Phinney Ridge a part of foreign film history

The Seattle P.I. reports today about a new book by Jim Selvidge, a pioneering exhibitor of foreign films in Seattle. In the late 1950s and early ’60s, Selvidge turned Phinney Ridge’s old vaudeville venue, the Ridgemont, into an influential art house showing only subtitled foreign films.
Those who have lived in the neighborhood for a while remember the Ridgemont, at Greenwood Avenue and N. 78th St., before it was closed and demolished to make way for a condo building, which kept the name Ridgemont and has a movie theater marquee sign.
Because of the films he chose to show at the Ridgemont, Selvidge endured severe censorship, the Ridgemont was attacked with eggs and feces, and someone shot out Selvidge’s car window as he was driving.
Update 2 p.m.: Paul just sent us this photo of the old theater building and sign (where someone rearranged the letters) taken during a Greenwood Classic Car Show shortly before the building was demolished. With that great old car and taken in black and white, it sure looks like it was taken during its heyday!