Bethesda Theatre
National Register Nomination
Description
7. Narrative Description
The Bethesda Theatre, constructed in 1935 at 7719 Wisconsin Avenue, is a multi-level building composed of rectangular blocks: an auditorium block and a lower street-front lobby and entrance block, including shops. A neighborhood Art Deco cinema built during Hollywood’s golden age, it is located in the active downtown commercial center of an older suburb. The principal (west) facade of blond brick is divided into three parts, consisting of flanking shops with large show windows and the theater entrance, which is topped by a theater marquee and marquee tower in the form of a miniature skyscraper with “BETHESDA” spelled vertically in neon letters. Directly behind the marquee and tower is a low parapet wall of blond brick accented at the edges of the marquee tower and at the corners with horizontal bands of glazed black brick. This parapet wall differentiates the theater entrance from the flanking storefronts. The ends of this parapet wall turn toward the rear of the building for about 20 feet, ending with curved returns. About 30 feet behind this first parapet wall (across a flat roof) is a second parapet wall, also of blond brick with black horizontal accent bands at the corners and decorative vertical elements in a ribbed pattern. This parapet wall extends the full width of the theater, marking the internal division between the standard-height ceilings of the storefronts, theater entrance and lobby and the taller ceiling of the theater auditorium. Behind the second parapet wall can be seen portions of the irregular roof of the auditorium covered with dark-colored roofing material. The south side of the theater, which overlooks an alley, is faced with blond brick extending back approximately 50 feet, where it is succeeded by red brick construction. The rear of the building (overlooking a parking lot) is also built of red brick. This property displays a high degree of integrity and reflect very little fundamental change over time, except for the replacement of the original seats with a different seating pattern.
At the sidewalk, the theater entry has a centrally-situated ticket booth, trimmed in grooved aluminum, flanked by recessed theater entrances, with aluminum-trimmed movie notice cases at either end of the arrangement. The base of this section is trimmed with green serpentine, a siding material similar to marble. Each theatre entrance consists of four doors which together present an Art Deco design in the size and shape of their glass lights.
The theater marquee consists of a wide metal canopy, rounded at the corners and trimmed by parallel lines of neon lights, between which run the letters of a sign that currently reads “Theatre Cafe.” At the points where the edges of the marquee canopy join the building, the facade contains aluminum plaques. Each of these vertically rectangular plaques features a rounded top and an internal pattern of fluting that mimics the external edges. The tall metal marquee tower, also trimmed in neon, rises from the center of the canopy and is tied to it by a rounded L-angle connector, in like material, that restates the rounded corners of the canopy.
Flanking the entry are two of the three original retail spaces that were constructed with the theater. The existing north storefront has been altered, but the south storefront is largely intact, with ornamental aluminum trim and enamel panes at its base painted to match the green marble of the entrance.
The interior of the theater retains its original space configuration of lobby, foyer, lounges, and auditorium. Many original interior finishes, including painted murals, remain intact,(1) with the exception of the original seating. The lobby is an approximately square room with a carpeted floor that slants down from the four pairs of entrance doors and box office toward four pairs of doors that lead to the foyer. On both front and back walls, the doors and box office are surmounted by a narrow stripped classical molding. Above the doors to the foyer is a narrow canopy supported at the corners by streamlined reverse stepped brackets. The side walls of the lobby are complex, each having a central projection with rounded corners flanked by pairs of mirrors in streamlined recesses. On each projection is a pair of display cases with Art Deco detailing, including vertical reeding and central groups of streamlined stepped finials. The bases of the side walls are trimmed in green serpentine that steps down to the foyer entrance. The lobby space is crowned by an undulated ceiling in the form of a series of waves that conceal, but are dramatized by, three bands of indirect lighting.
The foyer is a crosswise rectangular room with an elliptical opening in its ceiling and indirect lighting. The far wall provides two entrances to the auditorium consisting of flanking pairs of doors set at an angle. The side walls have wide entrances to (left) a lounge connecting to a ladies restroom and (right) a lounge connecting to a mens restroom. On the right is also a phone booth with a curved wall that projects into the adjacent lounge. The side walls of the foyer carry two parallel horizontal moldings, separated by dark fabric, near the tops of the doors that continue, along with the walls themselves, beyond the double doors into the auditorium where the walls immediately curve out toward the side walls of the theatre. The entrance to each restroom is marked overhead by a sign that appears to be of the original period. In the ladies restroom are wall tiles in colors of apricot pink accented with aqua green and mahogany and small floor tiles in mixed colors of aqua green, mahogany, and shades of beige. In the mens restroom are wall tiles in the same pattern in colors of lime green accented with yellow and mahogany and small floor tiles in mixed colors of mahogany, dark brown, and shades of beige. Three of the fixtures are dark red and appear to coordinate with the tiles.
The auditorium is a long rectangular space with a high ceiling. In the rear portion of this space are a walk-through bar of standard room height in the center, a kitchen with walk-in freezer on the left, and a food preparation room, small janitor’s closet, and stairway to the second floor projection area on the right. The projection booth has equipment that once closed its portholes automatically in case of fire.
Beyond the entrance doors, kitchen entrances, etc., are openings into the auditorium proper that intersect gently curved walls that are not full height and extend almost to the outer walls of the theatre. The openings have single Art Deco-detailed columns on their outside edges from which extend short waist-high walls trimmed with rounded blond wood railings. Above these walls and the bar can be seen a false shallow balcony below the ports of the projection booth that extends the entire width of the rear wall and continues as molding trim along the side walls. The balcony, which has a central streamlined projection, is trimmed by a series of three parallel horizontal moldings separated by dark fabric that present a highly streamlined effect.
The floor of the auditorium (added above the original slanted floor) is multi-level and steps down to the proscenium stage and screen. The side walls, covered with fabric above wainscot level, are decorated with sets of three parallel wooden moldings separated by dark fabric. The topmost molding trio continues from the rear-wall balcony and runs forward and down to create a streamlined pattern. The middle molding trio also begins at the rear wall, carries several rectangular light fixtures, and continues along a shallow balcony surmounting an exit door about half-way down the auditorium. Above this balcony on each side wall is a projection screen. Forward of each balcony is a round mirror with holes where a light fixture was once attached. The lowest molding, rendered in plaster, is the upper border of the plaster wainscot, beginning at the rear wall and stepping down in curves before reaching the proscenium.
Forward of the round mirrors, the walls angle in toward the proscenium. These angled walls are connected to the side walls and the front stage by groups of tall rounded pilaster-like projections. In each angled wall is a narrow full-height niche with rounded corners. In each niche is a pair of exit doors surmounted by a projecting balcony trimmed with three parallel horizontal moldings separated by dark fabric. The upper part of each niche, which is curved at the top, is decorated with a dramatic mural of starry constellations, star-like geometric patterns, and sea-shell-like forms rendered in pale colors on a deep blue background (described as “astral” at the opening of the theatre). Access to the stage is provided by curved stairs on either side, adjacent to the angled walls. The stage is almost completely filled by the main theatre screen which can be covered by a curtain.
The ceiling of the auditorium is painted with additional bands of the mural, as well as other streamlined motifs. Suspended from the long axis of the ceiling is a painted decorative trough that hides the air conditioning grills. The ceiling is cut away from the angled walls that flank the stage in a curved pattern to create ceiling recesses that reach the roof of the auditorium. A large-scale crown molding, consisting of stepped layers of ovolo moldings, connects the ceiling to the rear and side walls as far forward as the angled walls.
Footnotes
(1) A description of these spaces at the time of the theater’s opening is summarized in Section 8.
Anyone interested in this matter, especially Montgomery County residents, should contact Linda Lyons, co-chair of ADSW's preservation committee, about supporting ADSW's position and helping with the work of the committee.
Created November 5, 1998