The Admiral Theatre is a movie theater and historic landmark in the North Admiral neighborhood of

West Seattle West Seattle is a conglomeration of neighborhoods in Seattle, Washington, United States. It comprises two of the thirteen districts, Delridge and Southwest, and encompasses all of Seattle west of the Duwamish River. It was incorporated as an i ...

, Washington, United States. It was originally a second-run theater, but has since switched to showing new releases.

History

The building dates to 1919 and was originally known as the Portola Theatre. With a somewhat nautical theme, the face of the theater sported two portholes. The Portola's screen was equipped with a lighting system, able to enhance the otherwise black and white scenes with hints of color, and a

theater organ A theatre organ (also known as a theater organ, or, especially in the United Kingdom, a cinema organ) is a type of pipe organ developed to accompany silent films, from the 1900s to the 1920s. Theatre organs have horseshoe-shaped arrangements o ...

to provide music for silent films. The Portola Theatre was bought in 1938 by John Danz. It was then remodeled and renamed to the Admiral Theatre, a name chosen by popular vote courtesy of West Seattleites. The Admiral Theatre officially opened January 22, 1942. This 802-seat theater was designed by the noted cinema architect,

B. Marcus Priteca Benjamin Marcus Priteca (23 December 1889 – 1 October 1971) was a Scottish architect. He is best known for designing theatres for Alexander Pantages. Early life Benjamin Marcus Priteca was born into a Jewish family in Glasgow on 23 December 1 ...

. Eventually, the theater was sold by John Danz to Cineplex. Finding itself in a state of neglect and losing money quickly, the theater announced it would be closing its doors. However, the

Historical Society A historical society (sometimes also preservation society) is an organization dedicated to preserving, collecting, researching, and interpreting historical information or items. Originally, these societies were created as a way to help future gen ...

of Seattle got involved to help save the building, leading to the establishment of the theater as a

landmark A landmark is a recognizable natural or artificial feature used for navigation, a feature that stands out from its near environment and is often visible from long distances. In modern use, the term can also be applied to smaller structures or f ...

. In 1992, the Admiral was ready to reopen and continue business as a second-run theater. The Admiral was sold in June 2008, to Faraway Entertainment, a group based in Bainbridge Island, Wash. Admiral Entertainment, LLC, manages the movie house.

Events

Alongside showing movies, the Admiral has been the host of performers, shows, and special events. For over ten years, ''

The Rocky Horror Picture Show ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also ...

'' was performed regularly, with the last showing taking place on November 1, 2014. The Admiral Theatre was also frequented by J. P. Patches, a prominent local clown. The theater also hosts the Mommy Matinee, held regularly as an opportunity for parents and guardians to bring in their young children to watch a movie, but without the stress or worry of disrupting fellow viewers.

Decor

Having expanded upon the Portola, the Admiral kept the original nautical theme and even expanded upon it over time. The auditoriums are labeled by "pier", green seahorses accompany the exit signs, the employee's room is known as "the crew's quarters", and the two portholes once decorating the exterior of the Portola can now be viewed just above the Admiral's lobby. Artwork brings the walls to life as well, entering the theater, you are greeted by a 1942 mural of

George Vancouver Captain George Vancouver (22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a British Royal Navy officer best known for his 1791–1795 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of what a ...

behind the concession stand, spanning from floor to ceiling. In 1997, the theater added another nautical twist by hiring muralist, Jeff Greene, to paint an underwater scene in one of the auditoriums. These scenes are still visible with potential to be restored.

Renovation

The theater has gone through many renovations and changes, starting with the initial remodel to prepare for the new Admiral Theatre's grand opening in 1942. In 1973, the Admiral was split into two auditoriums. In 2017, the theater opted for another renovation, turning the two theaters into a total of four. This build included an update with luxury seating, a higher quality sound system, and 3D effects.

References

External links

* {{West Seattle, Seattle B. Marcus Priteca buildings Buildings and structures in Seattle 1940s architecture in the United States Cinemas and movie theaters in Washington (state) Streamline Moderne architecture in Washington (state) Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington (state) West Seattle, Seattle National Register of Historic Places in Seattle Theatres completed in 1942 1942 establishments in Washington (state)