Idaho Movie Palaces

The lobby of the Parma Motor Vu drive-in where the Manley popcorn popper, the original from 1953, still makes the best popcorn ever.

The Bygone Era is Back

BY PAMELA KLEIBRINK THOMPSON

Mitchell Mark and his brother Moe opened what many consider the first movie palace, the one-million-dollar Mark Strand Theater in Times Square, New York City, in 1914, and hired Samuel “Roxy” Rothafel. Roxy introduced uniformed ushers with courtly manners; regal draperies and plush carpeting; soft, colorful lighting and orchestral musicians that played musical accompaniment to the silent movies. Roxy made motion pictures a celebrated event, elevating the movie-going experience into a realm of American cultural importance all over the county. Even in Idaho.

The Panida Theater built as a vaudeville and theater house in Sandpoint in 1927 still hosts films and events today.

Jason Speer became the owner of the Roxy Theater in Cascade, Idaho, with his wife Trisha and Mark and Kristina Pickard in 2006. Built in 1939, the Roxy, a smalltown, single-screen theater with big-city tech on the inside, has 238 auditorium seats and 10 cry-room seats, “where parents of little ones can still see the movie if the kids are fussy.”

“When we purchased the Roxy our four kids were all at home. We raised them there and taught them how to work the positions. It was a lot of fun for Trish and me to watch them grow while helping run the family business,” says Jason. Before the Speers owned the Roxy they took their kids there almost every weekend. “It was a fun thing to do. That is how we got to know the previous owners and fell in love with the Roxy,” he continues.

The Roxy Theater in Cascade

Jason reflects on special events like having Spiderman swing off the stage and into the auditorium before the opening of the movie or Batman on the roof for a midnight show of Dark Knight. “We told the kids we had a ghost named Sam. The old chairs had to be folded up by hand. We would go through after the kids folded the seats and put the center seat back down. Just one seat for Sam. The young kids could never figure it out,” Jason laughs.

The Roxy offers a mix of first-run and second-run movies and five live shows a year and also serves many local community needs. Concerts, talent shows, weddings, funerals, just about everything has happened at the Roxy.

Jason looks forward to opening seven days a week soon and bringing people together again. His plans include scheduling live events once a month, and maybe even a few comedy shows. “It’s wonderful to hear people laugh,” he says. And for everyone who likes to laugh, the Roxy awaits in Cascade.

The Kenworthy Theater opened for vaudeville performances and silent films in 1926 in Moscow, Idaho

Courtesy of Kenworthy Theater

For those who prefer eating popcorn under the stars in pajamas from April through October, the Parma Motor Vu drive-in has been welcoming 240 vehicles since the summer of 1953. “What I like most is the warm summer nights full of family-friendly entertainment,” says Susan Cornwell Haaheim, who became the third-generation owner/operator in 2019.

The Parma Motor Vu was built by Susan’s grandparents, Bill and Gladys Dobbs. “It is truly a family affair–from my mother (Karen Dobbs Cornwell) who pops popcorn most nights, to my pre-teen son who is in charge of grounds clean-up. It is a labor of love that we all cherish. At one point my mom had seven grandchildren on the payroll,” she shares.

Besides family, Susan says, “One other main staple for the Motor Vu is our Manley popcorn popper. It is original, from 1953 and still makes the best popcorn ever.” Her favorite story is “...being in the box office with my grandfather, mid-1970s, and watching him check the trunk of a car for people trying to sneak in! I thought that was so funny.”

Five decades ago, families frequented thousands of drive-in theaters in the U.S. “Now it is around 350,” says Susan. “Only a few are still owned by the original family.”

“The place is 69 years old, so there is always something to attend to. There is no more film, so we have a digital projector and a 60-foot screen. The screen is the original,” Susan adds. “When we do a throw-back and play the original Grease, you can hear people singing along throughout the lot. So as long as there are movies to play and folks who want the drive-In experience, we’ll be here.”

Sun Valley Opera House

Courtesy Sun Valley Resort

Movie stars more than movie houses align with images of Sun Valley Resort, but the Sun Valley Opera House has been projecting films since 1937. “It has a neat curtain–a red velvet drape, very old-school,” says Chip Booth, Director of Entertainment at the resort. “The architect had a DIY attitude. He built the curtain. It still works. It’s elegant.” “It’s a funny old building…not a modernized space. It has a lot of charm. The outside is glorious, iconic, amazing,” he adds. Currently, the Opera House hosts more local events than movie premieres, except for screenings during the Sun Valley Film Festival. Chip’s favorite clientele are “...the locals. I recognize half the audience…I love that. The Opera House is a gathering place.”

In March, the Opera House hosted a special showing of the new documentary, Picabo. The feature-length film chronicles Picabo Street’s life from her days growing up in Triumph, Idaho, to becoming the 1998 Olympic alpine skiing gold medalist.

“Sun Valley Serenade”

Courtesy of Sun Valley Resort

“We hope at some point that we can expand the building in some way,” says Chip. “But I feel strongly that we must preserve the character and charm of the Opera House.” Preservation is what all the great movie palaces require and many have suffered greatly from pandemic shut-downs. Without local dedication, they may never be resurrected. Audiences are ready and willing to get back to the uber-movie experience of sitting in the dark for the newest Marvel 4K surround-sound superhero blockbuster. However, there is something magical about sitting in the dark in a space where people sat 100 years ago watching Charlie Chaplin accompanied by live pipe-organ music. Don’t miss your chance to experience living history! Roll ‘em!