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William Fox opened his new theatre in St. Louis on January 31, 1929. From the high times of early 1929, the fortunes of William Fox took a heavy tumble with the stock market crash in October of that year. Fox went bankrupt in 1936. Under the title of the St. Louis Amusement Company, the Arthurs kept the Fox in business ultimately resorting to Kung Fu movies and occasional rock concerts to stay open. Finally, in 1978, the doors were locked tight ending the Arthur era at the Fox. Not quite fifty years old, the Fox seemed doomed.
On a cold January morning in 1981 Leon and Mary Strauss first saw the Fox Theatre. With the aid of flashlights and one working light bulb, the Strausses discovered the hidden magic of the splendid theatre beneath the dirt and grime of 52 years. It was love at first sight and the rest is St. Louis history. Banding together as Fox Associates, Leon Strauss, Robert Baudendistel, Dennis McDaniel and Harvey Harris privately purchased the movie palace from the Arthur family. With Mary Strauss as director of restoration, there began a one year, $2 million plus restoration program under the aegis of Pantheon Construction Company.
The Fabulous Fox offers a dazzling array of talent and entertainment twelve months a year. |
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