As early as 1897, local film censorship boards regulated film exhibition with standards that varied city to city, and because of a lack of enforcement power, even theater to theater. In 1911, Portland debuted a censorship board of its own. The chairman of the board, at least in 1916, was a man by the name of F. T. Richards.
While I was scouring the Historic Oregon Newspaper archive for an advertisement concerning the Alhambra Theater in Portland, a common subject continued to crop up: The Iron Claw.
After a short run as a theater, according to available newspaper clippings, The Nickelodion had its first ad in January 1907.
Alexander Pantages was a Greek immigrant who opened more than 60 theaters across the western United States and Canada. The Pantages Theater circuit was quite successful, and three of its theaters still function today in Hollywood, Minneapolis, and Tacoma. During the 20th century, the theaters would showcase both films and live vaudeville performances.
Located on NW 23rd and Kearny St, the Esquire theater was an entertainment staple for the Nob Hill neighborhood in Portland, Oregon.
In the issue of the Oregon Daily Journal on February 22, 1914, the story of P.A. Marquam and his improvement on the Marquam Building from a $500 property to a million dollar building appeared.
In 1922, Para
When the Bagdad Theatre opened on January 14, 1927 in the Hawthorne District audiences were drawn to the theater by bright lights, live music, and street dancers.