Monte Theatre

50sSNIPES on August 27, 2023 at 7:30 pm

The 475-seat Monte Theatre opened its doors on June 21, 1934 with an all-star cast in “Hollywood Party”, along with a Universal Newsreel, a technicolor short “Fine Feathers”, and the Our Gang short “Bedtime Worries”, featuring installations of Simplex projection.

Information about the Monte Theatre as of 1934 goes as follows: The original marquee contains a three-color flashing border. The word “Monte” appears on the front of the sign while on either side in the center appears the letters “MT” in colors, and below it is the attraction title.

The lobby entrance of the theatre is decorated in silver and black, featuring a green and black rubberized tile floor. The ticket window is situated to the left of the main entrance and is also decorated with the same color motif. The foyer is carpeted with a heavy red, yellow, and black modernistic design, and to the right of the foyer in the basement are restrooms for both genders. A separate lavatory for men is situated at the foot of a short flight of stairs, while the women’s lavatory adjoins the lounge. Both lavatories are painted bright red and black, and includes settees and easy chairs for the convenience of patrons. No matter what the temperature is outside, it also contains air conditioners inside the theater as well as the auditorium.

Inside the auditorium featured walls covered with two-tone Nu-wood in tans and browns. Upon entering comes lighting facilities which were five modernistic lights decorated across the ceiling. Each are 9ft6in long and carries three colors of lights from which it is possible to make 27 different color combinations from the switchboard in the operator’s booth. Aside from the glass in the lights were fixtures being manufactured by the proprietors of the theater. They have been the directing head in the erection of the theatre during the previous two months in both April and May 1934. The lights also wall lights that also carry the unusual color combination to be had in the upper lights. The 475 seats in the auditorium are heavily padded leather carrying deep springs. There are three sizes of seats which come with 22in, 20in, and 19in. Lastly, the stage in front of the auditorium is 9ft depth.

The Monte Theatre was first operated by Charles Lambert who had previous theater experiences since he joined the business in 1916.

The Monte Theatre closed for the final time on April 25, 1982 with “Taps” due to the theater failed to gain adult audience. It was last operated by Gerald Peterson of Waverly who was the owner of Peterson Theaters Incorporated. Peterson said in the statement that they were able to get the kids to attend, but not the adults.