Cliff Knoll: The Showman Who Made Movie Magic in Sioux Falls

If you grew up going to the movies in Sioux Falls between the 1950s and the 1980s, there’s a good chance your memories sparkle a little brighter thanks to one man: Cliff Knoll. Born in Tripp, South Dakota, in 1917, Cliff’s early life was marked by resilience — he survived polio as a child — and by romance. He met his future wife, Mary Lorraine Maier, at a movie in Mitchell. Naturally. During intermission. Of course he did.

By 1956, Cliff’s work in theater management brought the Knoll family to Sioux Falls for good. And that’s when the real magic began.

Cliff wasn’t just a theater manager. He was a marketing whiz, a customer‑service natural, and a full‑blown showman who understood that going to the movies was about more than watching a film — it was about feeling special. In 1958, he led a major renovation of the State Theatre, setting the stage (literally) for decades of unforgettable nights out.

His efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Cliff won awards for his work, but the love from the community mattered even more. In a 1974 Argus Leader letter to the editor, a teacher thanked Cliff and his staff for their patience and kindness while hosting 200 students — a feat that deserves its own Oscar.

Cliff also had a deep appreciation for the theater’s history. He proudly showed off the State’s Wurlitzer organ and cooked up promotions that would make modern marketers jealous. For the 1957 film The Pajama Game, he teamed up with the YMCA to host a sleepover inside the theater for senior high girls. For The Big Circus, he held a clown contest. And remember — the State was just one of many theaters he oversaw across several states. Cliff kept all those screens glowing with pure enthusiasm.

From 1956 to 1985, Cliff Knoll was the heartbeat of the State Theatre. When the theater closed in 1990, Cliff stood inside during an interview, unsure whether it would ever be saved — but certain that it should be. In a 1993 article, he called the State “a grand old lady” that “sparkles yet like a diamond on Phillips Avenue.”

Cliff passed away later that year at age 76, laid to rest in Woodlawn Cemetery. But his legacy lives on every time the lights dim and the curtain rises at the beautifully restored State Theatre. Cliff Knoll didn’t just run a movie house — he created memories, magic, and a sense of wonder that still lingers in Sioux Falls today.

A true showman. A true believer in the power of movies. And a name worth remembering.