The original movie theater (next to Smelter Town Brewery), was called “The Coliseum” and opened in 1917 showing silent movies. In 1920, Wm. Haskins, Mgr, advertised “Always Good Pictures Shown Here”.The theater had no marquee. 

By 1928, the name had changed to “The ValVerde”. The silent movie “Love Flower” was rented for one day for the sum of $7.50, then perhaps taken to other theaters in Cottonwood and Jerome. After the sale of the United Verde Copper Company to Phelps-Dodge in 1935, S. Charles Lee, a well known architect from Los Angeles, was commissioned to remodel and update, no doubt adding “talkies”. This was Lee’s smallest commission of his career, creating a 250 seat theater. He was an early proponent of ART DECO and MODERNE style theaters.  The theater opened in grand style in 1936. There were three aisles, one on each side and one down the middle. The walls were covered in red velveteen drapes. The back 7 rows (the best seats) were made of red plush fabric which cost 44 cents to sit in. The next 7-8 rows were orange leatherette for 35 cents, followed by several older seats used previously, for 25 cents. Then there were three long rows of wooden benches for kids down in front. Even better, there were two high school girl usherettes in sateen pants and blouses and pillbox hats to lead patrons down the aisle with flashlights to help them find their seats. Close scrutiny was given to make sure the kids stayed on the benches and didn’t move to the softer ones. The best movies were shown on Sunday and Monday nights, followed by a cowboy movie and Spanish speaking film on Tuesdays. An innovation the owner, Joe Becchetti, developed with the architect was the “crying room” which is still there today in the upstairs back of the theater. This allowed mothers to comfort their crying children and still see the movie. The Art Deco wall lights and sconces are still there. The Grand Theater was closed by 1954 with the shut down of the smelter in 1952. The equipment was purchased by Amon F. Allen along with the equipment in the Jerome Theater, as well as the building and equipment of the Rialto Theater in Cottonwood, also owned by Joe Becchetti. The Rialto had been the longest running single screen theater in the US from 1923 to 1988.  

submitted by Cindy Emmett - Clarkdale Historical Society and Museum

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