Starting with one movie theater as a side venture in 1913, pioneer motion picture exhibitor John Danz saw his company, Sterling Theatres (later Sterling Recreation Organization or SRO), grow into the largest independent theater circuit in the Pacific Northwest by the 1950s, with 25 theaters in the Seattle area. After his death in 1961, John Danz’s son, Fredric A. Danz, continued to build SRO until, at its height in the 1980s, it was showing first-run films on 116 movie screens, a distinction that made it the largest motion picture theater company in the state of Washington.
John Danz was born in Bronsk, Russia, on September 24, 1877, to Louis and Anna (Danofsky) Danz. John came to the United States with his family in about 1882, fleeing from religious persecution. He came to Portland, Oregon, by covered wagon with his father in 1889, transporting the household belongings and joining the rest of the family who had crossed the country by train. Danz worked as a stage driver in Elkland, Nevada, 1895-1896, and as a clerk in various haberdasheries in several western states. From 1903 to 1914 he was owner and manager of Sterling Men’s Wear on 2nd Avenue South in Seattle. When an adjacent storefront became vacant, Danz saw an opportunity to increase foot traffic to the clothing store by installing a nickelodeon; he started showing movies there in 1913-1914. The movie house soon became more profitable than the clothing store. People paid five cents admission and sat on hard benches. By 1914 Danz devoted all of his energy as president of his movie theater business, Sterling Theatre Company, named after his original haberdashery. His brothers Si (Simon) and Joseph worked with him in the business. When 2nd Avenue was widened and extended, the movie house lost its original location. In 1916 Danz bought the Star Theater and the following year the Colonial Theatre. He purchased land and built the Florence Theatre in 1920. Because movie producers had control of many theaters, Danz could only show “subsequent run” films at first. However, by maintaining clean theaters and low admission prices – 15 cents or less – his business steadily increased.
Over the years Danz continued to add theaters and led the way in rewriting state laws governing motion pictures. By 1936 Sterling had six movie houses and purchased the Pantages Theatre and Pantages Theatre Building in downtown Seattle, renaming it the Palomar Theatre Building after the Palomar Observatory in California. Danz ran Sterling Theatres from his office based in the Palomar Theatre Building from 1936 to 1961. He was notable for his determination, and he kept his theater business alive through the Depression and the advent of television. The company added bowling alleys in 1951, which were often located near the theaters. Danz was the first in the business to perceive the need for deluxe suburban motion picture houses and built the Admiral in West Seattle, the Magnolia, and the Northgate Theatres. Another suburban theater, the John Danz in Bellevue, completed just weeks after Danz’s death in 1961, was named to honor the theater pioneer.
Danz married Jessie Mohr of Staten Island, New York, on March 19, 1911. They had three children: Dorothy (Mrs. William R. Forman), William F., and Fredric A. Just prior to his death, Danz and his wife donated $330,000 to endow a lecture fund at the University of Washington, which has brought many distinguished scholars to the campus. Danz passed away on October 27, 1961, at the age of 84.
From the guide to the Danz Family Photograph Collection, 1890-1953, 1930-1953, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)
