Historic Rivoli Theater
355 S. Main Street,
Pendleton,
OR
97801
355 S. Main Street,
Pendleton,
OR
97801
1 person
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Pendleton Amusement’s Greulich & Matlock opened the Rivoli Theatre to the plans of Sutton & Whitney, architects from Portland. Originally planned as a 1,500 seat road show house that could stage both live events and major films, funding fell short and they landed on the Rivoli, a $110,000, 850-seat movie house at opening on September 10, 1921 with Mary Elden in “The Old Nest.” The operators bought the same 2 manual 7 rank Wurlitzer pipe organ as Sid Grauman did in his L.A. Million Dollar Theater with Henri G. LeBel playing on opening night. The Nifty Nook candy shop in the theatre served as the de facto concession provider.
Under Fox West Coast Theatres, the venue installed sound in September of 1928 to remain viable and widescreen projection in the 1950s to compete against television. Operators closed the venue in February of 1970 for a major refresh entirely gutting the interior of the theater eliminating the balcony and reducing seat count. That theater opened as the New Rivoli Theatre on December 25, 1970 with “Dirty Dingus McGee.” In 1978, the “New” was dropped.
Owner of the United Artists, Marie Hutchens took on the venue selling both the United Artists - which became a church - and, in 1982, the Rivoli to Ferris Elckel who bought it for $65,000 (and $25,000 additional for projection) who reopened it was the Centre Theatre on August 27, 1982 as the Centre Theatre. The theater wasn’t a hit and was twinned becoming the Centre Twin Theatre on May 27, 1983. With folks off to the newer theater, the Centre closed August 25, 1984. It was sold in 1987 for just $28,000.
The venue was purchased in 2010 and donated as a non-profit renovation project in 2011 that has since reopened.
The Historic Rivoli Theater official web site provides periodic updates on the progress of the renovation project.
This is great that this vintage theatre is being restored! Here’s more info on it and photos: http://pstos.org/instruments/or/pendleton/rivoli.htm
The theatre’s original 2/7 Wurlitzer organ (style 170, opus #435) later spent time in a rink in Seattle before being sold to a fellow in Bremerton, Washington. I don’t know if he still has it, or if he does, that he’d eventually be willing to sell it back to the theatre, but you never know…
http://pstos.org/instruments/wa/seattle/ridge-rink.htm
It’s being restored: See here.
This is from Boxoffice in February 1954:
PENDLETON, ORE.-Cinemascope has made its debut at the Rivoli Theater in Pendleton. Owner John Mattlock says this latest improvement culminates a series of changes that cost about $14,000.