About the Historic Fargo Theatre

History (1920, 1930, 1940, 1950-60, 1970, 1980, 1990)

1980's

Plitt Theatres operated the Fargo Theatre as a first-run film house until June 1, 1983, at which time Plitt sold their interests to Cinema Entertainment Corporation of St. Cloud. The new owner wasn't interested in keeping the Fargo Theatre open, but offered to donate all the furnishings - including the seats, projectors, concession equipment, and Wurlitzer organ - if the American Theatre Organ Society would take over the monthly lease on the building. The American Theatre Organ Society quickly formed a non-profit organization, titled the Fargo Theatre Management Corporation, and established a six-member Board of Directors. The Theatre was closed the entire month of June 1983, while volunteers scrubbed the concession area and restrooms, shampooed the carpets, relamped light fixtures, and painted the auditorium floor and manager's office in just a few short weeks.

On July 1, 1983, the Fargo Theatre re-opened as a repertory cinema, featuring second-run Hollywood hits and occasional classic and foreign films. The opening movie that day was David Lean's 1965 epic "Dr. Zhivago." A grand opening celebration followed in April 1984. The Fargo Theatre Management Corporation continued to lease the Theatre until August 2, 1985, when it officially acquired full ownership of the Theatre.

The new management continued to make improvements to the Theatre, with the assistance of donated materials and labor from the community. Volunteers painted the auditorium ceiling and walls, returning it to the original color used int he 1937 remodeling, and put back the Art Deco accent lines that had been painted over in the 1950s. Volunteers also re-lamped the long-unused lighting effects on the auditorium walls, highlighting the architectural beauty of the Art Deco design. Improvements were also made to the orchestra pit.

By June 1987, a major remodeling project was underway in the Theatre lobby, which had not been updated since 1952. The $500,000 project was made possible by funding from the Earl C. Reineke Foundation and the City of Fargo. The original plans from the 1937 re-design were found in an architectural archive in Minneapolis, and were followed to restore the clean, flowing lines of the Art Deco look. Sleek black glass and matching black doors were incorporated into the front facade at street level, and the ceiling over the lobby was removed, creating a spacious two-story entrance. The architects replaced the green carpets and drapes of the 1950s with mirrors, neon, and mahogany wood accents. An article in The Forum on November 1, 1987 provided the following description of the remodeling:

"Fifteen feet of light-filled space soar over the all-new brass trimmed concession stand. A mirror runs through a recessed oval in the ceiling and down both sides of the room. Neon strips of light follow the mirror down the walls to join another three-color mirror on each side of the concession stand. Muted blue light glows from recesses in the pale peach walls around the restrooms on the main floor and mezzanine."

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Reineke lobby was held on November 4, 1987. On November 16, a special Silent Movie Night presentation celebrated the lobby opening. The evening featured Charilie Chaplin on screen in "The Circus," and Hildegarde Kraus at the console of the Wurlitzer organ.

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