A HISTORY OF RENOVATIONS

In the 1940's and 50's, the Saenger felt competition from drive-in theatres, the convenience of television and the new Pensacola Municipal Auditorium which Paramount was certain would rival the Saenger. In 1962, Floyd Lyles, manager, headed up a Saenger renovation. The aging Theatre received a facelift and a modernized lobby. Tokens replaced the ticketing system. Says Dave Porter, manager from 1964-1969, "Those years were some of the best years in the motion picture industry." "The Graduate," "The Sound of Music" and "Blue Max" helped keep the doors open. But good movies only delayed the closing of the Saenger.

On Christmas Day, 1969, the new Paramount-owned Plaza Theatres opened, followed closely by Westwood and Cordova Malls, The Saenger audience quickly migrated to these modern, suburban movie houses to see the latest releases. By the early 1970's, "The Godfather" at the Saenger gave way to more ethnic movies like "Super Fly" and "Shaft." These films drew many, but not enough. On November 13, 1975, the Saenger opened its doors as a movie theatre for the last time. Less than a month later, on December 8, ABC Southeastern Theatres, a company that had evolved out of Paramount, donated the run-down movie palace to the City of Pensacola. What would become of the Saenger?

The question was asked throughout the city. Finally, after Pensacola Junior College rejected an offer to take over the Saenger, the University of West Florida paid one half million dollars towards rental of the Theatre over the next twenty years. The newly formed Friends of the Saenger put on their fund raising hats. T-shirts, Saenger seats, and benefit shows sold while the City accepted bids for restoration. At the end of the fund raising, the Saenger had $800,000 pledged towards restoration. The problem: the restoration bill came to just over $1 million. Scrapping the project crossed some people's minds, but the contract with UWF influenced the City's decision to loan the extra money needed to restore the Saenger to its 1925 opulence. Finally, on September 26, 1981, the Duke Ellington Orchestra pleased a crowd of first-timers and old-timers in a newly-renovated Saenger during "A Champagne Evening to Remember."

The Saenger Theatre underwent its most current renovation in 1996 for a new lobby.  The next project of the Friends of the Saenger (the fundraising arm of the Saenger Theatre) will undertake is the work to b e done on the decorative portion of the illustrious gathering area.  Some of the decorative features that were completed included a grand staircase, brass light fixtures, ornate plaster and a large skylight for seeing some real “stars.”
 
In the 1996 renovation the restrooms doubled in quantity, the concession area was increased by five times, and the lobby space tripled in size.  Also persons with disabilities were accommodated through the installation of a ramp, and elevator to the second level and accessible restrooms.
 
We thank everyone who contributed their time, money and efforts to help the Saenger achieve the truly elegant 1996 renovations.

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