Bagdad Theater, Historic movie theater in Hawthorne District, Portland, US
The Bagdad Theater is a movie theater in Portland's Hawthorne District. The rectangular reinforced-concrete building, covered in stucco, has red tile roofs and a neon-lit vertical sign reading "BAGDAD" above the corner. Inside, a 700-foot lobby leads to the auditorium, with trompe-l'œil tiles, arched doorways, and a curved coffered ceiling in the arcade.
The theater opened in 1927 as a venue for silent films accompanied by live orchestral music. Over time it transitioned to sound films and eventually became a space for independent cinema.
The theater has served as a gathering place where locals and visitors come together to watch films and socialize. People use the space today much the same way, enjoying movies while dining in a shared environment.
The entrance sits between commercial storefronts on the north and west sides, and a 700-foot lobby leads from the door toward the auditorium. Hallways and ramps connect the lobby to the viewing areas, and the 2013 renovation brought a larger screen, a digital projector, new seats and an upgraded sound system. Allow time to walk the length of the lobby before the film starts.
The Bagdad was built by Universal Studios for $100,000 and opened on January 14, 1927, with Her Big Night starring Laura La Plante. Its female ushers wore uniforms meant to look Arabian, and early bills mixed silent films, talkies, an orchestra and vaudeville. Sammy Davis Jr. and the Will Mastin Trio performed there.
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