Chief Theatre
21 E. Pike's Peak Avenue,
Colorado Springs,
CO
80903
21 E. Pike's Peak Avenue,
Colorado Springs,
CO
80903
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Closed on November 1, 1972 with Slim Pickens in “Outdoor Rambling” as its last film. It was demolished during the first week of June 1973.
The interior does have some elements reminiscent of Elmslie’s designs, but the facade is way too classical for him. The Burns Building and theater were actually designed by Douglas & Hetherington (Walter Farquhar Douglas and Thompson Duncan Hetherington.) I’m now digging up a bit more information about them.
Ken – that interior is amazingly distinctive for 1911. To my eye it says the architect was intimately familiar with the designs of Louis Sullivan or early F.L. Wright. I’d give you good odds the architect for the interior was George Elmslie who was working in the mid-west during the early 20th century.
Does anyone have interior pictures of this theater? I saw some of my first Disney films here, and I remember the decor as rather ornate and colorful around the proscenium. I also remember a large marble stairway to the balcony. But I never see photos posted from the inside.
1961 photo added courtesy of The Denver Eye Facebook page.
The December 2, 1911, issue of The Billboard said: “The elegant new Burns Theatre at Colorado Springs will soon be finished and it is reported there will be a large delegation of Denver people who will attend the opening performance.”
Sidney Cox was known as an “opener” for Westland as I remember it. In 1952 he moved to Grand Junction to open Westland’s “Chief” Drive-In at 2868 North Ave. After a short time (maybe a season to two) he left and Forrest Litsey took over as manager of GJ’s Chief.
Seated 1,363 according to the Film Daily Yearbook of 1942
I went there often in the 60s then in the 70s urban renewal wanted everything modern in the springs so they said the building was unsafe so they tor it down and believe it the put up a parking lot
I believe that it stopped showing movies in 1972.
This was in Boxoffice magazine, December 1951:
COLORADO SPRINGS-Sid Cox, assistant manager of the Chief for the past year, has been named manager of the 8th Street Drive-In, succeeding Ed Kelly, who has been transferred to Pueblo by Westland Theaters Co. Cos started his career as an usher at the Chief.
Here is a photo circa 1950s:
http://tinyurl.com/n4lsw2
Here is a March 1972 ad from the Colorado Springs Gazette:
http://tinyurl.com/mfykyf
The Wurlitzer theatre organ was lovely moved to the City Auditorium (Just down the street) where it is used often and with much success.
I remember going to the Chief in the late 40’s and seeing “Rosanna McCoy”. I was about 9 or 10 years old. My dad was in the Army reserves at Camp Carson and we were in Colorado for two weeks (from California). I guess it’s now Fort Carson.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbooks from at least 1941 thru 1950 and beyond.