Grizzly Theatre #1

There were three Grizzly Theatres in the village’s history. The first was built in 1919 and 1920 by Frank Johnson. It was a rustic theatre consisting of local pine trees and nestled in an area with mature trees nearby. Grizzly Theatre “#1” opened in June of 1920. Its auditorium was unique with a thatched ceiling comprised of rough wood with bark left in place. Presentation of silent films was given with two Simplex projectors and an organ.

The theatre’s sloping floor simply followed the existing contour of the land’s plot. Two aisles of seats were created. In August of 1921, a baby was left at the front door of the theater and Johnson made the unusual decision to have a raffle and give the baby away at a screening on August 23, 1921. Likely frowned upon in contemporary society… as well as 1921 society, the baby contest promising a new kid in your home turned out to be a baby goat.

After a very slow first seasons, Johnson then built the Grizzly Inn next door. In prohibition times, the Inn was booming causing foot traffic in the theater which was open on weekends and sometimes just Saturdays. On July 6, 1923, the foot traffic was slowed when federal officers raided the Inn. Turns out the foot traffic was due to very popular moonshine whiskey and bathtub gin produced on premises.

Contemporary issues of the local paper say the venue burned down and that a separate fire also took out the Grizzly Inn. For a venue highly covered by the trade press of the era, the lack of story covering the fire is unusual. Since photographs do show two very different buildings for the three locations and another report states that a Grizzly Theatre #2 operated by Charlie and Anne Stillwell opened not far from the original venue at 42171 Big Bear Boulevard, a separate entry is provided for it pending further information.

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