The Hollywood Theater
I was walking down the street in the Hollywood District the other day when I looked up to see something I had never really noticed before…
The Hollywood Theater, in all it’s 1920′s glory.
I guess in all the years I’ve lived in the Roseway Neighborhood, and all the thousands of times I’ve driven down Sandy Blvd. right past this hidden treasure, I’d never really noticed just how beautiful the building really is. My picture does it no justice…
From Cinema Treasures:
With 1,500 seats, the Hollywood Theatre is one of the most ornate neighborhood theaters in the Pacific Northwest. Its exterior, with a beautiful Byzantine, rococo tower, resembles something to be found on William Randolph Hearst’s San Simeon estate.
Although still standing, the Hollywood Theatre spent the last 30 years quietly slipping into a state of disrepair, operating as a nearly forgotten discount movie house.
In April of 1997, the Oregon Film & Video Foundation purchased the theater from ACT III Theatres for the purpose of preservation and gradual renovation. The Hollywood re-opened in November of 1997 and has once again become a vital part of the Hollywood District in which it’s located.
I’ve only been in the theater once, to see the movie The Hurt Locker (which was a great flick by the way) and loved the historic feel of the place. It definitely needs some updating in a few areas (namely the restrooms), but overall I would say they’ve done a pretty good job keeping the place operating in it’s current condition.
Interesting facts: The Hollywood Theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and was built by same builders of Portland’s Bagdad Theater which is now owned by McMenamins.
About the Author | Jeff Bernheisel
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My name is Jeff Bernheisel.
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