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Villa Theatre Entrance - Day

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The entrance of the Villa Theatre during the day.  The most striking features of the Villa's exterior are the circular marquee over the entrance and the theater's sign with its thousands of feet of neon lighting.  The Villa Theatre was built in a residential area on a property which once held a house.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, 5 April 2002

Villa Theatre from across the street in 1949

The Villa Theatre on 9 December 1949, two weeks before the theater opened.  Posters advertise the theater's parking capacity of500 cars.  On the sign is the text, "Salt Lakes Grandest Theatre".
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved

Villa Theatre from across the street in 2002

A line of moviegoers await the opening of the Villa Theatre's ticket booth on the first day of Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.  In 2003 the Villa Theatre looked much as it did when it opened in 1949.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, 18 December 2002

Entrance of the Villa Theatre in 1961

A trailer for radio station KCPX sits by the entrance of the Villa Theatre for a July 1961 showing of This Is Cinerama.  A sign by the doors says "This performance sold out."
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo courtesy of Paul Schultz

Entrance of the Villa Theatre in 2003

The entrance of the Villa Theatre in 2003.  The use of neon in the entry area has been simplified, with straight lines and circles replacing the more elaborate patterns of old.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, 22 January 2003

Entrance of the Villa Theatre in 2002

The words "Villa Theatre" on the circular roof over the theater entrance.  On the left of entry doors are four poster cases.  On the right is the ticket booth and a single poster case.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, 31 December 2002

Entrance and sign of the Villa Theatre

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers appears on the Villa's sign as a line of moviegoers wait to buy tickets.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, 18 December 2002

Sign of the Villa Theatre in 1949

On 9 December 1949 the Villa Theatre's sign read, "Salt Lakes Grandest Theatre.  Open Soon.  Prince of Foxes. Tyrone Power, Wanda Hendrix.  At Popular First Run Prices."
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved

Sign of the Villa Theatre in 2002

Lord of the Rings on the Villa Theatre's sign on the opening day of The Two Towers.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, 18 December 2002

Construction of the Villa Theatre's sign and marquee

Construction of the marquee and sign of the Villa Theatre on 17 November 1949.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved

'Atlantis', 'Pearl Harbor', and the Dolby Digital logo on the Villa Theatre's sign in 2001

Atlantis, Pearl Harbor, and the Dolby Digital logo on the Villa Theatre's sign in 2001.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, 2001

Floor in the entry of the Villa Theatre

Beneath the circular roof of the Villa Theatre's entrance is a similarly-shaped section of white flooring filled with six colored circles.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, October 2001

Colored circles in the entrance floor of the Villa Theatre

Colored circles in the floor of the Villa Theatre's entrance.  The ticket booth is in the upper right corner of the photo.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, 24 October 2002

Entrance doors and ticket booth of the Villa Theatre in 1961

Above the entrance of the Villa Theatre in 1961 were the words "Always Delightfully Cool".  The original glass doors of the theater were replaced after a motorcycle crashed through them in 1998.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo courtesy of Paul Schultz

Original entrance doors of the Villa Theatre in 1949

The original doors front doors of the Villa Theatre, just before the theater opened in 1949.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved, 9 December 1949

Entrance of the Villa Theatre in 1949

The front of the Villa Theatre from across the street on 9 December 1949.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved

Entrance of the Villa Theatre in 2003

The entrance of the Villa Theatre from across the street on 22 January 2003.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, 22 January 2003

Display for 'Can-Can' at the Villa Theatre in 1960

A display for Can-Can advertises "Breath Taking Techicolor", "In the Magic of TODD-AO!", and "Full 6 Track Stereo Sound".  Sometime before 1960 the three poster cases on the left of the entrance were covered with a wall that could be painted for each major feature.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo courtesy of Paul Schultz

Paint splotches between poster cases at the Villa Theatre

The display wall on the left of the Villa Theatre's entrance was removed when Carmike Cinemas renovated the theater in 1996.  You can still see paint splotches and the holes where it was bolted into the wall.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith

The Villa Theatre's four original poster cases in 1949

The original four poster cases on 9 December 1949.  The poster cases were removed during the 1996 remodel and stored on the Villa Theatre's stage until the theater closed in 2004.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved

New poster cases installed by Carmike Cinemas in 1996

The new poster cases installed by Carmike Cinemas during the 1996 remodel of the Villa Theatre.  Each poster cases featured a tube of neon around the poster and a keystone in the stucco above.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith

A poster for 'Piglet's Big Movie' in a poster case at the Villa Theatre

The sign of the Villa Theatre reflects in a poster case holding a poster for the movie Piglet's Big Movie. 
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, 23 January 2003

'For Sale' banner on the Villa Theatre's sign in 2004

A "For Sale" banner on the Villa Theatre's sign in 2004.  Harmons Grocery later sold the Villa to Dr. Hamid Adib of the nearby Adib's Rug Gallery.
Villa Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Photo by Grant Smith, 21 February 2004