Peery's Egyptian Theater facts for kids
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| Address | 2439 Washington Blvd. Ogden, Utah United States |
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| Designation | 41°13′19″N 111°58′15″W / 41.221823°N 111.970923°W |
| Type | Movie palace |
| Capacity | 800 |
| Current use | Performing Arts Center and Movies |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1924 |
| Rebuilt | 1997 |
| Architect | Leslie S. Hodgson & Myrl A. McClenahan, F. Berne |
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Peery's Egyptian Theater
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| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002714 |
| Added to NRHP | December 12, 1978 |
Peery's Egyptian Theater is a historic movie palace located in Ogden, Utah. It's a special building that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it's recognized as an important part of history.
History of Peery's Egyptian Theater
Building a Dream Theater
The Peery's Egyptian Theater was built after a big fire destroyed the Arlington Hotel in 1923. Two brothers, Harman and Louis Peery, decided to build a magnificent theater in its place. They wanted it to be known as "The Showplace of the West."
They hired famous architects, Hodgson & McClenahan, who designed many important buildings in the Wasatch Front area. The architects were inspired by other famous theaters, like Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. They chose an Egyptian-themed showhouse design for the new theater.
Opening Day and Early Years
Construction started in 1923 on the very spot where the Peerys' first home in Ogden once stood. Just ten months later, on July 3, 1924, the Egyptian Theater opened its doors.
The first movie shown was Wanderer of the Wasteland. This was a "natural color" silent film, meaning it had no spoken words. A special instrument called the Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ played music to go along with the movie.
The Arrival of "Talkies"
In 1929, the first "talking picture," In Old Arizona, was shown at the theater. This changed things for the pipe organ, which was then only used sometimes during breaks or for special programs. In 1960, the organ was even removed and put into storage.
The theater later became part of the Twentieth Century-Fox movie chain. In 1951, Fox updated the Egyptian Theater, adding many new and beautiful details.
New Technologies and Changes
In 1953, two exciting new movie experiences came to the theater. The first 3-D movie, It Came from Outer Space, was shown. Then, The Robe, a CinemaScope film, debuted. CinemaScope movies were much wider than they were tall. To fit the new wide screen, two columns inside the theater had to be removed. A new sound system was also installed for better movie sound.
In 1961, the theater was remodeled again. Some people didn't like these changes because many original details were painted over or removed. Pink curtains and pink walls were added to the auditorium. A new, larger screen was put in. The seating was also changed, reducing the number of seats from 1,200 to 850. This made more legroom and made the seats more comfortable.
Facing Closure and Restoration
For many years, the Egyptian Theater continued to show popular movies. However, by the early 1980s, it started showing older movies instead of new ones. In 1984, the theater closed because of a health code problem.
Many people thought the theater's best days were over, and it might even be torn down. But at the last minute, the theater was bought for the same price it cost to build in 1924: $250,000. The Weber County Heritage Foundation helped with this. The building was then given to the Egyptian Theater Foundation, which was created to help fix up the classic showhouse.
A full restoration of the theater happened with help from many groups, including Weber County, Ogden City, Weber State University, and the Egyptian Theater Foundation. Many people and organizations gave money to help.
Reopening and Modern Use
The rescued Egyptian Theater reopened on January 17, 1997. Its role expanded from just showing movies to being a community theater and performing arts center. In 2004, a Wurlitzer pipe organ was put back in, bringing back the theater's historic feel.
Today, the theater hosts classical plays, live music, and Wurlitzer organ performances. It also shows classic and documentary films, as well as movies for children. Every Christmas season, The Nutcracker ballet is performed there, which is very popular. The Sundance Film Festival has also screened movies at Peery's Egyptian Theater since 1998. Many community events are held at the theater regularly.
Why Peery's Egyptian Theater is Special
Strong and Safe Construction
The theater was built using strong, poured concrete. This was done to make it very safe for people inside and to protect it from fires. Fires were a big danger for theaters in the past. To test how strong the building was, over 70,000 pounds of gravel were placed on the auditorium roof. The roof barely moved, showing how well it was built. The owners were so proud of its safety that they advertised it as "Ogden's Only Fireproof Theater ... A Safe Place for the Kiddies."
Unique "Atmospheric" Ceiling
The Egyptian Theater is one of only a few theaters with an "atmospheric" ceiling. This special ceiling can change from looking like a daytime or dusk sky to a beautiful night sky filled with stars. This amazing effect still works today! The outside of the building, with its colorful and detailed terra cotta, also looks great even after more than 80 years.
Comfortable Seating and Rarity
The seating area is on one level, but it slopes steeply. This gives almost everyone a great view without needing steps. The seats are divided into three sections, with a wide center area and two smaller sections on the sides. There's plenty of legroom, and the seats lean back comfortably. The theater keeps its old-fashioned charm with wood-backed seats and no modern cup holders.
The Egyptian Theater is one of fewer than fifty Egyptian-style theaters ever built in the United States. Only about a dozen of these still exist today. Its "atmospheric" ceiling is likely one of only two still in use across the country. This makes Peery's Egyptian Theater Utah's only true "movie palace."
See also
