May
18
2022
Gem Theater, St Helens
The Gem Theater
May
16
2022
Wartime Pictures
During the first World War, the United States film industry established itself as a powerhouse both domestically and abroad. The outbreak of war in Europe interrupted the global film market, and Hollywood thrived by filling the holes left by European markets unable to produce or export films during the conflict. However, despite the commercial success and establishment of the industry as something akin to what we know of it today, there were other aspects of moviegoing during this era of note.
Display Name
Elizabeth Peterson
May
12
2022
Visit a Movie Occasionally: Advertising Slogans
I love the catchy phrases and slogans featured on many theater ads from this time period, as if clever wording will be enough to make someone buy a ticket at that theater over another one with more pedestrian advertisements. Here's a sample of some of my favorites:
IF LAUGHING HURTS YOU STAY AWAY (Bell Theatre, Springfield, Oregon, 1916)
May
05
2022
Gem Theater, St Helens
The St. Helens Mist was one of the primary newspaper companies in St. Helens in the early 20th century. After scouring articles that were available through the UO library website, I was able to find many instances of documented male managers and owners of theaters in the city of St.
Apr
15
2022
Reopening of Dreamland
On Tuesday, October 12, 1909, the Dreamland Theater was under the new management of J.A. Cooper and his brother Ross. In order to establish the theater, make it well known amongst the people again, and also have it live up to its name. The brothers decided to host a large event that would draw people back into the theater and showcase its new found extravagance, while also bringing a piece of Southern California to Salem, Oregon.
Apr
14
2022
My Research on the Eagle Show Shop Theatre – Pendleton, Oregon
Nearing the border between the northern half of Oregon and the southern half of Washington state, lies Pendleton, a small city containing an equivalently small number of inhabitants at just over 17,000 citizens. The city center was built on the south bank of the Umatilla River, which travels east and west through the town. Pendleton takes pride in its rich agricultural and ranching history, famously using the motto “The Real West.”
Apr
14
2022
The Historic Bend Liberty Theater
While there are many results while researching “Liberty Theater” in Bend, OR, there have been some difficulties in determining which Liberty Theater the newspapers were referring to as there have been two in Bend. One, the one I am researching, opened on July 29, 1917 and the other on April 20, 1924. The Liberty I am researching was used for films as the other Liberty was used as a performing arts theater and still is to this day.
Apr
14
2022
The Sale and Circus Shows of La Grande's Pastime Theater
To the left is an article which details the sale of The Pastime Theater in La Grande, Oregon.
Apr
14
2022
Announcement of Permanent Changes in Price at The Castle Theater Eugene Oregon, 1923
In this piece of media, we see a local advertisement for the permanent change in price for the Castle Theater in Eugene Oregon. In the ad, we can read how in 1923, the Castle Theater put in place a flat price for matinee and evening shows at the theater, as well as the select features currently showing at the theaters such as "Kick In", James Oliver Curwood's "Jan of the Big Snows", and upcoming "The Voice from a Minaret". As we can see in the poster, the Castle Theater in Eugene Oregon would be showing one primary show every day, extra showings of the leaving film early in the week, and premiering a new special the rest of the week, leaving Sunday open. Using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic's CPI inflation calculator, we can estimate that the price range of this theater of around $5 for the evening shows and $3.50 for matinee shows.
For price range at that time, Castle Theater was aimed more at the middle class or upper working class as their main audience, where disenfranchised people would often go see nickelodeons as cheaper solutions, however, the matinee option does offer a more economical price for families looking to have a fun time at a lower price. The price range for this theater makes sense for the time since Eugene was a popular, growing city at the time and had a relatively good location for a theater. With the price range of the theater, I would assume that during this time period there was a sufficient middle to upper class families to have a one of these kinds of theaters and have it become a sustainable business in the area.
Oregon Daily Emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012, February 02, 1923, Page 4, Image 4 « Historic Oregon Newspapers. https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/2004260239/1923-02-02/ed-1/seq-4/. Accessed 14 Apr. 2022.
Apr
14
2022
Race, Vaudeville, and the Hood River Electric
Racist theater goers rejoiced as Walter Shay and Vern Whitcomb's Hood River based Electric Theater played host to the St. Mark's guild backed Society Vaudeville through their timeless performance of racist entertainment!