‘Asbestos’ was a good word when Hawaii Theatre opened

The curtain of the Hawaii Theatre today has a large picture of Diamond Head, and below it in large letters is the word "HAWAII."

However, when it held its grand opening on Sept. 6, 1922 — 89 years ago this week — a different word was emblazoned across the curtain. It is a word we would, today, consider odd.

The word offered patrons security from fire. The word, in big letters, across the Hawaii Theatre curtain was ASBESTOS. There had been many theater fires in the U.S. 90 years ago and Consolidated Theatres founder Joel Cohen wanted patrons to know they would be safe at the most magnificent theatre in the state.

Asbestos was once considered a miracle fiber. It was known to the ancient Greeks as a fire retardant, and Marco Polo was shown its miracle properties in China. However, today we know it causes mesothelioma lung cancer.

When the Hawaii Theatre opened in 1922, it was the crown jewel in Consolidated’s chain. It could seat 1,700 people and was called the Pride of the Pacific. An air cooling system had vents under each seat. Asbestos was just one of the safety features incorporated into the design.

Bob Sigall, author of "The Companies We Keep" books, looks through his collection of old photos to tell stories each Friday of Hawaii people, places and companies. Email him at Sigall@Yahoo.com.