Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1920 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “In May I went to Rock Island to make a sketch for the old Block House on the island. Had to get a permit. I enjoyed myself immensely. Saw all the old places, also had a visit with Charlie Kindt.” This was the year before Kindt retired at the age of 58. Charlie was the son of German immigrant and well-known panorama painter Louis Kindt (1832-1923). For more information about the artistic career of Louis Kindt, visit http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/louis-kindt/profile-1809.aspx
The 1920 US Federal Census lists Charles T. Kindt as a 57 yrs. old theatre manager, living at 120 17th St, in Davenport, Iowa. Kindt was living with his wife, Helena. Daughters, Helena (age 28) and Julia (age 30) were also living with them, as well as their grandsons Stoddard and Kindt Fields. At the time, Kindt was manager for the Burtis Opera House. In 1921, the famous opera house would be gutted by fire. The 1600-seat venue was originally constructed by J. J. Burtis in 1867. Kindt began managing the theater in 1890. Of the tragedy, “The Daily Times” reported, “Mr. Kindt lives in the Perry apartments next to the opera house and was one of the first to be notified of the fire. He and Mrs. Kindt and their daughter Julia, dressed and were among the first on the scene. Mr. Kindt remained on the scene for three hours watching the fames and talking to friends, who extended their sympathy. He took his loss philosophically, no losing any of his joviality, which characterizes him. ‘Yes, there have been some great people who have played on the old Burtis stage,’ he reminisced. ‘Many before my time and many since I took over the management. There’s not any salvage in the building. I guess it’s a totals loss. But what’s the use of hollering about it? It’s not going to do any good.’ …Scores of autographed photographs, presents from friends in the theatrical world, were destroyed or badly damaged. Mr. Kindt is unable to say what his future plans will be. He has been negotiating for some time a new theater and it may be the fire will hasten such plans” (26 April 1921, page 2).
In 1922, Moses wrote, “I met my old friend Chas. Kindt in Davenport. He is manager for the Thos. Cusock Company, on the site of the old Burtis Opera House.”
Charles Kindt also started out as a scenic artist like his father, but soon transitioned to theatre management by the age of 25, in 1888. Kindt married Helen “Nellie” Stoddard in Chicago on March 22, 1882. By 1888, Kindt was acting as assistant manager for the Turner Opera House in Davenport, Iowa (The Morning Democrat, 17 July 1888, page 4). He was working with manager Charles Becker. By 1889, Kindt became manager of Davenport’s Grand Opera House. In 1890 he was manager of the Burtis Opera House.
A year later, Chamberlin, Kindt & Co, was formed, and the firm began managing the Burtis Opera House (Quad City Times, 10 Dec. 1906, page 10). The firm continued to expand, controlling over 25 theatres on the Illinois-Iowa circuit. Their theatres were located in Marshalltown, Rock Island, Ft. Madison, Burlington, Oskaloosa, Davenport, Galesburg, Monmouth, Muscatine, Rockford, Grinnell, Keokuk, Kewanee, Creston, Sedalia, Quincy, Peoria, Boone, Joliet, Elgin, Waterloo. Chamberlain passed away by the end of the 1906, a severe blow to Kindt and the company. That same month J. R. Lane, C.T. Kindt and Isaac Deutsch purchased the Burtis property, consisting of the Burtis Opera House and Kimball House for $55,000 (The Dispatch, Moline, Illinois, 13 Dec 1906, page 4).
In 1906, F. W. Chamberlin & Charles T. Kindt purchased and remodeled the Burtis theater. Sosman & Landis delivered new scenery to the renovated stage. If Kindt did not know Moses from the Chicago scenic art scene, he would have met him at the Burtis. Of the Burtis Opera Houses 1906 renovation “The Daily Times” reported, “The theater will be completely remodeled from stage to foyer” (Davenport, Iowa, 16 March 1906, page 6). Manager Kindt, was quoted as stating, “The Burtis will be completely remodeled. In fact, when it is improved, it will be practically a new theatre. Everything that is in it will be removed, and it will be fitted up in modern shape throughout” (The Daily Times, 24 March 1906, page 12).
Kindt passed away in 1947. His obituary reported, “Charles T. Kindt, 86, a veteran Davenport theater operator and a partner in the old Chamberlin-Kindt Theater corporation, which operated theaters in Moline and other cities, died at 3:40 yesterday in Mercy hospital, He had been ill for some time. Mr. Kindt was the first exalted ruler of the Davenport Elks’ lodge…Mr. Kindt was best known as the owner and operator of the old Burtis theater. He had not been in active business since 1921. Mr. Kindt, who lived at 1104 River drive, Bettendorf, was active in Bettendorf civic affairs many years. At one time he was president of the Bettendorf Chamber of Commerce. He was born in Sandusky, O., on March 28, 1861, and was reared in Chicago. Mr. Kindt became acquainted with the theater business through his father Louis Kindt, and became a scenery painter in Chicago. He came to Davenport in 1888 on a contract to paint scenery for the Grand Opera house there. Later he became manager of that opera house and in a few years became manager of a second opera house in Davenport. He formed the Chamberlin-Kindt partnership, which operated a chain of 51 theaters in the middlewest. An organizer of the Elks’ lodge home in Davenport, Mr. Kindt was the only surviving charter member. He married Helen Stoddard in Chicago March 22, 1890. She died in 1937. Surviving are a son, C. Roy Kindt of Davenport; two daughters, including Mrs. John A. Martinelli of Davenport; a brother; three sisters, including Mrs. Julia Donald, of Davenport; 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren” (The Dispatch, 11 July 19487, page 20).
To be continued…
jkindt@illinois.edu