My brother worked at the Totem Theatre and I worked at the Capitol Theatre when we were in our teens. I don’t recall the exact number of seats, but it was between 500-600 seats. They don’t make theatres like this anymore. When ET came out in the theatres, the Totem Theatre would sell out on both showings of ET for months. This was before the VCR and at a time when the popcorn was popped with coconut oil…. those were the days.
I worked at the Capitol Theatre from 1979 to 1981 as a doorman and usher. The theatre was operated by Famous Players and during my short years at the theatre, I have discovered quite the theatre is quite rich in its history. It was originally a live theatre. Remnants are evident behind the movie screen as on each side, were the Men’s and Women’s Change rooms. In the basement, there were large storage rooms for props and costumes. The original chandeliers were sold and the Orpheum Theatre (Granville Street, Vancouver, BC) bought one of the chandeliers in the 1970s. I recall as a kid, throwing my popcorn box at the chandeliers and the usher catching us. The actual number of seats were 751. More later. I will find my pics.
one of the chandeliers from the Capitol Theatre in Prince Rupert was bought by the Orpheum Theatre when they renovated in the 1970s.
My brother worked at the Totem Theatre and I worked at the Capitol Theatre when we were in our teens. I don’t recall the exact number of seats, but it was between 500-600 seats. They don’t make theatres like this anymore. When ET came out in the theatres, the Totem Theatre would sell out on both showings of ET for months. This was before the VCR and at a time when the popcorn was popped with coconut oil…. those were the days.
I worked at the Capitol Theatre from 1979 to 1981 as a doorman and usher. The theatre was operated by Famous Players and during my short years at the theatre, I have discovered quite the theatre is quite rich in its history. It was originally a live theatre. Remnants are evident behind the movie screen as on each side, were the Men’s and Women’s Change rooms. In the basement, there were large storage rooms for props and costumes. The original chandeliers were sold and the Orpheum Theatre (Granville Street, Vancouver, BC) bought one of the chandeliers in the 1970s. I recall as a kid, throwing my popcorn box at the chandeliers and the usher catching us. The actual number of seats were 751. More later. I will find my pics.