The iconic “crown jewel of Branson” saved in grassroots effort
Our very own Matt Bailey has teamed with Branson Mayor Milton’s Ambassador to Shows Marshall Howden to preserve the iconic Jim Stafford Theatre guitar-neck neon marquee from the scheduled demolition of the theater has proven successful. A crowd-sourcing campaign raised the funds needed to win the marquee at auction last month. Thanks to the incredible generosity of some local Branson businesses, the sign, which has been a Branson landmark since 1991, will be removed next week.
“The Jim Stafford marquee is the crown jewel of Branson,” shares Bailey who’s a former Stafford intern. “I have cherished that marquee as a symbol of the pinnacle of entertainment success since I was a very young child. It is an honor to say this sign is now in our possession. I feel very protective of it.”
Mayor’s Ambassador Howden says the marquee is an important piece of Ozark history. “Every picture you ever saw of the Branson strip during the boom, began at the Jim Stafford Theatre — with that gorgeous neon sign towering into the hills. It is a thrill to be preserving this important icon of the Branson spirit!”
Plans are underway to display the marquee to the public beginning next spring.
Stafford is a comedian/singer/songwriter best known for “Spiders & Snakes” and “My Girl Bill.” His song, “Cow Patty,” was used in the Clint Eastwood film, Any Which Way You Can, the sequel to Any Which Way But Loose. The Jim Stafford Theatre was known as one of the most lavish theaters on the Branson Strip that brought in world class talent including Conway Twitty, who died from an abdominal aortic aneurysm shortly after a performance there in 1993.
