The students of Arlington Elementary School were invited to the Music Box Theatre to watch Walt Disney's "So Dear to My Heart" in technicolor on March 2, 1949. The movie poster reads "A Dilly-Dilly Delight;" Burl Ives, Beulah Bondi, Harry Carey, Bobby Driscoll and Luana Patten star in the movie. Exterior view of the Music Box Theatre, Arlington's 2nd and 3rd grade students are standing with their teacher, holding a sign that lists their names.

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Motion pictures; Motion picture posters; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Teachers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Motion picture audiences--Tacoma; Arlington School (Tacoma); Music Box Theatre (Tacoma);

Tacoma's Temple Theatre advertised they had the "widest proscenium arch of any theater or hall on Pacific Coast". Throughout the years the Temple Theatre had a number of movie stars making special appearances, including Tallulah Bankhead and Lucille Ball. The Temple Theatre was later renamed the Saint Helens Convention Center in 1992 and the Landmark Convention Center in 1995. View of two unidentified men working with equipment and machinery at the Temple Theatre; possibly movie projectors.

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma; People associated with entertainment & sports; Motion picture devices; Projectors; Temple Theatre (Tacoma);

In September of 1950, an unidentified young officer questions a small boy in front of the Roxy Theater. The boy, who seems to have made a lunch of chocolate at a matinee and retains most of it on his face and hands, may be looking for his mother. Ordered by the Tribune city desk. TPL-7116

Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1950-1960;

This is the proud contest winner at the Music Box Theater happily posing with a new Westinghouse Rancho range. The electric stove has four burners, all on one side, an oven with a storage drawer underneath and an open area under the burners that has been labeld as "Tuck-Away" room. Ordered by Ross Schmidt.

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma; Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Stoves--Tacoma--1950-1960; Contests--Tacoma--1950-1960;

An unidentified couple won the dog shown in this photograph in a special drawing held at the Roxy Theater on August 1, 1947. The dog was borrowed from the Tacoma pound for a publicity stunt. It was used to help advertise the film "The Sea Hawk" starring Errol Flynn. When the publicity was finished the dog was to be returned to the pound. Rather then return the dog to the pound, where it would probably be "put to sleep", the theater management called on the citizens of Tacoma to give the dog a home. (T.Times, 7/30/1947) Dog being awarded to winner at Roxy Theater, O'Connell Ragan Company, Beverly Balster.

Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Dogs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Publicity;

Roxy Theater. A young man dares everyone to "See Me in "Cloak and Dagger" Roxy Theater". Theater posters show scenes from the movie and advertise Gary Cooper is starring.

Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Costumes; Advertising--Tacoma--1940-1950; Motion picture posters; Motion pictures;

Roxy Theater. A tall young man wearing a wide-brimmed black hat and black cape stands outside the theater on November 19, 1946 announcing the movie now showing, "Cloak and Dagger" starring Gary Cooper.

Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Marquees--Tacoma--1940-1950; Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Costumes; Advertising--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Motion pictures;

Lassieis here to advertise that the motion picture "The Courage of Lassie" will open at the Music Box Theater in this December of 1946 photograph. One of the usherettes from the theater holds "Lassie's" leash while "Lassie" stands next to her dog house in the outside lobby of John Hamrick's Music Box Theatre. "Lassie" wears a sign, "Courage of Lassie, Music Box Now." Two unidentified businessmen stand on the other side of the dog house.

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Collies--Tacoma; Dogs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ushers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Publicity;

Telenews marque and front of theatre. Teletype machine in the front lobby - Associated Press direct wire news.

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Telenews Theatre (Tacoma); Teletypewriters--1940-1950;

Telenews marque and front of theatre. Uraniferous chalcedony ore or Rhyolite on display in case "Birth of the Atomic Age".

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Telenews Theatre (Tacoma); Ore industry;

In 1945 the new owners of the theater at 916 Broadway remodeled the building, gave it a new neon marque, and changed its name to the Telenews Theater. The Telenews lasted for about five years showing only newsreels, travel logs, and documentaries. In the late 1960s, the second floor of this building was taken over by the Court C Coffeehouse and Artists' Mall. The building was demolished in 1988.

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Telenews Theatre (Tacoma);

Telenews marque and front of theatre. The interior of the theatre which used to be the "Beverly Theater". 400 patrons filled the Telenews Theatre at the grand opening. People will be able to see "history in the making" and catch up on what happened during the week. The story of the atomic bomb was revealed opening night as well as other late news pictures. (T.Times, 9/15/1945, p.4) TPL-9262

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Telenews Theatre (Tacoma);

In May of 1941, Pfc. Kenneth E. Wilkinson counted his cash in his wallet, hoping to take in a matinee performance at the Roxy of Charlie Chaplin in "The Great Dictator." Stationed with Company E, 186th Infantry at Fort Lewis, Pfc. Wilkinson was the Army's most devoted movie fan. He had seen 245 full length feature pictures since he enlisted on October 4, 1940 at a cost he estimated to be about $65. The "Great Dictator" was making a second run around the country in general release at regular prices, 30 cents til 5p.m. and 45 cents at night. The national UP wire picked up the story on Wilkinson and Hollywood fell in love with the shy star struck private. The motion picture industry flew him to Hollywood for a week to meet and be entertained by noted producers, directors and actors. (T. Times 4/29/194, pg. 5; 7/24/41, pg. 1) TPL-1989

Wilkinson, Kenneth E.; Motion pictures; Motion picture theaters--Tacoma;

In May of 1941, Pfc. Kenneth E. Wilkinson counts the cash in his wallet, planning to take in the double feature at the Blue Mouse. The marquee boldly states that "Men of Boy's Town" and "Let's Make Music" are playing. Pfc. Wilkinson is the Army's biggest movie fan, having once enjoyed 13 feature films in one weekend. The soldier from LaGrande, Ore., goes to the movies 4-5 nights a week to forget his troubles and estimates that he has seen 245 full length feature films since he enlisted in October of 1940. The UP wire picked up the Tacoma Times story and Hollywood also discovered Wilkinson. The motion picture industry flew the star struck redhead to Hollywood for a week of wining, dining and meeting the stars. His favorite was Mickey Rooney. (T. Times 4/29/1941, pg. 5; 7/24/41, pg.1)

Wilkinson, Kenneth E.; Blue Mouse Movie Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma; Marquees;

ca. 1939. Birds eye view of downtown Tacoma, taken in May of 1939. In the lower left corner is the intersection of 9th and Broadway. The Roxy Theatre, at 901 Broadway (now known as the Pantages), is at the lower left and across Broadway is the distinctive turret of John Hamrick's Music Box Theatre.

Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Cityscapes--1930-1940; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Business districts--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Tacoma was treated to an afternoon parade when Knights Templar from all over the state gathered here for the 51st Annual Conclave of the Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Washington. Men in the traditional plumed hats with a large group of flag bearers behind them. The Roxy Theatre is in the background. The Roxy later became the Pantages. (T. Times 5/9/1938)

Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Knights Templar (Tacoma);

The Knights Templar band in their traditional plumed hats marched past the Roxy Theatre (later known again as the Pantages) on May 9, 1938. Tacoma was treated to a colorful afternoon parade when Knights Templar from all over the state gathered here for the 51st Annual Conclave of the Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Washington. This parade of bands followed the marching companies. (T. Times 5/9/1938, pg. 1-article; TNT 5-9-38, p. 1-article on conclave)

Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Knights Templar (Tacoma); Marching bands--Tacoma--1930-1940; Meetings--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1926. Many children, boys on left, girls on right, on sidewalk in front of the Blue Mouse Theater, circa 1926. In 1922, the old Apollo theater became part of the Hamrick chain and reopened as the Blue Mouse, named after a theater in Paris. (filed with Argentum)

Blue Mouse Movie Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma; Marquees--Tacoma; Children--Tacoma--1920-1930;

A large crowd of soldiers are photographed leaving the (Liberty) Theatre at Camp Lewis in February of 1921. The men are bundled warmly against the cold and wet winter day. Movie posters partially obscured by the soldiers indicate that much laughter was on the bill with the silent-screen comedy team of (Eddie) Lyons and (Lee) Moran. G69.1-127 TPL-10310

Motion picture theaters--Camp Lewis; Crowds--Camp Lewis; Soldiers--Camp Lewis; Military life--Camp Lewis;

Seven usherettes in bat capes and bat ears line up outside the Rialto Theatre where the silent film version of "The Bat," the world's greatest mystery play, was showing in 1926. L-R: Rose Travaglio, Mary Marko, Lillian Hansen, Ann Brower, Irene Carnahan, Helen Morley (chief usherette) and Florence Lloyd. They received many favorable comments on their costumes from patrons of the theater. Based on Mary Roberts Rinehart's 1920 play which ran an impressive 867 performances at the Morosco Theatre on Broadway, "The Bat" was produced and directed by Roland West. It features a mysterious masked master criminal called The Bat whose identity is unveiled only in the last moments of the movie. Cartoonist Bob Kane was so impressed with the film when he saw it as a young boy that his memories of its images formed the basis for his cartoon character Batman. The film opened in Tacoma to rave reviews and could be seen at the matinee for 35 cents or in the evenings for 50 cents, 10 cents for kiddies. (TNT 8-17-26, p. 8) Boland B15500, TPL-2038

Rialto Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1920-1930; Ushers--Tacoma--1920-1930; Motion picture industry--1920-1930; Morley, Helen; Travaglio, Rose; Marko, Mary; Hansen, Lillian; Brower, Ann; Carnahan, Irene; Lloyd, Florence;

Crowds braved the cold weather to line up for the film "Summer Bachelors" in early February of 1927. It was showing at the Rialto, 310 South 9th St. The movie starred Madge Bellamy, a stage and screen actress who had appeared in "Lorna Doone" and "The Iron Horse," the latter previously shown at the Rialto. Bunting decorated the theater building and also was strung across the street; the Broadway Theater at nearby 9th & Broadway had just celebrated its grand opening the night before. The First Baptist Church at 9th & Market Sts. is up the street from the Rialto. TPL-1892; G65.1-090; BU-11,229;

Rialto Theatre (Tacoma); Crowds--Tacoma--1920-1930; First Baptist Church (Tacoma);

The John Ford western, "The Iron Horse." was showing at the Rialto Theatre in August of 1925. To help promote the movie, which took four years to make, the theater arranged for this Union Pacific "locomotive" to appear in Tacoma with 84-year-old famed Indian scout and interpreter Col. Alfred L. Chapman and his Chippewa wife, Princess Naggousaqua. Col. Chapman was present when the last spike was driven connecting the Central Pacific and Union Pacific lines. He also was instrumental in securing the services of some 800 Native Americans for the film and aided in the direction of an important movie scene. The "Iron Horse" dealt with the trials and tribulations of construction of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railways to the west. It starred George O'Brien and Madge Bellamy and could be seen for a mere 50 cents for adults and a dime for children. (T.Times 8-17-25, p. 1)

Rialto Theatre (Tacoma); Publicity photographs; Chapman, Alfred L.; Princess Naggousaqua;

On June 22, 1925, Hazel Green, right, and Arline Abel posed boldly in front of the Rialto Theater, clutching pipes in their mouths. They were demonstrating the newest fad, how young ladies were discarding their cigarettes in favor of pipes. The women were performers in the Ziegfeld Follies "Phantograph" advertised on the sign boards. The Follies novelty act preceded the movie and starred six beautiful bathing beauties, a comedian and a German police dog in a live action skit. Each audience member was given an early form of 3-D glasses that brought them up close and personal with the action. Viewers ducked falling ladders and water from the garden hose, screaming and laughing. The act was followed by the feature film "If I Marry Again." (TNT 6/24/1925, pg. 6- picture; TDL 6/21/1925, pg. H-3) g65.1-086 BU-11,224 (filed)

Rialto Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma; Vaudeville shows; Green, Hazel; Abel, Arline;

Gig Harbor's Empress Theater, with its unusual "Moorish" architectural style, opened April 12, 1925, with the silent film "Miss Bluebeard" starring Bebe Daniels and Raymond Griffith. Contractor, and later architect, Gaston Lance designed the building which had a capacity of 450. Renamed the Blue Eagle, the theater closed in 1955, and was demolished a few years later. B12219, BU-10013, TPL-3843

Motion picture theaters--Gig Harbor; Empress Theatre (Gig Harbor);

ca. 1926. On July 24, 1926, Reginald Denny's newest comedy "Rolling Home" opened at the Colonial Theater, 916-18 Broadway. A crowd of young people gathered around the theater for the Reginald Denny Day festivities. Mr. Denny (1891-1967) was an actor who made 200 films between 1898 and 1966, but he was also a pioneer in the field of radio-controlled pilotless aviation. At the left foreground of the theater was a couple of barrels covered with cloths that sported a sign for Royal Ice Cream and its slogan "It's the Cream." Royal Ice Cream Co. was located in Tacoma on Pacific Avenue at 25th. It was a wholesale ice cream, milk and cream company. Boland B15392, BU-11146

Colonial Theater (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1920-1930; Motion picture industry--1920-1930;

Built in 1914 at a cost of $10,000, this theater at 11th & Broadway was originally named the Apollo. Eight years later, it reopened as the Blue Mouse, operated by theater chain founder John Hamrick. The Blue Mouse was a favorite of Tacoma movie buffs until its demolition in 1960 to make way for a new street escalator. "A Connecticut Yankee" was the first movie shown at the Blue Mouse starting on April 15, 1922. In this April, 1922, photograph, a small boy in an usher's uniform stands outside the theater entrance while another uniformed man is next to the movie placard. The Blue Mouse was the first theater in Tacoma to show "talkies," running "The Jazz Singer" in January, 1928. Its sister theater, the Blue Mouse Junior, opened in the Proctor District in 1923. G64.1-027; TPL-6355 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 4-2-22, E-5-article)

Blue Mouse Movie Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1920-1930; Marquees--Tacoma;

J.R. McKinnell opened the new Rose Theater at 514-16 South 11th Street in late December of 1920. The original Rose Theater was located at 905 South Tacoma Avenue (now Tacoma Avenue South) in the Lucerne Building. On the 28th of December the feature at the new Rose was "Ruth of the Rockies" starring Ruth Roland, one of the Queens of the early silent serials; she specialized in westerns and comedies. "Ruth of the Rockies" was one of her later films. The new movie house had been built by Tacoma contractors Wick and Johnson at an estimated price tag of $8,000 for a California client. It was constructed of reinforced concrete and was 22 feet high with a 35 x 65 foot footprint. The building was demolished July of 1996. (TDL 1/2/1921, pg. B6- photo, 12/12/20, pg. B-5 article) Boland B3470, BU-13,339, TPL-2394

Rose Theater (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On June 13, 1924, five usherettes, all with the latest in bobbed hair, posed in their new summer uniforms, blousy top and slacks in combinations of black and orange, in front of the Colonial Theater, 916-18 Broadway. The women were identified by the News Tribune as, left to right, Evelyn Durrin (head usher,) Mary Marko, Isobelle Pallis (assistant head usher,) Mildred Barnes and one unidentified usherette. The marquee advertised "The Last Hour" with Milton Sills, Carmel Myers, Walter Long and Pat O'Malley, which opened June 14, 1924 and ran at the Colonial for one week. "The Last Hour" was issued in 1923 by Mastadon Films. The Colonial Theater was designed by Roland Borhek and built in 1914. In the thirties, it became the Beverly Theater and in the 40's the Telenews Theater. It has since been demolished. Boland B10313, BU 11,145 (TNT 6/19/24, pg. 8)

Colonial Theater (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1920-1930; Ushers--Tacoma--1920-1930; Motion picture industry--1920-1930;

The usherettes at the Colonial Theater, 916-18 Broadway, wore gingham dresses for the opening on February 28,1920 of the silent version of "Pollyanna" starring Mary Pickford. A slightly different version of this photograph appeared in the March 3rd News Tribune; the girls are believed to be (l to r) Edna Fitzmaurice, Fern Chantler (the theater cashier), Nellie Mason, Rosa Fair, Lillian Buth, Stella Church, and Ruth Harkness. Mary Pickford was 27 when she played the film's 12 year old title character; the picture grossed one million dollars for United Artists, the film company owned by D.W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and her husband Douglas Fairbanks. The Colonial Theater was designed by Roland Borhek, architect, and opened in 1914. It was demolished in 1988. (TNT 3/3/1920 p.9) TPL-5877, BU-10014, Boland-B2760

Colonial Theater (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1920-1930; Ushers--Tacoma--1920-1930; Motion picture industry--1920-1930;

ca. 1970. Southcenter Theatre. The single screen auditorium had 1,228 seats. Due to the giant 88 x 32-foot high curved screen, patrons would have had good views from any seat in the house. The screen was flanked by floor length curtains. The Southcenter Theatre opened in April of 1970 and went dark in August of 2001. The first film shown was Alfred Hitchcock's "Topaz," and the last, "Moulin Rouge." Photograph ordered by Southcenter Theatre, Tukwila. (ww.cinematour.com)

Motion picture theaters--Tukwila; Southcenter Theatre (Tukwila);