B&B Theatres - History

History

In 1924, Missourian Elmer Bills, Sr., founded Bills Theatres in Salisbury, Missouri. Elmer met his wife Johnnie when he purchased the Lyric Theatre in Salisbury, where she was the piano player for the silent films. Their son Elmer Bills, Jr. was born a few years later. In 1959, Elmer Jr. graduated from the University of Missouri and married one of his "popcorn girls", Amy. The two generations of Bills continued the expansion of the company, and welcomed the birth of Elmer Jr. and Amy's daughter, Bridget. Sterling Bagby went to work for Elmer Sr. as a concession clerk at age 10 in 1936. After serving a stint in World War II, Bagby returned to Missouri and married a ticket seller from Higbee, Pauline. Together, the Bagbys started the Bagby Traveling Picture Show. The Show was, in essence, a portable movie theater, and the Bagbys traveled along with the equipment (including seats, snack bar, film, and projectors) showing movies in schools and barns. Their company became a Kansas circuit of both drive-ins and "hardtop" indoor movie theaters. Sterling and Pauline have three children: Steve, Bob, and Paula.

The two companies formally merged after years of friendship and combined efforts as B&B (Bills and Bagby) Theatres on January 1, 1980, making the Fulton Cinema the first official B&B Theatre. Just months earlier in 1979, Bob Bagby married Bridget Bills and cemented the convergence of the two companies. Sterling died in October 2000, and the remaining family run the National Association of Theatre Owners-recognized Midwest chain.