Hawaii: Today in History 4/26
4-26-1906 Motion pictures begin regular showings at the Orpheum Theater in Honolulu, Hawaii
Joel C. Cohen presented in 1906 at the Orpheum Theatre the first flickers shown in Hawaii at a regular theatre. The Orpheum became the first motion pictures theatre in the Islands.
Considered one of the first theaters to show movies in the territory of Hawai’i, the Orpheum Theatre opened in 1898 presenting stage shows, but didn’t start showing movies until 1906. It was active until the theatre was burned down in late-April 1910. A “New Orpheum” would be created elsewhere, but the Princess Theater would fill the spot where the Orpheum Theatre was. Today, it is a parking garage for the Kukui Plaza apartment complex.
