Ruby Theater

135 E. Woodin Avenue,
Chelan, WA 98816

2 people favorited this theater

The Ruby Theater opened July 1, 1914 as a vaudeville and silent movie theater. Original seating in the Ruby was 225 on the first floor and 125 in the balcony. In 1930 the Ruby upgraded to “talking pictures”.

In 1947, a new “tube” Mirrophonic sound system was added, along with the Motiographic AA Projector. In 1974, the arch above the stage was widened by two feet, to adjust to the new cinema size. The aisles were also widened and lit.

In the 1980’s a thrust stage was added, and in 1989, the seats were reupholstered. In 1993, the owners purchased auditorium lights that had come from the Orpheum Theater in Portland, which was torn down in the 70’s. A new sound system replaced the 1947 “tube” system in April 1999.

The present owners, Jean Payne Vick and Larry Hibbard, purchased the Ruby Theater in April of 1989, when the community was at risk of losing its only movie theater. Except for a two-year closure from 1972 to 1974 the Ruby Theater has been continuously running as a movie theater since it opened in 1914.

Contributed by Lost Memory

Recent comments (view all 11 comments)

teecee on May 17, 2005 at 5:57 am

Nice interior & exterior photos:
View link

lostmemory on January 12, 2007 at 4:04 pm

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991

Ruby Theater (added 1991 – Building – #91001495)
135 E. Woodin Ave., Chelan
Historic Significance: Event
Area of Significance: Entertainment/Recreation
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Recreation And Culture
Current Sub-function: Theater

kencmcintyre on January 27, 2007 at 2:29 pm

Here is an ad on eBay for a July 1960 schedule of films at the Ruby:
http://tinyurl.com/3bywdk

lostmemory on July 18, 2007 at 4:48 pm

This website has three photos of the Ruby Theater. Click each photo to expand it.

lostmemory on August 5, 2007 at 12:53 pm

This is a great shot of the Ruby Theater.

tomdelay on December 1, 2007 at 2:01 pm

Does anyone know what became of the American Photoplayer organ that was originally in this theatre? It was still in-place to the mid 1970s.

AndrewBarrett on March 11, 2008 at 3:36 am

This photoplayer is mentioned on the history page of their website, though talked about in past tense as though it is no longer there.

I would imagine it was bought by a collector in the pacific northwest, since a simple glance through, for example, the AMICA directory seems to reveal a larger percentage of photoplayers in Oregon than in the other states in general. [however, the Ruby theatre is in Washington so perhaps this is a bad example].

I guess one of us should simply email the people at the Ruby Theatre and just ask what became of it.

lostmemory on August 30, 2008 at 11:53 am

Here is a 2008 photo.

kencmcintyre on April 17, 2010 at 7:24 pm

Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/y3dz28z