Grand Theatre Introduction

If you remember the Grand, why not share it with us online? When I am in my ticket selling role, people constantly tell me great stories about the Grand.

I personally have fond memories of the Grand, like the time I fell asleep as a kid and almost got locked inside at the end of the last showing. Thanks to the usher who spotted me snoozing, I did not spend a scary night inside the dark theatre.

Ken Hatt, the winner of the May 5th, early bird raffle was an usher at the Grand when he was still living in Douglas as a young man. He is now married and lives in Vancouver, B.C. When we called him to let him know he had won, he was elated and said "I never win anything" Good news.

Come on, share your memories with us..
Carlos Valenzuela
Chairman, Grand Theatre 08 Raflle

(Me: Dominic Frank Diamos, b.1950-- Oakland, CA) My grandparents (Guadalupe "Ruby" Valencia Diamos and Ephthemios Diamos
(Frank, above) divorced after having 3 children around 1920. My father was named "Frank" after his father, whom he never saw again. My mother was a journalist/humorist Jean Shepard (one book "Beside The Point" 1944) of Oswego, OR. (Diamos was an Ellis Island shortening of the orig. name "Diamandachigos"--according to family history...)
*****************
I sing around the country as "Tony Rizzi, Smooth Crooner" (Standards, Ballads, Showtunes: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Jack Jones, Jazz.
I never met my Greek relatives (except a kindly Uncle Spiro in the 1960s)...
Still show biz must run in SOMEBODY's blood--I have been singing and SINGING constantly since I was a baby! Orchestras, choirs, plays, musical theater, singing in hotels, private homes, nightclubs, restaurants, county fairs, galas, weddings, corporate events, etc...
I hope to sing in Douglas AZ someday.... perhaps here at the GRAND THEATER when it reopens...
my website: www.myspace.com/tonyrizzi
www.youtube.com/gordonmary
*****************
SO... HERE'S TO THE DIAMOS CLAN whom I am DIRECTLY related to!
Here's to the Diamos's and their beautiful old theaters all over the Southwest!!
(I hear my grandfather, great-uncles sold out lock, stock and barrel in 1929 to 20th Century-Fox studios at quite a hefty profit! My relatives never saw a nickel! So be it!)
God bless... (Frank Diamos, Jr., my Pa, died in 1999 at 82.)
Life Goes On!
TONY RIZZI, Smooth Crooner (Nick Diamos)
"...a really nice style..." -- DORIS DAY
POB 2549, MILL VALLEY CA 94942
(415) 776-8481
********************
And Here's To My Saints: the fine American popular songwriters --words and music--whose songs graced the speakers and the screen of the Diamos' Bros Theaters that I keep discovering and singing year-round: Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Harry Warren, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Jimmy McHugh, Sammy Cahn, James Van Heusen, Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin, James Monaco, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Dorothy Fields, Riz Ortolani, Bert Kaempfert, Tony Velona, etc., etc.
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR THEATER!!!

(Me: Dominic Frank Diamos, b.1950-- Oakland, CA) My grandparents (Guadalupe "Ruby" Valencia Diamos and Ephthemios Diamos
(Frank, above) divorced after having 3 children around 1920. My father was named "Frank" after his father, whom he never saw again. My mother was a journalist/humorist Jean Shepard (one book "Beside The Point" 1944) of Oswego, OR. (Diamos was an Ellis Island shortening of the orig. name "Diamandachigos"--according to family history...)
*****************
I sing around the country as "Tony Rizzi, Smooth Crooner" (Standards, Ballads, Showtunes: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Jack Jones, Jazz.
I never met my Greek relatives (except a kindly Uncle Spiro in the 1960s)...
Still show biz must run in SOMEBODY's blood--I have been singing and SINGING constantly since I was a baby! Orchestras, choirs, plays, musical theater, singing in hotels, private homes, nightclubs, restaurants, county fairs, galas, weddings, corporate events, etc...
I hope to sing in Douglas AZ someday.... perhaps here at the GRAND THEATER when it reopens...
my website: www.myspace.com/tonyrizzi
www.youtube.com/gordonmary
*****************
SO... HERE'S TO THE DIAMOS CLAN whom I am DIRECTLY related to!
Here's to the Diamos's and their beautiful old theaters all over the Southwest!!
(I hear my grandfather, great-uncles sold out lock, stock and barrel in 1929 to 20th Century-Fox studios at quite a hefty profit! My relatives never saw a nickel! So be it!)
God bless... (Frank Diamos, Jr., my Pa, died in 1999 at 82.)
Life Goes On!
TONY RIZZI, Smooth Crooner (Nick Diamos)
"...a really nice style..." -- DORIS DAY
POB 2549, MILL VALLEY CA 94942
(415) 776-8481
********************
And Here's To My Saints: the fine American popular songwriters --words and music--whose songs graced the speakers and the screen of the Diamos' Bros Theaters that I keep discovering and singing year-round: Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Harry Warren, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Jimmy McHugh, Sammy Cahn, James Van Heusen, Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin, James Monaco, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Dorothy Fields, Riz Ortolani, Bert Kaempfert, Tony Velona, etc., etc.
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR THEATER!!!

By way of introduction,my name is Tom Walker,along with my son Derek,we are looking to your area as a place to relocate , as I am retirering from 33 yrs, as a stagehand here in Las Vegas...although I do have some errond's to do on my way to a new home ,[My brother whoturn's 52 this year and has lived his entire life in a hospital enviorment is long long overdue for a tour of the country,that he has lived in and never known...] and after many year's of traveling far and wide ,around about 2001 I was in your area and it has alway's stuck in my mind, at 55 I dont want and probly can't stop working ,I can have the final say as to what I work at or for and that is a quantum improvement??!!! The point ,I would like to make is that I have an extensive backround in Film Television Stage and Convention work...in every aspect from apprentice to company manager,lighting gaffer and also ran the LV Convention center [our worker's 500 to 800 per event] in 2000 and 2001, my daughter and her family live in phoenix , but after this place and traveling around with my brother , I don't want anything to do with another mega city....the corruption and greed that I have witnessed taking over my trade for the past 33 yrs , is the reason I am taking early out ,so if this is of any value to you if there might be some assistance I might render through myself or any of the great many people or companie's I know and deal with, please let me know,either at harly19532000@yahoo.com or 702 824 5076 respectfully TWWalker

I notice that the current Marqee is different in the photo on this page than it is today. When was the marqee changed?