John Hamrick

John Hamrick (1875–1956) was an American entrepreneur in the theater business. He leased and owned a large number of vaudeville and movie theaters in the Northwest from at least the early 1920s until the late 1940s. Hamrick lived in Seattle, Washington and eventually assembled a string of theaters that included the Rex Theatre, which he was in charge of as early as 1913.[1] the Oriental Theatre in Portland, Oregon,[2][3] the Beverly, several Blue Mouse Theatres (including one in downtown Tacoma, Washington and the Blue Mouse (Jr.) that is still open in Tacoma's Proctor District), the Music Box Theatre, the Riviera Theatre, and the Roxy Theatre.[4] Hamrick also owned several theaters in Seattle and is generally credited as being the first Seattle theater owner to show "talking pictures."[5]

The Oriental Theatre in Portland had 2,500 seats and in 1932 tickets cost 25-35 cents. Offerings included horror movies such as White Zombie.[6] The Blue Mouse Theatre in Tacoma had 650 seats and brought in $2,100 during White Zombie's one-week run.[6]

  1. ^ The Moving picture world - Page 591 Moving Picture Exhibitors' Association - Performing Arts - 1916
  2. ^ White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film - Page 272 Gary Don Rhodes - Performing Arts - 2001 - 352 pages
  3. ^ Oriental Theater (Portland) Cinema Treasures
  4. ^ The Film Daily yearbook of motion pictures - Page 1024 Performing Arts - 1937
  5. ^ Ochsner, Jeffrey (2007). Lionel H. Pries, Architect, Artist, Educator: From Arts and Crafts to Modern Architecture. Seattle and London: University of Washington Press. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-295-98698-2.
  6. ^ a b Gary Don Rhodes White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film. Page 272.