Photos: Fox Tucson Theatre through the years
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Rick Wiley
Photo editor
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The Fox Tucson Theatre opened on April 11, 1930, as both a live vaudeville venue and a movie house. In the 1950s, the Fox hosted weekly screenings by the Tucson Chapter of the Mickey Mouse Club.
The theater closed in 1974 due to competition from modern theaters throughout Tucson and the decline of downtown shopping.
In 1999, after being closed 25 years, the Fox was purchased by the Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation, which raised money for restoration and leaned on sweat equity of many volunteers. After a six-year, $14 million restoration, the Fox Tucson Theatre reopened on New Year's Eve in 2005.
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The Fox Tucson Theatre after an $80,000 remodeling that included a box office and an all-glass front in October 1956.
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The lobby of the Fox Tucson Theatre in 1956.
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The shuttered Fox Theatre on West Congress Street, people waiting for their bus to arrive, December 30, 1980.
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Montie Montana and family entertain the Mickey Mouse Club on stage at the Fox Theatre in the 1930s.
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It was a trip down memory lane as Rosemary Franco Henderson led the gang in a chorus of "Minnie's Yoo Hoo," the original Mickey Mouse Club theme song, in 1987. Henderson and others gathered at the Tucson office of the Arizona Historical Society to celebrate the good old days when club members sang the song at the old Fox Theatre downtown.
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Promotion for "The Gay Divorcee," a 1934 movie musical, shown at the Fox Theatre in Tucson, ca 1930s.
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Downtown Tucson, looking southeast from the Old Pima County Courthouse in 1949. The historic Valley Bank building towers in the background. At the time it was the tallest building in the city. The back of the Fox Theatre is in front of the Valley Bank building. At right the St. Augustine Cathedral.
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Herb Stratfor, executive director of the Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation, shines a flashlight on the wall to show the work on the columns during a tour of the Fox Theatre on June 9, 2005.
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Workers from Action Demolition remove part of the floor for restoration on January 5, 2005 in downtown Tucson in the main theatre at the Fox Theatre.
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The newly-hung marquee at the historic Fox Theatre in 2002.
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A huge star is the focal point of an art deco painted ceiling at the old Fox Theatre. The star is where the theatre's chandelier hangs, but was lowered for restoration. The white circular spot in the upper right corner is from water damage. The 1920's art deco theater is being restored to its original condition.
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Volunteers move a huge tangle of old cable off the stage of the Fox Theatre in downtown Tucson on March 17, 2002 as part of the theatre's continuing restoration. The old cables were used to raise and lower backgrounds and for curtains.
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Volunteers excavate the old orchestra pit of the Fox Theatre in downtown Tucson on March 17, 2002 as part of the theatre's continuing restoration.
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A newly restored main chandelier hangs above the Fox Theatre in downtown Tucson as volunteers excavate the old orchestra pit and remove the wooden stage floor on March 17, 2002 as part of the theatre's continuing restoration.
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One of the original seats from the Fox Theatre on March 4, 2004. The seats will be recovered in a duplicate fabric during renovation of the downtown theatre now scheduled to open in summer 2005.
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The original projection room door from the Fox Theatre on March 4, 2004.
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Volunteers excavate the old orchestra pit and remove the wooden stage floor of the Fox Theatre in downtown Tucson on March 17, 2002 as part of the theatre's continuing restoration.
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The interior of the old Fox Theatre, shown in 2001, slowly comes to life again after years of neglect. The 1920's art deco theater is being restored to its original condition.
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Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation unveiled The Fox Theatre's restored entryway and new ticketing and concession area to the public Thursday, October 20, 2005.
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Finish carpenter Rick Mousaw with Crown Interiors works in the lower lobby of the Fox Theatre in downtown Tucson, Ariz., as crews work feverishly to complete construction on the facility on December 27, 2005. There were about 50-60 people are scrambling, working 12-14 hour shifts to get it done.
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Interior of the Fox Theatre before restoration work.
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Restoration expert Erma Duran works on the wiring of the old Fox Theatre's chandelier. The star shaped chandelier was lowered from the ceiling to be restored. The 1920's art deco theater was restored to its original condition in 2001.
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Restoration expert Erma Duran works on the wiring of the old Fox Theatre's chandelier in 2002. The star shaped chandelier was lowered from the ceiling (in background) where a star is painted where the chandelier hangs. The 1920's art deco theater is being restored to its original condition.
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Volunteers with the The Fox Tucson Theatre finish changing all 120 bulbs in the main chandelier on July 27, 2009. The lighting fixture, an original from the theatre's construction in 1929-1930, was repaired as part of the multi-year restoration effort and was re-lit for the first time in 27 years by former Fox manager Roy Drachman.
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2Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation unveiled The Fox Theatre's restored entryway and new ticketing and concession area to the public on October 20, 2005.
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Adrian Phillips, with Phillips Organ Co. and Associates, places pipes in the cramped quarters of the organ loft to prepare the The Mighty Wurlitzer organ for a weekend reveal at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St., April 11, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz.
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The new sign was installed at the Fox Theatre in 2002 with the help of Jim Lara, front, and Doug Jones, both of Fluoresco Lighting and Signs.
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A couple hundred people turned out for the re-lighting of the Fox Theatre sign on June 29, 2002.
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Rick Lintner and Steve Peterson wait to help people out of a bus and welcome them to the Fox Theatre on December 31, 2005 in Tucson, Ariz. The historic Fox opened its doors with a new years bash featuring Grammy award-winning musician Bruce Hornsby. The theatre which opened in 1930, closed it's doors in 1974.
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The historic Fox Theatre opened it's doors with a new years bash featuring Grammy award-winning musician Bruce Hornsby in the First Magnus Auditorium, Saturday December 31, 2005.
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The historic Fox Theatre opened it's doors with a new years bash featuring Grammy award-winning musician Bruce Hornsby in the First Magnus Auditorium, Saturday December 31, 2005. The photo shows the view from the balcony.
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The historic Fox Theatre opened it's doors with a new years bash featuring Grammy award-winning musician Bruce Hornsby in the First Magnus Auditorium, Saturday December 31, 2005 in Tucson, Ariz. People gather in the lobby.
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In this photo, a depression-era taxi drops off someone in front of the Fox Theatre on reopening night in 2005. The theatre which opened in 1930, closed it's doors in 1974.
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Light from a projector shines on the screen as projectionists work to match the sound and the picture at the historic Fox Theatre on Sept. 29, 2006.
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The Fox Tucson Theatre on March 8, 2004
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Ken Fedorick, from Las Cruces, N.M., checks the combination actions as he works on the computer interface for the The Mighty Wurlitzer organ for a weekend reveal at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St., April 11, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. The organ will be played for the first time in 60 years this Saturday night. When finished, the four-manual organ will eventually feature a 30-rank pipe system.
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Ken Fedorick, from Las Cruces, N.M., gets to work on the computer interface on the The Mighty Wurlitzer organ for a weekend reveal at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St., April 11, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz.
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Tucson native and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Linda Ronstadt talks with Jeff Haskell during the Sunday Evening Forum at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W Congress St. on October 5, 2014. The Grammy award winner and pop and country music icon recently announced she has been diagnosed with Parkinson Disease. In addition to being inducted in the Hall of Fame she was also honored with the National Medal of Arts.
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Saundie Senne models a dress by Melanie Lockwood and Victoria Villela at the Fox Tucson Theatre on April 12, 2012.
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Rachel Yocom models a dress by designer Phillip Manus in the lobby of the Fox Tucson Theatre on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
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Pop-country artist and Grammy Award winner Glen Campbell performs at the Fox Tucson Theatre during his farewell tour on February 15, 2012.
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The Fox Tucson Theatre, downtown, Dec. 11, 2014.
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Carol Cardenas, left, who played Babe, and Jaime Contreras who played Kevin Kennedy, walk the red carpet at the Fox Tucson Theatre for the premiere of the locally produced horror movie The Z, Thursday Oct. 29, 2015, Tucson, Ariz.
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The film finally hits the big screen at the Fox Tucson Theatre for the red carpet premiere of the locally produced horror movie The Z, Thursday Oct. 29, 2015, Tucson, Ariz. Local production company, Medrosa Film Productions used the city of Tucson as a backdrop for their flick about a pack of supernatural predators stalking humans as prey.
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Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence speaks at his rally at the Fox Theatre, 17 W. Congress St., on Aug. 2, 2016, in downtown Tucson, Ariz. Pence is on the GOP ticket with presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
As featured on
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