Desert Theatre

68 N. Broadway Avenue,
Burns, OR 97720

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Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on September 25, 2022 at 10:30 am

Website: Desert Theatre

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on July 13, 2016 at 10:40 am

The digital conversion campaign raised over $55K within 5 months. Their Facebook page calls this the Desert Historic Theatre.

cinequip
cinequip on March 12, 2013 at 3:25 pm

Ahhh, I think I can beat that price. Actual cost to upgrade to digital projection is around $42,000.

burns_local548962
burns_local548962 on February 6, 2013 at 1:45 am

Us locals dearly apprecite our theater, but time is catching up to it in the technological age and needs updated upon its projector. Sadley we need to raise nearly $800,000 to pay for a new projector. so if you could donate please do. this is a historicl theater with one of the largest screens in oregon. We would greatly appreciate it——Burns local 548962

Brad Smith
Brad Smith on August 20, 2010 at 4:56 pm

This photograph of the Desert Theatre was taken in 2010.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on July 17, 2010 at 10:52 pm

Thanks JuliaG. Harlem,Ga. Home of Oliver Hardy,think they might have changed the name to HARDY THEATRE when they redid the old COLUMBIA THEATRE marquee,named after the county the theatre is in.

juliagreen
juliagreen on July 17, 2010 at 5:18 pm

Thanks! We had lunch at a place that had a little flier about things around the community, including the “historic Desert Theatre.” You are right about general community interest in most preservation activities: and the smaller the community perhaps the smaller the subgroup of people into preservation/community history. However, in Oregon there is a LOT of pride in history, stemming perhaps from their pioneer roots. Yes…it would be interesting to see how many Burnians (Burners?) would show up to save the cinder block palace were it imperiled!

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on July 14, 2010 at 10:25 pm

TLSLOEWS go to my page and punch in Vintage Movie ads You will go nuts looking at what Fredrick did the post.Great looking.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on July 14, 2010 at 10:20 pm

At least they show Star Wars.LOL as in the 1981 photo.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on July 14, 2010 at 9:43 pm

Nice comments.Be nice to see how many locals feel about their"historic" theatre.I say that because when the Columbia Theatre in Harlem,Ga. revealed the new marquee only a handful showed up and most of them old employees from the 50’s and 60’s.I really think most locals could care less.

juliagreen
juliagreen on July 14, 2010 at 9:23 pm

I have definitely seen less “compelling” theatres. Burns is a place where architectural detail is a real luxury: the high desert weather (hot sun, high wind, snow, sleet, hail etc.) eats away even solidly utilitarian buildings. The Desert Theatre is as spartan as its surroundings but its owners have done nicely with their cinder block showcase.
Aside from looks, I think it is important remember that our Cinema Treasures are not always the Paramounts and the Foxes! I think The Last Picture Show is the sentiment of this on film: an important gathering place in a dying windswept Texas town. I read enraptured comments on the homely theatres so close to many peoples' hearts on CT all the time and while I only passed through Burns I know that its residents feel as strongly for their own “historic” theatre.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 20, 2008 at 10:32 pm

Here is a 2007 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/4mpbjw