Cameo Theatre
1320 Pacific Avenue,
Tacoma,
WA
98402
1320 Pacific Avenue,
Tacoma,
WA
98402
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Lyric Theater, Jewel Theatre, Shell Theater
Nearby Theaters
The Lyric Theater was created out of a retail use building. It opened in 1909. The theater was remodeled in 1911 and closed on August 29, 1914. It reopened as the Jewel Theatre on December 16, 1914. The Shell Theater had opened next door in 1910 and the Jewel Theatre was incorporated to create a larger theatre. The Shell Theater is listed in the 1957 Film Daily Yearbook with 319 seats and it closed in 1960.
It reopened as the Cameo Theatre on March 2, 1962 with Joni Day in “Not Tonight Henry” & Diana Does in “Blond Sinner”. By the 1970’s it was screening adult movies and closed on December 5, 1981.
It was demolished in 1987.
Contributed by
Ridgewood Ken
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
The theater at this adress later became the Cameo theater It was located next to the Luzon bldg. (the Fun Circus arcade) on one side, and the U&I Cafe on the other, and across Pacific ave from the Greyhound Bus station. My dad was the projectionist at the Cameo (and community) from the approx 1977 until it was finally closed in the early 1980’s I do remember having to pick him up when he closed the theater for the night after one of my HS proms… so after Prom, myself, my date, and another couple went to pick him up, but the last showing of the movie (porn) was only half over.. so the four of us watched the last half from the projection booth…. lol, and then dropped my dad off at home, and told him we were going out for a late breakfast…. Let’s just say?? we made good use of that ‘72 Dodge van… lolol… then had breakfast….. Oh, dad always refered to the porno films??? as “"Adult training films”"
This closed in 1957 and reopened on March 30th, 1962 with “Some Like It Cool” as the Cameo showing adult movies. Grand opening ad posted.
Demolished.
This venue began as a grocer and drug store as part of the 1883-built Frederick T. Olds Block. Two operators seized the moment of nickelodeons opening here as the Lyric Theater in 1909. It was auctioned off in a dispute between the co-owners that same year. New owners came in likely serving out its five-year lease closing on August 29, 1914 with “The Million Dollar Mystery.” New operators resumed here as the Jewel Theatre on December 16, 1914 with “The Pawn of Fortune.” The venue was upgraded to be fireproof and less a nickelodeon - more a theater.
The Shell Theatre was another nickelodeon and had opened in the Satterlee Block next door at 1324 Pacific in 1910. It was a $40,000 new build, multi-use structure. J.S. Short and H.R. Berg probably got an offer they couldn’t refuse moving to the Olds Block in October of 1915 or simply bought out the Jewel to get the “more theater” and “less nickelodeon. Whatever the reason, the Shell was an amazing success. It was wired for sound to remain commercially viable. It appears to have served out both a 20-year and a 25-year leasing commitment.
The final operator of the Shell was Numa J. Brossoit operating it into 1960 with James J. Hoffner. It became the Cameo Theatre on March 2, 1962 with Joni Day in “Not Tonight Henry” and Diana Does in “Blonde Sinner.” The latter played 22 weeks in Seattle. Tacoma was more discerning with the film getting just a single week. The venue closed likely at the end of its 10-year leasing agreeing on December 5, 1981 with unknown, unrated XXX films. The building got through its 100th Anniversary but would not make it to #105 as the city cleared it for demolition which took place apparently in 1987.
I’d definitely go with retail, Lyric Theater, Jewel Theater, Shell Theater (#2), and Cameo Theatre at 1320 Pacific. 1324 would be Shell #1 although there is little need for that with this entry.