Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts

1225-31 Vandercook Way,
Longview, WA 98632

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Columbia Theatre (Official)

Additional Info

Previously operated by: SRO Theaters, Sterling Theaters, Inc., Tom Moyer Luxury Theatres

Architects: Day Walter Hilborn, George B. Purvis

Functions: Movies (Classic), Performing Arts

Styles: Italian Renaissance

Previous Names: Columbia Theatre

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 360.575.8499
Manager: 360.575.8499

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News About This Theater

Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts

The Columbia Theatre was originally opened as a vaudeville and silent film house in 1925. It was remodeled in 1936 to the plans of architect Day Walter Hilborn. It continued as a movie theatre for many years, and was actually scheduled to be torn down in 1980. However, it was saved and renovated to become a live performance venue.

The Columbia Theatre is a beautiful reminder of Longview’s history and serves as a center for the performing arts.

Contributed by Kristin Knutson

Recent comments (view all 9 comments)

KenLayton
KenLayton on March 24, 2004 at 10:56 am

Theater is located at 1225-31 Vandercook Way, Longview, Wash. 98632-4001 and the phone number is 360-423-1011.

Gundark
Gundark on April 8, 2014 at 8:59 pm

Back in the early 1990s, they had a special event to re-open this theater. I went with a friend. They did some live vaudeville acts, and then showed the 1925 silent file “The Phantom of the Opera” with Lon Chaney. The film was accompanied live by an organist and a few other instruments.

It’s a really beautiful theater. The company that was responsible for the renovation has a nice photo of the interior.

KenLayton
KenLayton on April 11, 2014 at 1:01 pm

At one time this was operated by Tom Moyer’s Luxury Theatres.

davefox
davefox on October 19, 2014 at 7:52 pm

The Columbia was never a Moyer theater. The local owner sold to Sterling (SRO) after WWII. SRO sold it to the City of Longview in 1983. The city leases it to the nonprofit Columbia Theater Association for the Performing Arts.

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on July 15, 2016 at 3:12 pm

Functions should also include: Movies (classic)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on May 10, 2022 at 5:42 pm

The records of architect Day Walter Hilborn list a remodeling of the Columbia Theatre in Longview as a 1936 project. There’s no indication of how extensive the remodeling was.

davidfelthous
davidfelthous on April 5, 2024 at 6:40 pm

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.

Gundark
Gundark on April 13, 2024 at 4:30 am

The photos I mentioned previously (see Apr 8, 2014 post), are no longer there. However, they can still be found on the Internet Archive:

https://web.archive.org/web/20200301074009/https://cplinc.com/work/projects/columbia-theatre-performing-arts-renovation/

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