Fox Theatre
2215 Broadway,
Redwood City,
CA
94063
2215 Broadway,
Redwood City,
CA
94063
5 people
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Showing 1 - 25 of 33 comments
Like another member here, I too grew up on The Peninsula watching films at The Fox, The Laurel and The Carlos and The Manor before it turned into a porno theater. As an adult I had the priviledge to work in many theaters including the Fox and the Laurel. I was the manager/projectionist when The Fox finally closed it doors to showing films. If my memory serves me, FAME was the last film we showed that night.
Re-opened September 2010 Located in the heart of downtown Redwood City; the Fox Theatre is the premier live entertainment and rental venue in Silicon Valley. Downtown Redwood City has over 60 dining options within walking distance of the Fox for pre or post-event dining. The capacity of the Fox Theatre is 1,348 amongst its three floors. Club Fox capacity is 240 and is right next door to the Fox Theatre, allowing for endless possibilities for public or private events. We also have the ability to book the Courthouse Plaza directly across the street from the Fox, providing open air or tented event experiences for 500 to 1000
The Fox was a beautiful theatre. I feel very fortunate to have worked there for so many years. Still miss it. Stevenj is very accurate with his memories/descriptions.
I grew up on the SF Peninsula (San Carlos) during the 50’s and 60’s and the Fox was one of 3 theaters (along with the Laurel and Carlos in San Carlos) that became nearby homes away from homes to escape the parents. During that time the Fox showed mostly 1st run American International horror films and 20th Century Fox releases. The auditorium was in great shape then and quite beautiful. The proscenium was drape covered and lit with alternating colors at intermission. There was a round clock above the left front exit tunnel lit in blue neon and the name of a local nearby car dealer (EZ Davies – who probably paid for it) across the top half. Sneaking up to the balcony without getting caught was the Saturday matinee game we played with the uniformed usherettes (never using the lobby grand entrance but the one to the right of the snack bar). Saw many many Elvis/Christopher Lee/Vincent Price films here.
Yes. Those are waaaay old but great pics!
Some pics of the New Sequoia Theatre in 1930(apologies for quality)
View link
View link
Great interior photos of the Fox Theatre, brought back so many memories. THANX!
Nice link thanks for posting.
There are additional photos of the the theater, includin interior photos, on this webpage.
A few 2011 photos can be seen here and here.
Its open and doing well
Thanks Larry.
This theatre was recently purchased by a new investor who promises to re-open the theatre by mid-summer of 2010. Will be used for live/civic attractions. No showing of films was mentioned in article..(Peninsula Examiner,5/10)
Chuck1231, One of the problems with linking pictures from the source is things change and the original link becomes a dead link. ken mc has linked afew shots in the past to current eBay pictures that are only good for a month many times. After that time they are dead links.
Here is a July 1951 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/yfkflcq
An undated photo on the original Sequoia Theater located at 2114 Broadway can be found in “Images of America Redwood City on page 29. It shows the front of the theater with probably 100 people. I will scan the photo along with a photo of the "Sequoia” at the second location on Broadway. Also there is a photo of the start of the demo of the Redwood Theater showing workers on the roof. Also note my new thread about the FIRST theater(1915)in Redwood City –“The Bell” or Bell Theater on Main St.-there is a photo in same book.
Lost Memory
What a great picture!
Thanks, Larry. I’ll put the information about the opening on the Paris page.
In regards to the above question regarding the PARIS THEATRE, it was located in downtown Palo Alto, about 7 miles south of Redwood City. It was in operation for years. It was classified as an art house. Very popular with the Stanford University crowd. They also served espresso style coffees which were available in the lobby. You could enjoy coffee there without obligation of admission ticket if you chose. Not very big.
I’ve come across another Redwood City puzzler. Under the headline “Opens Redwood City Paris” in the August 21, 1961, issue of Boxoffice Magazine is a brief item saying that Jean Renoir’s “Picnic On the Grass” had been the opening attraction at the new “…Paris Theatre and espresso house….” No address is given, but the owners were named as Mr. and Mrs. Harold Snyder of Redwood City.
Anybody know anything about this theater? Boxoffice sometimes got details wrong, so the new theater might have actually been in a nearby town.
Looking at recent photos of the Fox Redwood marquee reminds me when that total marquee was covered in animated neon, colors consisted of pink, green, and white. The removal of all that neon leaves just a tired, old worn out sign that probably should just be removed and buried, with the rest of that wonderful history that theatre once had. Even the interior, though recently redone still does not even come close to the real beauty that theatre once had. Very sad.
The various thumbnail pages for photos of the New Sequoia/Fox Theatre at the historical photos website usually include the information that the original Sequoia Theatre was located at 2114 Broadway and operated from 1917 to 1929. I can’t find any photos on that site showing a close view of the original Sequoia Theatre. However, in this 1947 aerial view in which you can see the New Sequoia dominating the center of the picture, note that in the next block closer, and on the right side of Broadway, there’s a dark building with a slope-roofed rear section, which I surmise is at, or very near, the old Sequoia’s address.
In satellite views fetched by searches on 2114 Broadway, Redwood City, at Google Maps and TerraServer, it looks as though this building still exists. Could this be the original Sequoia Theatre? The building was already there in this 1925 aerial photo, seen from the west side, just above and to the left of the Courthouse dome. The building could date from 1917, the original Sequoia’s opening year.
Thanks to Joe Vogel I found 2 great pictures of the old Redwood Theatre located on California St. on the SMC photo website. Great pics of the Fox also!! Thanks Joe! Check out the Redwood Theatre listed under the FOX THEATRES CHAIN ON CINEMA TREASURES.
From the San Mateo County Historical Photos website:
On June 22, 1950, the plaster ceiling above the balcony of the Sequoia Theatre collapsed during the show, injuring 30 people.
The theatre was repaired and reopened as the Fox Theatre on September 15, 1950.
Several other photos of the Fox can be seen in the Redwood City Library section of the website.
Does anyone remember the Redwood Theatre located on California Ave. (bordered by El Camino)?? It later became Bank of America, later Andersons TV/Video store. It was owned and operated by Fox West Coast Theatres. It closed around 1953. Anyone with any history/info would sure be appreciated.