The Avalon Theatre has been an exhibition cornerstone for the Belmont neighborhood for 90 years straight, going through several phases to appeal to the shifting interests of its audience. Born from the ashes of the Sunnyside Theater, the Avalon Theatre took over the same space with new renovations such as air conditioning, sound equipment, and a brand new screen1. Originally starting as a single-screen location holding upward of 400 people, the theater used print media to get the word out about low prices of 15 cents and their amazing new air conditioning2. Early on the space was utilized for community uses such as local voting committees3, as well as live performances, orchestras, and even hosting a radio show4. By the mid-40s, Avalon Theatre fully prioritized the motion picture, offering both hot new releases such as Spellbound (1945) and child-friendly matinee showtimes showing short films such as Vigilantes of Dodge City (1944), establishing its spot on Belmont Street.
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Avalon Theatre Programming and Ticket Prices. The Oregon Journal, Dec. 13, 1936, p.42. Newspapers.com
Throughout its history, Avalon Theatre employed many popular promotional tactics of the time. Whenever any large new releases were coming out, Avalon would try to play up the talent attached to the film and urge people to see it 5. Another selling point used was the theatre’s air conditioning, which got regular mentions in its advertisements up until the late 1960s 6. The theater also would do frequent re-releases both for recently awarded films such as High Noon (1952) and The African Queen (1951), as well as MGM classics such as Red Dust (1932)7. Avalon Theatre also had a frequent collaboration with the local Hawthorne street theatre “Mt. Tabor Theatre”, often sharing adverts8, as well as offering double features for 99 cents (in 1981)9 split between the two locations. In keeping with shifting audience tastes Avalon expanded its programming by the 1970s to offer everyone something, screening family-friendly movies like Son of Flubber (1962) to controversial X-rated titles like Emmanuelle (1974)10.
Double Feature at Avalon Theatre and Mt. Tabor Theatre. The Oregon Journal, Jun. 28, 1977, p.3. Newspapers.com
Avalon went through many large charges, the first being splitting the space into three separate auditoriums, the largest one eventually getting turned into a video arcade in 198711. In 1967, the then-owner of Wunderland Co. John McKee purchased Avalon, with the company soon being notable across Oregon for its video arcades within the 1980s. These circumstances led to the main attraction now being the game room, with the screening rooms being a secondary attraction. With this change, the theatre fully embraced a neon-lit aesthetic and would regularly screen sci-fi and horror films during this period. Today, the Avalon continues to operate at its original location, offering first-run films on one of its two screens, whereas the remaining area is designated for the Wunderland arcade12. It remains one of the longest-operating theaters in Portland and demonstrates an enduring commitment to providing entertainment to Belmont Street.
Double Feature at Avalon Theatre and Mt. Tabor Theatre. The Oregon Journal, J. 28, 1987, p.98. Newspapers.com
