Orpheum Tours
The BC Entertainment Hall of Fame celebrates the summer season by conducting guided tours of the City of Vancouvers Historic Orpheum. Informative and entertaining tours of this National Historic site take place every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 11am from July 2 to August 29st. The 90 minute walking tours are open to the public with no advance booking required. Please note the tour includes stair climbing and is not recommended for children under the age of 12 years. Those interested should arrive at the Orpheum’s Granville Street entrance at least 10 minutes prior to the 11 am start time. For a guaranteed reservation call 604 665 3470. Drop-ins are welcome subject to availability. As the Orpheum is a working theatre, tours and content may vary.
The 90 minute tour reveals some of the secrets of its history and even some ghost stories. “We delight groups by taking them from the top of the iconic dome and then right down into the basement where the original ice-block air conditioning room was first installed in 1927” says Rob Haynes, President, BC Entertainment Hall of Fame. The restored opulent Orpheum boasts of over 140 original Czechoslovakian crystal chandeliers and the tour shows how the glorious chandelier is hung from the iconic dome.
Some of the stories include how the former theatre manager Ivan Ackery filled the Orpheum. One stunt to promote a western movie was to parade a bull down Granville Street. He also had a very young Yvonne de Carlo dance the hula on stage just before a Hawaiian movie. Even Frank Sinatra was almost kicked out of the theatre for breaking dressing room lights as he practiced his golf swing!
World renowned theatre architect, Marcus Priteca designed over 220 theatres in North America and the Orpheum is considered one of his finest accomplishments. With a mixture of Spanish Renaissance and hints of Morocco, the Taj Mahal, Moorish arches and British heraldry, the Orpheum boasts of soaring lines, gold leaf and grand staircases.
The Orpheum was built as a Vaudeville Theatre and Silent Movie Palace. It houses the “Mighty Wurlitzer Organ” which is last theatre organ in Canada still in its original home. The Orpheum was scheduled for demolition in the early 70’s and there was public outcry. “Thankfully, the City of Vancouver bought the theatre with the help of private citizens and other levels of government support. The Orpheum was saved!” says Norman Young, past Chair and Commissioner Emeritus of the Vancouver Civic Theatres Board. The Orpheum is now managed by the Vancouver Civic Theatres.
The walking tours are open to the public with no advance booking required. The tour includes stair climbing and is not recommended to children under 12 years of age. Those interested should arrive at the Orpheum’s Granville Street entrance at least 10 minutes prior to the 11 am start time. Orpheum Tours are limited to a maximum of 30 people on a first come first served basis or for a guaranteed reservation call 604 665 3470. As the Orpheum is a working theatre, tours and content may vary.
Admission is by minimum $10.00 cash only donation. All proceeds will go to further the work of the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame which honours British Columbians who have excelled in all disciplines of entertainment.
