| abstract | - The Grand Theatre was built by George "Dad" Fowler at 622 First Avenue North in Fargo and opened in 1906. The Grand Theatre was built as a vaudeville theatre. One of the first bookings was Al Jolson. Charlie Chaplin played at the Grand Theatre when his fee was $35 per week (and train fare). Many other vaudeville stars of the day played at the Grand Theatre. As vaudeville faded from popularity due to moving pictures, the Grand Theatre audience faded as well and the last show was in 1927. At about 1am on Saturday, October 15, 1932, fire broke out in the deserted building. The fire caused $150,000 in losses to the building, which was insured for only $48,000. The Grand Theatre was rebuilt in 1935 by the American Amusement Company of Minneapolis as a movie theater. "Talkies" replaced the song and dance, bicycle acts, dog acts, and other live peformers of vaudeville. The Grand Theatre likely survived into the 1950s and 1960s.
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