Kay Street Theatre
1117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way,
Tacoma,
WA
98405
1117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way,
Tacoma,
WA
98405
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Moore Amusement Co.
Architects: George Trust
Previous Names: K Street Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Kay Street Theatre was located in Tacoma’s inner city Hilltop neighborhood. It was opened on March 29, 1924 with Madge Kennedy in “Three Miles Out”. Organist Charles Cundiff was at the Wurlitzer Hope-Jones organ console (He created the “Kay Street March” which he played on opening night). The Kay Street Theatre was operated by the Moore Amusement Co. For a short time in the late-1920’s it was known as the K Street Theatre, but went back to its original name. The Kay Street Theatre was closed on February 5, 1956 with Humphrey Bogart in “The Desperate Hours” & Jack Hawkins in “Land of Fury”.
Contributed by
Katie Mac
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Located on what was originally known as South K Street, hence the name of this theatre.
Full size version of the 1950s photo added via Frank Griffin.
Opened on March 29th, 1924
Kay Street Theater opening 23 Mar 1924, Sun The Tacoma Daily Ledger (Tacoma, Washington) Newspapers.com
The Kay Street Theatre opened in the Hilltop neighborhood with Charles Cundiff at the organ console and he created the “Kay Street March,” an original melody for the event of March 29, 1924. Moore Amusement Company was the operator and the architect of the venue was George Trust with Leo Kellogg the opening day manager. Peterson & Dahl were the interior decorators.
A couple of notes in that it definitely opened and definitely closed as the Kay Street Theatre (not K) but was definitely the K Street for some stretches including the late silent era. New operator Louis J. Perunko made the necessary transition to sound on December 17, 1929 with “Movietone Follies of 1929” and would do so for his Sunset Theatre as well. And it definitely closed on February 5, 1956 with “The Desperate Hours” and “Land of Fury" as the Kay Street Theatre.