Chisholm Theater
124 W. Lake Street,
Chisholm,
MN
55719
124 W. Lake Street,
Chisholm,
MN
55719
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Opened in May 1940 and operated into the 1950’s, the Chisholm Theater is one of two movie theatres operating in the town during that period. The other being the 312 seat Time Theater which was located at 22 W. Lake Street.
Contributed by
Lost Memory, Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Is this the theater owned by Gust Berquist?
Looks to be an auto shop.
Same theater?
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Chisholm - Irving Gillman expects to open his new 800-seat theatre, costing $75,000 immediately.”
The Chisholm Theatre opened its doors on August 22, 1940 with Robert Preston in “Typhoon” (unknown if extras added), alongside a brief concert performance in front of the theater followed by stage speeches by then-mayor Ed Wheelecor, original owner G.L. Berquist, and his partners Max Eddlestein and Hibbing native H.L. Cawley, with Cawley being the president of the Chamber of Commerce.
The theater was built with an estimate of $50,000 owned by Berquist himself and features the following as of 1940: The front of the theater alongside its trapezoid marquee and large sign features a full effect of the vitreous glass front with two shades of green reflecting the lights. Upon entering the lobby and passing onto the main body features wall lights. As the theater darkens with the start of the program, people will notice the murals on either side illuminated by black lights which will bring out colors of the painting of a figure representing the manpower of the iron range, making it possible to see throughout the entire house but in no way interfering with the screen illumination.
The original seating capacity as of 1940 is 600 streamlined uplift cushioned seats, all of which were made by the American Seating Company, and lastly there are two different curtains/drapes behind the screen. One of which opens up like normal curtains and the other raises upward. Indeed, the Chisholm last operated with 486 seats.