The Plaza Theatre opened in 1939. Architect; George Harwell Bond designed this 1,000 seat Art Deco movie theatre. At one time it operated as a XXX Adult movie theatre before re-opening as a regular theatre again in 1983.
The Film Daily Year Book 1941 gives a seating capacity of the Brawley Theatre as 806. In 1952 it’s listed as 807 seats with an address of 124 North Plaza.
The Redlands Theatre opened in 1929 and was styled in a Mission Revival treatment on the interior.
It had a 40ft wide proscenium opening and a stage 32ft deep. In the 1940’s the stage house was converted into a seperate theatre, known first as the Grove, later the Rainbow. /theaters/9678/
The seating capacity of the Fontana Theatre was 750, all on one floor.
It opened in July 1937 with the movie “Easy Living” starring Jean Arthur and Edward Arnold. The Fontana was leased for the first 12 years of its life to Glenn Harper of Corona,‘one of the best known theatrical men in the Southland’.
The Lido Theatre is still there, sitting empty, like the Riverside Theater. I believe the City of Riverside are making moves on the owner of theatres to get them up and running again (see the above posting from Eugene Davis taken from the LA Times).
I will add the Lido as a separate entry to Cinema Treasures.
The architect of the Granada Theater was A.B. Rosenthal and the seating capacity on opening was given as 1,870.
It opened on 9th April 1924 with the movie “Mademoiselle Midnight” starring Mae Murray. On stage was Theodore Kosloffs Ballet Company accompanied by a 25 piece orchestra and a 4 Manual/17 Rank Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ.
In 1981 the theater was tripled and the main screen in the orchestra stalls had 910 seats, while up in the balcony it had been split into two screens, each seating 225.
The architects of the Fox Theatre were Balch and Stanberry.
It became the home of the Franchon and Marco “Idea’s” shows on its 42ft deep stage. Those shows had previously played at the Califonia Theater which had opened a year earlier.
The Riverside Theatre opened on 11th June 1929 with the W.S. Van Dyke directed movie “White Shadows in the South Seas” starring Monte Blue and Raquel Torres (This was the first MGM film where the sound of the trademark lion ‘roared’). Star of the movie Monte Blue attended in person. Jan Sofer conducted the 12 piece orchestra and Warren Wright was on the 2 Manual/10 Rank Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ.
Built for West Coast Theatres, the seating capacity at opening was 1,900.
I have a record that Lewis A. Smith (L.A. Smith) was the architect of the theatre, together with Balch and Stanbery. But being L.A. Smith died in 1926, it could be that Balch and Stanbery ‘took over’ and adapted his design for the theatre, similar to what is said to have happened at the Golden Gate Theatre in East Los Angeles.
The architects of the Majestic Theatre were Edelman and Barnett. A seating capacity is given as 1,700 at opening. I did read that it was announced the Majestic was reverting back to live theatre use just before it was closed and demolished, so maybe it did show movies for a while in the mid 1920’s.
It most likely closed in 1929 and was immediately demolished, as the famous Claude Beelman designed Eastern-Columbia Building was built on the site in 1930.
The Warner Grand Theater opened as the Warner Theatre on 20th January 1931 with Joe E. Brown starring in “Goin' Wild” on the screen and Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Blondell attending in person. An opening seating capacity was given as 1,598.
Anthony B. Heinsbergen designed the beautiful Art Deco interior decorations which are still there to be admired today.
Warner’s leased the theatre out in the 1970’s and it screened Spanish language films under the name Teatro Juarez.
Originally opened as the Portal Theatre (known also as the West Portal Theatre) on 26th December 1925, the architects were Irving F. Morrow and William I Garren.
It was re-named Empire Cinema on 1st October 1936 and in 1974 it was divided into 3 screens.
That’s great news David. I wish you all the very best in getting the California up and running again and will certainly want to visit it next time I’m in town.
The interior design of the Heart Theater was carried out by Charles Dawson of Mattoon.
Film Daily Yearbook 1950 gives a seating capacity of the State Theatre as 514.
The street address of the Pitman Theatre is 629 Broad Street.
It was built in 1947 and the architect was D.O. Whilldin.
The Plaza Theatre opened in 1939. Architect; George Harwell Bond designed this 1,000 seat Art Deco movie theatre. At one time it operated as a XXX Adult movie theatre before re-opening as a regular theatre again in 1983.
The Film Daily Yearbook 1941 gives a seating capacity the Dos Palos Theatre as 450. In the F.D.Ybook 1952 it has a seating capacity of 490.
The Film Daily Year Book 1941 gives a seating capacity of the Brawley Theatre as 806. In 1952 it’s listed as 807 seats with an address of 124 North Plaza.
The Redlands Theatre opened in 1929 and was styled in a Mission Revival treatment on the interior.
It had a 40ft wide proscenium opening and a stage 32ft deep. In the 1940’s the stage house was converted into a seperate theatre, known first as the Grove, later the Rainbow. /theaters/9678/
The seating capacity of the Fontana Theatre was 750, all on one floor.
It opened in July 1937 with the movie “Easy Living” starring Jean Arthur and Edward Arnold. The Fontana was leased for the first 12 years of its life to Glenn Harper of Corona,‘one of the best known theatrical men in the Southland’.
The Lido Theatre is still there, sitting empty, like the Riverside Theater. I believe the City of Riverside are making moves on the owner of theatres to get them up and running again (see the above posting from Eugene Davis taken from the LA Times).
I will add the Lido as a separate entry to Cinema Treasures.
The architect of the Granada Theater was A.B. Rosenthal and the seating capacity on opening was given as 1,870.
It opened on 9th April 1924 with the movie “Mademoiselle Midnight” starring Mae Murray. On stage was Theodore Kosloffs Ballet Company accompanied by a 25 piece orchestra and a 4 Manual/17 Rank Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ.
In 1981 the theater was tripled and the main screen in the orchestra stalls had 910 seats, while up in the balcony it had been split into two screens, each seating 225.
The architects of the Fox Theatre were Balch and Stanberry.
It became the home of the Franchon and Marco “Idea’s” shows on its 42ft deep stage. Those shows had previously played at the Califonia Theater which had opened a year earlier.
Opened in 1928 as the New Ventura Theatre, the opening movie was William Haines in “Excess Baggage”
The Riverside Theatre opened on 11th June 1929 with the W.S. Van Dyke directed movie “White Shadows in the South Seas” starring Monte Blue and Raquel Torres (This was the first MGM film where the sound of the trademark lion ‘roared’). Star of the movie Monte Blue attended in person. Jan Sofer conducted the 12 piece orchestra and Warren Wright was on the 2 Manual/10 Rank Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ.
Built for West Coast Theatres, the seating capacity at opening was 1,900.
I have a record that Lewis A. Smith (L.A. Smith) was the architect of the theatre, together with Balch and Stanbery. But being L.A. Smith died in 1926, it could be that Balch and Stanbery ‘took over’ and adapted his design for the theatre, similar to what is said to have happened at the Golden Gate Theatre in East Los Angeles.
The architects of the Majestic Theatre were Edelman and Barnett. A seating capacity is given as 1,700 at opening. I did read that it was announced the Majestic was reverting back to live theatre use just before it was closed and demolished, so maybe it did show movies for a while in the mid 1920’s.
It most likely closed in 1929 and was immediately demolished, as the famous Claude Beelman designed Eastern-Columbia Building was built on the site in 1930.
The architect responsible for the re-modelling of the Costa Theater into the Fox Theater in 1952 was Carl G. Moeller.
The Alisal Theatre opened on 10th April 1947.
I can quote two different seating capacities for the Majestic Theater from the Film Daily Yearbook 1941; 2,100 seats, 1950 edition; 1,840
The seating capacity of the Ritz Theatre given at opening was 1,660.
The Sunkist Theatre opened on 4th November 1931 with a given seating capacity of 888.
The opening date of the Baywood Theater was 20th August 1931.
The Warner Grand Theater opened as the Warner Theatre on 20th January 1931 with Joe E. Brown starring in “Goin' Wild” on the screen and Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Blondell attending in person. An opening seating capacity was given as 1,598.
Anthony B. Heinsbergen designed the beautiful Art Deco interior decorations which are still there to be admired today.
Warner’s leased the theatre out in the 1970’s and it screened Spanish language films under the name Teatro Juarez.
The Carlos Theatre opened on 10th January 1941 with a seating capacity of 817.
Originally opened as the Portal Theatre (known also as the West Portal Theatre) on 26th December 1925, the architects were Irving F. Morrow and William I Garren.
It was re-named Empire Cinema on 1st October 1936 and in 1974 it was divided into 3 screens.
The architect’s of the San Mateo Theater were Irving F. Morrow and William I. Garren.
That’s great news David. I wish you all the very best in getting the California up and running again and will certainly want to visit it next time I’m in town.