Pacific Theatre
424 Fir Avenue,
Reedsport,
OR
97467
424 Fir Avenue,
Reedsport,
OR
97467
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The Pacific Theatre was the only walk-in theatre in Reedsport, Oregon. It wasn’t large, but it suited the extended community, which included Gardiner, Reedsport, Winchester Bay and surrounding areas. Downtown Reedsport was subject to frequent flooding; after one particularly damaging flood, the theatre closed and was soon demolished along with the rest of the buildings on its block.
Most of the time I went to the theatre, it was managed by Lin Swain.
The Pacific Theatre underwent at least one renovation in the 1950’s; first the screen was enlarged for CinemaScope, then seats and carpets were replaced. It had a balcony consisting of one row of seats directly in front of the projection booth, but as with many other theatres in Oregon, it also had a “crying room”, a soundproofed, windowed room with a few seats where parents could take noisy children and still watch the movie.
Contributed by
Bill Warren
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
One of my earliest paying jobs in the 1950s was washing the Cadillac belonging to the owner of the Pacific Theatre, Earl Balthazar (sp?).
Later I increased my activities to include carrying in the candy, filling the popcorn hopper, and helping out in the projection room.
On quiet weeknights I was even trusted to act as “Manager”… which meant I took tickets.
Power outages were frequent in Reedsport at that time and there was some sort of arrangement for alternative power from the E.K.Wood sawmill. One of the duties of the “Manager” was to, flashlight in hand, assure the patrons that the film would continue as soon as possible and then go and throw a huge knife switch located in an area behind the screen.
It was a wonderful place, or so I thought at the time… and I got to watch all three programs each week… and got paid besides.
I found a phone listing from the Coos & Curry County directory for Sept. 1961. It lists the Pacific at 424 Fir Ave. which is Hwy. 38 thru the old section of town. One of the locals mentioned to me you could always tell when high tide was because you could hear the kids splashing in the front rows. The earliest news listing I could find so far was from 1948, a Christmas Eve kiddie show. The last big flood in December 1964 closed the theater for good. Reedsport built a tidewall and relocated a new section of town higher up. Although Old Town is still there, I imagine all those buildings are from 1965.
Circa 1960 postcard added courtesy of Paul Jeffries.