The 1936 remodel was probably the removal of two tiers of box seats on either side of the stage, impractical for the movies that had become the main programming. That space was covered by ornate screens backlit by subtle lighting.
The Vanport Theater was part of a small local chain owned by the Gamble family that included two down-at-the-heels all-night theaters in downtown Portland, the Circle and the Capitol, but also the neighborhood Bagdad at 37th and Hawthorne, which showed second-run main-stream movies. The Bagdad long out-lived the downtown grind houses.
The Liberty mostly showed low-budget, black-and-white Westerns and minor-studio dramas. I think the owner, Basil Bashor, wasn’t willing to invest in the new Cinemascope format, which required a major investment in new equipment. Too bad, because the auditorium was pleasant.
I believe the monster sign had originally been on the United Artists Theater in downtown Portland (demolished long ago). Portland updated its sign restrictions and the UA sign was deemed too tall. Both theaters were part of the Portland-based J.J. Parker circuit. The Portland UA then got a slightly shorter sign that conformed to the new limit. That sign had more neon white and red frosting than the now-illegal one. The Portland stage wasn’t very wide, and installing the new CinemaScope-type screen would have been awkward and costly. So it wasn’t upgraded and closed in 1954.The last movie it played was “About Mrs. Leslie,” with Shirley Booth and Robert Ryan.
My grandfather, Albert Champlain, who died in 1938, started the one-chair Senate Barber Shop. I don’t know the inspiration for the name (he died a year before I was born). He was known for his humor, so the reference may have been poking fun at the US Senate.
In the 1950s, as the Mayfair, it was a second-run double-feature house that often showed the same movies as the Fox Tower. The Mayfair was outside the city limits and smoking was allowed. The Tower is inside the city and you couldn’t smoke there. My cousin was the Tower’s manager and the staff had to deal with customers who smoked, since it was allowed at the Mayfair.
I lived in the area during the long, hot summer of 1961. I was shocked that air ducts for cooling had been installed atop the walls. It rattled when the the system was on, which was much of the time, interfering with the movie. The marquee and newspaper ads stated that it was “Spokane’s favorite theater.” Not likely. Later I learned that it was owned by a chain called Favorite Theaters.
A nice contrast to Regal’s dismal downtown Meridian 16, with its barely sloped floors and cramped seating. Better popcorn, too, and I’m a popcornholic. :-)
The 1936 remodel was probably the removal of two tiers of box seats on either side of the stage, impractical for the movies that had become the main programming. That space was covered by ornate screens backlit by subtle lighting.
The Vanport Theater was part of a small local chain owned by the Gamble family that included two down-at-the-heels all-night theaters in downtown Portland, the Circle and the Capitol, but also the neighborhood Bagdad at 37th and Hawthorne, which showed second-run main-stream movies. The Bagdad long out-lived the downtown grind houses.
I saw “Irma la Douche” there in the early 1960s. A good presentation on a large curved screen. You don’t see many curved screens these days.
The Liberty mostly showed low-budget, black-and-white Westerns and minor-studio dramas. I think the owner, Basil Bashor, wasn’t willing to invest in the new Cinemascope format, which required a major investment in new equipment. Too bad, because the auditorium was pleasant.
I believe the monster sign had originally been on the United Artists Theater in downtown Portland (demolished long ago). Portland updated its sign restrictions and the UA sign was deemed too tall. Both theaters were part of the Portland-based J.J. Parker circuit. The Portland UA then got a slightly shorter sign that conformed to the new limit. That sign had more neon white and red frosting than the now-illegal one. The Portland stage wasn’t very wide, and installing the new CinemaScope-type screen would have been awkward and costly. So it wasn’t upgraded and closed in 1954.The last movie it played was “About Mrs. Leslie,” with Shirley Booth and Robert Ryan.
My grandfather, Albert Champlain, who died in 1938, started the one-chair Senate Barber Shop. I don’t know the inspiration for the name (he died a year before I was born). He was known for his humor, so the reference may have been poking fun at the US Senate.
The theater was remodeled into a grocery store, Gross Market, in the ‘50s. The theater sign was retained and updated to reflect the new occupant.
In the 1950s, as the Mayfair, it was a second-run double-feature house that often showed the same movies as the Fox Tower. The Mayfair was outside the city limits and smoking was allowed. The Tower is inside the city and you couldn’t smoke there. My cousin was the Tower’s manager and the staff had to deal with customers who smoked, since it was allowed at the Mayfair.
I lived in the area during the long, hot summer of 1961. I was shocked that air ducts for cooling had been installed atop the walls. It rattled when the the system was on, which was much of the time, interfering with the movie. The marquee and newspaper ads stated that it was “Spokane’s favorite theater.” Not likely. Later I learned that it was owned by a chain called Favorite Theaters.
A nice contrast to Regal’s dismal downtown Meridian 16, with its barely sloped floors and cramped seating. Better popcorn, too, and I’m a popcornholic. :-)