© 2024
NPR for Northern Colorado
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Estes Park Landmark Celebrates 100 Years

Brett Levin Photography
/
Creative Commons/Flickr

This weekend the Historic Park Theatre in Estes Park will have a decidedly vintage look as it celebrates its 100th year with the Silent Movie Comedy Film Festival.

Eight films will be shown Saturday and Sunday, accompanied by live music from accomplished pianist Jordan McBeen.

The comedies include films starring Charlie Chaplin, Fatty Arbuckle and Buster Keaton.

"All of these actors – Charlie Chaplin in particular – were the highest-paid and most popular actors of their day. They were the reason people went to films," says Steve Smersh, who’s helping produce the festival, now in its second year.

While most people are familiar with silent movies, not many have experienced the unique art form that combines cinema and live piano, Smersh says.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKimkxROXSo

The event is a fundraiser for the historic venue, which was built in 1913 -- making it the oldest continuously operating movie theater in the U.S.

There’s a lot of history that comes along with a building that’s 100 years old.

Legend has it that the Park Theatre’s second owner, Ralph Gwynn, built the white tower (the tallest building in town) as a testament to his broken heart after being jilted at the altar by his bride-to-be. A red neon heart and a white neon ring are visible near the top of the tower.

"The tower is beautiful on the outside -- but empty and hollow on the inside," Smersh says.

Credit Courtesy of the Historic Park Theatre
/
Courtesy of the Historic Park Theatre
Former owner Ralph Gwynn helped develop this 1917 projector on display in the Historic Park Theatre lobby

Besides symbolizing love, the tower also strongly resembles an old radio. Smersh says that’s no coincidence.

"Ralph was also instrumental in bringing recorded sound onto film," he says. "There was a time during the middle 1920s when people were scrambling to somehow get sound onto movies… and he was part of that."

One of the projectors Gwynn helped develop is on display in the theater lobby.

Matinee performances start at 2:15 p.m. this weekend, Aug. 3 and Aug. 4. There’s an encore performance of the Silent Movie Comedy Film Festival Aug. 17 – 18.

Tickets are available at the box office or here.

As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.
Related Content