Revealing the Secrets of the Old Bailey
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"It gets better," chuckles Earley,
"look at this"—pointing to historic graffiti found
on a wall under the posters! The Winnipeg Kiddies, a
vaudeville troupe for children, left their mark, as
did the San Carlo Opera of the Georgia Minstrels.
Someone left an ominous warning: "opera troup [sic]
take note carry your own police to keep the crowd in
line." Pianist Art Flemming brought his well-known
Edmonton orchestra here in 1920. He pencilled, "The
music you take home in your feet," under his name.
Others, such as Danish violinist Skovard who played
his "Strad" at the Bailey Theatre in November 1924,
left no trace.
Old columns of the Camrose
Canadian reveal that it was not just entertainers
who appeared on stage. Labour organizer Aaron Sapiro
from California captivated Camrose farmers as he
proclaimed the merits of the co-operative movement on a
whirlwind tour of Alberta in 1923 that preceded the
founding of the Alberta Wheat Pool. And the athletic
association held wrestling and boxing matches in 1920,
assuring the ladies that "nothing objectionable will be
allowed." The 1920s were the theatre's heyday for all
types of live performances, dances, community events,
and both silent and talkie movies.
If the Bailey Theatre Society gets
its way, the theatre will be a multi-use performance
space for the city of Camrose. The acoustics are great
and the space is intimate—there's not a bad seat in the
house. A refitted and expanded dressing room area, a
green room for performers to wait to go on stage, and a
rehearsal room will complete the modern facilities. On
display in the lobby will be the stage curtains, the
lobby cards and posters, and other finds, such as the
50-lb. jute bag for Golden Eagle popcorn. Architect
David Roth has offered his services gratis, and the
society is applying for provincial historic designation
for the building. Once the structure is stabilized, the
society plans to restore the building's facade to its
1940s Moderne appearance.
Merinda Conley, chief of the Alberta
Main Street Programme, is excited about the landmark
theatre as the anchor for Camrose's successful main
street. "It has the potential to bring in big names in
the entertainment industry," she says. No one denies,
however, that the project is a lengthy and an expensive
undertaking that must meet stringent building and fire
codes.
Supporters have shown determination
and imagination. Fund-raising has included the sale of a
poster that had been found in the theatre for Hot Water,
a 1924 film starring Harold Lloyd. It fetched over
$9,000 at auction at Christie's in New York. As work on
the Bailey Theatre proceeds, people drop by with
memories of movie-going through the 1950s, the kids who
got in through the back window, their favourite seat.
Someday soon, this grand old theatre will again
captivate audiences with performances and music to "take
home in your feet." *
Judy Larmour is an
historical research and interpretation consultant based
in Rimbey who aspires to write a book about the Bailey
Theatre.
This article has been reprinted with permission from Legacy, Alberta's Cultural Heritage Magazine,
and the author.
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