The Patricia Theatre {est 1913}
Description
Since 1913 · The longest running movie theatre in Canada,located in the heart of Historic Townsite "Pulp Paper and People"
by Karen Southern and Peggy Bird 1988
The Patricia Theatre - by Karen Southern
Remember the exciting silents? The actors rushing about in jerky movements while the train bore down on the maiden tied to the track and the pianist played his best train-bearing-down music. And of course, the villain with his waxed mustache exclaiming,in sub-titles, “Curses, foiled again!”
Powell River had its own silent theatre (located at the present cenotaph) where Stan Meade tinkled the ivories, and Bobby Scanlon opened the side door to the children without dimes. He was a well loved manager who controlled the rambunctious teenagers with kindness, and winked at the lovers who sat beneath the balcony.
Young Frank Haslam went down after school and flopped back the kitchen chairs to sweep the floor of the old “Pat” theatre. The first four rows of chairs were joined together by a plank underneath, with hinges for easy cleaning. For this service he was allowed to see any show that played, free of charge. He was also part of a pie-eating contest that Bobby held to draw the crowd one night. The spotlight was shone on their blueberry faces as Frank was judged first by Mrs. E.A. Sadler and given the coveted prize, an American silver dollar.
Curly Woodward was one of those contestants. It took him a week to get the pie out of his ears. He was a regular customer to the flicks, one who didn’t mind getting his fifteen cents refunded when the tall, narrow building shook in the wind, and management thought it too dangerous to stay inside. The boys were a devilish lot who reveled in throwing things. They brought peas and beans from home, and popcorn from the pool hall, and throughout the show threw as much as they ate. As the bad guys started to get the best of things on the screen, Haslam threw an empty bag which went into the fan over the gallery. It made such a terrible noise that patrons thought the gallery was going to collapse, and headed for the door in terror.
Sometimes the flying objects weren’t thrown. It wasn’t unknown to have bats in the first theatre. At such times the women would utter frightened cries and grab their hair. It never kept them away for long though; they always came back for more entertainment. When Babe Muller’s father was manager of the Avenue Lodge in 1920 – 23, Babe would often sing for the audience. She had a lovely voice which the people appreciated, even if the women were shocked at her low-necked dress, and sucked in their voices in surprise when she came on stage.
In 1925, Olive Donkersley took over as cashier from Mrs. Meina Tapp and Gladys Thorpe. Ernie Hamerton was the projectionist, Bert Vicars ushered the crowd to their seats, and Glen Hayden played the piano for the movie. Alice Cluff recalls this talented pianist seeing a baby on screen, and playing “You must have been a beautiful baby!” at the infant’s funeral. People didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He was a tease and should a patron need to leave the building for any reason (there were no inside washrooms), he would suddenly change tunes to draw attention to their actions. Not many ever left. He also supplied the mood music for the fashion shows that took place when salesmen from Vancouver brought their clothes and furs to PR. The local girls modeled the luxurious coats before the movie.
One summer John Barrymore and Delores Costello came into the theatre in person. Powell Riverites were a little disillusioned that he seemed much shorter than he looked in the movies, but were thrilled at his presence.
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