Peery's Egyptian Theater

Peery's Egyptian Theater is a historic movie palace and community performing-arts venue in downtown Ogden, Utah. The theater was conceived by brothers Harman and Louis Peery after the Arlington Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1923. They sought to create a grand regional attraction described as the “Showplace of the West,” commissioning the Wasatch Front architectural firm Hodgson & McClenahan to design an Egyptian-themed theater influenced by major early twentieth-century movie palaces, including Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Construction began in 1923 on the site of the former hotel and the Peery family's first Ogden home. The completed theater opened on July 3, 1924, with the silent film The Wanderer of the Wasteland, based on the work of Zane Grey. The presentation featured the theater's Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ, which initially served as an important accompaniment to silent films and later supported intermissions and special programs. The building was designed as a fire-resistant showhouse using solid poured-concrete construction. Its owners promoted it as Ogden's fireproof theater, and a rooftop weight test using more than 70,000 pounds of gravel demonstrated the strength of the structure. The venue's programming and technology changed with the movie industry. The first talking picture shown there was In Old Arizona in 1929. The theater was associated with Twentieth Century-Fox and later Fox Inter-Mountain Theaters, which operated or leased the Peery theaters in Ogden. Entrance and lobby alterations in the 1930s enlarged the marquee and updated the box office and ceiling, while a more substantial refurbishment in 1951 introduced additional decorative details. In 1953 the theater presented It Came from Outer Space in 3-D and The Robe in CinemaScope. The widescreen format required alterations to the inner proscenium, and a four-channel high-fidelity sound system was installed. A 1961 remodeling modernized the auditorium but removed or covered some original decorative features. The screen was enlarged, the walls and curtains were given a pink treatment, and seating was reconfigured from roughly 1,200 places to about 850 to improve comfort and legroom. The pipe organ was removed and stored in 1960. The Egyptian continued as a first-run cinema into the early 1980s, after which management passed to a smaller local chain and the theater shifted to second-run films. It closed in 1984 following a health-code violation. The shuttered building faced repeated threats of demolition before preservation advocates intervened. The Weber County Heritage Foundation helped facilitate its purchase for the original 1924 construction price, and the Egyptian Theater Foundation was established to organize restoration. Ogden City, Weber County, Weber State University, the foundation, the Ogden/Weber Chamber of Commerce, private donors, charitable foundations, and the Utah State Legislature supported the rehabilitation. The restored theater reopened on January 17, 1997, with a broader mission as a community theater and performing-arts house rather than solely a cinema. Today the venue presents classic and documentary films, children's films, live music, plays, ballet, pipe-organ programs, and community events. Its annual performances of The Nutcracker are a recurring seasonal attraction, and the Sundance Film Festival has used the theater for screenings since 1998. A Wurlitzer theater pipe organ was reinstalled in 2004. Architecturally, the theater is distinguished by its richly detailed terra-cotta Egyptian facade, steeply raked single-level seating, wood-backed chairs, and an atmospheric ceiling that shifts from a daytime or dusk effect to a star-filled night sky. It is recognized as one of the few surviving Egyptian-style theaters in the United States and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Peery's Egyptian Theater emerged from the rebuilding of downtown Ogden after the Arlington Hotel burned in 1923. Harman and Louis Peery planned a large, visually distinctive movie palace on the cleared site, which also had personal significance because it was where the Peery family had maintained its first Ogden home. They commissioned Hodgson & McClenahan, an architectural practice associated with important Wasatch Front landmarks, to develop an Egyptian-themed design inspired by prominent theatrical buildings of the period. Construction took approximately ten months. The theater opened on July 3, 1924, with The Wanderer of the Wasteland, a silent film based on a Zane Grey story. Its Mighty Wurlitzer organ supplied musical accompaniment, making the instrument central to the original cinema experience. The building used poured concrete to reduce fire risk, a major concern for crowded theaters in the early twentieth century. A publicized test placed more than 70,000 pounds of gravel on the auditorium roof, which showed little flexing. The venue was marketed as a safe, fire-resistant theater for Ogden families. The Egyptian adapted repeatedly to changes in film exhibition. In Old Arizona became its first talking picture in 1929, reducing the organ's routine role in film accompaniment. The theater was connected with the Twentieth Century-Fox and Fox Inter-Mountain Theaters operating structure. In the 1930s, entrance and lobby alterations enlarged the marquee and modernized front-of-house spaces. Fox undertook another refurbishment in 1951. The technological transition accelerated in 1953, when the theater presented a 3-D attraction and a CinemaScope feature. CinemaScope's wide image required the removal of two inner-proscenium columns, and a four-channel high-fidelity sound system was added for stereophonic presentation. The 1961 remodeling reflected contemporary cinema expectations but was less sympathetic to the original interior. Decorative elements were painted over or removed, the auditorium was treated in pink, a larger screen was placed in front of the proscenium, and seating was reduced from approximately 1,200 to 850. The reduction was intended to improve legroom and patron comfort. The Wurlitzer organ, removed in 1960, went into storage. Despite these alterations, the theater retained its distinctive Egyptian exterior, atmospheric ceiling, steeply raked auditorium, and unusual single-level seating arrangement. The theater continued to show first-run films into the early 1980s. When management moved to a smaller local chain, limited resources contributed to a change toward second-run programming. The building closed in 1984 after a health-code violation and subsequently stood boarded up. Preservationists and local residents resisted proposals that could have led to demolition. The Weber County Heritage Foundation helped arrange a last-minute acquisition at the original construction price, while the Egyptian Theater Foundation was formed to coordinate a restoration campaign. Restoration involved Weber County, Ogden City, Weber State University, the Egyptian Theater Foundation, and the Ogden/Weber Chamber of Commerce. Funding and major contributions came from Dr. Louis S. and Jan Peery, the George S. and Delores Dore Eccles Foundation, the Utah State Legislature, and numerous smaller donors. The theater reopened on January 17, 1997. Its mission expanded from conventional movie exhibition to a mixed cultural program of plays, concerts, classic and documentary films, children's productions, dance, organ events, and community gatherings. The Egyptian has also become part of the regional festival and seasonal-event circuit. Sundance Film Festival screenings have taken place there since 1998, and annual performances of The Nutcracker are among its recurring holiday programs. The Wurlitzer pipe organ was reinstalled in 2004. The venue's heritage value is reinforced by its National Register of Historic Places listing, awarded in 1978. Its terra-cotta facade remains highly intact, while the atmospheric ceiling continues to create the effect of a sky changing from daylight or dusk to stars. The theater is regarded as Utah's only bona fide movie palace and as one of the small number of surviving Egyptian-style theaters still operating in the United States.

1. 2004Wurlitzer organ returns

   A Wurlitzer theater pipe organ is reinstalled in the venue.

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2. 1998Sundance screenings begin

   The theater begins hosting Sundance Film Festival screenings.

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3. 1997Restoration reopening

   The restored venue reopens on January 17 as a movie, theater, and performing-arts facility.

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4. 1984Cinema closes

   The theater closes after a period of second-run exhibition and a health-code violation.

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5. 1978Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

   The theater receives formal recognition for its architectural and historical significance.

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6. 1961Major modernization remodel

   A remodel enlarges the screen and changes interior finishes and seating, reducing capacity to approximately 850.

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7. 19533-D and CinemaScope arrive

   The venue presents an early 3-D film and a CinemaScope feature, prompting changes to the proscenium and sound system.

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8. 1935Fox operating affiliation is formalized

   Twentieth Century-Fox incorporates, and the Peery theaters become associated with Fox Inter-Mountain Theaters through leasing arrangements.

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9. 1929First talking picture

   In Old Arizona becomes the theater's first talking-picture presentation.

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10. 1924The theater opens

    Peery's Egyptian Theater opens on July 3 with The Wanderer of the Wasteland and Mighty Wurlitzer accompaniment.

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11. 1923Construction begins after the Arlington Hotel fire

    Harman and Louis Peery initiate construction of an Egyptian-themed movie palace on the site cleared by the Arlington Hotel fire.

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A preserved Egyptian-themed movie palace positioned as Ogden's historic cultural and entertainment venue, combining film exhibition, live performance, community programming, and architectural heritage.

• Film exhibitionCinema programming1924

  The theater's original and continuing core activity is public film exhibition. Historically it showed silent, talking, first-run, and later second-run films; after restoration, its film program broadened to classic, documentary, children's, and festival screenings, including Sundance Film Festival presentations.

• Live performing artsPerforming arts1997

  Since its 1997 restoration reopening, the venue has operated as a community performing-arts house as well as a cinema. Its programming includes classical plays, live musical performances, dance, ballet, and other cultural presentations.

• Wurlitzer theater pipe organ programsMusic and heritage programming2004

  The theater's pipe-organ tradition began with the original Mighty Wurlitzer, which accompanied silent films. After the instrument was removed and stored, a Wurlitzer theater pipe organ was reinstalled in 2004. Organ performances now form part of the venue's historic and cultural programming.

• The NutcrackerSeasonal ballet

  Annual holiday performances of The Nutcracker are among the theater's best-known recurring programs, bringing ballet and seasonal cultural programming to the historic auditorium.

• Community eventsVenue hire and civic programming1997

  The theater hosts recurring community events in addition to ticketed cinema and performing-arts programs, extending its role as a civic and cultural gathering place for Ogden and Weber County.

• 2004Restore the theater's pipe-organ traditionOther

  The original organ had been removed and placed in storage during the theater's twentieth-century modernization period.

  What changed. A Wurlitzer theater pipe organ was reinstalled after the restoration.

  Aftermath. Organ performances again became part of the venue's historic atmosphere and public programming.

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• 1997Reopen as a community performing-arts venueStrategy

  After closing in 1984 and facing possible demolition, the historic theater required a preservation campaign and comprehensive restoration.

  What changed. The restored building reopened with a mission broader than first-run cinema, combining film screenings with theater, music, dance, organ performances, and community events.

  Aftermath. The change helped establish the Egyptian as a multipurpose cultural venue and enabled it to host recurring festival, seasonal, and community programming.

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• 2004Wurlitzer pipe organ is reinstalled

  A Wurlitzer theater pipe organ was returned to the restored venue, reinforcing its historic movie-palace character.

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• 1998Sundance Film Festival begins screenings at the theater

  The venue has hosted Sundance Film Festival screenings since 1998.

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• 1997Restored theater reopens as a broader performing-arts venue

  Following a community-led preservation and restoration effort, the Egyptian reopened on January 17 with programming expanded beyond movies to include theater and other performing arts.

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• 1984Peery's Egyptian Theater closes after health-code violation

  After declining from first-run to second-run exhibition, the theater closed following a health-code violation and remained unused for a period.

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• 1953The theater presents early 3-D and CinemaScope films

  The Egyptian presented It Came from Outer Space in 3-D and The Robe in CinemaScope, leading to proscenium and sound-system modifications.

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• 1924Peery's Egyptian Theater opens in Ogden

  The new Egyptian-themed movie palace opened on July 3 with The Wanderer of the Wasteland and accompaniment from its Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ.

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1. Peery's Egyptian Theater
2. Official website