 A quiet evening view of the Everett TheaterPhoto courtesy of Bob Meza
In addition to opera, featured legitimate theater and vaudeville shows (as well as motion pictures by the teens) were the programming of the day. Among those to grace its stage in those early years were some of the biggest names in early 20th century entertainment such as Lillian Russell, Al Jolson, Eddie Foy and the Seven Little Foys, and George M. Cohan.
In 1923, a disastrous fire swept through the Everett, entirely destroying the interior and causing the front wall to partially collapse. The theater was rebuilt almost entirely, and reopened as the 1,200 seat New Everett Theater in 1924. It featured both film and live stage shows in its first couple decades of operation.
In 1929, Fox acquired the theater, and continued to run it into the 1950's.
In 1952, the theater received a major remodeling which removed much of the orignal 1920's interior decor, and a Space-Age style marquee was added to the pink-marble facade. The original foyers and lobby spaces were totally gutted and rebuilt at the time, adding concession stands and a new ticket window.
In 1979, the declining theater prompted the Everett's owners to chop the balcony into two small auditoriums, triplexing the theater, in the hopes it would attract more theater-goers. The new three-screen Everett proved unpopular and within a decade, the theater had closed.
Sitting vacant for several years, a concerned group of citizens rallied to the decaying theater's aide, and formed the Everett Theater Society, to save and restore the Everett to its 1924 appearance.
Restoration took place between 2000 and 2004 and the theater now screens classic movies and present concerts and stage productions as well.
Contributed by Bryan Krefft
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