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Overview

This was the second vaudeville theatre opened in Seattle by former saloon and box house operator Alexander Pantages (1867-1936), who would become one of the most successful vaudeville impresarios on the West Coast during the 1900-1930 period. Seating 800, it was the first to bear his name in a chain that would stretch the length of the Pacific Coast by the 1910s. Pantages wanted this first theatre to attract a wide spectrum of people, not just intoxicated men, in order to maximize profits. He, therefore, no longer produced risqué shows, but, rather, "Strong vaudeville talent has been booked for the house and family trade is to be catered to. There will be performances every afternoon and evening." (See "New Pantages Theatre," Seattle Daily Times, 10/07/1904, p. 4.) Having two shows per day enabled women and children to attend daytime performances.

Building History

The Pantages Theatre #1 in Seattle opened on Monday, 10/10/1904, at 6:00 p,.m. The Seattle Daily Times said of the "handsome new vaudeville theatre," that it was "...situated on the northeast corner of Second Avenue and Seneca Street, just two doors south of the Crystal Theatre, of which Alex Pantages is also the sole owner and manager." (See "New Pantages Theatre," Seattle Daily Times, 10/07/1904, p. 4.)

Vaudeville historian Eugene C. Elliott noted that this theatre "...was the original house of what became one of the largest popular-priced vaudeville circuits in the United States. Built in 1904 with the profits Alexander Pantages earned in his Crystal Theater farther south on Second Street [sic], it was remodelled in 1907 and continued in use until 1914 when a new Pantages Theater was opened at Third and University." (See Eugene C. Elliott, A History of Variety-Vaudeville in Seattle, [Seattle: University of Washington Press], 1944, frontispiece.)

Pantages learned important lessons from his experience managing the Crystal Theatre. These included developing a rapid program of various acts, charging low general admission prices and moving patrons through the theatre as quickly as possible. In his biography of Pantages, Theodore Saloutos, a Professor of History at UCLA, stated: “Encouraged by the success of the Crystal, Pantages opened a second house which he named for himself. He hyphenated his name ‘Pan-tages,’ so that people would divide it into syllables more easily and pronounce it correctly. Publicized as the ‘leading vaudeville House of Seattle,’ the Pantages adopted the low-price policy of the Crystal. General admission for the grand opening was 10 cents and reserved seats 20 cents. When Pantages opened his first theater, a complete performance consisted of moving pictures, illustrated songs, and one or two vaudeville stunts. This kind of entertainment, given at popular prices, was well patronized, And in those days it was common to give fifteen or twenty performances a day. In due time, the managers found it necessary to increase the seating capacity of their houses and to offer larger and better variety acts to their patrons.” (See Theodore Saloutos, “Alexander Pantages, Theater Magnate of the West,” Pacific Northwest Quarterly, vol. 57, no. 4, 10/1966, pp. 139-140.)

Pantages, by the late 1900s, had three main competitors in the vaudeville market west of the Mississippi, the San Francisco-based Orpheum Circuit run by Morris Meyerfeld, Jr., (1855-1935), the circuit run by New Yorker Timothy Sullivan and Seattleite John W. Considine (1863-1943), the Sullivan-Considine Circuit, headquartered in New York and Seattle, and the circuit of John Cort (1861-1929), also headquartered in Seattle. Expanding operations was key to acquiring places to book acts and increasing revenue and the three companies grew rapidly during the 1905-1915 period. According to Saloutos, Pantages owned or had financial interests in 26 theatres in 1910. (See Theodore Saloutos, “Alexander Pantages, Theater Magnate of the West,” Pacific Northwest Quarterly, vol. 57, no. 4, 10/1966, p. 141.)

By about 1913, Pantages had turned his attention to the construction of newer, larger theatre and office building in Downtown Seattle. This Pantages Theatre #2 opened on 07/19/1915 at 1300 3rd Avenue. In an article describing the new theatre, a writer for the Seattle Star newspaper stated of the Pantages Theatre #1: “The old theatre at Second ave. and Seneca st. will be renovated, given a new name, and operated as a continuous vaudeville and picture house.” (See “$850,000 Pantages Theatre Will Be Opened on Monday,” Seattle Star, 07/17/1915, p. 2.)

Building Notes

The Seattle Daily Times described the opening vaudeville program: "A strong opening bill has been prepared. It will include the Royal Italian Band of twenty-four pieces, the Three Kelsey Sisters, direct from London, in a singing and novelty act; the Three Gardellas, a man and wife and child, in hand balancing and feats of equilibrium; the Two Montgomerys in a tramp comedy act on the piano; Leo White, in illustrated songs and imported moving pictures." (See "New Pantages Theatre," Seattle Daily Times, 10/07/1904, p. 4.) This first Pantages Theatre had a simple facade facing 2nd Avenue. The three first-floor storefronts were trimmed in segmental arches, while three triplets of double-hung windows illuminated the second story. A top floor was lit by three triplets of smaller square windows mounted high on the wall. In about 1905, a wholesale jeweler occupied office space on the second floor. Potential customers were assured of the fireproofness of the new theatre. The Seattle Daily Times indicated: "It is absolutely fireproof, and built in accordance with all the new city regulations. The exits are wide and the ventilation good. Eight electric fans have been installed." (See "New Pantages Theatre," Seattle Daily Times, 10/07/1904, p. 4.)

Alterations

The first Pantages Theatre underwent a remodeling in 1907; Pantages closed this facility in 1914 when he opened his second Pantages theatre in Seattle, WA.

PCAD id: 11820