Messages in a Cyber-Bottle between a Couple of Old
Marooned Pirates
October, 2002
Five Spokane Theaters in 40's and 50's
(Click a picture to enlarge it) (More
pictures follow in text)
Fox
Bandbox
Liberty
Orpheum
Grenada
W,
Since we touched on the subject of Spokane’s movie theaters, and the ball
is in my court, let’s discuss theaters some more.
I have a nagging feeling that I’m missing one, but I told my wife that we
had 11 theaters in Spokane. She was aghast because her little town had just
one. She was a PK who wasn’t allowed to attend movies … or play cards
... or dance, but that’s another story. We met in East Lansing, Michigan,
a town of 35,000 that doubled to 70,000 when collage was in session. It had
only two theaters. They wanted 90 cents admission. Highway robbers! I was
accustomed to something closer to 65 cents in Spokane. Maybe it was due to
more competition. East Lansing bumps into Lansing, which added two theaters
to make a total of four to serve over 200,000 people. Maybe the eastern low
theater count was because some nearby little towns had a theater also.
Compare this to Spokane, the only sizeable metropolis between Seattle and
Minneapolis. Maybe Spokane’s 11 theaters had to serve more people than I
think. Lansing did score one on Spokane. One of its two theaters had an
orchestra pit and an organ that rose out of the floor. A guy would play it
during intermission (remember intermission?). My wife still thinks that was
the coolest.
Some of my better memories are in going to Spokane theaters. I remember my
first movie. My parents told me that we were going to see a moving picture.
I thought it was a moon picture. Thereafter, that’s what all in my family
called a movie. That first movie was called “Bill and Coo,” a story of
two pigeons. It was in color and had real pigeons. I believe that the movie
was shown at the Liberty Theater because I can picture the outside in my
mind as we went in. I hesitate to admit how young I was, because you won’t
believe that I can remember that far back. I actually made out! A big girl
(probably 8), a stranger, sat next to me. I held her hand through the whole
movie. By the time I made it to Rogers, I’d lost the secret of how make
anonymous girls hold hands.
Somewhere at the same young age, I saw Fanstasia with just my mom. My dad
was probably in the navy. I still recall my first impression of Fantasia. I
just wish I knew where we saw it. I prefer to think it was the Fox.
My next theater memory is of a live performance by my uncle. He was in a
country group that did gigs around the area. Perhaps the show was at the
Fox, but it could have been any reputable theater in Spokane, which leaves
out the El Rey. I remember my uncle playing big acoustic bass (didn’t know
what it was then), and singing “Cool Clear Water.” They were wearing
fringed mint-green shirts and Stetsons. A little guy in the background kept
singing falsetto “Water….water…water” I wondered why nobody would
help him. I was so thrilled when my uncle winked at me.
When I was about seven, I was allowed to take the bus downtown with the big
kids that were nine. I remember scouring vacant lots around Nevada and
Hoffman for bottles. We turned them in for deposit and earned the $0.45 that
it took to ride downtown, see Disney’s Treasure Island, and return. I
remember seeing several movies this way with those guys. One turned out to
be the classic Treasure of Sierra Madre, though I didn’t know that’s
what it was until I saw it again ten years ago. Another was King Solomon’s
Mines starring Deborah Kerr.
Remember when the some high school would put on a play at the Fox and every
kid in town was bussed to see it? What fun!
Enough. I’ll enumerate the theaters and comment on each.
Fox
This was the grande dame of all Spokane’s theaters. This art decco
masterpiece had the first public air conditioning in Spokane. They were
proud of that. It was on display in a picture window in back on First
Street. I used to like to roll down the plush padded stairs when I was about
seven. The place seemed infinitely large, and so padded! I remember seeing
3D movies there. Once I had to wait in a line that encircled the block, but
I don’t recall what the draw was. Occasionally the Review would report a
sighting of the Crosbys trying to slip in unnoticed.
Grenada
This theater seems to be forgettable by most. I believe that it didn’t
even have a balcony. It was on the south side of Riverside across from
Grants and the Post Office. It was so small that the concession stand was
outside the ticket area – almost on the street. For some reason I liked
that little theater. I saw many forgettable movies there.
State
I remember the State, Liberty, and Post, as being of almost the same rococo
design inside.
Orpheum
The Orpheum seemed a cut above the State, Liberty, and Post . I think it was
the one that actually had two balconies. I may be wrong, but some theater
did. The top one was always closed. I broke into it of course. The seats in
the top balcony were not padded nor was there carpet on the floor. If it
were in East Texas, I’d say it was a holdover from segregation. Again, I’m
not positive that this balcony was in the Orpheum, but it was some theater
downtown. I remember when they tore the Orpheum down. I could see the
balcony steps etched on the building next door. I think I see two flights in
my mind. The Crosbys used to slip into this theater also. A piece in the
paper discussed all the luminaries that played at the Orpheum. It began as a
silent film theater named the Palladium. This made me wonder why they were
razing it – my first lesson in urban renewal.
Liberty
This theater was on the north side of Riverside near Post. I probably saw
tons of movies there. I worked at Grants on Riverside and Post.
Bandbox
For some reason, this theater almost escapes my memory. It was on the next
block down the street from the Fox. It sat next door to Grahams, a neat
precursor combination of Barnes and Noble and Staples. I think the theater
specialized in artsy movies.
El Rey
This little multipurpose dump doubled as theater and hotel. It was smack in
the middle of skid row. My bus used to drive the length of skid row, so I
monitored the triple feature. I believe this was the only theater that
regularly played triples. I attended once. There was no carpet or upholstery
anywhere. The floor was sticky. I like to believe that this was Coke. The
inside was actually smaller than the Grenada. I don’t believe there was a
concession stand. Jim Wellwood and I once sat through a triple feature three
times that featured Burt Lancaster in the Crimson Pirate.
Rialto
The Rialto was on Main and Howard. The Santa window of the Bon Marche was
across Howard from it. Skid row on Main started at the east wall of the
Rialto in my opinion. This was a questionable theater. I attended one movie
there. Janet Leigh was a beautiful Russian Mig pilot who had a thing for an
American F86 pilot. They apparently had illicit dogfights. Hey, it was a
movie, okay? The Rialto often played adult-only movies. I’m sure that
network TV family hour is racier today.
Rex
Oops! I can’t think of exactly where the Rex was. I think it specialized
in adult movies, whatever those were. The name Bridget Bardot strikes a
familiar note.
Post
The Post was on … Post. I saw many movies there, but I can think of
nothing to distinguish the theater.
Garland
The Garland was the only sit-inside theater not in downtown Spokane. It was
in the Garland business district. I saw Garland Theater last year. It has
fallen on hard times. I think it was built in our time ... early in our
time. I remember going there with my parents. My mom liked it because the
seats had enough leg room to not require one to stand when people moved down
the row. The Saturday matinee and serial was the Garland’s forte. I went
to a few of those. Somebody had to drive us because it wasn’t downtown and
wasn’t near where I lived. Bob Parry and I saw a movie there in later
years. I remember going to the milk bottle building on the next block and
getting a cheeseburger and chocolate malt. Thus I stated becoming the man I
am today.
I suppose I should mention drive-in theaters too. I’m not sure of the
inventory. I surely remember the Y Drive In and the Auto View. The latter
had the spiffiest stainless steel screen backing that I’ve ever seen. I
remember seeing Ol’ Yeller at the Y with Bob Parry and his folks.
I have to take a final digression outside Spokane. In 1966 I took a young
nursing student to several movies in –25 degree Rochester, Minnesota. The
single downtown theater was a beautiful medieval work done in a castle
motif. I went back to Rochester in 1999 for the first time in 33 years. The
theater, but not the young lady, is still there! It is a Barnes and Noble,
but kept all aspects of the theater, except seats, carefully preserved down
to the ticket booth. The classics book section is suspended above the stage
where I could touch the gingerbread ceiling. This was the first time I
inspected theater gingerbread up close and in bright light. This
theater-become-bookstore is featured in the local tourist guidebook. Couldn’t
Spokane have preserved an additional theater or two? The refurbished 1930's
vintage Fox will be good for the symphony. It’s too late for the silent
era Orpheum.
What say you, W? Do you have memories of the theaters in Spokane?
-E
Fox Theater, Home of the Spokane Symphony
(Click a picture to enlarge it)
Exterior
Main Floor
2nd Floor
Familiar?
Lighting
Fancy!
E-
It seems to me that the heyday for movie watching in theaters, for me, was
living in Mt Shasta, CA up to age 10. Saturday matinees were only a dime.
Every Saturday it seemed every kid went to the matinee. Same format every
Saturday: general noise and mayhem until the screen lit up, serial feature
of 15 minute segment of either some hokey cowboy feature or Flash Gordon and
the evil Emperor Ming. Then a featured attraction which seemed to always be
either Tarzan (with the "real" Tarzan, Johnny Weismuller) or
Hopalong Cassidy. I was always disappointed if it was Roy Rogers. He seemed
so corny and uncowboyish. I found it hard to believe in singing cowboys, so
the same about Gene Autrey.
Yes, the intermissions were nice to have to participate in the ritual of
getting some more snacks. I especially liked the enticing jingle of the one
they would show at the Liberty. Remember this:
Let's all go to the lobby,
let's all go to the
lobby,
let's all go to the
lobby,
to get ourselves a treat.
Delicious things to eat;
the popcorn can't be beat, so
let's all go to the lobby
to get ourselves a treat.
The singers were dancing boxes of popcorn, paper container
soft drinks and a candy bar. My mom enjoyed it so much she would sing it at
home when she went to the kitchen for a snack.
In the Bing Crosby bio I recently read, Bing's did several performances in
his early years, pre-Hollywood fame, at the Fox. He remained loyal to
Spokane, so it's well that he might have snuck back in for old time's sake.
I hardly remember the Granada. Orpheum seemed to get too staid. Don't
remember any movies there other than "War of the Worlds,"
"From Here to Eternity," and "High Noon." Seemed like
most of my movie viewing was at the Post, Fox, State and Liberty. In later
years, the Fox was the best for movies.
I have a large collection of movies shown in those years, and upon demand, I
could probably tell you what theater I saw them in. For example, "The
Vikings" was seen at the Fox with my dad, who claimed we, being
Finnish, were Viking descendents, which even in my uneducated youth I
thought was hogwash, knowing the movie made clear that the Vikings sailed
from the Fjord country of Norway and Finland has no Fjords. I also knew my
dad embellished things a lot to fit the situation. He was a clothing
salesman, after all.
The Rex showed offbeat films. The first to show a Bridget Bardot movie in
Spokane. Later, one was shown at the Fox. Won't tell you who I went with.
Rex also showed the Mr. Tease movies and any others they could dig up with
mild nudity. Pretty tame stuff compared to today.
I liked the Garland's low balcony. Actually, the rear seats were just
slightly raised, not really a balcony at all, but darn good seats. Perfect
for blockbusters like "Lawrence of Arabia" and I think "Dr.
Zhivago." Although I may have seen that in Augusta, GA.
Drive-Ins: Remember the Motor Inn? I remember the name, but where was it?
East Sprague or Trent? How about the West End? My last "high
school" drive in movie was when Ken Kelling, Norm Cooper, Barry
Robinson and Bob Martin and I piled into a car, I think it was Çoop's, and
went to the Y, I think, and watched "The Great Escape." My last
drive-in movie in Spokane was about 1961 or 62 with either a cousin of Bob
Gay's from Seattle in which we saw some boring Lana Turner movie, or some
cute little thing I met while I worked as an elevator operator at the
Paulsen that I took to see "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." I
didn't particularly like it at the time, but it's now one of my favorite
Westerns.
I talked to an old-timer here in Hillsboro who had movie memories. He said
one of the town's two theatres would have a Wednesday surprise. You got in
for 19 cents and took your chances on what you would see. Kind of a
grab-the-popcorn-bag flick, I guess. Did Spokane have anything unusual to
entice the citizenry?
My first "date," was in the 5th grade, my first year in Spokane,
and Bobbie Jean Albright and I met one Saturday at the Orpheum and saw
"Kiss Me Kate." A movie I would never have seen on my own, but it
was her suggestion. And that was the end of that. Not a romance at
all...just two pre-teens getting together. She went on to North Central,
like half the Logan kids. Was a friend of our own Jackie Bliesner, though.
Wasn't it neat that we could go downtown while still in grade school, ride
the bus, maybe even at night, see a movie, have some fun with friends, and
get home without any real trouble? Would you allow your grandkids to do such
a thing today? I didn't even allow my own kids to do that in the 70s. In a
small city like Hillsboro.
It was a good time to grow up and a good place to live ... even with the
fear of Russian nuclear bombings looming over us and having Fairchild AFB as
a noise neighbor. Maybe an atom bomb would get us on the way to a movie, but
no pervert or real criminal would. Or so we all thought.
