Entrance by Day - Villa Theatre

A black and white photograph of the Villa Theatre from across the street. Three vintage cars are parked on the side of the building. An employee stands in the ticket booth. - , Utah

"Featuring a new 'stadium' seating arrangement for 1300 persons, the Villa theater, under construction at 3050 Highland dr., is scheduled for an early opening. Finished in a modern motif in pastel shades, the theater will include a 20 by 26 foot screen."
Salt Lake Tribune, page B1. Courtesy of the Utah State Historical Society., 9 December 1949

A line of people extends from the box office onto the sidewalk. The island marquee reads, 'Lord of the Rings.' The attraction board on circular entrance canopy reads, 'Carmike Cinemas presents Lord of the Rings.' - , Utah

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.
Grant Smith
18 December 2002

A view of the theater entrance, showing the original and elaborate neon underneath the circular canopy. A trailer is parked on the left. The entrance doors and ticket booth are on the right. - , Utah

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."
Courtesy of Paul Schultz, July 1961

A view of the theater entrance similar to the 1949 photo, in color. The ticket booth extends further outside and is wider. The neon underneath the canopy is less elaborate. - , Utah

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.
Grant Smith
January 2003

Several people stand in line at the box office. An office building rises behind the theater on the left. - , Utah

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.
Grant Smith
December 2002

A dozen people stand in line at the box office. The word 'Villa' is visible above the entrance canopy on the left. The sign on the right reads, 'Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.' - , Utah

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers appears on the Villa's sign as a line of moviegoers wait to buy tickets.
Grant Smith
December 2002

The Villa's sign with the theater in the background. This is a cropped section of a larger photo. - , Utah

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."
Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved, 9 December 1949

The Villa's sign from across the street. Several people stand in line a the box office in the background. - , Utah

"Lord of the Rings" on the Villa Theatre's sign on the opening day of The Two Towers.
Grant Smith
18 December 2002

Two workers stand under the entrance canopy. A ladder leans against the curved wall of the retail space. The sign is only a metal framework. A house stands in the background. - , Utah

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

The theater's sign from the north, with the entrance in the background on the left. - , Utah

"Atlantis or Pearl Harbor" and the Dolby Digital logo, on the Villa Theatre's sign in 2001.
Grant Smith
10 January 2002

The entrance floor has a large white semi-circle with two larger light red circles and four smaller yellow circles. Four poster cases line a curved wall in the background. Entrance doors are on the right. - , Utah

Beneath the circular roof of the Villa Theatre's entrance is a similarly-shaped section of white flooring filled with six colored circles.
Grant Smith
2 October 2002

A large yellow circle with in the foreground. A red circle in the background has a smaller yellow circle inside of it. Entrance doors are at the top left. - , Utah

Colored circles in the floor of the Villa Theatre's entrance. The ticket booth is in the upper right corner of the photo.
Grant Smith
24 October 2002

The theater entrance doors are on the left, with the ticket booth on the right. Hanging from the canopy overhead is a small planter box. - , Utah

Above the entrance of the Villa Theatre in 1961 were the words "Always Delightfully Cool". A sign next to the entrance doors says, 'This performance Sold Out. Tickets for future shows now on sale."
Courtesy of Paul Schultz, July 1961

Three sets of glass double doors, with silver framing. A poster on the right says, 'Free Parking for 500 Cars.' - , Utah

The original doors front doors of the Villa Theatre, just before the theater opened in 1949. The doors had to be replaced after a motorcycle crashed through them in 1998.
Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved, December 1949

Above the entrance canopy in large cursive letters are the words 'Villa Theatre.' Along the edge of the canopy is an attraction board reading, 'Coming Soon. Prince of Foxes.' The curved wall on the left holds four poster cases. On the right is the ticket booth, with a poster case on either side. - , Utah

The entrance of the Villa Theatre in 1949, seen from across the street.
Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved, December 1949

A view similar to the 1949 photos, but in color. The brick has been painted pink. The ticket booth expanded and has only one poster case, on the right side. - , Utah

The entrance of the Villa Theatre from across the street on 22 January 2003.
Grant Smith
January 2003

A curved wall is covered with a display for the movie Can-Can. On the left is an actress with an actor stand on either side. On the right is a woman dancing. Elaborate neon tubing is visible on the ceiling. A portable display for Air France is on the left. - , Utah

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.
Courtesy of Paul Schultz, April 1960

A close up shot shows dark paint marks on a decorative stone wall between the edges of two poster cases. - , Utah

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.
Grant Smith
October 2001

Four poster cases are shown in black and white, with part of the entrance canopy overhead. - , Utah

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 2003.
Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved, December 1949

A curved wall holds posters for 'The Two Towers,' 'Who is Corky,' 'Harry Potter,' and 'Atlantis.' - , Utah

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.
Grant Smith
October 2001

A poser case framed with a stucco border and dark keystone at the top. The lower part of the wall is stone. - , Utah

The sign of the Villa Theatre reflects in a poster case holding a poster for the movie Piglet's Big Movie.
Grant Smith
January 2003

A banner hangs on the sign's attraction board. Snow covers the planter box around the sign. - , Utah

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.
Grant Smith
February 2004