To the editor:
Let me make a few comments on the closing of the Capitol Theatre. Newton has lost a dear old friend and icon on the Newton Square to join the countless empty storefronts that already exist. My name is Douglas Hundling, grandson of the founder of the Capitol when it opened in April 1927.
At that time the theatre was considered to be one of the largest in Iowa with a total of 995 seats. Back in those days “talking” pictures didn’t exist and the Hundling Family Orchestra provided music for movies shown at that time. My father, Dorman Hundling played clarinet, brother Lloyd played trumpet, sister Carol played violin, sister Lois played the organ and piano, grandfather George played cello, and grandmother Helen played xylophone.
Other members of the orchestra were hired from the area to fill in the parts that weren’t played by the Hundlings. By 1929 the first of the “talking and singing” pictures were being shown at the Capitol and so the orchestra disbanded. In the mid 30’s the theatre was advertising on it’s marquee “Air Conditioning” as one of the first movie houses to have AC.
My father, Dorman took over the management of the Capitol in 1948, after the death of his father, George. He paid from his own funds to have the theatre “twinned” in 1988 so they could get first run movies quicker ie compete with the Des Moines market. Dorman retired from the business in 1993 and his assistant manager Cheryl Moredock to over management until 2000.
Perhaps this is the time to convert the twinned theatre back to a single screen and thus save the cost of putting in two digital projectors. The seats are still pointed towards the original screen which was removed to make room for two screens.
The center wall separating the two screens can be easily removed to allow for the original theatre. I have the pictures showing the twinning construction in 1988.
Newton needs a theatre for the simple fact that Newton needs to keep growing and when families look at the amenities available in our town, they are going to look elsewhere to live if we don’t have the amenities to offer them.
Doug Hundling
Newton