{{short description|American entrepreneur (1875–1956)}}
'''John Hamrick''' (1875 – 1956) was an American entrepreneur in the theater business. He leased and owned a large number of vaudeville and movie theaters in the Northwest from at least the early 1920s until the late 1940s. Hamrick lived in Seattle, Washington and eventually assembled a string of theaters that included the Rex Theatre, which he was in charge of as early as 1913.<ref>The Moving picture world - Page 591 Moving Picture Exhibitors' Association - Performing Arts - 1916</ref> the Oriental Theatre in Portland, Oregon,<ref>''White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film'' - Page 272 Gary Don Rhodes - Performing Arts - 2001 - 352 pages</ref><ref>[http://cinematreasures.org/theater/2728/ Oriental Theater (Portland)] Cinema Treasures</ref> the Beverly, several Blue Mouse Theatres (including one in downtown Tacoma, Washington and the Blue Mouse (Jr.) that is still open in Tacoma's Proctor District), the Music Box Theatre, the Riviera Theatre, and the Roxy Theatre.<ref>''The Film Daily yearbook of motion pictures'' - Page 1024 Performing Arts - 1937</ref> Hamrick also owned several theaters in Seattle and is generally credited as being the first Seattle theater owner to show "talking pictures."<ref>{{cite book |last=Ochsner |first=Jeffrey |title=Lionel H. Pries, Architect, Artist, Educator: From Arts and Crafts to Modern Architecture |pages=83 |year=2007 |publisher=University of Washington Press |location=Seattle and London |isbn=978-0-295-98698-2 }}</ref>
The Oriental Theatre in Portland had 2,500 seats and in 1932 tickets cost 25-35 cents. Offerings included horror movies such as ''White Zombie''.<ref name="zombie"/> The Blue Mouse Theatre in Tacoma had 650 seats and brought in $2,100 during ''White Zombie's'' one-week run.<ref name="zombie">Gary Don Rhodes [https://books.google.com/books?id=o-TKtRV7jRQC&dq=john+hamrick+tacoma&pg=PA272 ''White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film'']. Page 272.</ref>
==Blue Mouse== [[File:JazzSingerAndFox.jpg|thumb|A 1928 newspaper ad for showings of ''The Jazz Singer'' at John Hamrick's Blue Mouse theater in downtown Tacoma]] Some of Hamrick's theaters were named Blue Mouse. The silent movie ''The Grub Stake'' played at Hamrick's Blue Mouse theaters.<ref name="stars">Eric L. Flom [https://books.google.com/books?id=FRUhxhNTZngC&dq=john+hamrick+tacoma&pg=PT287 Silent Film Stars on the Stages of Seattle]: A History of Performances by Hollywood Notables Edition illustrated McFarland, 2009 {{ISBN|0-7864-3908-4}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7864-3908-9}}, 309 pages</ref> His company had theaters in Tacoma, Washington including the Proctor Street Blue Mouse Theater (called Blue Mouse Jr. to distinguish it from the one in downtown Tacoma) that has been in continuous operation (except during renovations) since 1923. The theater was may have been named after one in Paris, France that Hamrick attended in 1919. Fitzherbert Leather, an architect from London, designed the "garden style arts and crafts" building and it was built by Henry Sanstrom for $20,000. Movies were changed three times a week by manager George C. Greenlund.<ref>Caroline Gallacci, Bill Evans [https://books.google.com/books?id=j7ZtZWuGfsMC&dq=john+hamrick+tacoma&pg=PA48 ''Tacoma's Proctor District'']. Images of America Edition illustrated. Arcadia Publishing, 2008 {{ISBN|0-7385-4812-X}}, 9780738548128 128 pages page 48</ref>
Theater chain growth was reported during 1922 when Hamrick "bought the Apollo at 11th Street and Broadway, renamed it the Blue Mouse, then opened the Blue Mouse..."<ref>Movies were the toast of Tacoma December 14, 2008 ''The News Tribune'' (Tacoma, WA)</ref>
Hamrick's Blue Mouse Theatre in downtown Portland was reported to be "a 1960 victim of Tacoma's regrettable experiment with moving sidewalks."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024101441/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/TRIBnet/access/1286324911.html?dids=1286324911:1286324911&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+10,+2007&author=PAT+MCCOID&pub=News+Tribune&desc=Picture+book+offers+eclectic+history&pqatl=google "Picture book offers eclectic history"] [South Sound Edition] Pat McCoid. June 10, 2007 Start Page: E.12 Soundlife ''The News Tribune'' - Tacoma, Wash.</ref> The Blue Mouse (Jr.) was recently restored and is being proposed for historical landmark status.
==Other theaters== Hamrick reopened Seattle's vaudeville film showcase the Orpheum Theater (built 1927) in 1934, after it was closed for nearly a year. He "engaged film comedians Bert Wheeler…and Robert Woolsey…for a personal appearance at the Orpheum, a popular move that helped revive the house's fortunes, however briefly" while "also attempting to revive the ailing Music Hall Theatre just a couple of blocks away." The Orpheum was torn in 1967 to make way for the Washington Plaza Hotel (now the Westin Hotel). The theater had the "largest theater vault in the world, containing a money chest weighing 1,500 pounds that would put Treasure Island pirates to shame" and its furnishings and decorations were auctioned.<ref>[http://www.historyink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=4267 Orpheum Theatre (Seattle)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726151905/http://www.historyink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=4267 |date=2011-07-26 }} Eric L. Flom December 12, 2003 HistoryLink.org</ref>
Hamrick took over the Globe Theater, built in 1912, at 11th and Washington Streets in downtown Portland, remodeling it and reopening it as the Blue Mouse on November 28, 1921. "In each Northwest city, when the Hamrick chain came in and established themselves, their first house was always called the Blue Mouse..." according to one theory, " Mr. and Mrs. Hamrick were visiting in London where they attended a musical play titled 'The Blue Mouse'… They were so entranced by the play that they thereafter named their theatres Blue Mouse… There was also a Shubert production of "The Blue Mouse"."<ref>"The Sad Demise of the Despondent Rodent" by Loren Shisler in ''Marquee'' magazine of the Theatre Historical Soc. in 3rd Qtr. Of 1977 (hosted at [http://cinematreasures.org/theater/6589/ Cinema Treasures]</ref>
In 1934, Hamrick announced plans to include Tacoma, Washington in a vaudeville circuit.<ref>[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=TNTB&d_place=TNTB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=12B997A8E8DC4BF0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Looking Back] October 26, 2009 News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington) Original story October 26, 1934</ref>
==Political activities== A February 4, 1933 article in Ellensburg, Washington's ''Daily Record'' quotes Hamrick as one of the business leaders opposed to a proposed Washington State tax measure at a meeting in Olympia, Washington. Hamrick was one of those representing the motion picture industry in speaking out against the luxury, occupational and business tax measures during a six-hour meeting. John R. Jones, a Democrat from Okanagan and chairman of the house revenue and taxation committee, conducted the hearing.<ref name="representation"/>
Hamrick said, "We don't think we are a luxury. It isn't fair to tax one industry and not another." He recommended a one- or two-percent tax on grosses at all businesses instead. Frank Newman, owner of 50 theaters in Oregon, Washington, and Montana, said the tax would close "most of the showhouses in the state" and said the businesses were not taking in enough money to cover expenses. Smaller theater owners agreed, noting that the number of theaters in the state declined from 472 in 1930 to 212 at the time of the meeting.<ref name="representation">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TtArAAAAIBAJ&sjid=doQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5798,1098367&dq=john+hamrick+seattle&hl=en] February 4, 1933 ''Daily Record'' page 1 (Ellensburg, Washington)</ref>
==Hamrick residences== The John and Fannie Hamrick residence in Seattle's Broadmoor neighborhood (constructed 1929-30) was designed by the Seattle partnership Bain & Pries in a Spanish eclectic style.<ref name="Pries">{{cite book |last=Ochsner |first=Jeffrey |title=Lionel H. Pries, Architect, Artist, Educator: From Arts and Crafts to Modern Architecture |pages=83, 85–9 |year=2007 |publisher=University of Washington Press |location=Seattle and London |isbn=978-0-295-98698-2 }}</ref> Bain & Pries design partner Lionel H. Pries was deeply involved in all aspects of the design, which, at the time was characterized as "Santa Barbara Spanish."<ref name="Pries"/> The house has complex rooflines, few windows (in favor of interior courtyards) and an interior with "exposed beams, arched openings", and thick walls.<ref name="residence">Caroline T. Swope [https://books.google.com/books?id=IyMOP22JK0sC&dq=%22John+Hamrick%22%2C+theaters&pg=PT194 ''Classic Houses of Seattle: High style to Vernacular, 1870-1950'']. page 188, 194-195, 247, 252</ref> Decorative carvings and paintings adorn the beams, lighting fixtures are made of hammered metal, and tiled steps lead to a sunken living room.<ref name="residence"/> It may have been designed to evoke aspects of the Hollywood film industry.<ref name="residence"/> The house was said to evoke the Spanish Renaissance design motifs of his Music Box Theatre with "wrought iron balconies and gates, round stair tower," stenciled beams, heraldic shields, and castone fireplace.<ref>Lawrence Kreisman [https://books.google.com/books?id=GDEEAAAAMBAJ&dq=John+Hamrick+theatre&pg=PA56] Sep 1999 Old House Interiors</ref>
Hamrick also had a house in the "Little Tuscany" area of Palm Springs, California. It was built by 1942 and featured in ''California Pictorial Magazine'''s Spring edition showing "photographs of it by Maynard L. Parker, with interiors by decorator R.D. Harrell and featuring furnishings by Barker Brothers of Los Angeles." The text read: "the entire effect of the house is light, high-spirited, gay and cheerful, a faithful reflection of the mood of the desert resort." The Hamricks were said to have commissioned Alber Frey and John Porter Clark to add a sun room – or lanai in 1947, and several rooms were reportedly redesigned by Arthur Elrod, a local interior designer, in 1956-57.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.locationsunlimited.com/Property/hamrick/index.html |title=Hamrick |accessdate=2009-12-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105210754/http://www.locationsunlimited.com/Property/hamrick/index.html |archivedate=2009-01-05 }}</ref>
==Personal life== Hamrick was buried at the Acacia Memorial Park in Lake Forest Park, King County, Washington.
Hamrick, his 11-year-old daughter and another girl were also involved in a car accident in 1920, during a period when he was proprietor of the Rex theater.<ref name="wild run">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R8wrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dIQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4164,1972791&dq=john+hamrick+theatre&hl=en "Auto Crashes Into House In Wild Run"] February 26, 1920 page 1 ''Ellensburg Daily Record''</ref> The car, being driven by Hamrick, plunged downhill, over sidewalks and embankments, and crashed into the house of Hans P. Fogh on Howell Street tearing "through the wall into the house, brining{{sic}} up against a piano". No one was injured, although "five were endangered", including Miss Anna Fogh who was thrown from a couch, and damage to the residence was estimated at $1,500 with $100 of damage to the automobile.<ref name="wild run"/>
==Theaters== * Temple Theater (1932), also known as Masonic Temple Building, Heilig's Theater, John Hamrick's Temple Theater, 47 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, Washington. Designed by Ambrose J. Russell and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 1993<ref>ID Number 93000357</ref> * Blue Mouse Theater downtown Tacoma, Washington * Blue Mouse Theatre (originally known as Blue Mouse Jr.) in Proctor District of Tacoma, Washington's oldest continuously operating theater.<ref name="Phuong Cat Le, 2008">{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/getaways/361961_shorttrips08.html |title=Friendly roots go deep in Proctor District |last=Le |first=Phuong Cat |date=May 7, 2008 |publisher=seattlepi.com |accessdate=20 December 2009 |quote="...the Blue Mouse Theatre, the state's oldest continuously running movie theater..." }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> * Blue Mouse Theatre Portland, Oregon. Opened in the Globe Theater (1912) after a complete remodel (1921). Moved with signage to the Capitol Theatre building in 1958. Demolished 1977. * Blue Mouse Theatre Corvallis, Oregon. (1921) Closed 1923. * Blue Mouse Theatre Seattle (1920) Demolished in 1970. * Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall purchased existing theater to be part of Evergreen theater chain in 1936. * Music Box Theatre Tacoma, Nebraska. (1927) * Egyptian Theater in University District, Seattle.<ref>[http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7581 Seattle’s Venetian Theater reopens on February 11, 1927] Eric L. Flom, February 25, 2006 History Link</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110717082948/http://www.tradejournalmedia.com/PressReleases/release5049.php PR Web story on Hamrick House Palm Springs]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamrick, John}} Category:American businesspeople in the entertainment industry Category:Businesspeople from Seattle Category:1875 births Category:1956 deaths