Tabor Grand Opera House

16th Street and Curtis Street,
Denver, CO 80202

Unfavorite 4 people favorited this theater

Showing 18 comments

rivest266
rivest266 on April 1, 2024 at 11:53 pm

Reopened as Colorado on February 27th, 1927. Another ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on April 1, 2024 at 5:52 am

Opened on September 5th, 1881. Grand opening ad posted.

Chambergal
Chambergal on May 7, 2018 at 8:12 pm

rimelichar, Here is your quote: The verse that Tabor chose to adorn his grand opera house’s fancy decorated curtain was prophetic:

So fleet the works of men,
Back to the earth again;
Ancient and holy things
Fade like a dream.

Adapted from Harlan Jennings, “‘The Singers Are Not on Speaking Terms’: The Grand Opera in Denver: 1864–1881,”

rlmelichar
rlmelichar on January 14, 2018 at 7:18 am

Does anyone have a picture of the curtain showing the inscription at the bottom of the curtain? I am trying to confirm the full text: “So fleet the works of men, back to earth again, ancient and holy things fade like a dream”

Sallie
Sallie on October 21, 2015 at 10:43 pm

Grand old theater, my mother was a Taborette and my uncle, Forrest Johnson played the organ, back in the Silent Movie and Vaudeville time at the Tabor Opera House. I have pictures and booklets, if someone would like to contact me. Sallie

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 29, 2015 at 7:24 pm

The extensive remodeling of the Tabor Grand Opera House as the Colorado Theatre in 1921-1922 was the work of Denver architects Fisher & Fisher (brothers William Ellsworth Fisher and Arthur Addison Fisher.) Arthur R. Willet of New York was the decorator, but a number of Denver artists were involved in the project.

The rebuilt house opened on February 27, 1922, with the Colleen Moore feature Come On Over. The 71x134-foot auditorium had 2,526 seats, making it the largest moving picture theater in the Rocky Mountain region. The April 1, 1922, issue of The Moving Picture World described the house:

“With its remarkable $50,000 Robert-Morgan organ, its excellent concert orchestra — the largest theatre orchestra in Denver — its beautiful mezzanine floors, its marble staircases, its complete picture projecting equipment, its many entrances and exits, its colored floodlights, its fixtures and furniture, its lovely draperies and curtains, its mural paintings, its ushers in uniform and other interior splendors cause the Colorado to rank with the greatest theatres of New York, Chicago or California.”

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on August 13, 2013 at 8:38 pm

Harry W. J. Edbrooke was not involved in the design of the Tabor Grand Opera House. He was only 18 years old when it was built. His father, Willoughby J. Edbrooke, was one of the architects, and his uncle Frank E. Edbrooke served as supervising architect.

dhabben30
dhabben30 on April 20, 2012 at 7:55 pm

I work at a stone/monument company in Denver CO and we have a pair of the stone columns from the theatre before it closed. We have been in business since the 1920’s and acquired the columns along the way, they are beautiful and in great condition. Should anyone be interested in purchasing the pair please contact me directly.

Darrell Habben, Jr

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on August 28, 2010 at 8:58 pm

Great photos.What a nice theatre.

jimmy650
jimmy650 on August 28, 2010 at 8:02 pm

It must have been 1948, my friend Bob Leffler and I cut class at East High to see Sally Rand at The Tabor. The ticket was $2 and the show was a rip-off. The stage was completely dark, Sally had a huge white fan and a blue spot light. The theater was still grand. Downtown Denver looks little now like it did in the 1940’s, is it progress?

Jim Mimmack
Palo Alto California
.edu

Coate
Coate on July 30, 2009 at 4:23 pm

Denver’s complete CINEMIRACLE and CINERAMA exhibition history has been included in the “Remembering Cinerama” series and is posted here.

William
William on June 17, 2008 at 5:37 pm

The Tabor Grand Theatre had a Grand Opening night of April 6th., 1929.

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois
Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on March 4, 2008 at 4:04 am

Williame303 – Oh to see OKLAHOMA! in 70mm TODD-AO, SIX TRACK STERO SOUND again! I know they also showed AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, did they show any other 70mm films?

The Tabor Grand Opera House/Caloado was at the Northwest Corner of 16th and Curtis Streets.

Up above they mention that WINDJAMMER was the first film using the new CINEMIRACLE process, which is true. Course it was also the last cause CINERAMA bought them out and ended up showing WINDJAMMER just like other CINERAMA movies.

Nothing is known about what happened to that Robert-Morton Pipe Organ. If you know anything, please email us!

“You’re In The Show With TODD-AO”

williame303
williame303 on November 8, 2007 at 6:12 am

I had the privilege of seeing the Tabor Grand when I was about 10. We went to see the road show presentation of OKLAHOMA in Todd-AO. I knew the Tabor story well (my 4th grade teacher delivered groceries to Baby Doe in Leadville when he was a boy) so I knew the importance of this building. During the intermission I walked down front and turned around to see the entire theatre. The balconies and some of the boxes were there, but the access was closed. Still, it was magnificent.

I couldn’t believe that they tore it down. Sadly, it was in the way of a big urban renewal project in the ‘60s which removed 22 blocks of downtown Denver. Fortunately they couldn’t afford Phase 2, so all the buildings in what is now LoDo were spared.

The Federal Reserve Bank is an interesting building, but in the wrong place. Here’s a photo:

View link

After 9/11 they decided to put up a better security fence, so they put in a dreadful frilly thing with flower pots that looks like the 1920s. Awful.

philbertgray
philbertgray on November 6, 2007 at 5:14 pm

Interior and exterior views of Tabor Grand Opera House

View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link

Interior after remodel in 1931
View link

stereo view of Tabor exterior
View link

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on July 4, 2007 at 6:30 pm

The Tabor Grand Opera House is listed in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. It was managed by Bush & McCourt. Ticket prices ranged from 25 cents to $1.50. The seating capacity is given as 1,220, but the breakdown does not add up to that figure: Orchestra, 390; Dress Circle, 192; Balcony, 150; Gallery, 130; total: 862, plus box seats, and maybe standees. The house had both gas and electric illumination, and was on the ground floor. The proscenium opening was 33 feet wide X 37 feet high, and the stage was 45 feet deep. There were 8 members of the house orchestra.

muckey898
muckey898 on March 9, 2007 at 3:52 am

A photo of the Tabor Grand.
View link

William
William on March 8, 2007 at 5:21 pm

The Tabor Theatre was listed as seating 2269 people during the mid 40’s and was operated by Fox Intermountain Theatre, Inc..