>> FUNDING FOR "STAGE TO SCREEN: HISTORIC THEATERS OF THE NORTH" IS PROVIDED BY THE CITIZENS OF MINNESOTA THROUGH THE MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FUND.

>> THE HISTORY OF THEATER IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA DATES BACK TO THE EARLIEST DAYS OF SETTLEMENT IN THE REGION.

A FIRST-CLASS ENTERTAINMENT HALL COULD HELP PUT A TOWN ON THE MAP.

>> THEATERS BACK IN THE DAY WEREN'’’T JUST A PLACE FOR ENTERTAINMENT.

THEY WERE A STATEMENT THAT THE CITY HAD ARRIVED.

>> FOR THE LUMBERJACKS WHO CUT DOWN THE TALL NORTHERN MINNESOTA TIMBER AND THE MINERS WHO SCRAPED OUT A LIVING DEEP IN THE EARTH, THE THEATER WAS AN ESCAPE, IF JUST FOR A FEW HOURS.

>> THEATER, OPERA, MUSIC, DANCE--THOSE ARE THE ENTERTAINMENT THINGS.

>> EARLY IN THE 20th CENTURY, MOVING PICTURES BECAME THE RAGE, AND BY THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES, GOING TO THE MOVIES WAS PART OF THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE.

>> I THINK I WOKE UP EVERY MORNING AND THOUGHT, CAN I GO TO A MOVIE TODAY?

HEH!

AND MANY OF THOSE DAYS, I WOULD.

>> TODAY, MOTION PICTURES ARE SELDOM SEEN IN THE GRAND MOVIE PALACES OF OLD, BUT MANY NORTHERN CITIES STILL HAVE PLENTY OF THEATER HISTORY, OFTEN HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW.

>> UNLESS YOU HAD A PASSION FOR HISTORIC THEATERS, AND AS YOU GO TRAVEL THROUGH DOWNTOWNS AND YOU LOOK FOR ALL OF THE ROOF LINES THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT THERE'’’S FLY SPACE IN A BUILDING.

>> WITHIN THESE OLD THEATERS, THERE IS A STORY WAITING TO BE TOLD, ANOTHER CHAPTER YET TO BE WRITTEN.

>> YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS, OVER THE DECADES, OVER THE CENTURIES, CERTAINLY OUR TASTES MAY HAVE CHANGED IN THE TYPE OF ENTERTAINMENT THAT WE WANT TO SEE, BUT IT'’’S MORE THAN JUST ENTERTAINMENT; WE WANT SOMETHING THAT INTRIGUES US.

WE WANT SOMETHING THAT MAKES US THINK AND MAKES US FEEL.

>> SO SIT BACK, RELAX, AND ENJOY "STAGE TO SCREEN: HISTORIC THEATERS OF THE NORTH."

THE CITY OF DULUTH HAD BARELY EMERGED FROM SWAMP, ROCKS, AND FOREST WHEN THE FIRST ORGANIZED ENTERTAINMENT LANDED IN THE FRONTIER COMMUNITY.

DR. THOMAS FOSTER, EDITOR OF THE TOWN'’’S FIRST PAPER, "THE MINNESOTIAN," WROTE THAT "DULUTH WOULD SOON BE THE CHICAGO OF LAKE SUPERIOR."

THE CITY'’’S POPULATION EXPLODED IN THE SUMMER OF 1869 FROM ABOUT 100 PEOPLE TO SEVERAL THOUSAND IN JUST 10 WEEKS.

THE STEAMERS BRINGING NEW SETTLERS TO THE REGION ALSO CARRIED WITH THEM THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL ENTERTAINMENT, SUCH AS THEY WERE.

>> THE FIRST SHOW IN DULUTH IN 1869 WAS ADVERTISED IN "THE MINNESOTIAN."

THEY HAD BROUGHT IN A BOATLOAD OF FAT LADIES, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST THEATER GROUP TO TRAVEL TO DULUTH.

>> DULUTH'’’S EARLIEST YEARS WERE MARKED BY A PERIOD OF BOOM AND BUST, BUT BY THE EARLY 1880s, THE CITY'’’S FUTURE SEEMED TO BE ON A FIRM FINANCIAL FOOTING.

DULUTH PIONEERS AND CIVIC LEADERS ROGER MUNGER AND CLINTON MARKELL DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO CONSTRUCT A BUILDING THAT ANNOUNCED THE CITY HAD ARRIVED.

THEY HIRED ST. PAUL ARCHITECT GEORGE WORTH TO DESIGN THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE AT THE CORNER OF FOURTH AVENUE WEST AND SUPERIOR STREET.

THE STRUCTURE WAS PLANNED TO BE BOTH THE COMMERCIAL AND CULTURAL CENTER OF THE CITY, AND IT MADE A BOLD STATEMENT.

>> THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE WAS DIFFICULT FOR YOUR EYE TO REST WHILE LOOKING AT THE OPERA HOUSE; THE ROOF ALONE, SEVERAL DIFFERENT STYLES AND IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT SHADES OF PURPLE.

THE OUTSIDE WAS, I BELIEVE, A WHITE BRICK.

THERE WAS SOME LAKE SUPERIOR SANDSTONE INVOLVED, TOWERS ON THE CORNERS, GRAND ARCHES TWO STORIES TALL, THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> INSIDE THIS ARCHITECTURALLY STRIKING BUILDING WAS A LAVISHLY ADORNED OPERA HALL.

THE LARGE STAGE AREA CAME COMPLETE WITH A DOZEN SETS AND MANY MORE WINGPIECES TO ADAPT FOR ANY PERFORMANCE.

A SATIN CURTAIN WITH HEAVY TRIMMING OF CRIMSON AND GOLD WAS DESCRIBED AS THE MOST EXPENSIVE IN AMERICA.

>> REMEMBER, AT THIS TIME, WHEN THE TOWN'’’S BOOMING, WE'’’RE TRYING TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO COME HERE, TO BRING THEIR BUSINESSES AND THEIR JOBS HERE.

WE WANT TO SHOW THEM THAT WE ARE A FIRST-RATE, METROPOLITAN TOWN OF THE FIRST CLASS, AND THAT'’’S WHAT A GRAND OPERA HOUSE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR A CITY LIKE DULUTH AT THAT TIME.

>> IN ADDITION TO THE ORNATE AUDITORIUM, THE GRAND HOUSED THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE BEGINNINGS OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, A GROCERY STORE, AND THE KITCHI GAMMI CLUB, WHICH TOOK UP MOST OF THE TOP FLOOR.

BUT THE CENTERPIECE OF THE AMBITIOUS PROJECT WAS UNMISTAKABLE IN BOTH ITS AUDACITY AND SHEER SIZE.

>> WE HAD ABOUT 13,000 PEOPLE WHEN THEY BUILT THAT OPERA HOUSE.

IT SEATED OVER A THOUSAND.

THAT'’’S--ALMOST 10% OF THE CITY'’’S POPULATION COULD HAVE FIT IN THERE ON ANY SINGLE NIGHT, SO, YEAH, THEY WERE BUILT WITH THE PROMISE OF THE FUTURE OF THE BOOM TOWN.

>> LIKE A SPARKLING FOURTH-OF- JULY DISPLAY, THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE HAD A SHORT LIFE.

ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 28, 1889, A FIRE OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN BEGAN, AND BY THE TIME FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED, THE BLAZE WAS OUT OF CONTROL.

LESS THAN 6 YEARS AFTER OPENING, THE GRAND WAS GONE.

DESPITE THE SETBACK, DULUTH'’’S PROSPERITY CONTINUED, AND THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE SERVED AS A TRULY GRAND INSPIRATION FOR FUTURE PERFORMANCE HALLS IN THE ZENITH CITY AT THE HEAD OF LAKE SUPERIOR.

>> THE VOID LEFT IN DULUTH BY THE FIRE THAT CONSUMED THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE WAS SOON FILLED BY ANOTHER MAGNIFICENT THEATER.

DULUTH'’’S MASONS HAD BEEN PLANNING TO BUILD A NEW MASONIC LODGE ON THE PROPERTY AT SECOND AVENUE EAST AND SUPERIOR STREET.

>> AND THEY DECIDED THEY'’’RE ALSO GOING TO BUILD A GRAND THEATER TO REPLACE THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE.

SO THE TEMPLE OPERA BLOCK WAS BUILT, AND THE BUILDING ON SUPERIOR STREET HOUSED THE MASONS AND OUR FIRST PUBLIC LIBRARY.

AND UP THE AVENUE THERE, ON SECOND, WAS THE TEMPLE OPERA HOUSE.

>> THE FRONT OF THE OPENING-NIGHT PROGRAM FEATURED AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF DULUTH'’’S THEATERS, WITH THE TEMPLE OPERA HOUSE TAKING CENTER STAGE.

THE LUCKY DULUTHIANS WHO HAD TICKETS SAW ACTRESS ROSE COGHLAN IN THE PLAY "JOCELYN," BUT THE STAR ATTRACTION OF THE EVENING WAS THE OPERA HOUSE ITSELF.

>> GRAND, IMPOSING, BEAUTIFUL!

THE TEMPLE IS INDEED THE IDEAL OF THE ARTIST'’’S DREAM AND THE ACTOR'’’S CHERISHED HOPE.

ITS GORGEOUS COLORS AND BRILLIANT LIGHTS, ITS BEAUTIFUL SCENERY, THE SWEET STRAINS OF ORCHESTRAL MUSIC.

INDEED, IT WAS AN EVENT IN THE DRAMATIC HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST THAT WILL NOT SOON BE FORGOTTEN."

"DULUTH DAILY NEWS," OCTOBER 22, 1889."

>> THE STAGE AND INTERIOR DECORATIONS WERE INTRICATE, A FEAST FOR THE EYES REGARDLESS OF EVENTS ONSTAGE.

AND THOSE EVENTS WERE WIDE-RANGING, FROM MUSICALS AND PLAYS TO THE OCCASIONAL STRONGMAN DEMONSTRATION.

THE EXTERIOR ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE WAS TOPPED OFF WITH MOORISH DETAILS, AND NO DULUTH THEATER BEFORE OR SINCE HAS HAD A MORE ELABORATE ENTRANCE.

WITH ORNATE WROUGHT- IRON LETTERING, THE MASSIVE CANOPY SHELTERED PATRONS AS THEY ENTERED THE BUILDING.

BUT, MUCH AS THE GRAND BEFORE IT, THE TEMPLE OPERA HOUSE HAD A SHORT EXISTENCE.

A MERE 6 YEARS AFTER OPENING, AN ENORMOUS FIRE DESTROYED THE STRUCTURE IN JUST 30 MINUTES.

FLAMES SHOT 200 FEET IN THE AIR, AND NEWSPAPERS DESCRIBED THE BLAZE AS "A PERFECT CYCLONE."

>> A LOT OF BUILDINGS WERE LOST IN THAT TIME BECAUSE, EVEN IF THEY HAD BRICK FACADES, THEY HAD WOODEN SKELETONS, WOODEN FRAMING, AND A LOT OF THEM WERE MADE OUT OF WOOD.

THESE FIRES THAT WOULD OCCUR IN THE WINTER, THE PRIMITIVE FIRE DEPARTMENTS WOULD COME FIND THE WATER LINES PLUGGED, FROZEN OVER, UNABLE TO FIGHT THE FIRE.

RESPONSE TIME-- IT WASN'’’T A VERY PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTING UNIT.

>> REMARKABLY, A FIREWALL BUILT BETWEEN THE THEATER AND THE TEMPLE OPERA BLOCK NEXT DOOR SAVED THAT STRUCTURE.

FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, THE WALLS OF THE CHARRED OPERA HOUSE STOOD AS A REMINDER OF THE BUILDING THAT HAD BEEN THE PRIDE OF DULUTH.

AND EVEN TODAY, THE OPERA BLOCK BUILDING--NOW MINUS ITS ORIGINAL TOP 3 FLOORS--MAINTAINS A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE CITY'’’S THEATER HISTORY.

THE CITY'’’S MOST IMPOSING THEATER WAS BUILT BY WEALTHY BUSINESSMAN ANDREAS MILLER AFTER SEEING THE EARLY SUCCESS OF THE TEMPLE OPERA HOUSE.

THE MASSIVE LYCEUM BUILDING OPENED IN 1891 ON THE 400 BLOCK OF WEST SUPERIOR STREET.

>> BASICALLY AN OFFICE COMPLEX WITH A VERY ELABORATE THEATER WEDGED IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

ITS ENTRANCE ON SUPERIOR STREET WAS TWO STORIES TALL, A GRAND ARCHED ENTRANCE.

IT HAD TWO STONE LIONS CARVED BY GEORGE THRANA OUT FRONT.

MR. THRANA ALSO CARVED SOME COMEDY AND DRAMA MASKS.

>> THE AUDITORIUM WAS UNLIKE ANYTHING SEEN IN DULUTH BEFORE, WITH 3 HORSESHOE-SHAPED BALCONIES RISING FROM THE MAIN FLOOR AND A CAPACITY OF NEARLY 1,400.

>> IT WAS SUCH A UNIQUE THEATER.

IT WAS THE GRANDEST THEATER, EVERYBODY SAID, NORTH OF CHICAGO.

>> THE LYCEUM'’’S HUGE STAGE WAS THE SECOND-LARGEST IN THE UNITED STATES AT THE TIME, AND IT WAS WELL-EQUIPPED FOR ANY PERFORMANCE.

>> THE LYCEUM HAD 30 OF THESE DIFFERENT BACKDROPS, FROM WOODLAND SCENES TO PARLOR SCENES, ANYTHING YOU WANT, JUST IN CASE WHOEVER CAME TO TOWN ON THE VAUDEVILLE CIRCUIT, WHATEVER THEY MIGHT NEED, THE BACKDROP WAS AVAILABLE.

>> JUST TO EXPLAIN HOW GRAND IT WAS--I BELIEVE IT WAS 1903-- THERE WAS A STAGING OF "BEN-HUR," AND THEY HAD HORSES ONSTAGE REENACTING THE CHARIOT RACE, SO THAT MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE SOMETHING TO SEE BACK IN THE DAY.

>> THE THEATER WAS OUTFITTED WITH EVERY LUXURY OF THE DAY FOR THE COMFORT OF ITS PATRONS.

SOME 1,400 HIDDEN LIGHT BULBS LIT THE WAY TO SPACIOUS CHAIRS WITH PADDED ARM RESTS AND PERFORATED LEATHER SEATS TO KEEP POSTERIORS COOL.

THE LYCEUM BECAME DULUTH'’’S FIRST VAUDEVILLE STAGE, AND FOLLOWING THE BURNING OF THE TEMPLE OPERA HOUSE, WAS THE CITY'’’S ONLY GRAND THEATER.

WITH DULUTH'’’S TOP HOTEL, THE SPALDING, JUST ACROSS THE STREET, THE LYCEUM WAS ABLE TO ATTRACT THE MOST WELL-KNOWN PERFORMERS OF THE TIME TO ITS IMPRESSIVE STAGE.

>> THE LYCEUM STAGE WAS THE FIRST ONE IN AMERICA THAT CHARLIE CHAPLIN EVER PERFORMED ON, SO THAT'’’S A PRETTY REMARKABLE STATEMENT RIGHT THERE.

>> OVER TIME, NEWER THEATERS DREW PATRONS AWAY FROM THE LYCEUM, AND IN THE 1920s, THE THEATER BEGAN SHOWING MOVIES TO HELP PAY THE BILLS.

LATER GENERATIONS OF DULUTHIANS KNEW THE LYCEUM ONLY AS A MOVIE HOUSE, BUT IT STILL HELD AN ALLURE TO YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE.

>> WE WERE QUITE FASCINATED WITH THE LYCEUM.

WE'’’D SIT DOWN THERE IN THE ORCHESTRA AND LOOK UP AT THOSE BALCONIES.

>> WELL, WHEN I STARTED WORKING THERE, ONCE YOU GOT OUT OF THE LOBBY AND STARTED WALKING UP, THE PROJECTORS WERE IN THE FIFTH BALCONY.

AND IT WAS PRETTY DARK UP THERE.

OBVIOUSLY, THOSE SEATS WEREN'’’T OPEN FOR MOVIEGOERS, SO IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A DUNGEON UP THERE.

IT WAS PRETTY DARK.

>> BY THE 1960s, THE LYCEUM HAD FALLEN INTO DISREPAIR.

DULUTH CAUGHT THE URBAN RENEWAL BUG WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, AND THE OLD THEATER WAS SLATED FOR DEMOLITION.

>> WHEN THE LYCEUM WAS FINALLY GOING TO BE TORN DOWN, THE DULUTH PLAYHOUSE SPONSORED A TOUR OF IT.

AND ALL THE LIGHTS WERE ON, AND WHOEVER WENT GOT TO GO THROUGH; YOU COULD TAKE A WALK UP ON THE STAGE, INTO THE DRESSING ROOMS WHERE CHARLIE CHAPLIN AND OTHER GREATS HAD BEEN.

BUT THE LYCEUM, I THINK, IF IT HAD LASTED ANOTHER 15 YEARS, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN EFFORTS TO SAVE THAT.

IT WAS SUCH A UNIQUE THEATER.

>> IN 1910, ANOTHER GREAT THEATER ROSE ON THE SITE OF THE OLD TEMPLE OPERA HOUSE ADJOINING THE TEMPLE OPERA BLOCK.

DULUTH BUSINESSMAN GUILFORD HARTLEY BUILT THE ORPHEUM THEATER ON THE SITE, CHOOSING A NEOCLASSICAL FAÇÇADE THAT TODAY REMAINS MOSTLY INTACT ON SECOND AVENUE EAST.

INSIDE, HARTLEY BUILT A MAGNIFICENT THEATER WITH ROOM FOR 1,600 SPECTATORS ON THE MAIN FLOOR AND ON TWO BALCONY LEVELS.

TEN PRIVATE BOXES, ORNATE IN THEIR DETAIL, ROSE FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE STAGE.

>> THE FINEST FABRICS WERE USED, NOT ONLY IN THE CURTAINS AND THE SEATS, BUT DRAPING THE BOXES, THE PRIVATE BOXES.

THE FIRST NIGHT IT OPENED UP, THE "NEWS TRIBUNE" GUSHED.

NO EXPENSE WAS SPARED.

THERE WAS NOT AN ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL OVERLOOKED.

>> FROM THE BEGINNING, THE ORPHEUM WAS DULUTH'’’S TOP VAUDEVILLE HOUSE.

HARTLEY PAID FOR THE RIGHT TO JOIN THE ORPHEUM CIRCUIT OF THEATRES, ENSURING A WIDE RANGE OF ENTERTAINING ACTS.

>> AND SO YOU HAD PERFORMERS LIKE CHAPLIN AND FIELDS AND THE MARX BROTHERS AND MARY PICKFORD AND THESE FOLKS THAT WOULD TRAVEL THE COUNTRY AND GO FROM TOWN TO TOWN TO TOWN.

>> AND VAUDEVILLE--YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'’’VE MAINLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT WHOLE THING.

IT WAS A WHOLE SERIES OF LITTLE SCENES: DOG AND PONY, JUGGLER, SINGER, DANCER, STORYTELLER, JOKESTER.

AND THEY WOULD ALSO INTERSPERSE LITTLE CLIPS OF SILENT MOVIES.

>> THOSE WERE HARD TIMES TO BE TRAVELING FROM THEATER TO THEATER AND PACKING YOUR BAGS AND LIVING OUT OF HOTELS.

AND WE ALL KNOW THAT ARTISTS DON'’’T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, SO THEY WEREN'’’T LIVING THE HIGH LIFE, YOU KNOW?

>> BY THE 1920s, THE POPULARITY OF TALKING PICTURES BEGAN TAKING A TOLL ON THE VAUDEVILLE INDUSTRY.

IN 1929, THE ORPHEUM ADDED MOVIE EQUIPMENT AND MOVED ITS MAIN ENTRY, ALONG WITH ITS MARQUEE, TO SUPERIOR STREET.

EVEN WITH THESE CHANGES, MANAGERS STRUGGLED TO FILL THE ORPHEUM AND COMPETE WITH THE NUMEROUS SMALLER MOVIE THEATERS POPPING UP, SEEMINGLY ALL AROUND TOWN.

>> SO THESE GRAND THEATERS THAT ONCE DEMANDED TOP DOLLAR ARE NOW NOT SEEING AS MUCH REVENUE.

THIS IS WHEN THESE BUILDINGS START TO FALL INTO DISREPAIR, AND SOME OF THEM CLOSE AND OPEN PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AS DIFFERENT OWNERS TAKE ANOTHER TRY TO RESTORE THESE GRAND OLD LADIES, AS IT WERE.

>> BY THE MID-1930s, THE ORPHEUM WAS CLOSED, ALTHOUGH SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO REOPEN THE LAVISH THEATER.

BY 1939, A NEW CHAPTER WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN AT THIS STORIED THEATER SITE IN DOWNTOWN DULUTH.

>> FROM THE VERY EARLIEST DAYS OF THEATER IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA, FILLING THE PERFORMANCE HALL WITH PATRONS WAS THE KEY TO SUCCESS.

COLORFUL SIGNS AT THE THEATER TOUTED THE BEST ACTS, PROMISING THRILLING ENTERTAINMENT, ALONG WITH AFFORDABLE PRICES.

AND ORNATE MARQUEES WERE DESIGNED TO CAPTURE THE ATTENTION OF PASSERSBY AND LURE THEM INSIDE TO PURCHASE A TICKET FOR AN UPCOMING PERFORMANCE.

BUT TO FILL A THEATER THE SIZE OF THE MAGNIFICENT GRAND OPERA HOUSE, THE LYCEUM, OR THE ORPHEUM, THEATER MANAGERS NEEDED MORE THAN EYE-CATCHING STREET SIGNS.

>> MARKETING IS KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF ANY GROUP, WHETHER YOU'’’RE TRAVELING OR, YOU KNOW, YOU'’’RE A RESIDENT COMPANY IN YOUR TOWN.

GETTING THAT WORD OUT AND SHARING SOME MESSAGE THAT YOU THINK WILL ATTRACT AN AUDIENCE IS ALL PART OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO AND PART OF THE GAME--YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE IN THE DOOR.

>> THEY UTILIZED THE SERVICES OF LOCAL PRINTERS TO PUBLISH "COMING ATTRACTIONS" FLIERS AND PROGRAMS THAT COULD BE WIDELY DISTRIBUTED.

THE VERY EARLIEST FLIERS FROM DULUTH THEATERS CAN BE FOUND IN THE RICH ARCHIVES OF THE NORTHEAST MINNESOTA HISTORICAL CENTER.

THESE INCLUDE PERFORMANCES AT THE DRAMATIC TEMPLE, BUILT ABOUT 1870, WHICH BECAME THE DULUTH STOP FOR TRAVELING THEATER COMPANIES.

NO IMAGES SURVIVE OF THE DRAMATIC TEMPLE, SAVE FOR A SKETCH ON A PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR THE INAUGURAL SEASON OF THE TEMPLE OPERA HOUSE IN 1889.

>> "THE HISTORY OF THE DRAMATIC TEMPLE HAS NOT BEEN PRESERVED IN ANY OTHER FORM, BUT THE MEMORIES OF THOSE WHO WERE REGALED BY THE PRODUCTIONS GIVEN ON ITS STAGE.

AND IT IS REMEMBERED OF IT THAT SOME OF THE BEST-KNOWN STARS OF THE SEVENTIES MADE LONG JOURNEYS TO APPEAR AT THE HOUSE AND SOME OF THEM GOT EXTRAVAGANT PRICES FOR ADMISSION."

-"DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE," DECEMBER 2, 1908.

>> MOST EARLY PROGRAMS WERE SIMPLE TEXT IN BLACK AND WHITE.

ON RARE OCCASIONS, A HIGHLIGHTING COLOR WAS ADDED.

SOME WERE ADORNED WITH A DRAWING OR REPRESENTATION OF THE THEATER OR ITS LOGO.

A NOTABLE EARLY EXCEPTION WAS AN 1886 VISIT TO THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE BY G. PAUL SMITH, A 19-YEAR-OLD PERFORMER WHO HAD APPARENTLY TAKEN THE ART OF IMPERSONATION TO NEW HEIGHTS.

THE GRAND DISTRIBUTED A 4-PAGE FLIER WITH A COVER FEATURING DETAILED DRAWINGS OF MR. SMITH'’’S FAMOUS IMPERSONATIONS.

THE REMAINING PAGES WERE FILLED WITH PRAISE OF HIS TALENTS, PUNCTUATED BY THE CONFUSION HE CAUSED IN SOME AUDIENCE MEMBERS.

>> "G. PAUL SMITH GAVE US A MAGNIFICENT ENTERTAINMENT HERE LAST EVENING.

HIS PERSONATION OF SARAH BERNHARDT WAS SIMPLY SUPERB, AND HIS ZACHARIAH SPICER WAS RECEIVED WITH STORMS OF APPLAUSE."

-L.M.

NEWMAN, CHIPPEWA FALLS, WISCONSIN.

>> "THE CURIOSITY IN REGARD TO THE SEX OF THE PERFORMER SEEMS TO BE WRAPPED IN AS MUCH MYSTERY AS BEFORE HIS VISIT.

SOME WHO HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HIM INSIST THAT HE IS A BOY; OTHERS DECLARE HE IS A WOMAN IN DISGUISE."

-"MANKATO REVIEW."

>> WEEKLY PROGRAMS AND FLIERS WERE A KEY MARKETING TOOL OF DULUTH'’’S EARLY THEATERS, SPREADING THE NEWS ABOUT COMING ATTRACTIONS.

AND, FILLED WITH PERIOD ADVERTISING, THEY PROVIDE A WONDERFUL SNAPSHOT OF DAILY LIFE IN THE ZENITH CITY DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE 20th CENTURY.

>> THE IRON RANGE TOWN OF VIRGINIA HAS A FASCINATING HISTORY.

FOUNDED IN 1892, THE CITY GREW QUICKLY DURING A MAJOR LOGGING BOOM IN THE REGION AND BECAME A CULTURAL CENTER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NORTHWOODS.

>> VIRGINIA WAS THE ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY IN THE REGION.

>> SO, BESIDES THE BARS DOWNTOWN, THERE WAS A NEED FOR ENTERTAINMENT--NO TELEVISIONS, NO RADIOS, SO THERE WERE QUITE A FEW THEATERS IN VIRGINIA AT THAT TIME.

>> GIANT WHITE PINE SAWMILLS SPRANG UP IN VIRGINIA, AND THE POPULATION GREW RAPIDLY.

TWO MAJOR FIRES DESTROYED THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, ONE IN 1893 AND ANOTHER IN 1900.

THOSE FIRES DID LITTLE TO SLOW THE GROWTH, ALTHOUGH THEY DID SPUR BUILDING CHANGES.

>> LIKE ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS ON THE MAIN STREET OF VIRGINIA AFTER THE SECOND FIRE IN 1900, THE CITY DEMANDED THAT ANYTHING DOWN HERE WAS MASONRY.

>> HUNDREDS OF MEN FROM THE LOGGING CAMPS AND IRON MINES NEEDED A PLACE TO BE ENTERTAINED, AND VIRGINIA BECAME THAT PLACE.

>> THERE WAS QUITE A VARIETY.

THEY WEREN'’’T ALL OPENED AT THE SAME TIME, SO SOME WOULD COME, SOME WOULD GO, SOME BURNED DOWN, SO--BUT IT WAS A CULTURAL HUB FOR THE AREA.

>> ONE OF THE FIRST MAJOR HALLS WAS THE CROCKETT OPERA HOUSE, BUILT AFTER AN EARLIER VERSION WAS DESTROYED IN THE GREAT VIRGINIA FIRE OF 1893.

IT WAS THE SITE OF A TOWN MEETING WHERE RESIDENTS VOTED TO BECOME A CITY, THE FIRST ON THE MESABI RANGE.

THE NEW CROCKETT BURNED IN THE FIRE OF 1900 AND WAS NOT REBUILT.

ONLY 8 DAYS AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITY, WORK BEGAN ON THE FAY OPERA HOUSE ON CHESTNUT STREET.

THE FAY OPENED IN THE FALL OF 1900 WITH ENOUGH SPACE FOR 500 SPECTATORS.

FROM 1900 TO THE YEAR 1910, THE CITY GREW FROM 3,000 TO MORE THAN 10,000 RESIDENTS.

>> PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE, THEY WERE RECRUITED FROM ACROSS THE WORLD TO COME HERE FOR THEIR MINING OR THEIR TIMBERING SKILLS.

AND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD--AND STILL, TO SOME EXTENT--THEATER, OPERA, MUSIC, DANCE, THOSE ARE THE ENTERTAINMENT THINGS.

>> THERE WERE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, DIFFERENT STYLES OF PERFORMANCE.

SOME WERE JUST FOR LOCAL MUSICIANS AND SOME CATERED MORE TO MAYBE THE BODY SIDE OF WHAT THE GENTLEMEN IN THE BOARDINGHOUSES WANTED TO SEE.

>> THE REX THEATER ON CHESTNUT STREET OPENED IN 1913, OFFERING THE LATEST PHOTO PLAYS FOR JUST 10 CENTS A TICKET.

AN EARLY NOVELTY AT THIS THEATER INCLUDED WORLD SERIES PLAY-BY-PLAY ON THE ELECTRIC SCOREBOARD IN OCTOBER OF 1923.

THE REX CLOSED ITS DOORS FOR THE FINAL TIME IN 1938.

OPENING IN 1936, THE GRANADA THEATER WAS DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE STATE THEATER ON CHESTNUT STREET.

THE GRANADA, STATE, AND SOON THE MACO THEATER JUST DOWN THE STREET COMPETED FOR THE TOP MOVIES AND GAVE CINEMA LOVERS PLENTY OF OPTIONS.

THE GRANADA CONTINUED TO SHOW MOVIES INTO THE LATE EIGHTIES, BUT WAS TORN DOWN IN THE SUMMER OF 1990.

A LARGE INFLUX OF FINNISH RESIDENTS TO THE REGION LED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF ONE OF VIRGINIA'’’S GREATEST HALLS.

THE FINNISH SOCIALIST OPERA HOUSE BUILDING STILL STANDS ON FIRST STREET NORTH, THOUGH ITS EXTERIOR HOLDS NO CLUES AS TO WHAT WAS ONCE HOUSED INSIDE.

BUILT BY THE FINNISH WORKING MEN'’’S ASSOCIATION AT A COST OF $40,000, THE OPERA HOUSE OPENED IN 1913.

BENEATH THE SPACIOUS STAGE, A BUILT-IN TANK COULD SIMULATE RIVERS AND LAKES REQUIRED IN SOME OF THE FINNISH PLAYS.

THE HALL HOSTED A CONSTANT STREAM OF PERFORMANCES AND WAS THE SOCIAL CENTER OF THE FINNISH COMMUNITY.

>> THEY PRIMARILY DID THINGS IN FINNISH, SO THEY GOT TOURING GROUPS THAT WERE FROM FINLAND OR OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY THAT SPOKE FINNISH AS THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE.

>> OVER THE YEARS, AS THE FOUNDERS OF THE OPERA HOUSE GREW OLDER, INTEREST FADED AND EXPENSES INCREASED.

IN 1938, THE BUILDING WAS SOLD TO THE RANGE CO-OP FEDERATION AND THE OPERA HALL EVENTUALLY GUTTED.

NOT FAR FROM WHERE THE SHELL OF THE OLD SOCIALIST OPERA HOUSE STANDS, ANOTHER HISTORIC THEATER HIDES IN PLAIN VIEW ON CHESTNUT STREET.

INSIDE THIS UNASSUMING FAÇÇADE, THE HUSK OF THE OLD LYRIC THEATER REMAINS MOSTLY INTACT, WAITING FOR A SECOND CHANCE.

THE NONPROFIT LAURENTIAN ARTS AND CULTURAL ALLIANCE DREAMS OF RESTORING THIS STORIED BUILDING TO ITS FORMER GLORY.

>> IT WAS BUILT IN 1911 AND OPENED IN JANUARY OF 1912 TO RAVE REVIEWS.

IT COST ABOUT $50,000 TO BUILD THE FACILITY.

>> THE 500-SEAT FACILITY WAS HOME TO THE LYRIC OPERA COMPANY, AND IT ALSO HOSTED TRAVELING PERFORMERS.

>> THE LYRIC CENTER--OR THE LYRIC OPERA HOUSE, AS IT WAS KNOWN THEN--WAS ON A VAUDEVILLE CIRCUIT THAT WENT FROM MILWAUKEE TO DULUTH TO HERE IN VIRGINIA AND THEN UP TO WINNIPEG.

>> THE EXCITING DAYS OF VAUDEVILLE WERE IN DECLINE BY THE LATE TWENTIES, AS THE COST OF TRAVEL AND THE POPULARITY OF HOLLYWOOD MOVIES PUSHED LIVE PERFORMANCE FROM THE LIMELIGHT.

IN 1930, THE LYRIC WAS CONVERTED FOR MOTION PICTURES AND RENAMED THE STATE THEATER.

IN THE PROCESS, IT LOST SOME OF ITS CLASSIC INTERIOR FEATURES.

>> THE GLAMOUR PART WAS TAKEN AWAY, THE CHANDELIERS AND THE BOXES.

THE THEATER BOXES WERE COVERED UP.

>> THEY WERE REMOVED BECAUSE PARAMOUNT STUDIOS, AFTER PURCHASING THIS FACILITY AND RENAMING IT STATE THEATER, PUT IN A VENTILATION SYSTEM AND THEY RAN THE DUCT WORK UP ONE BOX, ACROSS, IN FRONT OF THE PROSCENIUM, AND DOWN THE OTHER ONE.

>> ONE FEATURE SAVED DURING THE RENOVATION IS A RARE HAND- PAINTED ASBESTOS CURTAIN, THE PRIDE OF THE OLD LYRIC THEATER-- A PRICELESS RELIC FROM A BYGONE ERA.

>> THIS CURTAIN WAS BUILT IN 1911.

IT WAS THE ORIGINAL CURTAIN FOR THE HOUSE.

TWIN CITY SCENIC STUDIOS OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL.

ONE OF THE MEN THAT I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SAID THAT THAT COMPANY WOULD RIP OUT A CURTAIN LIKE THIS-- THAT IS, ACTUALLY PAINT THE STRUCTURE--IN ABOUT 3 DAYS'’’ TIME.

>> OUR UNDERSTANDING IS, FROM WHAT WE'’’VE READ, THAT THE LOCAL PEOPLE WANTED TO SEE THAT PIECE OF WORK BECAUSE IT WAS A PIECE OF ART WORK, NOT JUST A UTILITARIAN FIRE CURTAIN.

>> A RESTORED CURTAIN WOULD BE THE CENTERPIECE OF A VIBRANT NEW FUTURE FOR THE BUILDING IF THE LAURENTIAN GROUP IS SUCCESSFUL.

ALTHOUGH THE INTERIOR HAS COSMETIC DAMAGE FROM A LEAKY ROOF THAT SINCE HAS BEEN FIXED, ENGINEERS SAY THE BUILDING IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND.

AND CONCEPT DESIGNS FROM ARCHITECTS SPECIALIZING IN HISTORIC THEATER RENOVATION HAVE EXCITED MANY IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> JUST WATCHING PEOPLE'’’S FACES WHEN THEY WALK IN THERE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS NOWHERE NEAR AS CLEAN AS WHAT THESE PICTURES LOOK LIKE, BUT THEY JUST GET EXCITED THAT THERE IS THAT POTENTIAL IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR A PERFORMANCE SPACE.

>> WHILE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WILL NEED TO BE RAISED, RENOVATING AND REOPENING THE CLASSIC OLD OPERA HOUSE WOULD BRING THE CITY OF VIRGINIA FULL- CIRCLE, BACK TO A TIME WHEN THE QUEEN'’’S CITY OF THE NORTH WAS AN ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR THE WORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF THE IRON RANGE.

OF ALL THE HISTORIC THEATERS IN THE CITY OF VIRGINIA, THE MACO ON CHESTNUT STREET BRINGS OUT THE MOST FEELINGS OF NOSTALGIA AMONG CURRENT AND FORMER RESIDENTS.

ITS STUNNING MARQUEE WAS ONCE THE SECOND-HIGHEST SIGN IN MINNESOTA AT 40 FEET, AND IT STILL DOMINATES DOWNTOWN VIRGINIA.

CLOSED SINCE 1989, THE BUILDING IS HOME TO THE CORNERSTONE FAMILY CHURCH, WHICH HAS PRESERVED ITS CLASSIC FAÇÇADE.

PASTOR AND BUILDING MAINTENANCE MAN TERRY HARTIKKA REMEMBERS THE INTERIOR DECORATIONS WHEN THE CHURCH FIRST TOOK OWNERSHIP OF THE MACO.

>> THERE WAS A COUPLE OF LARGE STATUES IN THE CORNERS IN THE FRONT AND THEN SOME INDIAN QUIVERS THAT THEY HAD DESIGNED FOR THE LIGHTING FIXTURES ON THE WALLS.

AND THERE WAS, I THINK, SOMEWHERE AROUND 16 TOTEM POLES ANYWHERE FROM 8 TO PROBABLY 12 FEET HIGH.

AND THEN THERE'’’S SOME HEAD SCULPTURES THAT ARE STILL IN THE COFFEE SHOP, SO IT WAS QUITE A DISTINCTIVE DESIGN.

>> THE MACO STARTED LIFE IN 1920 AS THE GARRICK THEATER, WITH A NATIVE AMERICAN THEME.

IN 1938, THE THEATER WAS MADE OVER IN THE ART DECO STYLE BY THE MINNEAPOLIS FIRM OF LIEBENBURG & KAPLAN, WHILE RETAINING THE NATIVE AMERICAN MOTIF INSIDE, AND BECAME THE MACO.

LIEBENBERG ADDED A MARQUEE WITH 1,700 LIGHTS, REQUIRING 28,000 WATTS EACH HOUR IT WAS LIT.

AND THE BUILDING EXTERIOR WAS STREAMLINED, FEATURING STRUCTURAL GLASS BLOCKS IN ITS SIGN TOWER AND SECOND FLOOR.

AT STREET LEVEL, ENCLOSURES FOR THE COMING-ATTRACTIONS POSTERS ARE ACCENTED IN FUTURISTIC STAINLESS STEEL.

INSIDE, THERE IS STILL EVIDENCE OF THE THEATER'’’S STRIKING DESIGN ELEMENTS, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE INTERIOR DECORATIONS HAVE LONG SINCE BEEN REMOVED.

>> PEOPLE GET EXCITED ABOUT IT, AND THE SOUND SYSTEM IN THERE-- JUST THE ACOUSTICS, I SHOULD SAY--ARE REALLY GOOD WITH THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE DESIGNED THE WALLS, AND SO IT MAKES IT FUN.

AND WE HEAR THAT FROM A LOT OF FOLKS THAT COME IN AND VISIT; ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THEY'’’D SAY--"I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A KID..." AND REALLY NOT THAT LONG AGO, BACK IN THE EIGHTIES AND PROBABLY EVEN EARLY NINETIES, THEY WERE SHOWING MOVIES IN THERE.

>> WHILE MOVIES ARE NO LONGER THE PRIMARY ATTRACTION AT THE OLD MACO THEATER, THE PASTOR AND HIS FLOCK ARE SENSITIVE TO THE MEMORIES OF THOSE THAT FONDLY RECALL THIS GRAND MOVIE HOUSE.

>> BUT MOSTLY WE HEAR, AS FAR AS THE PAST IS CONCERNED, ABOUT THE MEMORIES OF SEEING FILMS THERE AND WANTING TO KEEP IT AS A HISTORICAL MARKER BECAUSE IT IS ON THE NATIONAL HISTORICAL REGISTER, SO WE WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO THAT.

>> WITH MEMORIES OF A SHOWY MARQUEE STILL FRESH IN THE MINDS OF MANY, MACO LOVERS DREAM OF SEEING THAT GLOWING ICON LIGHTING UP DOWNTOWN VIRGINIA AGAIN ONE DAY.

>> I KNOW THE PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MOVING LIGHTS ON THE MARQUEE AGAIN AND LIGHT IT UP ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT, DURING THE SUMMERTIME, ESPECIALLY.

>> AND THAT WOULD BE A SIGHT TO WARM THE HEART OF ANY CLASSIC MOVIE THEATER FAN.

>> JUST 25 MILES WEST OF VIRGINIA, THE TOWN OF HIBBING HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE THEATER HISTORY.

HOME TO THE WORLD'’’S LARGEST OPEN-PIT IRON MINE, THE CITY HAS BEEN SHAPED BY THE MINING INDUSTRY, BOTH FIGURATIVELY AND LITERALLY.

FOUNDED IN 1893 BY IRON ORE PROSPECTOR FRANK HIBBING, THE TOWN GREW RAPIDLY AS MINING BOOMED AND LARGE MINE PITS ENCROACHED NEARBY.

BY 1915, THE CITY'’’S POPULATION HIT 20,000 AND IT WAS FOUND THAT RICH IRON ORE WAS LOCATED DIRECTLY BENEATH THE TOWN SITE.

THE OLIVER MINING COMPANY NEGOTIATED WITH CITY LEADERS AND REACHED AGREEMENT TO RELOCATE THE ENTIRE CITY TO A SITE TWO MILES TO THE SOUTH.

FOR TWO YEARS, BETWEEN 1919 AND 1921, A STEADY STREAM OF BUILDINGS WERE MOVED TO THE NEW TOWN SITE.

TO ENCOURAGE THE MOVE, OLIVER MINING HELPED FINANCE CONSTRUCTION OF STREETS, COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, AND EVEN BUILT A NEW HIGH SCHOOL AND HOSPITAL FOR HIBBING.

1921 ALSO MARKED THE YEAR THAT SEVERAL THEATERS OPENED IN THE RELOCATED CITY.

THE FIRST WAS THE VICTORY THEATER ON FIRST AVENUE, WHICH OPENED EARLY IN THE YEAR.

SOON AFTER CAME THE GRANDEST OF HIBBING'’’S THEATERS, THE STATE, WHICH OPENED ON HOWARD STREET IN THE NEW DOWNTOWN.

TALKING PICTURES WERE ALL THE RAGE, AND THE STATE FEATURED THE LATEST COMEDIES AND MORE.

TO HELP FILL THE 900-SEAT THEATER, MANAGERS PAPERED THE TOWN WITH PROMOTIONAL FLIERS TOUTING THE NEW VITAPHONE SOUND SYSTEM THAT SYNCHRONIZED AUDIO RECORDINGS WITH THE FILM IMAGE.

>> IT ADVERTISES THAT THE MOVIE IS A TALKING PICTURE, THAT THE STAR OF THE FILM IS ONSCREEN AND TALKING.

AS TALKIES DEVELOPED, THAT WAS ADVERTISED.

EVERYTHING THAT WAS DEVELOPED, YOU KNOW, THEY PUSHED: "I WAS THE FIRST THEATER TO HAVE TALKIES, THE FIRST THEATER TO HAVE THIS, THE MOST FIREPROOF THEATER."

>> WITH MOVIES LIKE "THE JAZZ SINGER," FEATURING AL JOLSON, EXTREMELY POPULAR, OTHER MOVIE HOUSES WERE POPPING UP AROUND HIBBING.

JUST A MONTH AFTER THE BEAUTIFUL STATE OPENED, THE HOMER THEATER DEBUTED ON FIRST AVENUE.

MUCH SMALLER AND CHEAPER TO OPERATE, THE HOMER RODE A TIDE OF MOVING PICTURE POPULARITY SWEEPING THE NATION.

>> AND SO MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING.

NOT JUST THE SOCIAL ELITE ARE GOING TO THESE THEATERS.

WE HAVE--THE AVERAGE JOES ARE GOING THERE AND THEY'’’RE COMPETING PRICE-WISE AS WELL.

>> ALL THE THEATERS CHANGED.

MOVIES, THE VOLUME WAS SUCH THAT YOU GO TO THE SAME THEATER EVERY WEEKEND, SEE A DIFFERENT MOVIE.

>> ANOTHER THEATER IN HIBBING WAS THE GARDEN, WHICH OPENED ON HOWARD STREET IN 1925.

THE GARDEN HAD SEATING FOR 450 PATRONS AND ADVERTISED ITSELF AS "THE HOME OF THE BIG FEATURE PHOTO PLAYS."

IN 1940, THE GARDEN WAS REMODELED AND REOPENED LATER THAT YEAR AS THE GOPHER THEATER, FEATURING A MODERNIZED FAÇÇADE AND EYE-CATCHING MARQUEE.

WHEN THE LYBBA THEATER OPENED IN 1947 ON FIRST AVENUE, IT WAS TOUTED AS HIBBING'’’S MOST MODERN THEATER.

AFTER 35 YEARS IN THE MOVIE BUSINESS, THE LYBBA CLOSED AND HAS BEEN HOME TO THE SUNRISE DELI SINCE 1984.

THE LYBBA THEATER WAS ONCE OWNED BY THE UNCLES OF HIBBING'’’S MOST FAMOUS FORMER RESIDENT--MUSIC LEGEND BOB DYLAN--AND WAS NAMED AFTER HIS GRANDMOTHER, LYBBA EDELSTEIN.

A FEW BLOCKS DOWN FIRST AVENUE, THE CANOPY OF THE OLD HOMER THEATER STILL SHADES THE SIDEWALK NEXT TO ITS NAMESAKE, THE HOMER BAR.

AND STILL FURTHER DOWN THE AVENUE, THE FORMER VICTORY THEATER BUILDING SHOWS LITTLE SIGN OF ITS EARLY HISTORY.

ALONG WITH THE DEMOLISHED STATE THEATER, THESE BUILDINGS TELL AN AMERICAN TALE OF A CITY BUILT ON IRON ORE, PRIDE, AND THE HARD WORK OF ITS RESIDENTS.

IN AN AGE DOMINATED BY MULTIPLEX CINEMA FACILITIES, THE LAKE THEATER STANDS OUT.

LOCATED ON ELM AVENUE IN BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN MOOSE LAKE, THIS SINGLE-SCREEN THEATER RECALLS THE SIMPLER TIMES OF FAMILY-OWNED AND OPERATED MOVIE HOUSES.

>> I'’’M WALT LOWER.

I OWN THE THEATER, THE LAKE THEATER, MOOSE LAKE.

IT'’’S BEEN IN THE FAMILY SINCE FOURTH OF JULY, 1919.

>> THE FAMILY'’’S FIRST THEATER WAS HOUSED IN A FORMER DANCE HALL UNTIL THE LOWERS OPENED THE NEW LAKE ON GOOD FRIDAY, 1937.

THE THEATER HAS BEEN A FIXTURE IN TOWN EVER SINCE, OTHER THAN SOME MINOR EXTERIOR CHANGES TO THE BUILDING.

AND IT HAS REMAINED A FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS ALL THOSE YEARS, ALTHOUGH BEING A THEATER OWNER AND MANAGER WASN'’’T PART OF WALT'’’S ORIGINAL PLAN UNTIL FATE STEPPED IN.

>> MY FATHER HAD A HEART ATTACK IN 1953, AND I HAD JUST GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNEAPOLIS.

AND I WASN'’’T GOING TO COME BACK HERE, BUT HE HAD DIED ALL THE MONTHS BEFORE, AND I CAME BACK KIND OF TO HELP MY MOTHER, AND I'’’VE ALWAYS REFERRED TO IT AS "THE TAR BABY"--THE MORE I WORKED ON IT, THE MORE I GOT STUCK.

>> NOW THE FIFTH GENERATION OF LOWERS, WALT'’’S GRANDKIDS, ARE PUTTING TIME IN AT THE THEATER, WORKING TO KEEP THE MOVIE HOUSE CLEAN AND SELLING POPCORN AND CANDY TO CUSTOMERS.

[PLAYING A LIVELY MARCH] A PLAYER PIANO JUST OUTSIDE THE THEATER ENTRY KEEPS CHILDREN ENTERTAINED BEFORE THE MOVIE STARTS AND FITS IN NICELY WITH THE MID-20th-CENTURY DÉÉCOR.

WALT'’’S SON JEFF CAN OFTEN BE FOUND IN THE PROJECTION BOOTH, SPLICING MILES OF FILM TOGETHER FOR EACH NEW MOVIE THAT COMES TO TOWN.

>> IT COMES IN SEPARATE REELS, YES, ABOUT 6 REELS, AND EACH HAS ATTACHED A HEAD AND A TAIL OF BLANK FILM TO IT, SO YOU HAVE TO CUT THOSE OFF AND SPLICE ALL THOSE TOGETHER.

>> WE STILL USE 35mm FILM.

IT'’’S NOT DIGITAL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

WE DON'’’T GET A DISC IN THE MAIL.

IT'’’S DONE JUST THE WAY THEY INVENTED IT.

WE'’’VE STILL GOT A 35mm PROJECTOR THAT'’’S FROM 1945.

>> RUNNING AN INDEPENDENT THEATER HAS MANY CHALLENGES, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS PICKING THE RIGHT FILM FOR THE LOCAL AUDIENCE.

>> I HAVE SOMEBODY IN THE TWIN CITIES THAT LOOKS AT ALL THE SHOWS, AND HE TRIES TO KEEP TRACK AND FIND OUT WHAT'’’S DOING WELL, WHERE, THEN I TALK TO HIM ONCE OR TWICE--ONCE EVERY OTHER WEEK OR SO, AND WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO PUT IN WHERE AND WHEN.

THERE'’’S ALWAYS THE WORRY, TOO, THAT IS THE FILM GOING TO COME?

AND IF YOU GET IT FROM ANOTHER THEATER, DID THEY TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT?

MAYBE IT DOESN'’’T COME, OR IF IT COMES, THEY RAN IT WRONG AND THEY DAMAGED THE FILM, AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET IT WORK IN YOUR PROJECTOR?

>> PRIDE IN OWNERSHIP IS APPARENT IN THE MAIN THEATER, WHERE COLORFUL MURALS HAVE DECORATED THE WALLS FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY.

THE ARTISTS WHO CREATED THE WHIMSICAL MOTIF HAVE FADED INTO HISTORY, ALONG WITH THEIR PROFESSION.

>> OH, THERE USED TO BE THEATER DECORATORS THAT WOULD GO AROUND.

I DON'’’T THINK THERE'’’S ANY OF THEM LEFT.

THE MURALS ON THE WALL HERE WERE--CAME IN IN 1950, AND THEY REPLACED OTHER ONES.

>> THE LAKE HAS NO BALCONY SEATING AREA, BUT IT DOES HAVE A UNIQUE FEATURE NOT FOUND IN THEATERS BUILT TODAY.

>> YEAH, THIS IS OUR CRY ROOM.

BACK IN THE DAY, WE USED TO BE A BIG FARM COMMUNITY, AND FAMILIES WOULD COME WITH ALL THEIR CHILDREN.

AND SOME OF THE CHILDREN WERE LITTLE, AND WHEN THEY WOULD SIT DOWN IN THE AUDIENCE, THEY'’’D START TO CRY.

AND THIS--YOU COULD BRING THEM UP HERE AND STILL WATCH THE MOVIE AND BE WITH YOUR CHILDREN AND CHANGE THEIR DIAPERS.

WE HAD RUNNING WATER, AND YOU COULD SIT IN HERE AND WATCH THE SHOW, AND THE REST OF THE AUDIENCE WOULD BE OK WITH NO CRYING CHILDREN DOWN THERE.

>> SO HOW HAS THE LOWER FAMILY MANAGED TO KEEP THE LAKE THEATER RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY OVER THE YEARS?

THE SECRET IS REALLY NO SECRET AT ALL--JUST GOOD, OLD-FASHIONED HARD WORK AND TAKING PRIDE IN WHAT YOU DO.

>> YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT UP.

IF YOU LOST IT, IF YOUR SEATS EVER WENT TOO BAD OR YOUR PROJECTION EQUIPMENT'’’S REALLY GOT TOO OLD OR THE ROOF WASN'’’T GOOD, THEN YOU'’’RE IN THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL.

THIS ONE PROBABLY HAS BEEN--IT'’’S STILL HERE BECAUSE WE ALWAYS KEPT IT UP.

>> IT'’’S NICE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO THAT MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY.

YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE THEM HAPPY, YOU MAKE THEM CRY.

IT'’’S NICE TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLE AND GET THEM AWAY FROM THEIR WORRIES FOR A WHILE.

>> PEOPLE COME TO ME AND SAY, "DO YOU OWN THE THEATER?"

I SAY, "NO, IT OWNS ME."

>> SOMEHOW, YOU GET THE FEELING WALTER LOWER, JR. WOULDN'’’T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.

THE FAÇÇADE OF THE ORPHEUM THEATER ON SECOND AVENUE EAST IN DULUTH'’’S OLD DOWNTOWN REMAINS LITTLE CHANGED SINCE IT OPENED IN 1910.

FOR 15 YEARS, THE ORPHEUM SERVED AS THE CITY'’’S PREMIER VAUDEVILLE STAGE.

BUT BY THE MID-1930s, MOVING PICTURES HAD MADE THE BUILDING OBSOLETE, AND IN 1939, THE INTERIOR OF THE ORNATE THEATER WAS TRANSFORMED.

INSIDE THE BUILDING'’’S SHELL, ARCHITECTS REVERSED THE LAYOUT AND PUT THE LARGE NORSHOR MOVIE SCREEN NEAR THE OLD ORPHEUM ENTRANCE.

>> BASICALLY, THEY GUTTED THE ORPHEUM, TURNED IT AROUND SO WHERE THE ORPHEUM STAGE WAS IS NOW WHERE THE NORSHOR'’’S BALCONY BECAME.

>> THE OLD ORPHEUM UPPER BALCONY, OR GALLERY LEVEL, DIRECTLY ABOVE THE NORSHOR MOVIE SCREEN WAS SEALED OFF FROM THE PUBLIC.

>> WELL, WE'’’RE GOING UP SOME OF THE OLD STAIRWAY THAT LED TO SOME OF THE BOX SEATING FOR THE OLD ORPHEUM.

THE ORIGINAL BANISTERS AND STAIR TREADS AND LANDINGS.

AND THEN THIS GOES UP INTO THE... BALANCE OF THE REST OF THE BALCONY.

>> BUILDING CUSTODIAN BRUCE "FUZZY" DUNCAN GUIDED OUR CAMERAS ON A TOUR OF THE THEATER'’’S HIDDEN AREA.

TO ACCESS THE FORGOTTEN GALLERY, WE CLIMBED TO THE TOP OF THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE, LEADING US TO A PASSAGE BEHIND AN IRON DOOR.

>> OK, HERE YOU'’’RE COMING INTO THE AIR BOX, AND IT LEADS INTO A STAIRWAY THAT GOES TO THE REST OF THE BALCONY IN THE TOP OF THE BUILDING.

AND HERE, YOU'’’RE ENTERING THE OLD BALCONY, WHAT'’’S LEFT OF IT, AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE ORIGINAL DETAILS FOR THE OLD CEILING.

>> STANDING IN THE BALCONY, IT'’’S EASY TO SEE WHY THIS WAS THE JEWEL OF THE DULUTH THEATER SCENE IN ITS TIME.

CLOSED OFF TO THE PUBLIC FOR MORE THAN 70 YEARS, THE OPULENCE OF THE STRUCTURE IS STILL APPARENT.

>> IF YOU WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET INSIDE ONE OF THESE, IT MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE THE EXPERIENCE; JUST TO BE IN THE THEATER, LET ALONE SEE THE ENTERTAINMENT.

>> "IT TAKES CONFIDENCE AS WELL AS MONEY TO BUILD SUCH A HOUSE AS THIS, AND IT DOES MR. HARTLEY CREDIT AND SHOWS HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF DULUTH.

IT IS A CREDIT ALSO TO THE CONTRACTOR, THE ARCHITECT, AND THE ARTISTS WHO HAVE WORKED OUT THE HARMONIOUS DETAILS.

IT IS ONE OF THE BEST-EQUIPPED THEATERS IN THE LAND."

-M.B.

CULLUM, MAYOR OF DULUTH, "DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE," AUGUST 23, 1910.

>> EVEN AFTER YEARS OF DUST AND NEGLECT, THE THEATER'’’S BEAUTY AND FINE DETAIL STAND OUT.

CRAFTSMANSHIP OF THE CORNICES AND MOLDINGS REFLECT THE SKILL OF MASTER ARTISANS, SHAPING PLASTER WITH SIMPLE TROWELS.

CABLES PUNCHED THROUGH THE PLASTER OF THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE HOLD THE SUSPENDED CEILING OF THE NORSHOR THEATER BELOW.

A HUGE AIR DUCT SLICES THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE BALCONY, AND THE SEATS ARE GONE.

THE RUINS OF THE PROJECTION BOOTH SIT AMID DUST AND DEBRIS, BUT THERE ARE STILL SIGNS OF THE BUILDING'’’S GLORIOUS PAST.

>> YEAH, THAT'’’S STUFF THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK PRETTY CLOSELY TO EVEN NOTICE.

>> YEAH, WHERE I ACTUALLY SAW IT IS WHEN I LOOKED DOWN THE WALL HERE, AND IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE, WHERE IT'’’S-- >> BOY, I WONDER, IF THESE AREAS ARE BORDERED OFF, I WONDER IF THERE WAS SOME SORT OF AN IMAGE ON THOSE.

>> CLOSER INSPECTION UNDER BRIGHT CAMERA LIGHTS REVEAL HAUNTING, VAGUELY FAMILIAR MURALS.

HIDDEN FOR MORE THAN 70 YEARS, THESE BEAUTIFUL SIRENS OF THE ORPHEUM ARE IN THE SPOTLIGHT ONE MORE TIME, A RELIC OF THE ONCE-PROUD THEATER.

>> SOME ENERGY FROM ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN THROUGH IT BEFORE, ALMOST LIKE A BUILDING HAS A SOUL.

>> THAT SOUL LIVES ON IN THE HIDDEN MURALS AND DECAYING BALCONY.

AND IT'’’S PRESERVED IN THE HISTORIC PROGRAMS THAT ATTEST TO THE ORPHEUM THEATER'’’S DAYS AT THE PINNACLE OF THE AMERICAN VAUDEVILLE CRAZE.

>> AN ABUNDANCE OF SMALL MOVIE HOUSES AND NICKELODEONS BEGAN TAKING MARKET SHARE AWAY FROM THE LARGE THEATERS NOT LONG AFTER THE TURN OF THE 20th CENTURY.

>> AND SOON, BY THE TEENS, THEY WERE SHOWING SILENT FILMS.

BY THE TWENTIES, WE GET A LITTLE BIT OF TALKIES WORKING THEIR WAY IN, AND THE TOWN IS DOTTED WITH THESE SMALLER THEATERS.

>> IN DULUTH AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE REGION, MOTION PICTURES WERE ALL THE RAGE.

THEATERS, LIKE THE RELATIVELY ORNATE ALHAMBRA, ADVERTISED VAUDEVILLE ALONG WITH PATHE PLAYS, SOME OF THE EARLIEST SILENT MOVIES.

PASSERSBY WERE LURED IN TO SEE MATINEE AND EVENING FEATURES WITH GAUDY SIDEWALK DISPLAYS AND EYE-CATCHING MARQUEES.

MANY OF THESE THEATERS WERE MUCH SMALLER THAN THEIR MAJESTIC COMPETITORS, SOME OF THEM IN NARROW, 25-FOOT BUILDINGS.

>> IT WAS PRETTY EASY TO PUT A THEATER IN.

YOU KNOW, THEY'’’D BUILD A LITTLE LOBBY FOR POPCORN SALES AND TICKET SALES, AND THEN YOU'’’D GO UP ABOUT 6 STEPS, SO THE SLANTED INTERIOR OF THE THEATER COULD HAVE BEEN BUILT, AND THEN THEY PUT A CENTER AISLE AND ROWS OF SEATS ON EITHER SIDE OF IT AND SHOWED MOVIES.

[LIVELY TUNE PLAYING] >> IN THE EARLY DAYS OF SILENT MOVIES, THEATERS COULD SAVE MONEY BY USING A PLAYER PIANO TO ACCOMPANY THE FILMS.

AND SOME THEATERS, LIKE THE ZELDA IN DOWNTOWN DULUTH, INSTALLED EXPENSIVE ORGANS TO ATTRACT PEOPLE WITH MUSIC.

IT WAS ALL PART OF THE COMPETITIVE MOVIE-SHOWING BUSINESS.

>> THE THEATER WAS BECOMING MORE OF A DEMOCRATIC EXPERIENCE THAT, AS THE PLACES WOULD GO DOWN IN THE 1910s AND THE EARLY PART OF THE 20th CENTURY AND WHEN MOVIES CAME IN, THESE GRAND THEATERS, THE EXPERIENCE OF THE GRAND THEATER KIND OF WENT OUT OF FASHION.

>> DULUTH'’’S ERA OF LAVISH THEATER CONSTRUCTION WAS NOT OVER YET.

THE GRAND THEATER OPENED IN DULUTH IN 1914, AND INSIDE AND OUT, IT LIVED UP TO ITS NAME.

WITH SEATING FOR 1,200 ON THE MAIN FLOOR AND BALCONY, THE GRAND WAS BUILT TO COMPETE WITH THE LYCEUM AND ORPHEUM FOR THE VAUDEVILLE AUDIENCE.

>> BUT THE CIRCUIT IT GOT ON WAS NOT NEARLY AS PROFESSIONALLY OUTFITTED AS THE OTHER TWO, AND IT COULDN'’’T COMPETE.

THERE WAS THE LYRIC THEATER ACROSS THE STREET, AND BY 1923, THEY HAD CLOSED THE LYRIC.

THE GENTLEMAN THAT OWNED THE LYRIC PURCHASED THE GRAND, AND THE GRAND BECAME THE LYRIC, LATER THE NEW LYRIC.

>> WITHIN A YEAR, THE LYRIC WAS SHOWING MOVIES, ONE OF THE FIRST LARGE VAUDEVILLE HALLS TO CONVERT TO MOTION PICTURES.

AS THE YEARS WENT BY, THE LYRIC STRUGGLED TO KEEP ITS DOORS OPEN, EVENTUALLY SHOWING SECOND-RUN MOVIES.

>> ADULTS COULD GET IN FOR A QUARTER, KIDS FOR 12 CENTS, POPCORN COST A DIME, SO YOU COULD SPEND YOUR AFTERNOON THERE WITH THE FAMILY FOR LESS THAN A BUCK.

>> AFTER CLOSING IN 1959, THE THEATER SAT VACANT UNTIL THE 1960s, WHEN EFFORTS TO SAVE IT FAILED, AND IT WAS TORN DOWN.

DOWNTOWN WASN'’’T THE ONLY PLACE TO SEE A MOVIE IN DULUTH.

WEST DULUTH HAD A COUPLE OF THEATERS TO CHOOSE FROM, INCLUDING THE DORIC AT 5715 GRAND AVENUE.

THE DORIC HAD SEATING FOR 800 PEOPLE WHEN IT OPENED IN 1925.

BY 1955, THE THEATER HAD CLOSED AND WAS REMODELED INTO AN OFFICE BUILDING.

AND THE WEST THEATER, LATER RENAMED THE DULUTH, WAS ALSO SOMETIMES CALLED THE SPIRIT VALLEY THEATER.

IT HOUSES A QUILT SHOP TODAY AT ITS CENTRAL AVENUE LOCATION.

OTHER DULUTH THEATERS WERE LOCATED IN THE WEST END AND IN LAKESIDE.

BUT FOR A MOVIE-LOVING CHILD GROWING UP IN THE LATE FORTIES AND FIFTIES, THERE WAS NO PLACE LIKE DOWNTOWN DULUTH.

>> MY MOTHER WAS QUITE A MOVIE FAN, AND SO WHEN I WAS QUITE SMALL AND TOO YOUNG TO GO TO MOVIES ALONE, WE USED TO GO OUT ON FRIDAY NIGHT.

AND SHE WAS VERY TOLERANT; SHE SAW AN AWFUL LOT OF "TARZAN" MOVIES AT THE LYRIC.

>> FORMER "DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE" COLUMNIST JIM HEFFERNAN CAUGHT THE MOVIE BUG AT AN EARLY AGE.

>> I THINK I WOKE UP EVERY MORNING AND THOUGHT, CAN I GO TO A MOVIE TODAY?

HEH!

AND MANY OF THOSE DAYS, I WOULD.

>> IN THE MID-1950s, MOVIE LOVERS HAD MORE THAN A DOZEN THEATERS TO CHOOSE FROM DOWNTOWN.

AMONG THEM WAS THE GRANADA, WHICH COMPETED WITH THE TOP THEATERS OF THE DAY FOR THE BEST MOVIES.

>> IT HAD A PRETTY GOOD-SIZED AUDITORIUM AND 50-FOOT FRONTAGE, NOT 25 LIKE SOME OF THE OTHERS, AND A NICE LOBBY AND IT WAS CALLED "YOUR HOUSE OF DISTINGUISHED HITS."

IT HAD SOME KIND OF ATTRACTIVE INTERIOR DÉÉCOR ALONG THE WALLS THAT YOU LOOKED UP AT.

IT LOOKED LIKE A HACIENDA-TYPE THING.

IT WAS LOW LIGHTS.

>> THE GRANADA OUTLIVED MANY OF THE THEATERS IN DOWNTOWN DULUTH, WHOSE LIGHTS SLOWLY DIMMED AS MULTIPLEX THEATERS TOOK THEIR PLACE.

MOST OF THOSE OLD MOVIE HOUSES HAVE BEEN TORN DOWN OR FADED FROM MEMORY OVER TIME.

BUT THE LAST TRULY GRAND THEATER IN DOWNTOWN DULUTH MAY SOON SEE A REAWAKENING.

EFFORTS ARE ONGOING TO PRESERVE THE ART DECO NORSHOR THEATER.

>> THE NORSHOR WAS A MAGICAL, MAGICAL PLACE.

THE CURTAIN OPENED AND CLOSED AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF EACH MOVIE, AND IT JUST SEEMED LIKE A CUT ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE.

>> THE NORSHOR IS ACTUALLY A THEATER WITHIN A THEATER, BUILT INSIDE THE SHELL OF THE OLD ORPHEUM.

>> THE ARCHITECTS WERE QUITE BOLD WHEN THEY CAME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR THE NORSHOR THEATER, TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, REVERSE THAT FLOOR PLAN AND UTILIZE THE SUPERIOR STREET ACCESS FROM THE GARAGE.

IT'’’S REMARKABLE WHAT THEY'’’VE DONE.

>> DESIGNED BY THE TWIN CITIES FIRM OF LIEBENBERG & KAPLAN, THE NORSHOR WAS CONSIDERED A MASTERPIECE OF THE STREAMLINED DECO STYLE.

THE NEW THEATER WAS A MARKED DEPARTURE FROM THE OVER-THE-TOP ORNATENESS OF THE ORPHEUM.

THE NORSHOR HAD LESS SURFACE DECORATION, ROUNDED CORNERS, AND SMOOTH SURFACES.

ANOTHER STRIKING FEATURE OF THE STYLE WAS A VERTICAL SIGN TOWER SOARING SKYWARD.

>> IT WAS COVERED IN LIGHTS, AND SOME SAY IT COULD BE SEEN 60 MILES AWAY.

PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR REPORT SEEING IT AT NIGHT.

>> WHEN IT OPENED IN 1941, THE NORSHOR FEATURED THE WORLD'’’S ONLY THEATER MILK BAR, SERVING NOTHING BUT DAIRY PRODUCTS.

A LARGE MURAL BEHIND THE BAR FEATURED CARTOONISH FARM SCENES, AND THE ATTENDANTS DRESSED AS MILKMAIDS.

THE SPACIOUS AUDITORIUM WITH ITS BALCONY COULD SEAT 1,400 AND FEATURED THE LARGEST SCREEN IN THE NORTHWEST.

[ORCHESTRAL FANFARE PLAYING] >> WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT DOWN AND THE PROJECTOR WENT ON, IT PROJECTED WHATEVER IMAGE, WAS ALWAYS THE MUSIC WOULD START ONTO THAT CURTAIN, THAT BIG CURTAIN.

AND IT WOULD GLIDE OPEN AND THEN YOU'’’D SEE, YOU KNOW, "GONE WITH THE WIND."

>> EFFORTS CONTINUE TO RENOVATE THE NORSHOR AND PRESERVE AN IMPORTANT ICON IN DOWNTOWN DULUTH.

>> I THINK THAT WHEN PEOPLE GO INTO A BEAUTIFUL, OLD, HISTORIC THEATER LIKE THAT, WHETHER IT'’’S BEEN RENOVATED OR NOT, THEY CAN SENSE THE STORIES AND THE ENERGY ALL AROUND THEM.

>> THE NORSHOR'’’S TOWERING BEACON HAS LONG SINCE BEEN REMOVED, BUT INSIDE, THE THEATER STILL RETAINS MOST OF ITS ARTISTIC CHARACTER.

>> IT'’’S SUCH A UNIQUELY DESIGNED AND A WONDERFUL PLACE, AND WOULD MAKE A FINE CULTURAL CENTER.

>> IT'’’S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO THE FOUNDATION AND TO THE FUTURE OF ANY TOWN TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF EXPERIENCE THAT CAN BE [INDISTINCT], THAT CAN BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

IT'’’S MORE THAN JUST ENTERTAINMENT; WE WANT SOMETHING THAT INTRIGUES US, WE WANT SOMETHING THAT MAKES US THINK AND MAKES US FEEL.

AND IT DOES.

IT GRABS US UP, GRABS US RIGHT IN THAT GUT BECAUSE IT'’’S ABOUT US.

>> WILL GENERATIONS OF NORTHLAND RESIDENTS ONCE AGAIN EXPERIENCE THE ARTS IN SUCH A GRAND SPACE AS THE NORSHOR IN DULUTH, OR THE LYRIC CENTER IN VIRGINIA?

ONLY TIME WILL TELL.

>> FUNDING FOR "STAGE TO SCREEN: HISTORIC THEATERS OF THE NORTH" IS PROVIDED BY THE CITIZENS OF MINNESOTA THROUGH THE MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FUND.