Beck’s Theatre
Metropolitan Theater
American Theatre
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The American Theatre promotes its presentation of
The Queen of Sheba (1921).
Photograph: Silent Era image collection.
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Address
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1310 Cornwall Avenue
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Opening Night Seating Capacity
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2200
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Original Theatre Owner
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Jacob Beck
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Original Theatre Architect
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Edwin W. Houghton
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Years of Operation
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Opened 13 December 1902
Operated 1902 through 1958
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Type of Musical Accompaniment
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Robert Morton theatre pipe organ
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Current Status
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Demolished
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Beck’s Theatre opened as a live theatre house in 1902. At the time the venue opened, the town was still known as Whatcom (the city would incorporate as Bellingham in 1904). The theatre was renamed the Metropolitan Theater in September 1912, and was again renamed the American Theatre, reopening on 7 October 1915, after being remodeled for motion picture exhibition, removing the top of two balconies to install a projection booth. A Morton theatre pipe organ was installed in 1917. F.B. Walton was the theatre manager circa 1921.
The building was demolished in 1959.
References: Cinema Treasures website.
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