Tabor Grand Opera House

Opened on September 5th, 1881. Grand opening ad posted.

Does anyone have a picture of the curtain showing the inscription at the bottom of the curtain? I am trying to confirm the full text: “So fleet the works of men, back to earth again, ancient and holy things fade like a dream”

The extensive remodeling of the Tabor Grand Opera House as the Colorado Theatre in 1921-1922 was the work of Denver architects Fisher & Fisher (brothers William Ellsworth Fisher and Arthur Addison Fisher.) Arthur R. Willet of New York was the decorator, but a number of Denver artists were involved in the project.

The rebuilt house opened on February 27, 1922, with the Colleen Moore feature Come On Over. The 71x134-foot auditorium had 2,526 seats, making it the largest moving picture theater in the Rocky Mountain region. The April 1, 1922, issue of The Moving Picture World described the house:

“With its remarkable $50,000 Robert-Morgan organ, its excellent concert orchestra — the largest theatre orchestra in Denver — its beautiful mezzanine floors, its marble staircases, its complete picture projecting equipment, its many entrances and exits, its colored floodlights, its fixtures and furniture, its lovely draperies and curtains, its mural paintings, its ushers in uniform and other interior splendors cause the Colorado to rank with the greatest theatres of New York, Chicago or California.”

I work at a stone/monument company in Denver CO and we have a pair of the stone columns from the theatre before it closed. We have been in business since the 1920’s and acquired the columns along the way, they are beautiful and in great condition. Should anyone be interested in purchasing the pair please contact me directly.

Darrell Habben, Jr

It must have been 1948, my friend Bob Leffler and I cut class at East High to see Sally Rand at The Tabor. The ticket was $2 and the show was a rip-off. The stage was completely dark, Sally had a huge white fan and a blue spot light. The theater was still grand. Downtown Denver looks little now like it did in the 1940’s, is it progress?

Jim Mimmack
Palo Alto California
.edu

The Tabor Grand Theatre had a Grand Opening night of April 6th., 1929.

I had the privilege of seeing the Tabor Grand when I was about 10. We went to see the road show presentation of OKLAHOMA in Todd-AO. I knew the Tabor story well (my 4th grade teacher delivered groceries to Baby Doe in Leadville when he was a boy) so I knew the importance of this building. During the intermission I walked down front and turned around to see the entire theatre. The balconies and some of the boxes were there, but the access was closed. Still, it was magnificent.

I couldn’t believe that they tore it down. Sadly, it was in the way of a big urban renewal project in the ‘60s which removed 22 blocks of downtown Denver. Fortunately they couldn’t afford Phase 2, so all the buildings in what is now LoDo were spared.

The Federal Reserve Bank is an interesting building, but in the wrong place. Here’s a photo:

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After 9/11 they decided to put up a better security fence, so they put in a dreadful frilly thing with flower pots that looks like the 1920s. Awful.

The Tabor Grand Opera House is listed in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. It was managed by Bush & McCourt. Ticket prices ranged from 25 cents to $1.50. The seating capacity is given as 1,220, but the breakdown does not add up to that figure: Orchestra, 390; Dress Circle, 192; Balcony, 150; Gallery, 130; total: 862, plus box seats, and maybe standees. The house had both gas and electric illumination, and was on the ground floor. The proscenium opening was 33 feet wide X 37 feet high, and the stage was 45 feet deep. There were 8 members of the house orchestra.

The Tabor Theatre was listed as seating 2269 people during the mid 40’s and was operated by Fox Intermountain Theatre, Inc..