Veterans Memorial Hall

The Red Bluff Daily News, March 7, 1944, reported Veterans Memorial Hall was considering a lease to T & D Junior Enterprises, Inc. on a month-to-month basis until the State Theatre was rebuilt. The State Theatre was destroyed by fire on the morning of February 17, 1944, and was reported in the afternoon edition of the Daily News.

Alterations to the building, leased by the county, also had to be approved by the War Productions Board. To prepare the hall for movies, the improvements included a fireproof projection room, construction of a screen and a blackout of all the windows.

With no smoking rules strictly enforced, Veterans Memorial Hall theatre, opened on May 12, 1944, with Rita Hayworth in “Cover Girl” and included the same staff of the burned theatre. Dale Pickell, State Theatre manager, said only single features would be shown to prevent congestion and requested patrons leave the theatre after a show. The temporary State Theatre seated 450 while the destroyed theatre seated 1,174. With Red Bluff’s population at 14,500, two showings a night would allow an attendance of 900 nightly.

The State Theatre name continued to be used until the closing of the Veterans Memorial Hall theatre upon the opening of the new State Theatre, May 24, 1946.

Veterans Memorial Hall was Designed by P.L. Dragon and C.L. Schmidt and dedicated on November 25, 1933.

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