Oriental Theatre

JimRankin on October 11, 2004 at 8:22 am

The Portland ORIENTAL was certainly among the most imaginative movie palaces in the nation, and it is indeed a shame that it is gone, but we can relive much of it via the 28-page article about it in the “Marquee” magazine of First Qtr. 1987 where there are 31 black and white photos of it supported by the text of the Historic American Buildings Survey’s 32-page report: “The Oriental Theatre, Portland, Oregon” of 1969.

PHOTOS AVAILABLE:
To obtain any available Back Issue of either “Marquee” or of its ANNUALS, simply go to the web site of the THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA at:
www.HistoricTheatres.org and notice on their first page the link “PUBLICATIONS: Back Issues List” and click on that and you will be taken to their listing where they also give ordering details. The “Marquee” magazine is 8-1/2x11 inches tall (‘portrait’) format, and the ANNUALS are also soft cover in the same size, but in the long (‘landscape’) format, and are anywhere from 26 to 40 pages. Should they indicate that a publication is Out Of Print, then it may still be possible to view it via Inter-Library Loan where you go to the librarian at any public or school library and ask them to locate which library has the item by using the Union List of Serials, and your library can then ask the other library to lend it to them for you to read or photocopy. [Photocopies of most THSA publications are available from University Microforms International (UMI), but their prices are exorbitant.]

Note: Most any photo in any of their publications may be had in large size by purchase; see their ARCHIVE link. You should realize that there was no color still photography in the 1920s, so few theatres were seen in color at that time except by means of hand tinted renderings or post cards, thus all the antique photos from the Society will be in black and white, but it is quite possible that the Society has later color images available; it is best to inquire of them.

Should you not be able to contact them via their web site, you may also contact their Executive Director via E-mail at:
Or you may reach them via phone or snail mail at:
Theatre Historical Soc. of America
152 N. York, 2nd Floor York Theatre Bldg.
Elmhurst, ILL. 60126-2806 (they are about 15 miles west of Chicago)

Phone: 630-782-1800 or via FAX at: 630-782-1802 (Monday through Friday, 9AM—4PM, CT)

Soesbe on May 25, 2004 at 5:46 pm

A great theatre. Closed for years in the late fifties, it re-opened in 1961 when I was twelve years old. I’ll never forget the thrill of going into that spectacular theatre for the first time. It was a victim of a bad location. There was never adequate parking and the east side location, by the river, never became the mecca required for bringing in the crowds.