Ute Theatre

The Colorado Springs Ute was an architectural gem, mainly owing to the Native American themes employed throughout the theater. It was a cousin of the Trail and Tompkins Theaters, neither of which could approach the Ute’s formality and grandeur. It’s worth noting the Ute was owned and managed by the Cooper Foundation, who also ran the now-famous Cooper Cinerama roundhouses in Denver, Omaha and St. Louis Park, MN. When the Ute was closed and replaced by the Ute 70 immediately to its east on Nevada Avenue, it was a loss to Colorado Springs theater buffs. I learned the motion picture craft watching one of the Ute’s long-time projectionists, Al (A.B.) Cooke Sr., who remains one of my boyhood heroes to this day. This man’s dedication to perfection was unequalled, at least in my mind, and his kindness and mentoring has always been a source of pride. The Ute’s booth consisted of meticulously maintained Simplex XL’s with Peerless Magnarc lamphouses and I recall fondly the times I’d have to talk the grouchy old doorman into letting me up into the closed balcony to “visit the booth.” If the theater missed anything architecturally, it was a lack of boxes either side of the stage. However, the auditorium was fairly box-like and I’m certain the incorporation of boxes would have significantly cramped the screen. Nevertheless, I’m sure that anyone who attended movies at the Ute will agree, it was a memorable theater and one that deserved preservation.

I worked as a usher when i was a kid my first job. Were ran how the west was wone for a month.I made $.65 an hour. And could go to eather the Ute or the Cooper theatres for free. We were jelles of the guys that worked at the Cooper there marke was behind a glass window so they didnt have to go out in the cold to change it. It was torn down when Cooper the owner build the new Ute 70. CIG gas bought the old Ute and build there building there.

Too bad it couldn't have stayed a theatre in it's original location!

The style Pueblo Deco would be interesting and different!

The original address of the Ute Theatre (before it was moved along the street) was 126 E Pikes Peak Avenue.

The Ute 70 was converted to an antiques gallery in 1991:

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs, CO) - June 21, 1991

Longtime downtown retailers Joe and Gary Loveless have purchased the Ute 70 Theater and converted it into a cooperative antique gallery. The Lovelesses are part of a family partnership called One Twenty East Kiowa Co. that paid $136,200 for the 24-year-old theater, a fraction of the price it sold for seven years ago. They purchased the Ute 70, at 21 N. Nevada Ave., from the Resolution Trust Corp., the nation's thrift bailout agency, last September.

Robert O. Boller was architect of the Ute Theatre. Here are two views of the auditorium that I copied from a 1937 trade journal. I wonder if the Old West paintings on the side walls still exist?
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/ute01.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/ute02.jpg

Warren: These interior Ute photos are simply very unique and I sure hope the Old West paintings and decor still exist as that is what made it so unique. But I had to remind myself that the function of this restaurant according to CT is that it's a restaurant now so it's anyone's guess if those Old West paintings are covered up and could be exposed again in the restaurant. Perhaps a CT member who lives near this theatre could tell us....would be nice to know.

Warren, thanks loads for these great pictures! Just wish color had been the vogue in '37 as monochrome simply does not do justice to what the ol' place really looked like. However, they do show the meticulous detail of the artwork and the house curtain's design remained intact up until the last time I saw it from the booth; maybe '64 or '65. If anything, they illustrate the absolute necessity of preserving these architectural treasures. BTW, does anyone on this forum know if vaudeville ever ran at the Ute? I know the Chief, down the street on Pikes Peak Avenue, was originally a vaudeville house but I am unsure if it ran elsewhere in The Springs. Also for any of you Old Timers, Wayne Lemle, the IATSE projectionist who worked alongside my mentor at the Ute, A.B. Cooke Sr, passed away last year after many years of service to the craft. Sadly, these old craftsmen are quickly passing into history.

This is an eBay ad, so it might not be around long. It looks like the address is E. Pikes Peak, without the apostrophe:
http://tinyurl.com/2mgakj

Interesting article about the preservation of the Ute:
http://www.flyingw.com/Tribute.aspx

I doubt that the Ute Theatre ever presented vaudeville, or at least not as a regular policy. It looks to me like a purpose-built cinema, and by the time it opened in either 1936 or 1937, vaudeville was dying out except in the biggest cities.

Here is an exterior photo of the Ute Theater. Date given with photo is 1951. The movie title on the marquee, Against All Flags was made in 1952. So much for the 1951 date.

Here are several more images of the interior. The first shows the large painting on the left wall of the auditorium. The second is of the Grand Foyer. The third displays the lounge area, including (at left) "Ye Old Indian Wishing Well," which had a fountain with changing color effects.
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/ute03.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/ute04.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/ute05.jpg

New direct links to previously displayed interior images:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/ute02.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/ute03.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/ute04.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/ute05.jpg

My dad was in the army reserves and when he had to go to Camp Carson for two weeks one summer in the late 40's, he took our family with him (from California). We stayed near some lake (can't remember the name)while he went "soldiering". I remember we went to the Ute but can't remember what we saw. However, I remember watching "Rosanna McCoy" at the Chief.

1950s Street Photo

1984 Photo