By: Movie Buff
I read an article in today's paper about the Egyptian Theater opening up, or adding to, its Wall of Fame pertaining to those who helped "save the Egyptian":
• Peery's restored Egyptian Theater unveils Wall of Fame to honor its benefactorsNice touch, and I'm glad that a group of concerned citizens moved forward to save this wonderful, old building. I doubt, however, that there will be much traction regarding the Cinedome, a fine old theater but not quite up to the par of Ogden's movie houses.
Ogden's movie theater history is as colorful as old time Hollywood itself. Ogden was home to four indoor theaters back in the old days. The Egyptian and Ogden (located between Washington and Adams on the North side of 25th, immediately West of the White City Bowl and Dance Emporium) were owned by the Perry family. The Orpheum was located south of the Ben Lomond Hotel (today, the curved State Office Building’s there) and the Paramount sat on the West side of Kiesel Avenue (now occupied by the Federal Building parking lot), both theaters owned by the Glasmann family. As a caveat, both families fostered quite colorful Mayors for this fine town of ours, but since I know a little more about the history of the Orpheum and Paramount, this article is about those two theaters. The Egyptian Foundation can provide all the necessary history for that theater, and hopefully the Ogden Theater. I'd imagine that Ozboy could provide some detailed history about Ogden and both of these fine Ogden families, along with the some of the other movers and shakers from this once glorious era.
