The Ritz Theatre to celebrate its 80th anniversary

The Ritzville Downtown Development Association will celebrate the Ritz Theatre’s 80th anniversary with a fundraiser on Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.

The admission for the event is $10 for all ages and includes a beverage. Concessions, as well as beer and wine for patrons 21 years and older, will be served.

The Ritz Theatre opened in 1937. Seattle architect Bjarne Moe, who specialized in movie theaters, designed The Ritz. It is one of few theaters in the Pacific Northwest from Moe’s designs still operating.

Contractor W.G. Meyers of Spokane completed construction of the building before its opening on Sept. 9, 1937.

B.F. Shearer, theater equipment specialists out of Seattle, installed comfortable streamlined seats, air conditioning, luxurious carpets, modern draperies, lighting and a projector.

On its opening night, the Ritz showed the musical “Wake Up and Live,” starring Ben Bernie and Walter Winchell. Prior to showing “Wake Up and Live,” the theater premiered several shorter movies, including “It May Happen to You,” a featurette about mobsters who convince a meat packing employee to help them hijack a truckload of beef.

City attorney Richard B. Ott, Senior Chamber of Commerce President A.C. Rummer and Junior Chamber of Commerce President Everett Kiehn spoke at the theater’s dedication. Prominent representatives from Seattle’s film industry attended the premiere.

The Ritz was packed to capacity during the premiere. Folks who were unable to be inside the Ritz stood in the streets and heard the dedicatory addresses over a public address system. The foyer was lined with flowers sent by citizens.

“I wish to express my appreciation for the well wishes extended during our opening week,” said Roy C. Irvine, who owned The Ritz in 1937. ”It has been gratifying to know our efforts have (been) met with such a favorable response on the part of the public.”

The Ritz has undergone some changes over the years.

In 1983, Herb Benzel purchased the building at an estate auction. He, along with his wife and farm crew spent three winters restoring it and reopened the building with John Geschke in 1987. The Ritz celebrated its Golden Anniversary celebration in 1987. Street renovations delayed the anniversary from September to December. The celebration combined a birthday party, grand reopening and a Christmas festival.

Party goers were treated to wine and hor d’oeuvres before the featured movie “A Christmas Story.”

Benzel donated the building to the Ritzville Downtown Development Association in 2012. The organization started working on the building on Labor Day 2013 and it was reopened by May 2014.

“The community came together and provided labor, volunteers and monetary support to help renovate the theater,” said Linda Kubik of the RDDA.

The structure continues to undergo remodeling and has received new equipment. The seating capacity has been reduced to 250. A Christie Solaria One+ modern projector was purchased in time for the 77th anniversary of the theater.

The theatre continues to provide entertainment for residents and visitors. It is open three days week, with 7 p.m. showings on Friday and Saturday and a 3 p.m. showing on Sunday. The RDDA relies heavily on volunteers and donations to keep the theater open for the community.

“It’s one of the only first-run movie theater from the ‘30s or ‘40s that is still going,” RDDA President John Rankin said.

During this Saturday’s fundraiser, The Ritz Theatre will show “The Maltese Falcon.” Written and directed by John Huston, “The Maltese Falcon” is based on Dashiell Hammett’s 1929 novel of the same name.

The movie stars Humphrey Bogart as private investigator Sam Spade, who crosses paths with different characters, all of whom are after a jewel-encrusted falcon statuette.

Linda Kubik said the RDDA intended to show “Wake Up and Live,” however they were unable to obtain a digital copy of the movie from 20th Century Fox.

Rankin said “The Maltese Falcon” was chosen because it a was movie from the ‘40s that people would know.

Kubik referred to The Ritz as one of “the anchors of Main Street,” along with the library.