The Day a Showman Transformed Vancouver's Colonial Theatre
March 26, 1914, marks a pivotal moment in Vancouver's entertainment history when Hector Quagliotti-Romano, one of the city's early great showmen, purchased the Colonial Theatre from a bailiff for $9,100. This acquisition began his remarkable 42-year tenure managing the historic venue located at the prominent intersection of Granville and Dunsmuir streets.
The Colonial Theatre's Origins and Early Years
Contrary to some historical records indicating a March 1914 opening, the Colonial Theatre actually debuted on September 29, 1913, within the Van Horne Block. This building, constructed between 1888 and 1889 by Canadian Pacific Railway president William Cornelius Van Horne, had undergone a substantial $70,000 transformation in 1912-13. Initially, it housed the Kinemacolor Theatre, which opened on February 24, 1913, featuring an early color film process that ultimately failed to gain traction. The Colonial Theatre took over the space just seven months later.
Hector Quagliotti-Romano: A Man of Music and Theatre
Born in Victoria with deep West Coast roots, Quagliotti-Romano came from a family with significant business presence in British Columbia. According to a September 18, 1915, edition of The Province newspaper, his father arrived in B.C. in 1869 and eventually operated fourteen stores or trading posts throughout the province.
Hector's musical education at the Italian Conservatory of Music in Turin shaped his career path. After returning across the Atlantic, he served as musical director for various prominent entertainment venues across the United States. A 1943 Vancouver Sun article noted that he led an orchestra called Hector Quagliotti-Romano and His Spanish Students on the Orpheum vaudeville circuit.
Before taking over the Colonial Theatre, Quagliotti-Romano partnered with his brother Lorenzo in managing four theatres in Victoria, gaining valuable experience that he would bring to his Vancouver venture.
Transforming the Colonial into a Cinematic Palace
Quagliotti-Romano immediately set about creating an extraordinary atmosphere at the Colonial Theatre, describing it as a "veritable Venetian garden" designed to entice movie-goers into his "moving picture" palace. A 1915 Province article vividly captured the ambiance: "Beautiful oil paintings of eminent photo players, picturesque bronze statuary, long Venetian mirrors, and in the vestibule a wealth of ferns and other 'fauna' make the theatre like a shady garden in the summer and an exotic conservatory in the winter."
The Inaugural Program Under New Management
Quagliotti-Romano's first offering on March 26, 1914, featured Fantomas, a thrilling three-part detective story from France that likely consisted of three reels totaling 10 to 15 minutes of silent film. The bill also included a performance by soprano Madame Amorita Carmen. Ticket prices reflected the era's economy: 10 cents for matinees, 15 cents for evening shows, and 25 cents for box seats.
The Colonial Theatre operated during a vibrant period for Vancouver entertainment, alongside numerous other movie and vaudeville theatres that have since disappeared, including the Avenue, Empress, Imperial, Pantages, Rex, and the original Orpheum located in the old CPR Opera House.
Historical Context and Legacy
The Colonial Theatre's story intersects with broader cultural developments, including the emergence of moving pictures as noted in an 1897 Vancouver World article about "The New Pictures Alive" during the Klondike Gold Rush era. A century later, work began on the first feature film shot in British Columbia by a B.C. director, continuing the province's cinematic tradition.
The theatre's physical legacy ended when it became the last building demolished in the controversial Block 42 development, making way for the Pacific Centre mall. An April 12, 1972, photograph captures the Colonial Theatre at Granville and Dunsmuir in its final days, with the distinctive "Don't Argue" tobacconist shop visible nearby in 1920s-era postcards of Granville Street.
Hector Quagliotti-Romano's 42-year management of the Colonial Theatre represents a significant chapter in Vancouver's cultural history, bridging the transition from vaudeville to cinema in a venue remembered for its artistic ambiance and central role in the city's entertainment landscape.
