“Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in Norman Taurog’s "Jumping Jacks” opens July 5, 1952 at the new Famous Players Theatres Paramount Theatre, located at 10233 Jasper Avenue in Edmonton. The Paramount has the largest indoor screen in Western Canada. Made of seamless plastic, it is 25 feet wide and eighteen feet nine inches high. With 1,400 seats, the theatre is designed so the picture can be seen from any angle. The first manager is Walter Percival Wilson. On May 27, 1985 the Paramount closes for remodelling and the seat count is reduced to 800. Opens on June 21, 1985 with “Cocoon”. Theatre closes on April 26, 1987 for the Installation of THX Sound System. Opens on May 8, 1987 with “Hot Pursuit”. Paramount closes on June 26, 2003 with “Rugrats Go Wild!”
Additional history courtesy Stephen Leigh.
(Images added)
“Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred MacMurray in Billy Wilder’s "The Apartment” opens July 4, 1960 at the newly-renovated Rialto Theatre in Edmonton.
The interior of the building has been entirely rebuilt and renovated.
New pillow seats have been installed and are spaced to provide ample leg room.
A new 40x20 foot screen replaces the old 14x28 foot screen which will allow for the presentation of Todd AO and other 70 MM wide screen productions.
The new equipment carries six stereophonic sound tracks replacing the four for 35 MM pictures.
Cost of renovations and equipment totals $200,000.
Lillian Wilke will manage the New Rialto Theatre, Edmonton’s Most Beautiful Theatre."
Two auditorium photos added.
Below description credit Charles Payne.
“I grew up in the Sherwood Forest subdivision. My first job was as a concessionist at the Park Theatre. It was an 850 seat neighborhood movie theater located on Park Avenue near the intersection of Park and Highland. It was built in the 1940s and it had a complete apartment upstairs where the original owner lived.”
“The Odeon Theatre opens on July 1, 1954 with Gregory Peck in Ronald Neame’s "Man With a Million”. Located at 10081 Jasper Avenue in Edmonton. This single screen theatre has 1,125 seats and is managed by Sam Binder. Twinned on August 31, 1973. Theatre 1 has 626 seats and opens with “Jesus Christ Superstar”, Theatre 2 has 420 seats and opens with “A Touch of Class”. Theatres close on July 28, 1988 with Theatre 1 showing “Bull Durham” and Theatre 2 showing “The Great Outdoors”."
Five August 1928 images and description added courtesy of bldg. 51 archive and Urban Remains. (Via Urban Remains Facebook page)
“finally beginning to digitize a massive pile of original 8 x 10 silver gelatin photographic prints of work done by the short-lived chicago architectural firm of graven and mayger (1927-28). i hope to have this project completed by the end of the month.
i’ve included a few images (interior and posterior) of detroit’s 3400-seat holywood theater completed in 1927. the theater was demolished in 1963 to make way for a parking lot."
chicago architects graven and mayger had apprenticed with noted theater architects c.w. rapp and g.l. rapp, whose chicago firm designed some 400 movie palaces across the country, starting in 1921 with the lavish french baroque chicago theater.
compared to rapp & rapp, the firm of graven & mayger was a flash in the pan. in a partnership spanning just 15 months in 1927-1928, the pair designed eight grand theaters across the country before finding their way to obscurity."
Per Judy Brach Kannard: “In the 60s, the theater was then turned into a teen center. We had dances there and it was kind of comical because the floor was still slanted in the theater part from when the theater chairs were in there.”
On this day in 1879, the Tabor Opera House in Leadville opened. 🎭
After only 100 days of construction, the new opera house opened in Leadville thanks to Horace Tabor. At the time of opening it was said to be the grandest theater between Saint Louis and San Francisco.
The theater was elegant and included two retail stores, multiple floors, and an enclosed skywalk to the Clarendon Hotel (we all know how cold Leadville can be as the highest town in Colorado!).
The interior featured frescoes, custom carpets, and hand-painted stage curtains. The opera house even had the first gas lights in Leadville and they helped illuminate the fancy theater.
Today, the original Italianate exterior of the building is largely intact, making the building a contributing member of the Leadville Historic District as well as becoming one of the nation’s very first National Historic Landmarks in 1961. The Opera House has also been a State Historical Fund grant recipient, and we’re thrilled to support their ongoing efforts. The building is currently being used for theater productions, while simultaneously undergoing various rehabilitation."
The Egyptian Theater was opened in Delta in 1928. The original stage curtains were said to be beautiful with vibrant colors and a number of ancient Egyptian-style figures, each one unique.
The curtains were fabricated in the theater at cost of $3,000 (1928) dollars, which would be the equivalent of over $42,000 today.
After hanging in the theater for many years, the curtains disappeared into history. We assume they were discarded after more than two decades of use. The last photograph the Delta County Museum has is from 1950 and it is in black and white. If anyone has a color photograph of the curtains, or knows definitively what became of them, please let us know, and we will pass that information on to the Delta Museum.
After its initial heyday, the Egyptian Theater fell into decline, but was renovated in the 1990s to reflect its former glory."
WBEZ piece on Uptown.
https://www.wbez.org/stories/from-cemetery-saloons-to-movie-palaces-how-uptown-became-an-entertainment-hub/ff35dc6f-fcde-4ca4-81e5-22fe33947291?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wbez
(Courtesy of Chicago Public Library, Northside Neighborhood History Collection)
Additional history courtesy Stephen Leigh.
“Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in Norman Taurog’s "Jumping Jacks” opens July 5, 1952 at the new Famous Players Theatres Paramount Theatre, located at 10233 Jasper Avenue in Edmonton. The Paramount has the largest indoor screen in Western Canada. Made of seamless plastic, it is 25 feet wide and eighteen feet nine inches high. With 1,400 seats, the theatre is designed so the picture can be seen from any angle. The first manager is Walter Percival Wilson. On May 27, 1985 the Paramount closes for remodelling and the seat count is reduced to 800. Opens on June 21, 1985 with “Cocoon”. Theatre closes on April 26, 1987 for the Installation of THX Sound System. Opens on May 8, 1987 with “Hot Pursuit”. Paramount closes on June 26, 2003 with “Rugrats Go Wild!”
Circa 1977 photo added credit Tucson Citizen, from below link. Courtesy Save the Signs Facebook page.
https://tucson.com/news/local/speedways-label-as-ugliest-street-in-the-us-can-be-traced-back-to-tucsons-1962/article_1f190f1e-98c1-5b21-90ec-db3f5a6b0802.html?fbclid=IwAR0zWCWn9dd1jh3I3wzIvulkAr2ZZLueUrh6SsYgZzTKwBZPjlyMc3El7i8
Additional history courtesy Stephen Leigh. (Images added)
“Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred MacMurray in Billy Wilder’s "The Apartment” opens July 4, 1960 at the newly-renovated Rialto Theatre in Edmonton.
The interior of the building has been entirely rebuilt and renovated.
New pillow seats have been installed and are spaced to provide ample leg room.
A new 40x20 foot screen replaces the old 14x28 foot screen which will allow for the presentation of Todd AO and other 70 MM wide screen productions.
The new equipment carries six stereophonic sound tracks replacing the four for 35 MM pictures.
Cost of renovations and equipment totals $200,000.
Lillian Wilke will manage the New Rialto Theatre, Edmonton’s Most Beautiful Theatre."
Circa 1966 print ad added courtesy Bowdoinham Historical Society.
Two auditorium photos added. Below description credit Charles Payne. “I grew up in the Sherwood Forest subdivision. My first job was as a concessionist at the Park Theatre. It was an 850 seat neighborhood movie theater located on Park Avenue near the intersection of Park and Highland. It was built in the 1940s and it had a complete apartment upstairs where the original owner lived.”
1927 photo courtesy Memphis Fire Department Archives, via Vincent Astor, from his book “Memphis Movie Theatres” Images of America.
August 8, 1974 print ad as Star Adult Cinema added.
Columbus Sports Connection is the current tenant. Multiple images added of previous conversion to Revco.
2017 article with multiple photos.
https://onmilwaukee.com/history/articles/spelunking-marquette-varsity-theater.html?fbclid=IwAR2n4crVrO8RMa47AZdsMQ82ON_00bOCn5ngYo2DfjmqCsoNcrf2UUIbNYs
Additional history credit Stephen Leigh:
“The Odeon Theatre opens on July 1, 1954 with Gregory Peck in Ronald Neame’s "Man With a Million”. Located at 10081 Jasper Avenue in Edmonton. This single screen theatre has 1,125 seats and is managed by Sam Binder. Twinned on August 31, 1973. Theatre 1 has 626 seats and opens with “Jesus Christ Superstar”, Theatre 2 has 420 seats and opens with “A Touch of Class”. Theatres close on July 28, 1988 with Theatre 1 showing “Bull Durham” and Theatre 2 showing “The Great Outdoors”."
Five August 1928 images and description added courtesy of bldg. 51 archive and Urban Remains. (Via Urban Remains Facebook page)
“finally beginning to digitize a massive pile of original 8 x 10 silver gelatin photographic prints of work done by the short-lived chicago architectural firm of graven and mayger (1927-28). i hope to have this project completed by the end of the month.
i’ve included a few images (interior and posterior) of detroit’s 3400-seat holywood theater completed in 1927. the theater was demolished in 1963 to make way for a parking lot."
chicago architects graven and mayger had apprenticed with noted theater architects c.w. rapp and g.l. rapp, whose chicago firm designed some 400 movie palaces across the country, starting in 1921 with the lavish french baroque chicago theater.
compared to rapp & rapp, the firm of graven & mayger was a flash in the pan. in a partnership spanning just 15 months in 1927-1928, the pair designed eight grand theaters across the country before finding their way to obscurity."
Water & Power Associates website with multiple vintage photos.
https://waterandpower.org/Museum2/Ivar_Theatre.html?fbclid=IwAR2rETuSNJvX0DlkoIeKew5MKc6FT1iFtfREKz1V9pUw8kikMiE1kjNoFmA
Water & Power Associates website with multiple vintage photos.
https://waterandpower.org/museum/Early_LA_Buildings%20(1925%20+)_1_of_8.html?fbclid=IwAR1lX7MwR-B7JOo00XCauScOyIvE8JH7-uWLXd3HLct6TthaapoIJLyY71U
Update: Photo credit Dr. Gene Ossello.
Update: Photo credit Dr. Gene Ossello.
Images added.
January – February 1944.
Per Judy Brach Kannard: “In the 60s, the theater was then turned into a teen center. We had dances there and it was kind of comical because the floor was still slanted in the theater part from when the theater chairs were in there.”
Additional history credit History Colorado.
“November 20, 2019
On this day in 1879, the Tabor Opera House in Leadville opened. 🎭
After only 100 days of construction, the new opera house opened in Leadville thanks to Horace Tabor. At the time of opening it was said to be the grandest theater between Saint Louis and San Francisco.
The theater was elegant and included two retail stores, multiple floors, and an enclosed skywalk to the Clarendon Hotel (we all know how cold Leadville can be as the highest town in Colorado!).
The interior featured frescoes, custom carpets, and hand-painted stage curtains. The opera house even had the first gas lights in Leadville and they helped illuminate the fancy theater.
Today, the original Italianate exterior of the building is largely intact, making the building a contributing member of the Leadville Historic District as well as becoming one of the nation’s very first National Historic Landmarks in 1961. The Opera House has also been a State Historical Fund grant recipient, and we’re thrilled to support their ongoing efforts. The building is currently being used for theater productions, while simultaneously undergoing various rehabilitation."
Additional history credit William Thomas and the Delta County Historical Museum.
“Egyptian Theater Stage Curtain (image added), Delta, Colorado 1928-1950
The Egyptian Theater was opened in Delta in 1928. The original stage curtains were said to be beautiful with vibrant colors and a number of ancient Egyptian-style figures, each one unique.
The curtains were fabricated in the theater at cost of $3,000 (1928) dollars, which would be the equivalent of over $42,000 today.
After hanging in the theater for many years, the curtains disappeared into history. We assume they were discarded after more than two decades of use. The last photograph the Delta County Museum has is from 1950 and it is in black and white. If anyone has a color photograph of the curtains, or knows definitively what became of them, please let us know, and we will pass that information on to the Delta Museum.
After its initial heyday, the Egyptian Theater fell into decline, but was renovated in the 1990s to reflect its former glory."
Built in 1909, opened in 1919, per “Theaters” book by Andrew Craig Morrison.
“Motion Picture Herald,” June 29, 1935.