Where could you go in NW Portland in the 1920s to experience a Spiritualist Service?
In January 1927, you could attend a service by one of the world’s most famous spiritualist mediums, Arthur Ford, at The State Theater [The original name of Cinema 21]. Advertisements in The Sunday Oregonian promoted his lectures. Preforming as Dr. Ford “The Miracle Man” he offered a mystic and mind-reading presentation. The ticket holders for the four day run each night at 8:15Pm were also treated to: Prince Zulong (glass eatter) Mysteria the girl with 1,000 eyes. Had it not been for the picture of Ford in a turban I would have just assumed they were playing “The Miracle Man” movie and let it there.
American Vaudeville was an entertainment form in the United States from the 1880s to the 1930s. In the early years it was a hodgepodge of of 10-20 live acts, by the 1920s the art form way dying out one or two acts in addition to the live organ might perform prior to a film screening.
About Arthur Ford
- Background: Ford was an ordained minister who transitioned to become a professional spiritualist medium. He joined Spiritualist Church around 1921, and began traveling as a spiritualist trance medium. He founded the Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship and wrote books documenting his experiences, such as Life Beyond Death.
- Claims: During World War I, he claimed to hear the names of soldiers days before they appeared on casualty lists. He later professed to be controlled by a spirit guide named “Fletcher.”
- Famous Allegations: He gained significant fame for his alleged communication with the spirit of the late Harry Houdini, claiming to have revealed a secret code the magician had arranged with his wife Bessie. Houdini died on Halloween in 1926. His wife Beatrice (Bess) offered $10,000 to anyone who could produce an authentic message from the spirit of her husband. In 1928 Author Ford hosted a seance, while controversial, made him a household name. We found no recordings made of Dr. Ford a 1978 documentary/”death-sploitation flick”, Beyond and Back produced by Charles E. Sellier Jr. covered the event Link to a three minute clip. The press of the day called him a fake – Ford didn’t pursue the matter and he didn’t collect the $10,000.
A Brief History of Cinema 21
- 1925: Opened as The State Theater with a focus on silent films and vaudeville acts, featuring a William Wood pipe organ and live orchestra.
- 1941: Renamed The Vista.
- 1942: Renamed The 21st Avenue Theatre.
- 1962: Renamed Cinema 21, under the ownership of Martin Foster.
A unique feature from its past was a dedicated “crying room” for babies, a thoughtful convenience that allowed parents to watch the film without disturbing other patrons.
While creating a video to honor a century of operations, we focused on the theater’s legacy and its leader for nearly half a century Tom Ranieri:
I was already working here for a Seattle-based company when they closed the theater in the summer of 1986. I reopened it the following spring. It was an opportunity with very low start up costs and I didn’t have any other employment ideas at the time, so I basically took the path of least resistance.
Book a ticket on our A Night With Ghosts Tour to learn about an incident in 1909 that led to Spiritualist Church Members kidnapping an eleven-year-old boy.