Orpheum Theater

The Orpheum is currently for sale and has been on the market for over a year. It has been a working movie theater, owned by the Wehrenburg Theater Co. of St. Louis, up until the mid to late Nineties. It is in fair condition but the projectors have been removed. It's future as a movie palace is in question. The city does consider it a historical building and would never allow it to be destroyed however.

The Orpheum Theater is alive and well as Northern Arizona's premier music and community events venue. Their website is www.orpheumpresents.com

The address for the Orpheum is 15 West Aspin Avenue.

Was this theatre a part of the Orpheum vaudeville circuit?

Need to update this listing as Open and used for Live performances.

A personal recollection: on the way back to Rhode Island after a cross-country drive in 1973, I spent the night in Flagstaff. The Clint Eastwood movie "High Plains Drifter" was playing at the Orpheum on July 5th and I went to see it in this very nice little theatre, not far from my motel.

This theatre was booked for vaudeville by the Orpheum circuit.

My photograph of the ORPHEUM http://www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/191058224/

This is another photo of the Orpheum Theater

After comparing a b/w vintage photo under Related Websites and then viewing a current photo it doesn't even look like the same theatre.

I agree Patsy and if you ever get the chance to Flagstaff you will find it is a very interesting and busy little town.

I have visited AZ in past years...Scottsdale, Phoenix, Sedona, Tucson, Grand Canyon, but would entertain the thought of returning again in the near future to visit your "busy little town" of Flagstaff and this time to check out the many theatres especially the Orpheum in Phoenix as it is atmospheric.

Also if you go back, Jerome Arizona is not to be missed. See the LIBERTY THEATER posting in C/T.

From the Orpheum Theater website:

The theater capacity is:
Entire theater: 700 seats.
Seated: 600 seats
Lounge:100 seats.
Balcony/Movie: 240 seats.

Here is another photo of the Orpheum:
http://tinyurl.com/yuzowh

This is a vintage photo of the Orpheum Theater.

Another photo can be seen here.

A 1973 view of the Orpheum Theater in Flagstaff.

This is another photo of the Orpheum.

Neat looking building. We can assume the original Orpheum name built into the brickwork is safely behind that newer facade.

The Orpheum's website history though, doesn't say when the newer facade was installed. Obviously before the 1973 photo. Maybe late `50's early `60's given the style?

Looks like their band schedule is a little thin as of now. I thought maybe The Misfits was a screening of the 1960 Gable/Monroe film, set in a Western town. The skull logo though solved that.
Not far off though, as The Misfits was easily one of the most depressing films I'd ever seen.

Another photo is here.

Orpheum Theater photo

This is from Boxoffice magazine, November 1947:

FLAGSTAFF-Northern Arizona Theaters has closed the Orpheum here until about the first of the year to permit extensive remodeling. Clarence Shartzer, manager, said the work would cost about $100,000.

An addition which would increase the capacity to more than 1,000 persons was largely built before the Orpheum closed. Further improvements will include a new floor, new stage, pushback seats, new projection and sound equipment, an enlarged foyer and a new front.

The photo link that LM posted on jan.21 doesn't reflect ones weather association with Az. Look at the snow, but then Flagstaff is in the mountain region. Looking at the current facade it does make you wonder what is left underneath of the original. In contrast I think I prefer the current.

I waas looking at the seating breakdown that LM posted on Feb. 13, 2007. It shows 300 seats in the heading. Seems like this would have been updated. LM's breakdown is the same as the breakdown on the web site so I would say that the total of 700 for concerts and 940 for movies be the correct seating total.

The seat count of 300 given above seems to be on the low side. The 1955 Film Daily gives the seating as 600 and the Orpheum website gives the current seating as 700. I would go with the 700 number.

Chuck....Speaking of snow, the history page on this theaters website claims that the Majestic Opera House was originally located here. The roof and most of the walls of the building collapsed under 61 inches of snow. That is a lot of snow.

This is a nice photo of the Orpheum.

LM, that is a lot of snow for Flagstaff.
1983 photo of the Orpheum Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c3%2c3%2c-1&ProductID=23295