A Theatre Is Not Just a Building: Civic Response and the Preservation of Historic Movie Theatres
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
A THEATRE IS NOT JUST A BUILDING: CIVIC RESPONSE AND THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC MOVIE THEATRES by BEVERLEY ANNE SCHLOSSER STACEY B.A., UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY, 1973 B.Ed., UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY, 1980 M.A., UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY, 1988 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES SCHOOL OF COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING We accept this thesis as conforming to the required s^eCndkrd THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA July, 1992 c Beverley Anne Schlosser Stacey, 1992 In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at The University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. SCHOOL OF COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING The University of British Columbia 2075 Wesbrook Place Vancouver, Canada V6T IWS Date: 14 July 1992 The historic movie theatre represents an important era in the development of Canadian culture. Movies have helped form opinions, taste, language, dress and behavior of sixty percent of the population of the earth. A "night out at the movies" was, and is today, an societal institution and an important part of the courting ritual. The architecture of historic movie palaces has made a distinctly North American contribution to architectural history. Unfortunately, the movie may represent to many Canadian decision makers and community leaders a symbol of American cultural domination and crass, mass popular culture. The structure is often viewed as an expendable white elephant, not only by the unsympathetic layman, but the film industry itself. When the old movie palace is discerned as no longer economically viable as a movie theatre, it is often demoUshed to make way for a parking lot, new urban development, or renovated to create multiplex theatres. While many of the marvelous old movie palaces have been demolished, many have been saved to serve as cultural venues for their respective communities and acknowledged as strategic anchors for inner-city rejuvenation projects. This thesis discusses the dynamics of civic response through a cross-cultural examination based on three case studies - the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia and the Pantages and the Rialto Theatres in Tacoma, Washington - which demonstrate successful historic theatre restoration and reuse projects. Through an examination of the relevant literature, private files, archives research, interviews, site visits and case study analysis, important general conclusions are made with respect to the fate of the historic movie theatre in American and Canadian communities. Because of diverse historical developmental roots resulting in political and socioeconomic differences, Americans have more influence at the local level with respect to decision making and community development through the power to vote for bond issues that provide monies for local expenditures. Through years of expressing a desire for heritage funding and providing economic incentives for heritage restoration projects, much more has been accomplished. Canadians delegate more power to all levels of government and believe that these governments should be held responsible for local initiative project funding. These differing socioeconomic and political climates are reflected in the case studies presented herein. A review of a variety of restoration projects illustrate examples of government and private initiatives and the general state of threatre restoration across Canada. There is little evidence of strong community effort with respect to private funding initiatives. This is due to two reasons: general reliance on government to provide funds for cultural development and federal taxation policies that do not encourage historic preservation. A review of Canadian heritage legislation illustrates how ineffectual it is in the protection of heritage resources and how important local civic action is when heritage restoration and reuse is in question. The Province of British Columbia has a draft bill, the White Paper, that addresses new heritage legislation that awaits legislative approval. Policy recommendations based on proposed changes to heritage restoration and redevelopment areas encourage recognition of the value of the historic movie theatre to the community. Policy options for the City of Vancouver are explored with respect to the historic theatre district on Granville Mall and two historic theatres, the Stanley Theatre and the Vogue Theatre, now closed. This thesis argues that when the need for additional cultural facilities has been identified and acknowledged, as it has been in Vancouver, and when monies are available through cash-in-lieu for provision of off-site amenities, as in an option in the case of the Coal Harbour development, existing facilities should be examined. Renovation and reuse of vacant structures should be considered. A review of a variety of alternatives may better serve the general needs of the population with respect to location and economy. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii Table of Contents v List of Figures vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT viii CHAPTER L- INTRODUCTION 1 Ll PREAMBLE 1 L2 PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 3 1.3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 7 1.4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 11 1..5 DEFINITIONS 12 CHAPTER IL THE CONTEXT 14 2.1 THE PLACE OF THEATRE IN A CONTEMPORARY URBAN CONTEXT 14 2.2- THE PLACE OF THE THEATRE IN WESTERN CULTURE 19 2.1.1 European and British Influences 20 2.1.2 Early Theatre in North America 24 2.3 THE ADVENT OF THE MOTION PICTURE 25 2.4 THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE MOVIE PALACE 31 2.4.1 An American Phenomenon 31 2.4.2 Focus on Canadian Movie Palaces 37 2.5 THE DECLINE OF THE MOVIE PALACE 41 2.6 THE RESTORATION AND REUSE OF HISTORIC MOVIE THEATRES 45 2.7 HERITAGE POLICY OVERVIEW 47 2.7.1 American Heritage Policy 48 2.7.2 Canadian Heritage Policy 51 2.7.3 The Volunteer and the Theatre Restoration Project 56 CHAPTER 111: CASE STUDIES 63 3.1 CASE STUDY: THE PANT AGES THEATER, TACOMA, WASHINGTON 63 3.1.1 The City of Tacoma, Washington 63 3.1.2 The History of Theatre in Tacoma 64 3.1.3 Civic Response: Pantages Restoration Project 68 3.1.4 The Pantages: Funding Restoration and Reuse 69 3.1.5 Financial Woes and Creative Bookkeeping 71 3.2 CASE STUDY: THE RIALTO THEATRE, TACOMA 80 3.2.1 The Rialto Theatre 80 3.2.2 Civic Action and the Rialto Restoration Project 81 3.2.3 Broadway Theatre District Funding 83 3.2.4 Lessons to be Learned 86 Table of Contents 3.3 CASE STUDY: THE ORPHEUM THEATRE, VANCOUVER, B.C 89 3.3.1 The City of Vancouver, British Columbia 89 3.3.2 The History of Theatre in Vancouver 90 3.3.3 Civic Action: Orpheum Restoration Project 97 3.3.4 Panic at the Orpheum 104 3.4 THE VOGUE THEATRE 111 3.5 THE STANLEY THEATRE 115 CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS 120 4.0 CROSS-CULTURAL CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 120 4.1 Comparative Civic Response: Canadian and American 120 4.2 Case Study Analysis 124 125 4.2.1 Inner-city Development 127 4.2.2 Initial Grass-roots Response 128 4.2.3 Community Response 129 4.2.4 Municipal, State/Provincial, Federal Support 130 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION 134 5.0 CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS/CONTEMPORARY SOLUTIONS 134 5.1 Overview 134 5.2 Planning and the Historic Movie Theatre 138 5.3 Planners and Heritage Resource Preservation 138 5.4 Policies Planning and the Historic Theatre 140 5.5 Policy Options and the Historic Theatre 141 5.6 White Paper Heritage Policy Draft Proposal 143 5.7 Redevelopment Area Policies Plan for Granville Mall 149 APPENDIX 157 APPENDIX B 160 LIST OF FIGURES The Rialto Theatre, a "full house." 23 Granville Theatre District, Vancouver (1930s) 30 The Pantages Theatre auditorium, Tacoma 36 National Historic Preservation Cartoon 40 Historic Preservation Cartoon 44 Historic Preservation Cartoon 62 The Pantages Theatre (The Jones Building), Tacoma 67 The Pantages Theatre Renovation 76 The Rialto Theatre and the introduction of the "talkies." 79 Tacoma Broadway Theatre District 85 The Granville Street Theatre District (1930s), Vancouver, B. C 88 The Orpheum Theatre Billboard (1930s), Vancouver 92 The Orpheum Theatre, the Granville Street Entrance 94 The Orpheum Theatre, Seymour Street entrance 96 The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, 1921 98 The Orpheum, stage and proscenium arch 109 The Vogue Theatre, Granville Mall 110 The Stanley Theatre, Granville Street South 114 Historic Preservation Cartoon 126 Good Bye Cruel World 137 Granville Mall, view toward Nelson Street 146 Granville Mall, view toward Robson Street 147 Granville Mall Historic Theatre District 148 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to acknowledge the following: . My father, now deceased, who drove many prairie miles to take his children to the movies and thus created ardent movie fans. Dr. Alan Artibise, thesis advisor, for his positive support; readers. Professor Penny Gurstein, Professor Michael Seelig and Judy Oberlander, external examiner, for their critique and encouragement. Mr. Fritz Bowers, Vancouver, and Eli Ashley, Tacoma, who opened their private files and gave me encouragement, suppport and advice. Also, Rhonna (Fleming) Curtis who recounted the exciting days of the saving of the Orpheum and is the living proof of what one woman with a cause can accomplish. Professor Brahm Weisman for his encouragement and critque; Millie Chu, fellow student and friend, for her content review and critique. My family, who has been deprived of my attention through four university degrees, and my best friend Wally, a fellow film fan. Tacoma Public Library and the Vancouver Public Library for all photographs included in the text.