The Idlewile Theater in Corvallis Oregon was opened on September 3, 1910 and quickly became a rather popular and well regarded destination for entertainment in town. The original proprietors C. E. Barclay, J. A. Rycraft, and W. M. Webster initially invested "several hundred dollars" to ensure the theater opened with attractive decor and quality machines for motion pictures. The Idlewile's opening night was a great success and prompted said proprietors to install an illuminated sign in front of the theater to attract even more people. Large ads describing the week's programming also started showing up in Corvallis's Gazette-Times newspaper soon after the Idlewile's opening as another promotional strategy.
The Idlewile's programming consisted of a mix of motion pictures and a wide range of various live acts. Films were shown in-between performances of the featured live act and would be changed every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Most accounts from the time noted that the films were typically of average quality while the live acts were fantastic and the main attraction of the Idlewile. Another common comment from the time was that the theater was a fantastic value for the money. With tickets being only 10 or 20 cents and audiences being shown around three hours of entertainment, one newspaper article even went as far as to say that the amount of value was "too much for the money".
The theater's first live feature was the Wright Comedy Company which came along with the construction of a new stage to accompany their performances. This comedic first feature led to the Idlewhile becoming known for showing comedies and other interesting engagements beyond their normal, everyday film showings. Educational features also made appearances at the Idlewhile. Eli A. Smith, an Alaskan traveler, showcasing images of Alaska with his team of sled dogs as well as lectures about Custer's Last Stand being two notable examples.
The Idlewile would close on January 23, 1911 and be acquired by new management, Small & Whiteside Bros. The theater would remain closed until February 21, 1911 when it was reopened with a new floor, new chairs, and under the new name of the "New Star".
