The White House Family Theater, a private movie theater used by presidents and first families for more than 80 years, is being demolished to make way for a new $300 million ballroom. The demolition began this week along with the rest of the East Wing, where the small, 40-seat theater was located.
The theater was originally converted from a cloakroom by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942. Over the decades, it has screened everything from documentaries and newsreels to musicals and blockbuster films. Presidents and first families often used it for private entertainment, but it also occasionally served as a rehearsal space for major speeches, such as the State of the Union address.
Former President Bill Clinton once called it the best perk of the White House, while Jimmy Carter screened at least 400 films there and at Camp David during his single term. Other presidents, including Richard Nixon, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, also used the theater regularly. John F. Kennedy watched From Russia With Love the day before he was assassinated.
Not all presidents were enthusiastic about movies. According to Paul Fischer, a longtime White House projectionist, Lyndon B. Johnson slept through most screenings.
Matt Lambros, an author on historic theaters, told NPR that the demolition “is bulldozing a piece of American history” and expressed hope that a new theater will eventually be built. The White House has not confirmed plans for a replacement theater as part of the East Wing redevelopment.
