from Paramount Theater website:
Built by Temple Buell for Publix Theatres in 1930, the Paramount
Theatre instantly surpassed the standards set by the dozens of
theatres that lined the streets of Denver. It is the only local
theatre of its generation to maintain its original dignity and
glamour. This significance is not only an excellent illustration of
Art Deco design and craftsmanship, but is a tribute to an architect
who made considerable contributions to the Denver region. It’s also
a unique reflection of a broad social and cultural phenomenon that
prevailed in the early decades of the 20th century in Denver and
the entire nation.
By the mid-1920s, movie houses had become America’s primary
social gathering places and amusement centers. The “theatres for
the common man” entertained millions in the ’20s as much for their
own fantastic splendor as for the fantasies presented on their
stages and screens. The Paramount Theatre was no exception. On Aug.
29, 1930, an estimated crowd of 20,000 gathered in the streets of
Denver to celebrate the Grand Opening showing of “Let’s Go Native,”
rivaling the attendance and excitement previously generated only by
Hollywood premieres. The rave reviews and widespread public awe
immediately established the Paramount Theatre as the foremost movie
house in Denver.
The glamorous atmosphere was, and is, heightened by the original
architectural and design elements. Buell built several important
buildings in the region and is credited for founding the “Western
style” of architecture. Despite his many successes, Buell claimed
the Paramount as the finest example of his work.
The theatre is an unrivaled testament to Art Deco design and the
craftsmanship of the era. The facade, with pre-cast concrete blocks
enhanced by glazed terra cotta moldings, offers a striking contrast
to the rusticated stone of surrounding buildings. It also reflects
a popular design device of the period: Terra cotta decorative
elements create the illusion of extra height for the three-story
building. The ornate details above the windows and on the sills
showcase a recurrent interior motif of rosettes, leaves, feathers
and fiddle-head ferns. Green-tinged black marble at the street
level and above each window give contrast and more drama to the
exterior elements.
The interior represents an excellent example of “Zig Zag Art
Deco” design, the fanciful and ornamental architectural expression
popularized in the Jazz Age. The building was also equipped with
luxuries consistent with the golden age of film, such as a
splendidly ornamented lobby, indirect lighting, a vaulted sunburst
ceiling, cut-glass chandeliers, Egyptian lights, Italian marble and
a neon marquee. Exotic and flamboyant decoration – Aztec figures,
fern, floral and leaf motifs, sun rays and the ziggurat form – are
consistent inside and outside the building, and are repeated in
many minute details including stair railings and radiator
grilles.
The colorful and dramatic false gold leafing, as well as copper
and bronzing in the auditorium, frame silk murals created by
renowned artist Vincent Mondo. The murals beautifully depict
classic Commedia Dell’arte figures such as Herlequin, Pierrot,
Columbine and Pierrette, among others, and were heralded by the
Rocky Mountain News as the first silk murals in the Denver area.
Similar Commedia Dell’arte murals by Mondo were later repeated in
various Publix Theatres across the nation, as the Paramount’s
interior served as a model for at least three other theaters.
Originally designed for the silent movies of the time, the
Paramount houses a one-of-a-kind Wurlitzer twin-console organ,
designed to produce varied sound effects in accompaniment with the
picture show. More than 1,600 pipes generate sounds of orchestral
and percussion instruments as well as special effects, such as
train whistles, horses’ hooves and pounding surf. The organ remains
one of the largest ever installed in the Rocky Mountain region and
is joined by its sister in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall as
one of only two remaining in the United States.
The Paramount Theatre was listed on the National Register of
Historic Places in 1980 and was declared a historic landmark by the
City of Denver in 1988. Today, the historic Paramount Theatre
remains a vibrant, multi-event facility where Denver’s residents
and visitors enjoy a wide variety of entertainment options each
year. From rock concerts to dance performances, comedy to lectures,
and movies to the Wurlitzer organ performances, the historic
Paramount Theatre remains a top choice in Denver’s entertainment
scene.