During the 1950’s and 1970’s, major studios such as Paramount and Warner Bros controlled all film distribution in Oregon. Small town theatres were part of the “run-zone-clearance” system, meaning that larger cities received them first and smaller towns often had to wait weeks or even months until they got the newest films. These smaller theatres wouldn't get the luxury of receiving films from the studios directly; instead, they got them through the nearby Oregon film community of movie theatre owners. This system shaped the way St. Helens and other small communities would get their films. Surviving meant getting creative, and local owners did just that, finding ways to keep the doors open and the popcorn popping.
The Columbia Theatre marketed itself as showing the “first class pictures’ and best available films. And for such a small community, they did a pretty good job at keeping up. They offered showings on weekends and holidays because they knew that they were an important community destination. Adult admission was approximately $0.60 in the late 1920s and increased to around $1.25–$1.50 by 1970. Under manager Jim Svoboda during the 1960s and 1970s, he did a careful job of keeping up with the maintenance and modernization of the theatre. The Columbia even featured a 2/6 Aeolian pipe organ installed when it opened in 1928 for $6,000. They invested in the best equipment available at the time, helping keep the theatre well attended. These improvements were incredibly innovative for such a small theatre. The effort put into maintaining the venue made it more than just a place to watch movies; it became a source of community pride.
The theatre survived numerous challenges, including economic recessions, the rise of television, and COVID-19 pandemic. The theatre often had to implement various business models to keep the audience coming back. They offered double-feature movie nights, children's matinees, and were constantly featured in newspaper advertising. The fact that the theatre remains open today is a testament to its longevity. It is also very telling of the community of St. Helens and their commitment to small businesses like the Columbia. Due to the town's love for film, St. Helens and the Columbia Theatre later became a filming destination. The Columbia Theatre appeared in not only the famous Halloweentown (1998) and Twilight (2008) movies, but also many other productions, including Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, Everyman's War, Raising Flagg, To My Daughter with Love, and the Foo Fighters music video I Should Have Known.
Despite receiving films later than urban theatres, it remained a social hub. Through strategic programming, modernization, and strong community support, the theatre lives on today, even with a single screen. Its connection to major film productions demonstrates its lasting importance to the identity and history of St. Helens.
The historic Columbia Theatre, located in St. Helens, Oregon first opened its doors and began operations in the year of 1928. The Columbia Theatre was a single-screen, around 400-seat Theatre when it first opened. The original owners owned the theatre until 1963 when Jim Svoboda's father bought the Theatre. It was then turned over to Jim who had some previous experience owning Theatres. He was someone who lived through the great depression and knew what it was like to go through financial struggles, making him very generous in donating to various causes over his life.
Jim made a renovation to the theatre that changed the old chairs out with "rocking" style chairs. The capacity of the theatre remained at about 400 seats.
The Columbia Theatre has undergone multiple updates and renovations, with the most notable coming after the Covid-19 pandemic. The Theatre has been very loved by the residents in the St. Helens area over the course of its life, causing them to help the theatre survive the pandemic. In the year 2020, the theatre had to close because of Covid-19 restrictions and there was a lot of concern on if the theatre was going to make it or not. The owners ended up making a "concession drive-in" where people could drive up and buy take-home concessions in an effort to help raise money for the theatre. New/Current owners, Lance and Leah Tillotson saw this as an opportunity to not only keep the theatre running, but enhance the experience by making various upgrades to the theatre.
The theatre received a new screen, sound system, and wider, more comfortable seats. This upgrade reduced the capacity from over 400 chairs to just over 200, cementing the idea that Lance and Leah were valuing the comfort of guests.
St. Helens, Oregon is a small town in Northwest Oregon that has a very interesting history, especially in regards to film and movies. St. Helens sits in Columbia County and has a population of about 14,437 (last updated 2023). The most notable, is the Disney movie "Halloweentown" that was filmed in St. Helens. Now every year, St. Helens has a Halloweentown celebration in October with a haunted house and various tours around the town. There are also lots of decorations from the movie that are displayed all over the town. Another notable film shot in St. Helens was the movie "Twilight" at the "Swan House" in St. Helens.
