princess theatre princess theatre screen art house cinema located avenue historic neighbourhood building designed prominent architects wilson firm responsible design heritage sites oldest surviving theatre demolition building currently houses main seat theatre seat princess located basement originally known building original owner manager recognized theatre operator having previously run south theatres princess south gem south princess survive collapse building boom building theatre changed ownership times fortunes largely depended current state canadian theatre industry spent dozen years retail space years mainly exhibiting mainstream pornographic films princess operated successfully theatre late run theatre princess operated run theatre native january cinema operated silent era early years princess block designed architects wilson designed avenue beginning building designed combine commercial residential space featured basement small multi use second floor apartments floor addition theatre space building originally known princess owner manager family property developers father developed ran historically important dominion hotel avenue considered important entertainment opened south theatres princess south gem south failed collapse building boom princess theatre opened single screen cinema march rave reviews cost taken months build longer expected theatre opened seats largest live performance stage cinema west time cinema south title opening theatre opening night benefit concert associated 19th squad program included featuring actual war scenes audience governor mayor house feature film eagle mate starring screened following night time princess considered building west faced marble remarked quality house remarking solid marble facade brass mirrors abundance gold leaf decoration technical modern housed machine room princess serviced freight elevator unusual feature building size theatre lighting indirect gentle eyes journal impressed novel movie theatre electric machine electric time projecting clock drinking fountain importantly forced air ventilation system capable heating cooling air featured dedicated intake output fans making princess far comfortable theatre princess stopped booking live acts focusing exclusively profitable cinema business revenues rental spaces basement upper floors begun flow notably beat cop leased apartment granddaughter manage princess wartime proved hard film business september famous players informed account boat having torpedoed german submarine necessary skip short films having come forward london representative boat occurrence appreciate position supply new films decreased war dragged advertised frequently things parts theatre difficult come best times complex machines proved difficult maintain live business pick contracted spanish pneumonia rapid succession died february family leased theatre managed chain houses cinemas avenue including empress theatres basement leased pool hall dad room business present basement house pool hall continuously 1970s arrival sound era january major competitor princess closed renovations promising change theatre months later march theatre reopened dual sound systems availability articles caused research error local histories histories claim screened murder case screened princess fact screened capitol received hugely successful capitol business improved greatly weeks opening size volume advertising journal bulletin increased march april times competitors theatres pressured equipment close princess sound installation completed august entire page devoted reopening including local record store electrical contractors installed message princess placed managers establishments wired sound empress physical renovations necessary accommodate new carried important local builder namesake screened princess starring theatre closes arrival television force cinemas theatre forced close family sold princess block soon princess advertisement ran july advertising double bill away boats day fury articles editorials printed following days princess block disappeared local city implying researchers thought completely vacant building included theatre address avenue remained vacant years exterior doors removed entirely create photo theatre occupied floor split apartments second floor entirely occupied basement pool hall princess theatre bought princess outright chain owned theatres alberta including cinema avenue theatre reopened christmas day year renovations cinema restored original function interior building rebuilt sections exterior installed new cost film man wilderness family friendly feature starring point family friendly programming began interspersed eventually replaced blue movies chain come known generally material prints confiscated multiple locations company sued government alberta laws choice programming earned negative reputation unable run company sought buyers theatre early asking despite theatre problems unlikely returned original use money poured renovation efforts restore building significant reason princess cinema today old foundation time publicly funded community development initiative leased struggling began searching ways use space member general public answered writing paper outlining building successfully operated theatre original foundation apparently impressed proposal installed director completion renovations theatre profitable second year earned million small vision film house dedicated independent film genre tenure introduced live performances including touring acts firmly establishing princess significant alternative arts establishment resigned manager expanded theatre program glossy monthly magazine theatre offering saturday morning cartoons student yearly contributed steadily increasing attendance confident theatre prospects purchase building outright time asking price building dropped estimated real market value foundation began major upgrades repairs interior building fundraising drive allowed modern sized seats installed lowering theatre original seating capacity cry room installed independent sound system allowing patrons small children come films worry theatre high water mark record number tickets sold state art video projection system installed june year revenue declined partly growth home video began theatre liability confidence theatre shaken quit position manager having worked princess years theatre crisis manager early history princess operated small independent theatre basement organization seed founded working space event original largest event kind north_america quickly offered buy princess reached agreement october unspecified banks refused finance plan deal fell december quickly attempted early transfer control cinema small board film experts business people including promising failed convince capable managing theatre negotiations broke april immediately resigned director ended relationship theatre months short contract new manager running major deficit april declined renew annual grant foundation received foundation needed cash quickly sold theatre calgary family owners plaza theatre city decision popular old foundation member called sale hasty entire theatre staff laid december clear seriously considering purchasing theatre theatre began month strike clear respect recently signed year contract native unexpectedly tried buy princess christmas eve condition contract stated sale party bid percent building exercised option match higher bids sale went early january theatre fell disrepair princess called absolutely advertisement late 20th century said current owners allowed theatre sink velocity count lights burnt believe interior regularly washed maintained magic theatres handed management theatre june merely months purchasing immediately took double duty manager recently renovated princess vowed return princess stature held end hired new film programmer vancouver fifth avenue cinemas film exhibited new management big began major renovations theatre unveiled princess theatre old space basement theatre featured seats concession new renovations cost avenue debate president decided build screen art house cinema avenue supported plan including princess manager director mayor alliance atlantis plans avenue believing princess business sided fought plans argument went way asked old story height limit story council sided changed vote minute defeating motion present day theatre operated run cinema january point headed took ending lengthy dispute local developer city demolished constructed avenue making princess city oldest surviving cinema
Princess Theatre (Edmonton)