and Andy Williams each open their own theaters. Willie Nelson plays at the Ozark Theater and Jim Stafford starts performing at Stars of the Ozark Theater. Kenny Rogers and Silver Dollar City start the Grand Palace. The Osmonds and Jennifer Wilson come to town.

[BransonMoTiger]

FYI, the Faith Life Church occupies what was/is the Remington Theatre on Highway 76 which was originally in the process of being built by Johnny Cash as "Cash Country" until he ran out of money. Incidentally, the same church just moved from what was the "Yellow Ribbon Theatre" which was built for Tony Orlando.

Also, "The Mansion" theatre on Expressway Lane close to Branson Meadows was originally built for Wayne Newton and was called "Shenandoah South".

[SHOW GAL]

You guys are just great !!!!! You helped fill in so many of the blanks that I had. I am really enjoying doing this. Have always enjoyed our trips to Branson, but now that we have a house there, we are so interested in things going on. We are there a couple of weekends a month and will be there when we retire. Thanks again. If I can ever look up anything on my lst for you, just let me know.

[PUMPKIN]

HERE ARE WEBSITES.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branson,_Missouri

http://www.branson-discount.com/branson-history.asp

[lindainkansas]

Originally Posted by preacherman

I can't remember where I got this - maybe even on the Presley's site. Anyway, it mentions a simple building that they started in. I just wondered if they are still in the same place.

"So the Presleys put up a simple metal building on the road west of Branson. And they waited. "Some nights we would all stand out in front and watch for car lights coming down the road, hoping the would turn in here," says Gary Presley. Everyone in that family helped out too. They did double and triple duty. After performing, they cleaned the building. And during intermission,10 year old Steve dropped his drumsticks and ran to the parking lot to tape bumper stickers on cars."

Yes the Presleys are in the same location, a portion of the first building is at the back of the Theatre (at least it looks like part of the first building) it is now used for dressing rooms and offices.

[preacherman]

Originally Posted by lindainkansas

Yes the Presleys are in the same location, a portion of the first building is at the back of the Theatre (at least it looks like part of the first building) it is now used for dressing rooms and offices.

Thanks for the info!

[SweetSue]

Rex Allen, Jr., used to be at the theater where The Haygoods are now. We never did get to see his show!