Jun. 30, 2010 - Issue #767: The Bestest of Edmonton 2010
Bestest theatre
The long and rich history as the first theatre in Old Strathcona
Edmonton's Princess Theatre, located on Whyte Avenue and 103 Street, has a long and rich history as the first theatre in Old Strathcona. Here's how it all started:1880
John Wellington McKernan is born. He is the first child of Robert and Sara McKernan, who moved to the area that in 1978 would become Strathcona. Robert McKernan was a farmer but would later build the grand Dominion Hotel in 1903. He came down with appendicitis and passed away on April 8, 1908, at 62-years-old. His wife lived to be 91 and passed away in 1944.
Mar 5, 1913
John W McKernan buys the site where the Princess will be built for $75 000 from local entrepreneur Robert Ritchie. McKernan hires a local contractor to design a grand theatre, the first photoplay house south of the river until 1939, when the Garneau Theatre opens. The Princess is built from locally sourced materials, aside from the British Columbian marble on the façade. The theatre is the first building west of Winnipeg to have a marble front.
Mar 8, 1915
Despite the economic downturn and commencement of the First World War in Europe, the Princess unveils itself as a 660-seat beauty, fit for anything from live vaudeville acts to the silent movies of the time.
Sep 23, 1915
McKernan gets notice from Famous Players, the distribution company he has a contract with to receive two films per week, that the Princess will not be getting any productions for the week: "On account of the boat 'Hesperian' having been torpedoed by a German submarine, it will be necessary to skip two 'Weeklies,'" the bulletin says.
Feb 18, 1919
John W McKernan dies from influenza and Alexander Entwistle takes over management of the theatre.
August, 1929
The theatre screens the city's first "talkie," The Canary Murder Case.
1930s
Spike's Pool Hall opens in the theatre's basement, hurting the already poor Great Depression-era theatre attendance. The theatre is rather fruitlessly making an effort to promote itself by offering tickets in exchange for the tops of cereal boxes, until television becomes widely available and the structure is converted and taken over by a tailor and other local businesses.
1970
Princess is renamed Klondike Theatre after being purchased by Town Cinema. The theatre plays second-run movies and even screens adult films for a time.
1976
The newly-created Old Strathcona Foundation purchases the theatre, saving it from its impending destruction.
1978
The freshly face-lifted Princess opens it doors once again.
1999
A second screen, Princess II, opens in the basement of the Princess, with seating capacity for 100.
The Princess remains a vital part of Old Strathcona today. vueweekly.com comments: powered by Disqus
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