History of the Blue Fox Theatre

BlueFOXCinema.com is still a Family Affair

In late 2024, owner Chris Wagner sold the Blue Fox Theatre to Cory and Haley Koole, also owners of a chain of NAPA Auto Parts stores.

The Blue Fox Theatre is open four days a week (Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and the movies begin at 6:30pm. You’ll be delighted to find popcorn is popped FRESH for each movie showing. Our concession offers all of the soda, water and snacks that are customary at the Blue Fox Theatre.

HISTORY OF BLUE FOX THEATRE.
Credits for most of this edited content goes to Lorie Palmer of the Idaho County Free Press.

Chris Wagner began working at the Blue Fox Theater in downtown Grangeville when he was 10 or 12 years old..

Throughout the history of Grangeville, Idaho’s iconic Blue Fox Theatre as well as the Sunset Auto Vue drive-in theatre, these movie options have charmed movie-goers throughout the years.

For the history enthusiast, the Blue Fox Theatre is both a “must-see and a can’t-miss” experience, located in the center of Grangeville’s downtown area.

The Blue Fox Theatre marquee and neon lights pepper the building’s retro aesthetic. But inside you will find a bit of digital-age technology that shines an even brighter light on the classic big screen. With a digital projector putting all the latest hit movies on display, the Blue Fox Theatre has made a leap in keeping up with modern times that relatively few small-town theaters across the country have achieved.

According to Free Press records, Chris Wagner’s late grandfather, Al J. Wagner, opened the Spanish-style Theater on May 2, 1930. The first show was Warner Brothers’ “Gold Diggers of Broadway.” That film billed as “100 percent national color singing and dancing.”

Wagner opened the theater next door to his former silent movie house–“The Lyric.” Movie prices for that opening show were 50 cents for adults, 25 cents for students and 15 cents for kids.

“There was a hand printing press that’s still around somewhere there, and the whole month’s movie schedule would be printed on that, ” John Wagner (grandson of Al J. Wagner) said in a 2009 interview.

Back then, the grand opening captured the the entire front page of the Idaho County Free Press. Two bands played continuously in front of the theater and a dance was held there that evening. A contest was held to pick the name of the new theater and the contest winner was J.H. Dickson with his entry of the Blue Fox.

In the past, the Blue Fox Theatre hosted live shows with music resounding from it’s orchestra pit and also had showings three times a week.

In 1942 a fire occurred, collapsing the roof and claiming a portion of the building. The theater was rebuilt that same year.

In 1954, the Blue Fox movie house was taken over by Al Wagner’s sons, John and Al Wagner Jr. (Port). Al Wagner Sr. died in 1969 and John sold his interest in the business to Port in 1975. Port died in 2007. Port’s son Chris Wagner inherited management of the family business that included the Blue Fox Theatre, the Sunset Autoview Outdoor Movie Theatre, and the Rex Theater located in Orofino.

In 1999. the Blue Fox Theatre building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

“I became a projectionist when I was 14.” Chris explained.

That was back in the day when movie reels ran for 20 minutes then had to be changed.

“You really had to pay attention,” he said. “you could end up with broken film or the strip unreeling and piling up on the floor. I did have a few mishaps,” Wagner said with a smile.

That job included setting up the movie, taking tickets and, of course, staying throughout the movie.

Chris graduated from Grangeville high School and in 1975 decided to make a move to Alaska. He worked in maintenance at The Hilton and was a painter in Alaska for years.

It was nearly 20 years later, in 1994, when Port was considering retiring that Chris came home for a visit.

“I was supposed to be here for a week. Dad offer to let me buy the business, and at first I just wasn’t sure – I wasn’t that interested,” Wagner recalled. “I stayed for another week, checking things out and then I went back to Alaska.” Chris said it took him about three weeks to call his father and tell him, “I’m in.”

What change his mind? “I thought, ‘I think I can do better than climbing a ladder when I’m 60″‘ he chuckled.

Chris had a desire to bring back The Sunset Auto Vue, which was buillt in 1955 and closed in 1986. Port was adamantly against reopening the drive-in, Chris said. Finally, in 1998, Chris walked into his father’s office. “I want you to know I’ve saved some money, and I’m going to put it into opening the drive-in. What I don’t have, you’re going to have to loan to me,” Chris recalled and he walk out.

It wasn’t too long before his father came to him, and, sensing his resolve, gave his blessing.

Sunset Auto Vue reopened in 1998, and since then, carloads of people started flocking to the outdoor movie theatre. Many spring, summer and fall nights the cars arrive early and the scene is Norman Rockwell-like with kids playing football, the sound of laughter throughout the area and the smell of hot dogs roasting on the grill.

“My dad called me into his office sometime after it open and told me, ‘By the way, opening the drive-in was the best thing you’ve done since being here,'” Chris said. “It definitely added to the bottom line.

Speakers on posts made way for radio frequency and better sound through individual car stero systems.

In 2011, the Blue Fox Theatre was upgraded from the 35-millimeter projectors to the current digital system. The Sunset Auto Vue went digital the following year in 2012.

The year 2011 brought the Blue Fox Theater’s first-ever midnight premier with the movie “Breaking Dawn”-a part of the popular Twilight series. Movie-goers lined up before 11:30 p.m. on the downtown sidewalk to view the show.

Since then, the Blue Fox Theatre has premiered many movies, to the delight of locals

Although he has been present for thousands of movies throughout the years, Chris said he best remembers the James Bond films as generating much excitement among movie goers. Chris also fondly remembers the futuristic “Westworld” from 1973 staring Yul Brynner.

“I don’t have a very good memory,” he laughed, “but I have watched a lot of movies throughout the years.”

Before selling the Blue Fox Theatre in late 2024 to Cory and Haley Koole, Chris’s middle school age daughter, Sienna, was following along in her father’s footsteps, working behind the concession counter or simply enjoying movies with friends as the baton was passed to the next generation.