Then and Now: Bellevue Theater turns Grotto
After the MCMeetup at Dot’s Back Inn last weekend, we decided to go next door to Samis Grotto — formerly known as the Bellevue Theater — to check it out. Luckily for us, the owners were there and let us have a peek inside.
Bellevue Theater, 1938
You can find another image of the theater from 1936 here.
The theater was designed by Henry Carl Messerschmidt and built in 1932, three years before mid-century modern design was born. Though the theater’s architectural design and style are clearly Art Deco, which was the popular design of that time, we stumbled across a plethora of mid-century furniture inside that time (and probably the owners) have forgotten about!
Bellevue Theater, today
Located at 4028 Rappahannock Street (which became MacArthur Avenue after World War II), the Bellevue Theater was one of two movie showplaces in Northside. The Ginter Theater, located down the block where Once Upon A Vine now stands, was the other. The Ginter had a short run as a movie palace before becoming a skating rink. The theater eventually closed its doors for good and was torn down.
Ginter Theater, 1938
It has been said that in its glory the Bellevue looked very similar to another popular local movie house, the Byrd Theatre. With its marble foyer and deco-patterned borders, the Bellevue played host to hundreds of patrons, including former Richmonders Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine.
Inside the lobby, leading upstairs to the lounge
Before the Bellevue closed in 1963, WRVA hosted a “Grand Ole Opry”-type show there and it’s rumored that some big country acts — like Sunshine Sue and Hank Williams — once graced the theater’s stage.
The stage today with the backdrops left over from the WRVA days.
The Shriners bought the building in 1967 and it became the Samis Grotto Shrine. Before the purchase, the beautiful theater windows and some of the doors in front were bricked over. The marble foyer was cloaked in wall-to-wall carpet.
The Shriners removed the theater seats and divided them among various masonic lodges in the Richmond area. They leveled the sloping floor and covered it in checkered linoleum to turn the once-bustling theater into a large open meeting hall.
The balcony and main room as viewed from the stage.
But some things were left the same. The original movie screen is still hanging. The decorative wall sconces still give off a ghostly glow. The original lounge and balcony carpet still grace the floors.
Original wall sconce
1930s balcony carpeting
This looks like a vintage Remcraft light
Though the balcony has become a storage haven for old Christmas decorations and miscellaneous junk, the lounge still looks like a place where the Rat Pack would have partied!
Lounge bar
Mid-century display case with 3-rod hairpin legs
1940s bent wood Thonet chair
The upstairs projection room in the Bellevue looks like a time capsule.
Projection room
I think that orange sofa may be a Knoll. What do you think?
Knoll sofa?
House lights controllers
The current owner said at one point she considered renovating the old theater back to its original condition, but was told it would cost more than $1 million to do so and bring it up to code. Could you imagine? Northside could have its Bellevue Theater back! That would be amazing.
Although the current owners know most of the history of their little movie palace, a few questions remain. What did the inside look like in the 1930s and 1940s? Are there photographs out there? Was there a grandiose chandelier hanging in the main room where the tiny disco ball now dangles? If so, where did it go? Was it sold to the Byrd Theatre?
So again, I’m throwing these questions at my readers. Can anyone help unlock more secrets of the Bellevue’s past?
Special thanks to Barry for taking these photos. Next time I’ll be sure to bring my camera!
