phenomen o n , a n d movie theaters are a distinct type of 20 th -century architecture. Though descended from opera houses and playhouses of an earlier era, movie theaters quickly developed characteristics of their own. The first theater designed specifically for motion pictures opened in 1902 BY ROGER ROPER in Pennsylvania, and by 1905 most large cities in America had one. The evolution of theater design in Utah paralleled national trends. The flamboyant, exaggerated architecture of movie palaces—including regal Neoclassical designs, exotic Egyptian and Spanish Colonial revivals, or daring Art Deco and Art Moderne styles—set them apart from their more mundane neighbors on Main Street. And if this "pay attention to me" styling was not The Beaux Arts-style Casino (Star) Theater on enough to capture the public eye, Gunnison's Main Street is the most elaborate smallprojecting marquees bedazzled with town theater in Utah and one of the state's first buildings constructed specifically for movies. The lights ensured attention. O t h e r commercial spaces flanking the entrance generated notable features included sidewalkadditional revenue. When this elegant, modern theater opened in January 1913, the local newspaper accessible ticket booths, concession noted that "patrons will need a little time to break off stands, and stage-less auditoriums. M O V I E S ARE A 20™-CENTURY
Going to the Movies: A Photo Essay of Theaters
Roger Roper is the preservation coordinator for the Utah State Historical Society. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are from USHS collections. Footnotes are on p. 122.
old custom, " and offered them the following bits of advice: "Read to yourself. . . the explaining sentences thrown on the screen and don't annoy, by reading aloud, others who can read for themselves "; "When you are required to make room for another person to pass by, just tip back the seat you occupy "; and "When you leave, go; don't make a church handshake time of it. "l