Comments about Tower Theatre in Bend, OR

Dennis Noson on January 20, 2012 at 4:32 pm

Back in 1975 I worked as a young(ish) architect in Priteca’s office, here in Seattle. Benny Priteca was a specialist in theater architecture, and I saw many of his tracings for elaborate terracotta facing tiles and parapet caps. Years later, now an acoustical consultant, I was part of the design team for the 2004 renovation. Let me know— if you are a ‘local’— just how well the acoustics are working out. And thanks to all who have posted photos.

RonP on June 18, 2011 at 3:06 am

 When it opened on March 6, 1940 the Tower was covered quite extensively in the Bend Bulletin. B. Marcus Priteca of Seattle and Harry A. Herzog of Portland were the architects. Construction was started on December 1 and the theatre was completed in a little more than three months with workers on double shifts. The walls of a former building on the site were utilized in the new construction. In order to lower the front of the theater, the blasting of rock was required
                 Frank Blount and Ken Hodkinson, the builders and operators, had extensive experience in the movie business in production and distribution. Hodkinson was the son of W.W. Hodkinson, the founder of Paramount Pictures. The men, who looked extensively around the northwest before deciding on Bend, would be making their home in Bend.
                The opening attraction was ‘Four Wives’ staring Claude Rains. It was noted that four studios including Warner Bros., RKO, Columbia, and Monogram would supply the movies. Some of the movies would play before Portland and others would play at the same time.

Mike Rogers on November 10, 2010 at 6:05 pm

You really gotta love theatre managers.On the ad for the sci-fi movie “MAROONED” it states “HAS THE DAZZLING OUTER SPACE EFFECTS OF 2001,BUT WITH A STORY”. WHAT! I hope Nick doesn’t read this. “MAROONED” was a decent flick,but the manager sure did not like 2001. Love these old ads. oh,the second feature was “TIME FOR A KILLING”.

Chuck1231 on April 15, 2010 at 8:06 am

Another 2009 photo of the Tower Theatre.
View link

lostmemory on August 25, 2009 at 7:14 pm

Another 2009 photo is here.

lostmemory on July 9, 2009 at 8:45 am

This is a 2009 photo.

lostmemory on April 21, 2009 at 3:42 pm

1982 Photo

1984 Photo

DonLewis on February 25, 2009 at 8:40 pm

A fantastic view from 1947 of the Tower and Liberty Theaters in Bend, Oregon.

millsbranch on February 25, 2009 at 7:25 am

Correct on the Liberty, I will try and get an old 1947 photo
posted, which shows both theaters in their heyday Billy h

ticktock11 on November 1, 2008 at 10:18 pm

Correction: I should have said two doors to the RIGHT in Lost Memory’s posts… .

ticktock11 on November 1, 2008 at 11:58 am

The ocher-colored building two addresses to the left of Lost Memory’s Apr. 7 (and other) photo postings is the former Liberty Theater. I recall being fascinated by it as a small boy in the mid-50s, when it had been closed for some time. Its ground floor was gutted later to provide a Sears store, but the balcony apparently remained untouched until very recently, when the upper stories were converted to condominiums. (With drug money; the building is in receivership with the feds, who are trying to sell it.)

Sorry to intrude on the Tower thread …

lostmemory on August 14, 2008 at 4:37 pm

Here is an August 2008 close-up view.

lostmemory on April 7, 2008 at 2:03 pm

This is a more recent photo.

lostmemory on August 23, 2007 at 4:17 am

Another recent photo of the Tower Theater can be seen here.

lostmemory on August 4, 2007 at 11:15 am

A night view of the Tower Theater.

lostmemory on November 9, 2006 at 10:51 am

Here is a more recent photo of the Tower Theater.

lostmemory on October 5, 2006 at 5:19 am

This is another photo of the Tower Theater.

lostmemory on October 12, 2005 at 4:05 am

Another photo of the Tower Theater in Bend can be seen here.

lostmemory on October 4, 2005 at 3:42 am

This website has some before, during and after photos of the Tower theater renovation.

lostmemory on September 10, 2005 at 5:34 am

Here is a photo of the Tower Theater in Bend, Oregon.

Chuck1231 on November 18, 2004 at 12:35 am

The address for the Tower Theatre is 835 NW Wall Street, Bend, Or.

kbend on March 25, 2004 at 11:15 am

The renovation is complete and the theater re-opened January 30, 2004.
http://www.towertheatre.org

Tower Theatre

835 NW Wall Street, Bend, OR 97709

835 NW Wall Street,
Bend, OR 97709