Weir Theatre

The December 10, 1915, issue of the Aberdeen Herald had this brief item: “Chandler & Ripley, of the Western Circuit Amusement Company, have mortgaged their interests in the Bijou, Rex, and Starland Theaters, to the Aberdeen State Bank for $1,000.” There was an ad for the Weir Theatre on the same page, so both it and the Rex were operating at the same time.

I’ve found no advertising for the Rex in the Herald, nor for the Starland, nor any other mentions of either house. However, there are a few ads for the a movie house called the Dream Theatre, located on Heron Street, from May, 1911, to November, 1915.

There are a number of photos of the Weir Theatre on the Jones Photo website mentioned above. Looking at the photos, the Weir and the Rex were two separate theaters and even existed at the same time. The current Google view shows the Weir demolished and the building next door (with the arched upper windows) still existing. The buildings to the right of this, have been demolished. This would have included the building housing the Rex.

There is a parking lot now where the Weir Theater used to stand.

The photo’s for the Weir & Rex listed on the PSTOS site clearly show 2 different buildings. I was in the Weir and it was definatly the brick building with the crown on the roof line. It was next to the Masonic building (Later Browers dress shop). The Rex was next to the Weir more at mid block. At least that is what the photo’s show.

The weir was closed by 1953 so it wouldn’t be in the guide for that year. This theater was originaly owned and opperated by D&R Theatre’s Inc. when they were still under the family control of Ed Dolan. I believe that all D&R Theatre’s were affiliated with Fox both for the films they booked and later after the company was sold and managed by Fox west Coast ie; Evergreen State. The Weir was permanantly closed by the Dolan family mainly because it was the oldest theater in their chain (1916 I think) and it needed major work. It was very old fashioned even for the 1940’s. By the time it was decided to close the theatre the thought was to drive the business to the over the the newly remodeled D&R theatre only half a block away. The Weir had very old electrical systems and equipment that all needed to be replaced. And the building was brick but the interior was built of wood and a fire trap. The D&R had just recieved a major remodel that made the theatre esentially brand new so their was no ecconomic sence to keep the Weir open.

The Weir Theatre was part of the Fox West Coast Theatres chain’s subsidiaries Evergreen State Amusement Corp. along with the D & R Theatre.

Are there any pictures of this theater?

I was in the Weir Theater in the late 1970’s or very early 80"s when the theater was owned by Pat Pearson, at that time the auditorium was intact. She had tried to open the Weir for live performances only to be closed by the city who stated the building was not up to safety codes. I remember that there was a large steep balcony with box seats. There were also private boxes on the orchestra floor as well. The stage floor was also raked, (sloped tword the audience).
According to Mrs. Pearson the University of Washington had told her that this was the only theater still standing in Washington that they knew of with that kind of a stage floor. The walls were painted to resemble stone and their were floral decorations also painted on the walls. Above the procienium arch on the cieling was a large mural. I think it was of a woman or angel. The main cieling had 5 light fixtures, 1 large central fixture and 4 smaller ones. At the time I was in the Weir the seats were still in place but the stage equipment and drapery was long gone. All projection equipment was also gone. The place was in pretty run down condition as the theater was closed by D&R Theaters Inc around 1945. The lobby and entrance was remodeled into retail space, and the auditorium was sealed up and left to sit. One interesting find, when Mrs. Pearson pulled up the old moth eaton isle carpet on the orchestra floor, the pad were stacks of paper. Most of the paper went to the dump until one of the people helping her unfolded one of the pieces only to discover that these paper sheets were full color silent film posters. She saved the ramaining posters. With some good financing this could have been a real historic masterpiece.

Sadly, the Weir Theater was torn down around the middle of 2003. The city condemned it when the roof leaked and started falling in. The Daily World (Aberdeed, Wash.) newspaper had pictures of the interior of this little gem.