King Cat Theater
2130 6th Avenue,
Seattle,
WA
98121
2130 6th Avenue,
Seattle,
WA
98121
6 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 34 of 34 comments
The seat count (when a cinema) is probably inaccurate. It was more like 1000+.
Walked by the King the other day, and the marquee states that theater is opening soon and gives a phone number for bookings. Looks like live shows will again be featured.
Too bad SIFF didn’t take this place over. Probably too much competition downtown to open it unless it was a specialty house of some sort. Hey, how about a brew-pub that plays classic or 2nd run films on the big screen. What could be more fun than sitting with a bunch of people drinking beer and watching “Star Trek II” or “Planet of the Apes”. Kaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhnnnnnnnnnnnn!
Update – The church has moved on (to West Seattle) according to the theatre’s marque (back to the “King Cat” theatre). The building is one again vacant and available for lease. It would be great to see live shows, or better yet, movies there again!
The former King/King Cat has been a church for a number of years. The building has been nicely maintained.
I thought the King Cat was used for live shows, not as a church. Did something change?
Too bad this theatre wasn’t as lucky as the nearby Cinerama. At least it didn’t suffer the fate of the UA 150 & 70 across the street. Does anyone have pictures of the King?
The King originally was opened and operated by Walter Reade Theatres, but closed in early 1975 when that circuit went bankrupt. It sat vacant for a couple of years until General Cinema took over the lease.
The King gained much unfavorable publicity when General Cinema refused to install 70mm projection equipment for its exclusive booking of “Close Encounters.” It wasn’t until several months later when local theater operator Randy Finley took over the Crest in North Seattle, installed the proper equipment, and reopened with “Close Encounters” in 70mm. The house was sold out for several weeks thereafter.
General Cinema always took great care of the King, even in its waning days. When it became apparent that the economics of running a large 900 seat single screen proved too difficult, a decision was made to shutter the theater in 1989 with a one week showing of “Patton” in 70mm of course!
Three years later, a pair of film enthusiasts reopened the King, along with the shuttered UA70/150 across the street and operated all three theaters under the Seattle Cinedome name. Unfortunately, the major studios preferred to do business with the chains and after three years of operation, the King again closed.
Known as the King Cinema operated by General Cinema in the 70’s – 80’s, it had several runs of big hits, namely “Close Encounters” and “Back to the Future”. It never competed with the United Artist “Star Wars” Cinema 150 across the street.
It was a large house similair to the Southcenter Theatre in it’s interior design. But oddly, the large curved curtain opened to reveal…a plain old flat screen. Very strange.
The King Cat Theater is now a “church” of some sort…wonder how long that will last!