Dishman Theatre
8722 Sprague Avenue E.,
Spokane,
WA
99212
8722 Sprague Avenue E.,
Spokane,
WA
99212
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Oh…duh, A.T. Dishman. Guess I should read ALL the past posts first.
Any ideas on the basis for the Dishman name?
Also, it’s funny to see the 1984 photo with the gun store sign on the side of the building. Since the Dishman blade itself actually looks like the barrel of a Glock.
There is a July 1983 ad here from the Spokesman-Review:
http://tinyurl.com/yerwcum
Ken mc got the list of Favorite Theatres in Spokane right, but the East Sprague, East Trent, West End, North Cedar were all drive-in theatres.
The Dishman was (as far as I recall) owner operated until the late 1960s, when Favorite gave it a remodel job and turned it into a first run Hollywood big deal cinema. I remember we played Billy Jack there for months (I was occasionally projectionist there at the time).
A new UA twin was built not too far west of the Dishman, and I think around that time Dishman became an X rated house. That was the time when single screens were being phased out in favor of twins or triples. Favorite Theatres was purchased by Sterling Recreation Organization, from Seattle, around this same time.
The Dishman Theatre was unremarkable, a good example of small town theatre construction but plain, and overall a good place to see a movie.
Here is a 1984 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c8rahb
Here is a photo, circa late 1970s:
http://tinyurl.com/yu2dtk
Deja Vu Spokane
8722 Sprague Ave. E.
Spokane, WA 99212
Google maps this address to Spokane so IMPA is right.
The 1970 IMPA lists the East Sprague and Dishman Theaters, and says both are in Spokane. The two theaters were part of Favorite Theaters, Inc, and were operated by J.J. Rosenfield. Here are the Favorite theaters at that time, all listed as being in Spokane:
Post, Garland, East Sprague, East Trent, North Cedar, West End, Dishman.
It appears that the Dishman Theater and Deja Vu Club are one in the same building.
Film Daily Yearbook;1950 edition gives the address of the Dishman Theatre as 8722 East Sprague Avenue, Dishman, WA. Seating capacity 500.
A little more info:
“1939-The Dishman Theater, owned by A.T. Dishman and managed by J.E. Hutchins, opens on the Appleway. The first feature is "King of the Turf,” starring Adolphe Menjou and Dolores Costello".
“1977-The owners of the Dishman Theater, which had begun showing X-rated movies, were twice tried on criminal charges of exhibiting obscene materials. Twice, Spokane County Superior Court juries found the defendants not guilty, although jurors later said they were unhappy with their verdicts”.
As an adult theater, it was called the Deja Vu located on East Sprague Ave. I found the following:
“While dodging the bright orange cones and gravel that now decorate much of Sprague Avenue between Argonne and Park roads, I found the perfect location for a new discount theater in the Spokane Valley.
Actually, it wasn’t until a recent fire leveled buildings just to the west of it that I learned the old Dishman Theater is a historic building and part of the old Dishman township center.
At one time, the theater west of Argonne on Sprague was actually a mainstream movie theater. Right now, it is just another old and somewhat run-down building on East Sprague, housing the adult entertainment business Deja Vu.
This historical landmark theater would have a more positive impact on this locale and the Valley as a whole if it were converted into a discount theater catering to Valley families. Perhaps this could be the beginning of an upturn in this somewhat blighted area – a part of our Valley that definitely needs some attention".
I did find a listing for a Deja Vu Night Club located at:
8722 E Sprague Ave
Spokane Valley, WA 99212