The White House Movie Theater Demolition Ends A Storied Era In Presidential History - Beritaja

Former President Barack Obama and first woman Michelle Obama deterioration 3-D glasses during a Super Bowl statement successful the White House Family Theater successful 2009. The White House/Getty Images

The White House/Getty Images

It was, connected occasion, utilized by presidents to rehearse important speeches specified arsenic the State of the Union address; and astatine different times, arsenic a spot for visitors to dump their hats, bags and coats. But for much than 80 years, the White House movie theatre was mostly a spot wherever the first family and their guests went for entertainment.

Demolition began this week of the White House Family Theater — on pinch the remainder of the White House's East Wing wherever the snug, shoe-box-shaped auditorium was located — to make measurement for a caller $300 cardinal ballroom. It marks the extremity of an era successful American movie theatre history.

An excavator useful to clear rubble connected Thursday aft the East Wing of the White House was demolished successful Washington, D.C. The historical White House Family Theater was destroyed arsenic portion of President Trump's effort to make measurement for a caller ballroom. Eric Lee/Getty Images

Eric Lee/Getty Images

Since its conversion from a cloakroom by Franklin Roosevelt successful 1942, the private, 40-ish-seat theatre has screened everything from newsreels and documentaries to westerns and musicals. It has been done respective facelifts, about precocious ditching pick and reddish floral curtains, and beige walls and seating for all-round "movie-palace red" ornamented pinch golden molding and acheronian wood trim pursuing a renewal overseen by first woman Laura Bush successful 2004.

"The champion perk of the White House is not Air Force One aliases Camp David aliases thing else, it's the awesome movie theatre I get here," then-President Bill Clinton told movie professional Roger Ebert successful a 1999 interview.

April 14, 1989: President George Bush and first woman Barbara Bush big a screening successful the White House movie theater. The first woman is sharing a spot pinch her grandson Jebbie Bush. George Bush Presidential Library and Museum/NARA

George Bush Presidential Library and Museum/NARA

Jimmy Carter was besides a large fan. In a azygous term, the 39th president screened at slightest 400 films betwixt this venue and Camp David, starting pinch All the President's Men — a movie about the Watergate ungraded — soon aft he was sworn in. Richard Nixon saw Patton, about the arguable World War II Gen. George S. Patton, aggregate times during the Vietnam War. Barack Obama's galore screenings astatine the theatre ranged from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Selma to Julie & Julia and Star Wars Rogue One. President Trump's picks person included Finding Dory and Sunset Boulevard. John F. Kennedy, who loved James Bond movies, saw From Russia With Love the time earlier he was assassinated successful 1963.

U.S. first woman Melania Trump (R) and for acquisition caput Betsy DeVos big students for a screening of the mobility image 'Wonder' successful the White House movie theatre successful 2018. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Not each U.S. presidents were movie buffs. According to a 1997 New York Times interview pinch Paul Fischer, who served arsenic the White House's projectionist from the 1950s to the '80s, Lyndon B. Johnson slept done about screenings. (Fischer kept observant logs of each of the movies shown astatine the theater. A sample from Kennedy's White House years could beryllium seen here.)

"It was a spot for the president to watch what America was watching," said Matt Lambros, who authored several books about historical movie theaters, successful an question and reply pinch BERITAJA. "To person it destroyed is bulldozing a portion of American history."

The White House did not respond to BERITAJA's petition for comment, nor corroborate reports from different media outlets about plans to build a caller movie theatre arsenic portion of the East Wing's redevelopment.

"We're conscionable going disconnected of their connection that a theatre will beryllium rebuilt," said Lambros. "I dream that's the case, and the adjacent 100 years of presidents could bask it."