Movie Palaces were more than just a place to sit in the dark and watch a movie. They were pagan palaces of worship. Come and worship the stars!
In the 1920s, there was a change from using nickelodeons to view movies. Apparently, they were seen as low class. In response, a flurry of movie palaces were built between 1910 and 1940, peaking in the 1920s. Between 1914 and 1922 over 4,000 movie palaces were opened. In my own small Idaho town, there were two of these theaters. By the time I was a kid in the late 70's, The Fox was already stripped down and being used as a roller skating rink. The Orpheum was still in being used as a movie theater but was facing stiff competition from the brand new four screen multiplex. I saw Star Wars and Return of the Jedi at the Orpheum! When you went to the Orpheum, it felt different. People talked in hushed tones and although not as glamorous as it once was, always seemed so opulent and different from everyday life. It was opened on October 31, 1921 with 800 seats. Happy 98th Birthday.!! Keep in mind this was built while this town had a population of 8,787, mostly farmers.
Orpheum more pics. Orpheum. TF Wiki.
No pictures of the lobby at all. No pictures of the original interior that I could find, which was already stripped down or covered up with red velvet by the time I was a moviegoer. I'm sure that most of you have similar stories from your hometowns. The Orpheum was one of the smallest palaces and most definitely not as ornate as Palaces in big cities. I have lots of pics for this post, wanted touse 100 more. I labeled the slide show pics to make it easier.
There are three architectural design types of movie palaces. First, the classical style movie palace, with its opulent, luxurious architecture; second, the atmospheric theatre which has an auditorium ceiling that resembles an open sky as a defining feature; and finally, the Art Deco theaters that became popular in the 1930s.
ATMOSPHERIC !! Before movie palace, movies were shown at the end of traveling vaudeville acts. In 1902, the first store front type theatre. In 1905, films were also being shown in nickelodeons, slot machines for movies...
From our overlord's wiki: While the middle class regularly began to attend the nickelodeons by the early 1910s the upperclass continued to attend stage theater performances such as opera and big-time vaudeville.[7] However, as more sophisticated, complex, and longer films featuring prominent stage actors were developed, the upperclass desires to attend the movies began to increase and a demand for higher class theaters began to develop.[8] Nickelodeons could not meet this demand as the upperclass feared the moral repercussions of intermingling between women and children with immigrants. There were also real concerns over the physical safety of the nickelodeon theaters themselves as they were often cramped with little ventilation and the nitrate film stock used at the time was extremely flammable.
The demand for an upscale film theater, suitable to exhibit films to the upperclass, was first met when the Regent Theater, designed by Thomas Lamb, was opened in February 1913 at a cost of $500,000, becoming the first ever movie palace. It had 1800 seats. First movie shown: "Pandora's Box" The Regent didn't do well and SL "Roxy" Rothafel was brought in to change things up and when it re-opened, first movie shown “The Last Days of Pompeii”. It closed as a movie house in 1963. It is now a church....
Note the circular decoration in the center of the auditorium ceiling. You'll see these a lot. I call them glories. Or if you like. The sun. Sunbursts. Starbursts. Micronovas. Supernovas. All the above? Also take notice all the rosette, harp, and shell motifs when you view these palaces. And of course, it became a church after they quit using it as a theatre.
Regent. Daytonian article Anyone interested in old NYC, this site is wonderful.
The second movie palace, also by Lamb, was opened in 1914 costing one million to build. The Strand on Broadway had 2,989 seats at opening. It was demolished in 1987. The significant film premiere mentioned in the wiki is "Captain Blood" LOL. This opening was the first example of a success in drawing the upper middle class to the movies and it spurred others to follow suit. As their name implies movie palaces were advertised to, "make the average citizen feel like royalty." To accomplish this these theaters were outfitted with a plethora amenities such as larger sitting areas, air conditioning, and even childcare services. Lamb's style was initially based on the more traditional, "hardtop" form patterned on opera houses, but was no less ornate. His theaters evolved from relatively restrained neo-classic designs in the 1910s to those with elaborate baroque and Asian motifs in the late 1920s.
Strand info. Strand Broadway wiki. Strand Organ
More in New York--- The Roxy Opened 3-11-27 5,920 seats . First film "The Love of Sunya" The Love of Sun. Ya. Remember the glory.
It had a nickname as indicated on this flyer.
Yes, Cathedral. You will see this terminology about worship over and over and over. Destroyed 1960. There is a TGIFridays there now. Sidenote: the Rockettes started here. NY Tours Roxy. Roxy Wiki. Roxy article.
These are all examples of the first style. You will be able to tell the difference between them quite easily. Movie palaces only became more ornate and spread all over the country. Notable pioneers of movies palaces include the Chicago firm of Rapp and Rapp, which designed the Chicago, Uptown, and Oriental Theatres.
Chicago Theater opened 1921 3,880 seats -- restored to its 1920’s appearance in 1986
The huge six-stories high vertical sign is original to the building and together with the marquee (dating from 1949) have served as the unofficial emblem of the City of Chicago.
And there is this statue:
Not sure what she has in her hands but I've seen this illumination pose in another Palace, in Wheeling, WV.
Empty vessel waiting to be filled. Sighs.
Here they just put it out there. Apollo. Orpheus. with harp and full sunburst glory in a cloud ring.
Chicago cinema treasures. Balaban and Katz Theatres. Chicago flicker. Chicago. Chi wiki
These first three are all examples of the first style. You will be able to tell the difference between them quite easily.
Eberson specialized in the sub-genre of "atmospheric" theatres. His first, of the five hundred in his career, was the 1923 Majestic in Houston, Texas. The atmospherics usually conveyed the impression of sitting in an outdoor courtyard, surrounded by highly ornamented asymmetrical facades and exotic flora and fauna, underneath a dark blue canopy; when the lights went out, a specially designed projector, the Brenograph, was used to project clouds, and special celestial effects on the ceiling. The first movie shown, Steamboat Mickey. This is what you build to show Steamboat Mickey. Talking pictures not until 1927,
These atmospheric theaters ranged all over the globe in style. Eberson designed and personally selected the furnishings and art objects for 100 of these bad boys around the world. You'll find the half dozen people involved in all of these movie palaces were all this prolific. I feel like a slacker.
With Fox’s financial backing (the project cost more than $3 million, the equivalent of nearly $40 million today), the 250,000 square foot Fox Theatre was completed, with the crowning addition of “Mighty Mo”, the 3,622-pipe Möller organ that remains the largest Möller theatre organ in the world even today. All of these movie palaces have pipe organs and Wurlitzers.
The back story involves the Shriners. Originally constructed as the Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque to be used as the headquarters for the Shriner’s organization from 1925. They maintained a temple mosque on site in a lease arrangement until the 50s. Quite a few of these theatres are involved with the secret societies. Backstory to this one here.
Fabulous Fox Theatre - Atlanta Seats 4,665
A few more from other locations so you can get the drift. the precursors to Planetariums.
All of the palaces, not just the atmospheric ones, had a ornate asbestos curtain like this one that went along with the theme. Another section of another palace.
Fox pics and info. The dot.org. Wiki.
Sid Grauman, built the first movie palace on the West Coast, Los Angeles' Million Dollar Theater, in 1918. Grauman theatres in Los Angeles exemplify the third style -- the all encompassing ART DECO, the Beaux Arts of the 1920s and 1930s. Now, TPTB don't even hide their gods towards the end of this style.
Million Dollar Theater 1918 Opened with 2,345 seats. Closed as movie theatre in 93. The temple of the silent art. Grill work makes doorway look like giant harp, between two columns. Topping it is the glory or star burst.
Then was a... Church. They did a lot of damage and painted the murals white. Now being restored. The original lobby was turned into a business. See here labeled conveniently "Temple Entrance".
In case you are a lost soul.
A lot of these areas have been hidden behind false walls and dropped ceilings in the some ill advised renovations. The murals from the lobby that survived are intriguing to say the least. They have found this one intact
And this one not so much.
King of the Golden River, I hadn't heard of this ummmm, charming children's story that includes includes floods, red sand filling up a valley and making it dead. The wind caused this because the "Black Brothers" mistreat it. The south wind. They eventually turn into black rocks . Also, there's Golden rivers and dogs turning into a wish granting king. Holy water makes the valley alive again, thanks to the Aryan protagonist. I shit you not.
Book with sketch of Golden River. Old lobby Discoveries. Hidden stuff video of old lobby. LA Theatres Blogspot. Million wiki. Million Treasures.
Pantages Theatre Hollywood Opened 1930. Seated 2,812. This one speaks for itself.
Even Clueless guy notices sun and star motif. Cinema Treasures Pantages. Pantages more pics. and more. Art Restorer.
And of course, the most famous, Grauman's Chinese Theatre 1927. Seated 2,200
All of the black and whites are from the opening in 1927.
I threw in a couple of posters for you The house of Rothschild and Dirgible, a Columbia achievement just because I like airships.
The Chinese Theatre is arguably the most famous movie theatre in the world. It opened with Cecil B. DeMille’s “The King of Kings” starring H.B. Warner and a stage prologue “Glories of the Scripture” which had a cast of 200. I think we know who they think is the real king of kings. Glories of the scripture. Really. Glories.
In case you are unsure you are in the right spot, they put an x there for you (1).. The Babylonian gate is noted by a 2. The location is bracketed by both wax museums and to the east are the famous murals of dead stars and the museum of the dead.
Grauman pics before renos. 10 facts. More pics. more info and pics.
's thoughts and outstanding questions
Why are all the styles so different? Though I have pointed out similarities throughout, none of them are remotely the same. Think about where you have watched movies in your lifetime. My replacement cinema, built in 1969, looked like the Soviets built it. They didn't need to make them fabulous anymore, now they can subliminally manipulate with symbolism. Or better yet beam it into your home via television PROGRAMMING or get online.
Most of the sign is original from my days. The 12 was added when they went from four theaters to 12 after I left town but the rest of it is original as is the block brick painted beige. It is torn down now.
Was this a cover to disguise buildings that were hard to reclaim in the mid 1800s reset? Where these buildings moved from conquered lands like Hearst did with his Castle? Remember we just finished up WWII when most of these were built. At the very least, I believe the decor and artifacts at the very least existed before the movie palaces. Kind of like the paintings and statuary all over the Gilded Age mansions and world fair displays like they are Antique wholesalers, but most of this later stuff is too pagan for the elites' homes.
Were these made into a place to worship the movie stars(suns) or actors or demigods? I believe so. Unbeknownst to the uninitiated. Was this part of the plan to de-secularize and de-Christianize (made that one up) America and the world. Not just the movies, but the whole experience. And how about checking out some star athletes or rock stars.
If you meet a famous actor, you are starstruck. Hollywood, Land of the Stars. Come to Hollywood, become a star. How many stars fall.. or become involved in scandals.
These palaces also became propaganda machines in World War II and beyond. Movietone anyone?
Think about how movies have changed over time from innocent fair to all the sex, violence and craziness. Not being judgmental. From the wiki propaganda unit: This wealth of ornament was not merely for aesthetic effect. It was meant to create a fantasy environment to attract moviegoers and involved a type of social engineering, distraction, and traffic management, meant to work on human bodies and minds in a specific way.: WOW! They don't even hide it. I barely even scratched the surface with these palaces. It would be good to see pics from your cities and towns. I would love to see some of those posts, looking for the new American pagan religion in the new Temples of America.
Tons of glorious glory theatre pictures. America Pagan Gods. Electrical Gods.
In case you notices the two spellings of theatre throughout this post:
theatre vs. theater
Didn't know that. Another example of how things change subtly. I noticed because spell check kept tagging me for theatre. I guess the spellcheck dictionary has decided the newer usage is the right one.
I'll finish up from my favorite rebel, Prince. He is a rock star after all.
Oh Hey, check it all out
Better look now or it just might be too late ....
Oh, baby I'm a star
Might not know it now
Baby but I are, I'm a star
Oh, I don't want to stop, till I reach the top
Sing it, we all are a star
Plissken
In the 1920s, there was a change from using nickelodeons to view movies. Apparently, they were seen as low class. In response, a flurry of movie palaces were built between 1910 and 1940, peaking in the 1920s. Between 1914 and 1922 over 4,000 movie palaces were opened. In my own small Idaho town, there were two of these theaters. By the time I was a kid in the late 70's, The Fox was already stripped down and being used as a roller skating rink. The Orpheum was still in being used as a movie theater but was facing stiff competition from the brand new four screen multiplex. I saw Star Wars and Return of the Jedi at the Orpheum! When you went to the Orpheum, it felt different. People talked in hushed tones and although not as glamorous as it once was, always seemed so opulent and different from everyday life. It was opened on October 31, 1921 with 800 seats. Happy 98th Birthday.!! Keep in mind this was built while this town had a population of 8,787, mostly farmers.
Orpheum more pics. Orpheum. TF Wiki.
No pictures of the lobby at all. No pictures of the original interior that I could find, which was already stripped down or covered up with red velvet by the time I was a moviegoer. I'm sure that most of you have similar stories from your hometowns. The Orpheum was one of the smallest palaces and most definitely not as ornate as Palaces in big cities. I have lots of pics for this post, wanted touse 100 more. I labeled the slide show pics to make it easier.
There are three architectural design types of movie palaces. First, the classical style movie palace, with its opulent, luxurious architecture; second, the atmospheric theatre which has an auditorium ceiling that resembles an open sky as a defining feature; and finally, the Art Deco theaters that became popular in the 1930s.
ATMOSPHERIC !! Before movie palace, movies were shown at the end of traveling vaudeville acts. In 1902, the first store front type theatre. In 1905, films were also being shown in nickelodeons, slot machines for movies...From our overlord's wiki: While the middle class regularly began to attend the nickelodeons by the early 1910s the upperclass continued to attend stage theater performances such as opera and big-time vaudeville.[7] However, as more sophisticated, complex, and longer films featuring prominent stage actors were developed, the upperclass desires to attend the movies began to increase and a demand for higher class theaters began to develop.[8] Nickelodeons could not meet this demand as the upperclass feared the moral repercussions of intermingling between women and children with immigrants. There were also real concerns over the physical safety of the nickelodeon theaters themselves as they were often cramped with little ventilation and the nitrate film stock used at the time was extremely flammable.
The demand for an upscale film theater, suitable to exhibit films to the upperclass, was first met when the Regent Theater, designed by Thomas Lamb, was opened in February 1913 at a cost of $500,000, becoming the first ever movie palace. It had 1800 seats. First movie shown: "Pandora's Box" The Regent didn't do well and SL "Roxy" Rothafel was brought in to change things up and when it re-opened, first movie shown “The Last Days of Pompeii”. It closed as a movie house in 1963. It is now a church....
The second movie palace, also by Lamb, was opened in 1914 costing one million to build. The Strand on Broadway had 2,989 seats at opening. It was demolished in 1987. The significant film premiere mentioned in the wiki is "Captain Blood" LOL. This opening was the first example of a success in drawing the upper middle class to the movies and it spurred others to follow suit. As their name implies movie palaces were advertised to, "make the average citizen feel like royalty." To accomplish this these theaters were outfitted with a plethora amenities such as larger sitting areas, air conditioning, and even childcare services. Lamb's style was initially based on the more traditional, "hardtop" form patterned on opera houses, but was no less ornate. His theaters evolved from relatively restrained neo-classic designs in the 1910s to those with elaborate baroque and Asian motifs in the late 1920s.
Strand info. Strand Broadway wiki. Strand Organ
It had a nickname as indicated on this flyer.
Yes, Cathedral. You will see this terminology about worship over and over and over. Destroyed 1960. There is a TGIFridays there now. Sidenote: the Rockettes started here. NY Tours Roxy. Roxy Wiki. Roxy article.
Chicago Theater opened 1921 3,880 seats -- restored to its 1920’s appearance in 1986
The huge six-stories high vertical sign is original to the building and together with the marquee (dating from 1949) have served as the unofficial emblem of the City of Chicago.
And there is this statue:
Not sure what she has in her hands but I've seen this illumination pose in another Palace, in Wheeling, WV.
Empty vessel waiting to be filled.
Sighs.Here they just put it out there. Apollo. Orpheus. with harp and full sunburst glory in a cloud ring.
These first three are all examples of the first style. You will be able to tell the difference between them quite easily.
Eberson specialized in the sub-genre of "atmospheric" theatres. His first, of the five hundred in his career, was the 1923 Majestic in Houston, Texas. The atmospherics usually conveyed the impression of sitting in an outdoor courtyard, surrounded by highly ornamented asymmetrical facades and exotic flora and fauna, underneath a dark blue canopy; when the lights went out, a specially designed projector, the Brenograph, was used to project clouds, and special celestial effects on the ceiling. The first movie shown, Steamboat Mickey. This is what you build to show Steamboat Mickey. Talking pictures not until 1927,
These atmospheric theaters ranged all over the globe in style. Eberson designed and personally selected the furnishings and art objects for 100 of these bad boys around the world. You'll find the half dozen people involved in all of these movie palaces were all this prolific. I feel like a slacker.With Fox’s financial backing (the project cost more than $3 million, the equivalent of nearly $40 million today), the 250,000 square foot Fox Theatre was completed, with the crowning addition of “Mighty Mo”, the 3,622-pipe Möller organ that remains the largest Möller theatre organ in the world even today. All of these movie palaces have pipe organs and Wurlitzers.
The back story involves the Shriners. Originally constructed as the Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque to be used as the headquarters for the Shriner’s organization from 1925. They maintained a temple mosque on site in a lease arrangement until the 50s. Quite a few of these theatres are involved with the secret societies. Backstory to this one here.
Fabulous Fox Theatre - Atlanta Seats 4,665
All of the palaces, not just the atmospheric ones, had a ornate asbestos curtain like this one that went along with the theme. Another section of another palace.
Fox pics and info. The dot.org. Wiki.
Sid Grauman, built the first movie palace on the West Coast, Los Angeles' Million Dollar Theater, in 1918. Grauman theatres in Los Angeles exemplify the third style -- the all encompassing ART DECO, the Beaux Arts of the 1920s and 1930s. Now, TPTB don't even hide their gods towards the end of this style.
Million Dollar Theater 1918 Opened with 2,345 seats. Closed as movie theatre in 93. The temple of the silent art. Grill work makes doorway look like giant harp, between two columns. Topping it is the glory or star burst.
Then was a... Church. They did a lot of damage and painted the murals white. Now being restored. The original lobby was turned into a business. See here labeled conveniently "Temple Entrance".
In case you are a lost soul.
A lot of these areas have been hidden behind false walls and dropped ceilings in the some ill advised renovations. The murals from the lobby that survived are intriguing to say the least. They have found this one intact
And this one not so much.
King of the Golden River, I hadn't heard of this ummmm, charming children's story that includes includes floods, red sand filling up a valley and making it dead. The wind caused this because the "Black Brothers" mistreat it. The south wind. They eventually turn into black rocks . Also, there's Golden rivers and dogs turning into a wish granting king. Holy water makes the valley alive again, thanks to the Aryan protagonist. I shit you not.
Book with sketch of Golden River. Old lobby Discoveries. Hidden stuff video of old lobby. LA Theatres Blogspot. Million wiki. Million Treasures.
Pantages Theatre Hollywood Opened 1930. Seated 2,812. This one speaks for itself.
Even Clueless guy notices sun and star motif. Cinema Treasures Pantages. Pantages more pics. and more. Art Restorer.
And of course, the most famous, Grauman's Chinese Theatre 1927. Seated 2,200
All of the black and whites are from the opening in 1927.
The Chinese Theatre is arguably the most famous movie theatre in the world. It opened with Cecil B. DeMille’s “The King of Kings” starring H.B. Warner and a stage prologue “Glories of the Scripture” which had a cast of 200. I think we know who they think is the real king of kings. Glories of the scripture. Really. Glories.
In case you are unsure you are in the right spot, they put an x there for you (1).. The Babylonian gate is noted by a 2. The location is bracketed by both wax museums and to the east are the famous murals of dead stars and the museum of the dead.
Grauman pics before renos. 10 facts. More pics. more info and pics.
's thoughts and outstanding questionsWhy are all the styles so different? Though I have pointed out similarities throughout, none of them are remotely the same. Think about where you have watched movies in your lifetime. My replacement cinema, built in 1969, looked like the Soviets built it. They didn't need to make them fabulous anymore, now they can subliminally manipulate with symbolism. Or better yet beam it into your home via television PROGRAMMING or get online.
Most of the sign is original from my days. The 12 was added when they went from four theaters to 12 after I left town but the rest of it is original as is the block brick painted beige. It is torn down now.
Was this a cover to disguise buildings that were hard to reclaim in the mid 1800s reset? Where these buildings moved from conquered lands like Hearst did with his Castle? Remember we just finished up WWII when most of these were built. At the very least, I believe the decor and artifacts at the very least existed before the movie palaces. Kind of like the paintings and statuary all over the Gilded Age mansions and world fair displays like they are Antique wholesalers, but most of this later stuff is too pagan for the elites' homes.
Were these made into a place to worship the movie stars(suns) or actors or demigods? I believe so. Unbeknownst to the uninitiated. Was this part of the plan to de-secularize and de-Christianize (made that one up) America and the world. Not just the movies, but the whole experience. And how about checking out some star athletes or rock stars.
If you meet a famous actor, you are starstruck. Hollywood, Land of the Stars. Come to Hollywood, become a star. How many stars fall.. or become involved in scandals.
These palaces also became propaganda machines in World War II and beyond. Movietone anyone?
Think about how movies have changed over time from innocent fair to all the sex, violence and craziness. Not being judgmental. From the wiki propaganda unit: This wealth of ornament was not merely for aesthetic effect. It was meant to create a fantasy environment to attract moviegoers and involved a type of social engineering, distraction, and traffic management, meant to work on human bodies and minds in a specific way.
: WOW! They don't even hide it. I barely even scratched the surface with these palaces. It would be good to see pics from your cities and towns. I would love to see some of those posts, looking for the new American pagan religion in the new Temples of America.Tons of glorious glory theatre pictures. America Pagan Gods. Electrical Gods.
In case you notices the two spellings of theatre throughout this post:
theatre vs. theater
Didn't know that. Another example of how things change subtly. I noticed because spell check kept tagging me for theatre. I guess the spellcheck dictionary has decided the newer usage is the right one.
I'll finish up from my favorite rebel, Prince. He is a rock star after all.
Oh Hey, check it all out
Better look now or it just might be too late ....
Oh, baby I'm a star
Might not know it now
Baby but I are, I'm a star
Oh, I don't want to stop, till I reach the top
Sing it, we all are a star
Plissken
