The building that houses the Granada Theatre constitutes a representative example of the architectural evolution of American movie theaters throughout the twentieth century. Its origins date to the 1910s, when it opened as the Star Theatre on September 18, 1917. At that time, its design reflected the functional and restrained aesthetic characteristic of early cinemas. The structure featured a simple brick façade integrated with the surrounding commercial buildings, while its interior consisted of a single auditorium with a balcony, a layout well suited to silent film screenings and live vaudeville performances.
A significant transformation occurred in 1929 following a fire that damaged an adjacent property and necessitated extensive repairs. The reopening of the venue as the Granada Theatre represented not only a change in name but also the beginning of a transition toward a more contemporary cinematic identity. The most substantial architectural intervention, however, took place during the 1940s and early 1950s, when the building underwent remodeling in the Streamline Moderne style, a late manifestation of Art Deco that gained prominence in the postwar period.
This renovation introduced the theater’s most distinctive feature: a large illuminated marquee extending over the sidewalk. Beyond advertising films, it functioned as a visual landmark, using neon lights or bulbs to create spectacle and attract attention. The remodeling also modernized the exterior with a smoother, minimalist façade inspired by Streamline Moderne principles of simplicity and horizontality. In addition, the prominent “Granada” sign used elegant stylized typography typical of American movie palaces, designed for both visibility and aesthetic impact.
During the 1920s, the Granada Theatre in La Grande reflected cinema’s transition from silent films to sound films. Most screenings featured silent movies accompanied by live music, often performed with a Wurlitzer organ or small orchestras that enhanced the audience’s experience.
The theater’s program typically included both short films and feature-length productions, which generally lasted between thirty minutes and one hour. Before the construction of the Granada Theatre, La Grande’s Star Theatre screened films such as The Conflict (1921) and The Silent Call (1921). Moviegoing was also relatively affordable, with ticket prices usually ranging from 10 to 25 cents for adults, making cinema far more accessible than live theatrical performances in larger cities.
Newspaper advertisements published in the La Grande Evening Observer during the late 1920s emphasized the theater’s family-friendly environment, assuring audiences that “no picture shown would offend.”
Francis A. Greulich, also known as “Gus” Greulich, was a very important figure in the history of movie theaters in La Grande from the 1920s through the 1950s. He was a businessman and owner of several theaters in the city, especially the Granada Theatre, the Liberty Theatre, and later the La Grande Drive-In.
Greulich became involved in the local movie theater business in 1928, when he purchased part of the Star and Liberty theaters together with J. Donald Meyers, forming the company Greulich and Meyers. During those years, cinema was rapidly growing as the main form of entertainment in small American towns, and theater owners played a major role in the social and cultural life of the community.
In the 1940s, Greulich partnered with J.E. “Ted” Jones, a businessman from Los Angeles connected to movie theater exhibition chains. Together, they began controlling several of La Grande’s main theaters under the Western Amusement Company. This shows how even theaters in small towns started becoming integrated into more industrialized and centralized business models, similar to the larger Hollywood systems.
One of the most important changes associated with Greulich was the transformation of the old Star Theatre into the new Granada Theatre, which opened in 1952. The Granada was considered one of the most modern theaters in eastern Oregon, with around 800 seats, advanced ventilation systems, a modern screen, and improved conditions for audiences. The opening of the Granada marked an important change in local film exhibition because it replaced the Liberty as the city’s main movie theater.
Greulich also participated in the purchase of the La Grande Drive-In in 1954 together with Ted Jones. This reflects how theater owners had to adapt to new consumer habits during the 1950s, when drive-ins became extremely popular due to the rise of automobile culture and suburban life in the United States.
