State Theatre

quonundrum on October 19, 2012 at 7:40 pm

Donald the tile seems to be original from other pictures I have seen. Also the image at the top of the page is from 1954.

One main issue you will run into if you can re-open is the California regulations regarding parking for theaters. Since the State Theater has not been in continuous operation from before the regs it would need to comply just as if it was new construction. (Yuba city had this same problem when they someone was trying to revamp the Sutter Theater. You need off street parking, “one (1) space for each three (3) fixed seats, plus one (1) space for each twenty-eight (28) square feet of assembly area.”

So some were around 570 regular Parking Spaces and then another 12 Handicapped Parking Spaces. Unless you are planning to purchase an adjacent property for the sole purpose of building a parking structure… there just isn’t enough room.

Good Luck

Mikeyisirish on September 3, 2012 at 10:14 pm

A 2010 photo can be seen here. A Few photos taken September 1, 2012 can be seen here and here.

DonaldKirk on August 13, 2012 at 1:54 am

OOPS… Sorry for the Typos above.

Inspired_3rdGrader on August 13, 2012 at 1:42 am

Today my 8 Year old girl and I drove down E street headed to Yuba City to visit her Grandmother. On our way she was looking out the window and says, “Mom, that building called State, what was it?” I told her it used to be a theatre. She replied, “Well, what kind? Movies,plays,puppet shows?” I said I am not sure. As we drove by her head is turned all the way around keeping her eyes on the State, when it was out of sight she faces the front and says, “Mom, when we get home could I use your computer and look on the internet on the history of that building?” I have never heard anything like this come from her and without thinking much of it I told her “Sure”. We were out and about for hours and the second we walked in the door she asked if she could use the computer. I told her I would help her after I got some of my things done. Of course she asked about 10 times after that and finally I said ok lets look. We found this website and she read aloud to her father and I all the comments everyone had written. After she was done she said, “I want to volunteer to help.” So persistant to get me to understand she was SO serious, she said she wanted to tell Donald Kirk she wants to contribute to making the State everything he says he wants to make it to be. She is so filled with excitement she is sitting next to me at this momment making sure I follow threw with the message. She would like Donald Kirk (if you happen to read this) to know that when you buy the Theatre she will come and help do anything she can to make it into the dream you have discribed in your posts. As her mother I can say this is all so very heart warming to see her so excited. She believes she will have a part in making the State Theatre come back to life as long as she can get this message to Donald Kirk. :) Good Luck with what you are trying to achieve.

DonaldKirk on July 18, 2012 at 4:18 pm

I might add, that if we can get the theatre from Mr. Benny, the Marquee shown in the above picture will be replicated; as will the vertical State sign. I agree with the one post, that the current marquee is ugly. As for the 1977ish tile, if it’s actually original, it will be cleaned and repaired. If it is an add-on, it will be replaced with whatever was original to the theatre. Once restored, or replaced with like new tile. ot will look a whole lot better. Most theatre’s had tile entranceways. My purpose is to bring back it’s glory; with whatever improvements that are “required” (new sound system, DVD projection equipment, stage lights, wiring, ADA restrooms, etc.). Original looks is what people expect of a prize theatre’s restoration.

AnnaBananna on April 20, 2012 at 4:00 am

Donald…I just happened upon this page and another, looking into historical buildings in the area. I dont know if you succeeded contacting the owner, but this is a listing for Hotel Marysville…I dont know how old it is..

http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/14599800/420-S-5th-St-Marysville-CA/

jmetcalf on February 8, 2012 at 4:16 am

State Theater was the National Theater..

The original theater burned on the night of July 28, 1926 and was rebuilt bigger 11 months later on September 14, 1927 as the National Theater. Built by contractor I.C. Evans at a cost of $250,000. There was a temperary theater on the site during the construction. The National was a 1672 seat play and movie house, with an orchestra of 9 and a 90 by 40 foot stage. It also included 2 storefronts and 6 offices. Under the stage there are 11 dressing rooms. It was remodeled in Aug 1936 and changed its name to the State Theater. Remodeled again in the 1970’s when it was bought by United Artist. They turned the balcony into a double screen. Leaving it with the 3 screens it now has. CLosed in the late 1990’s. Fire took some of the concetion in 2005.

My dad worked there in the 1980’s when i was a kid under manager Joe Serry. I remember taking an elivator into the basement and seeing a bunch of old costums and tophats. And being in the projection booth, with a toilet next to a fruit drink fountain. It brings good memories and I would love to see it restored. •John Metcalf

Joe Vogel on August 15, 2011 at 11:28 am

The actual opening year of the National Theatre was 1927. This comment by tspauld on the Tower Theatre page says that the National on E Street was under construction when the Liberty Theatre, which replaced an earlier National Theatre at 1st and D Streets, opened on January 1 that year.

Indeed, the January 15, 1927, issue of Building and Engineering News ran an item saying that subcontracts had been awarded for work on the new theater being built on E Street between 5th and 6th in Marysville for the National Theatres Syndicate. That could only have been the National/State.

The item said that the new theater had been designed by the San Francisco architectural firm of Bliss & Fairweather.

DonaldKirk on April 7, 2011 at 6:12 am

Between 2003 and 2005 a partner and I restored the California Theatre in Dunsmuir, CA; and reopened it as a live stage venue and special movies.

She and I could not get along once it opened (she booked only live kids shows & movies) and I bailed.

I would love to take over the restoration and reopening of the State (especially with 1667 seats) and bring big name acts to the theatre (Bill Medley, BS&T, etc.). I would gladly head-up and manage a $ multi-million restoration of the theatre, holding events and using volunteers, to cut those $ millions way down.

If any of you would be willing to work with me on this project, please contact me; and we’ll see if we can’t get the City and Owners together, to agree to a restoration & our operating the State.

Don Kirk

TedL on September 15, 2008 at 6:59 am

Regarding the hotel and proposed parking structure to its south:

The city had $2-million in grant money on tap to build the lower part of the structure… but the hotel’s owners reneged on a tentative plan to fund the upper floors of the structure.

As a result, the city had to give the grand money back.

View link

There goes a fairly sizeable positive step for the high-traffic part of town.

Ted

TedL on May 29, 2008 at 7:41 pm

The property has been neglected for many years, and the city had to force the previous owner to repaint.

View link

That happened last year, which has improved the overall look.

Unfortunately, the marquee is in need of work, and the new owners maintain a running battle with the city, which is trying to enforce codes.

Hence the fines each day the building hasn’t been brought up to spec. The owners are making some <ahem> interesting claims about the FBI investigating them and other things.
View link

The newspaper reports that one of the new owners has done prison time:
“George Benny did a 10-year stint in federal prison on mail fraud and racketeering charges. He was paroled in 1993.
Benny and Hollo also have asserted that Marysville officials have targeted the couple unfairly because of their Hungarian background.
According to city officials, the Bennys have never responded to requests for written information about their future plans for the building.”

So the State sitsâ€"unusableâ€"right across the parking lot from the also unusable Marysville Hotel. Which has been an on-again, off-again project for a succession of owners… who have done nothing to fix the place since it closed in the 1980’s.

The city IS going to put a multi-story parking lot in the current ground-level lot just south of the hotel, and wants both of these landmarks turned into useful, attractive, job, income and tax creating properties.

I’d like to see the parking lot, hotel, theater and adjoining properties combined into a conference and convention center. Something that would be affordable for groups that can’t handle the costs of meetings in Sacramento and other larger cities.

Back in the mid 1960’s and even into the 80’s as I recall… the theater was indeed run by Joe Seery, who also managed UA’s Sutter Theater in Yuba City, across the river.

As a ten to fifteen year old, I remember summer afternoons riding my bike into town from Linda, nd then sitting in the back of the main floor in the cool, dark watching Bond movies, pictures like “The Ipcress File,” and “The Spy Who Came In From the Cold,” and “The Yellow Rolls Royce” at the State.

The projection was good (from what I could tell at the time.) The sound had what I’d call a “slap-back” echo, though.

Back then, the box office was a true “box” office in the middle of the entranceway. When the front was modernized during UA’s ownership, the box office was remove and a ticket window was built on the south side of the entrance.

The last time I was in the theater as a patron I sat in what had been the balcony, in the “north” screening room that had been made by enclosing the balcony on both ends, with just enough room for the main screen’s projector beams. “Desecration” came to mind, but I understood the economics of the situation.

I stepped into the lobby after the fire, and thought, “what a mess!”

It kiboshed thoughts I’d entertained of getting the local Arts Council just up the street to cooperate on a film festival, using the State as one of the showcases.

Oh, well.

Ted.

BrightIdeasLighting on February 13, 2008 at 9:43 am

What a perfect place to bring live theater back into the area! Before someone broke the glass to the front doors of the theater, I was able to contact the owner to check out the inside of this lavishly designed palace. What a mess! It killed me inside to see such a pretty place in such bad shape. The theater offered a beautiful balcony that was horrible sectioned off into 2 spererate theaters. As my tour through the darkness was only guided by a small flashlight, I missed a lot of the detailing. The walls were painted a rich red color and a large chandelier hung in the main part of the theater. It felt like I was walking through a haunted house. My tour guide warned me of bums that would sneak in to find a dry place to sleep. GREAT! I was guided down to a door which lead to the stage. To my surprise it opened into a hallway that had bathrooms to the right and a staircase ahead to the stage. Once we got to the stage I was able to see a little better. This theater reminded me of an old vodvill palace. It wasnâ€\t just an old movie theater. It had a green room and dressing rooms that were built below the stage. Since most of the lights in the theater didnâ€\t work, I didnâ€\t dare venture into the dark dungeons (rooms) below. Above me I could see there was fly space and a fully designed pulley and weight system for hanging and fling in sets. Stage lighting was very minimal. Below the front of the stage was a sectioned area for an orchestra pit. Towards the end of my tour my guide took me out front of the theater to a random door which lead to a flight of stairs. Up the freaky staircase was a hallway with random rooms and offices. These offices and rooms were attached to the windows that lineup behind the marquee sign. It was sort of like going back in time. Most of the rooms were filled with random storage. WHAT A MESS! Once I found out that this wasn’t just a movie theater I got excited. At the time I had heard news that the local Mayer was interested in refurbishing the theater, but not enough parking was available for such a large space. Plus the water damage was pretty bad. The owner at the time had the theater on the market. Oh how I wish I could win the lottery, but I don’t think enough money in the world would bring this palace back to it’s glory. Not with all the wonderful things the city had in store for the owner.
If anyone has plans to refurbish please keep me in mind. Would love to be a part of the whole before and after.
James

DONMELVIN on December 28, 2007 at 3:14 am

We, California Partners LLC., currently own the State Theater in Marysville and we are committed to restoring the State Theater. All restoration efforts are on hold due to the outrageous conduct by City Officials(daily fines levied against us in VIOLATION OF OUR CIVIL RIGHTS including selective enforcement in Violation of our 14th Ammendment Rights under The U.S. Constitution ), as soon as the problems with the city are resolved we can refocus our efforts into the restoration.