Admiral Theatre
2343 California Avenue SW,
Seattle,
WA
98116
2343 California Avenue SW,
Seattle,
WA
98116
7 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 43 of 43 comments
This photo is the same as LM’s on 1/26/07, but apparently it has been colorized. As with the films, not much value to that (in my opinion):
http://tinyurl.com/37bkpy
The left auditorium has always seemed wider to me. Optical illusion, I guess. And thanks for the info re the sound in both houses. I believe at first there was stereo (DTS) in just the left house.
The left hand house has the DTS sound system (I installed it). The right hand house is Dolby type A stereo running thru a Dolby CP-55 processor.
“The larger auditorium”? They are both the same size. When they “twinned” the theatre in 1973, they build a wall straight down the middle, and dropped the ceiling.
The larger auditorium has been equipped with DTS sound, but, at least initially, the smaller house remained mono, and may still be. The Admiral has raised ticket prices a couple of times over the past two years, $4.50 at present, charging quite a bit more than Seattle’s only other discount theater, the Crest, which has stayed at $3. The Crest is a more comfortable theater, with two of its four houses stadiumized.
The larger auditorium has been equipped with DTS sound, but, at least initially, the smaller house remained mono, and may still be. The Admiral has raised ticket prices a couple of times over the past two years, $4.50 at present, charging quite a bit more than Seattle’s only other discount theater, the Crest, which has stayed at $3. The Crest is a more comfortable theater, with two of its four houses stadiumized.
The Admiral was a first-run theater for a brief time after it was twinned. Then Sterling Theaters sold it with the stipulation that subsequent owners could never show first-run movies (and compete with SRO’s South Seattle theaters). So it’s been second-run ever since. It’s strange that a neighborhood as big as West Seattle has no first-run theater. Regal Cinemas had plans at one time to build a multiplex at Westwood Village, but that never happened. An independent exhibitor attempted to lease an empty store there for conversion to a cinema, but the mall management didn’t want a theater there.
The Admiral was a first-run theater for a brief time after it was twinned. Then Sterling Theaters sold it with the stipulation that subsequent owners could never show first-run movies (and compete with SRO’s South Seattle theaters). So it’s been second-run ever since. It’s strange that a neighborhood as big as West Seattle has no first-run theater. Regal Cinemas had plans at one time to build a multiplex at Westwood Village, but that never happened. An independent exhibitor attempted to lease an empty store there for conversion to a cinema, but the mall management didn’t want a theater there.
does anyone know when they turned this into a second run theatre?
des anyone know when they turned this into a second run theatre?
Being the family historian, I was searching for data and memories on my Father’s side and I came across your photos of the Old Admiral. I was so taken by the art work and just how ornate it was in it’s hey day. Every Friday night back in 1959, double feature, admission 25cents, nickel candy, asleep by the 2nd movie. I’m just sorry to see from reading your site, that so many changes were made, but to be expected. Historic buildings are rare and hard to convince local power’s at be, the value for the future. Thanks for the photos….
Not to worry, Joe.
Oops. My bad. The link I posted goes to the same page ken mc linked to in the comment just above mine. Remind me to click previously posted links before adding a new one.
Here is a page containing a photo of the Admiral Theatre on it’s opening night, January 22, 1942. The caption of the photo reveals that the theatre was owned by John Danz’s Sterling Theaters (later SRO), and that it opened with 1000 seats.
Here is a picture of the Admiral dated 1/22/42:
http://tinyurl.com/bno4y
This is the first movie theatre I ever attended. I saw a double Disney bill of “Bedknobs & Broomsticks” and “The Barefoot Executive” just before it was “twined” in 1973. I remember it well, with sea murals on the walls and big screen. The old murals are still there, just covered up by red and orange curtians. The auditoriums still look very much as they did in 1973. I attended TONS of movies there from 1975 – 1981 as a (mostly) first-run theatre. I remember when “Star Wars” played there in 1978. After seeing it at the UA Cinema 150 downtown a dozen or so times…what a change! But, the sold-out audience still loved it, mono sound and all! A 90’s updating gave it stereo sound, and slightly bigger screens.
The Admiral has always been a cool ‘no-frills’ neighborhood theatre even as a second-run house. I hope it sticks around for a long time!
This theatre opened as the Portola theatre in 1919. It was expanded in around 1942.
Theater is located at 2347 California Avenue S.W. in West Seattle.
Oasis Entertainment took over operation of the theater in late 1999 from A Theatre Near You, Inc. and upgraded the sound to DTS digital. The snack bar was also upgraded and computerized ticketing system installed. In the 1940’s the exterior of the theater sported a real ship’s mast complete with Crow’s Nest!
The whole theater is built around a nautical theme and has etched glass (with Seahorses) hanging in the lobby. There is a huge mural behind the snack bar depicting sailing vessels.