Admiral Theatre (Seattle) facts for kids
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Admiral Theatre
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| Location | Seattle, Washington |
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| Built | 1942 |
| Architect | Priteca, B. Marcus; Heinsbergen, A.B. |
| Architectural style | Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 89002098 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 11, 1989 |
The Admiral Theatre is a popular movie theater and a historic building in the North Admiral neighborhood of West Seattle, Washington. It first showed movies that had already been out for a while, but now it shows brand-new films. It's a fun place to catch a movie!
Contents
History of the Admiral Theatre
Early Days as the Portola Theatre
The building where the Admiral Theatre stands was built in 1919. It was first called the Portola Theatre. This old theater had a cool ocean theme. Its front even had two round windows, just like a ship's portholes!
The Portola Theatre had a special screen. It could add hints of color to the black and white movies of the time. It also had a theater organ. This organ played music for the silent films, which didn't have sound yet.
Becoming the Admiral Theatre
In 1938, a man named John Danz bought the Portola Theatre. He decided to give it a big makeover. The people of West Seattle even voted on a new name for the theater. They chose "Admiral Theatre."
The Admiral Theatre officially opened its doors on January 22, 1942. It had 802 seats for moviegoers. A famous architect named B. Marcus Priteca, who designed many cinemas, created its new look.
Saving the Historic Building
Later, John Danz sold the theater to a company called Cineplex. The theater started to lose money and wasn't being taken care of very well. It was announced that the Admiral Theatre would close.
But the Historical Society of Seattle stepped in to help! They worked to save the building. Because of their efforts, the theater became a special landmark. This means it's protected because of its history.
In 1992, the Admiral Theatre was ready to open again. It went back to showing movies that had been out for a while. In 2008, a group called Faraway Entertainment bought the theater. Admiral Entertainment, LLC, now runs the movie house.
Events and Fun at the Admiral
Besides showing movies, the Admiral Theatre has hosted many special events and performers. For over ten years, the famous movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show was performed regularly there. The last showing was on November 1, 2014.
A well-known local clown, J. P. Patches, also visited the Admiral Theatre often. The theater also has a "Mommy Matinee" event. This is a special time for parents and guardians to bring their young children to watch a movie. It's a relaxed way to enjoy a film without worrying about making too much noise.
Nautical Decor and Art
When the Portola Theatre became the Admiral, its ocean theme grew even bigger. The movie rooms are called "piers." Green seahorses guide you to the exit signs. The employee room is known as "the crew's quarters."
The two portholes from the old Portola Theatre are now above the Admiral's lobby. The walls are also filled with amazing art. When you walk in, you'll see a huge mural from 1942. It shows George Vancouver and stretches from the floor to the ceiling behind the snack stand.
In 1997, the theater added more ocean art. A muralist named Jeff Greene painted an underwater scene in one of the movie rooms. These cool scenes can still be seen today!
Theater Renovations
The Admiral Theatre has changed a lot over the years. The first big remodel happened in 1942 for its grand opening. In 1973, the large theater was split into two smaller movie rooms.
In 2017, the theater had another big renovation. The two rooms became a total of four movie theaters! This update also brought in comfy luxury seats. They added a much better sound system and cool 3D effects for an even better movie experience.
