I have very strong person memories of the Colonial. My grandfather regularly took me there in mid-late 1950s. He liked the old place for two reasons: (a) it had main floor level “box” seats that anyone could use – they were raised up perhaps a step or two and had more leg room – as well as a brass rail around them – they were on the right and left sides and each held about a dozen seats – he had a bad leg and liked to stretch it out, (b) next door there was a good candy shop where he could buy his much loved “Bridge Mixture” to munch (and share). I recall a painted mural inside the lobby and I wonder if it was of the horse racing scene from the silent movie Ben Hur (or do I have that confused with the Orpheum further up-town).
I am writing a personal history and searched and searched and then found your site with a good picture (of a post card) of the old place – and the image took me back because even in the early 50s there were street cars running on Granville Street – just as the picture shows.
Many thanks! Anyone know if it was a mural inside, and of what?
I have very strong person memories of the Colonial. My grandfather regularly took me there in mid-late 1950s. He liked the old place for two reasons: (a) it had main floor level “box” seats that anyone could use – they were raised up perhaps a step or two and had more leg room – as well as a brass rail around them – they were on the right and left sides and each held about a dozen seats – he had a bad leg and liked to stretch it out, (b) next door there was a good candy shop where he could buy his much loved “Bridge Mixture” to munch (and share). I recall a painted mural inside the lobby and I wonder if it was of the horse racing scene from the silent movie Ben Hur (or do I have that confused with the Orpheum further up-town).
I am writing a personal history and searched and searched and then found your site with a good picture (of a post card) of the old place – and the image took me back because even in the early 50s there were street cars running on Granville Street – just as the picture shows.
Many thanks! Anyone know if it was a mural inside, and of what?