Comments from Ken Roe

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Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about California Theatre on Dec 13, 2004 at 6:33 am

The actual opening date of the California Theater was 24th December 1918. It closed as a Pussycat Theater in January 1988.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Sierra Theater on Dec 12, 2004 at 3:19 pm

The address of the Sierra Theater was 5058 Eagle Rock Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA.

In the Film Daily Yearbook’s of 1950 and 1952 it has a seating capacity given as 503.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Fox Studio City Theatre on Dec 12, 2004 at 3:49 am

I have found further information on the Fox Studio City Theatre;

Architect: Clifford A. Balch
Architect plans dated 1937
Theatre opened 1938 or possibly 1939.
Building Engineer: W.E. Wilson
Built for Pacific Theatre/Laurel Theatres

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about State Cinema on Dec 10, 2004 at 3:26 pm

The State Cinema opened in September 1938 with John Ford’s “The Hurricane” starring Dorothy Lamour and Jon Hall. The architect was Frederick G.M. Chancellor of the Frank Matcham & Company practice. The organ installed is a Compton.

It closed in September 1988 and was theatened with demolition, but was saved by a Grade II Listing being placed upon it. It re-opened again briefly in 1989, and a few live concerts were held in 1991. The State has remained empty since then.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Vue West End on Dec 10, 2004 at 2:59 pm

From Summer 2004 all Warner Village Cinemas have been renamed VUE, the Warner West End is now VUE Cinemas, Leicester Square.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Stratford East Picturehouse on Dec 10, 2004 at 2:36 pm

The Architectural Firm; Burrell Foley Fischer (John Burrell, Mark Foley & Stefanie Fischer) designed the Stratford East Picture House. It opened in August 1997.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Park Theater on Dec 10, 2004 at 12:17 pm

The Park Theatre opened in 1915.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Ritz Theatre on Dec 10, 2004 at 11:59 am

This Ritz Theater, located on 4509 8th Avenue at 46th Street opened in 1927 and closed in 1960. A seating capacity of 1,037 is given in the Film Daily Yearbook 1930. As stated in the main text, it is currently a supermarket.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Berkshire Theatre on Dec 10, 2004 at 11:43 am

The Berkshire Theatre opened in 1926.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Astral Theatre on Dec 10, 2004 at 10:15 am

The Empress Theater opened pre.1914. In Film Daily Yearbooks for 1941 and 1957 it has listed seating capacities given as 600 and 596. Its current use is retail as a supermarket.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about RKO Alhambra Theatre on Dec 10, 2004 at 9:42 am

The theatre part of the Alhambra Theatre building is now in use as a Shrine Lodge. The upstairs ballroom re-opened in the summer of 2003.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Loew's Rio Theatre on Dec 10, 2004 at 8:25 am

Sorry, thats a typo, the seating capacity given in 1930 is for 2,603.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Loew's Rio Theatre on Dec 10, 2004 at 8:23 am

The location of the Loews Rio Theater on Broadway is by 160th St. In the Film Daily Yearbook, 1930 a seating capacity of 6,603 is given.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Million Dollar Theatre on Dec 9, 2004 at 9:05 am

lostmemory;
That’s quite a recent photo possibly summer 2004 as there are road works going on outside the theatre (which have been been happening for quite some time).

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Million Dollar Theatre on Dec 9, 2004 at 8:47 am

This theatre is currently ‘nameless’. In 2000, the church who were using the building at that time removed the name ‘Million Dollar’ from the marquee over the entrance (a case of money is the root of all evil perhaps?). As can been seen in the Nov 2002 photo above, the marquee is now totally bare, apart from the ‘For Lease’ sign.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Sunshine Brooks Theater on Dec 9, 2004 at 2:57 am

Joe:

You are correct regarding street name changes in Oceanside. What is now North Coast Highway was North Hill Street back in the 1930’s and up to the 1950’s at least.

The Film Daily Yearbook 1952 lists an 640 seat Palomar Theatre, located at 314 N. Hill Street. While in Oceanside earlier this year I went looking for the Palomar, but it has been demolished.

The other building you mention being remodeled at Hill and Third Streets is the Margo Theatre (now the Sunshine Brooks Theater). So the architects can now be confirmed as Balch & Stanbery.
Thanks.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Star Theatre on Dec 7, 2004 at 9:06 am

The street address of the Star Theater is 402 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA. 92054

The architects were; Balch, Bryan, Perkins and Hutchason and construction was commenced in February 1956 for the owner/operator Fred Siegel. Seating capacity was given as 986 on one level.

The Star Theater opened on 18th August 1956 with the movie “Moby Dick” starring Gregory Peck.

The theatre boasted the largest marquee in San Diego County. It is 65 feet wide and 6 feet high. Above the marquee carrying out the name theme is a field of flashing and twinkling stars; for company the stars have an electrical waterfall cascading from 48 feet in the air.

The auditorium was fitted with surround speakers built into the ceiling of the theater, for the ‘then new’ stereophonic movies.

The Star Theater remained in the hands of the Siegel family until 1980 when they sold it to an outside developer. It changed hands several times eventually operating as an ‘Adult porno’ movie theatre from 1987. From April 1989, it returned to showing regular release movies again (although the first offering was the ‘R’ Rated “Skin Deep” and “Seige of Firebase Gloria”).

The Star finally closed to movies in September 2000 when the building had been purchased by the Poinsettia Center for the Performing Arts as a performing arts center.

It is now home to the Coast Kids Theatre and the Star Theatre Company. They have installed 446 plush new seats (the current capacity), new lightboard and sound systems. The stage is 33 feet deep, by 40 feet wide.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Teatro Orfeon on Dec 7, 2004 at 8:22 am

aproximate translation of the above:

I do not like Disney and the Teatro Orfeon because the price is too expensive for ordinary citizens.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Cinema Kings Highway on Dec 7, 2004 at 8:12 am

The Film Daily Yearbook, 1941 gives a seating capacity for the Jewel Theatre as 650.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Tujunga Theatre on Dec 6, 2004 at 2:57 pm

The Tujunga Theatre was built in 1937/38, opening in 1938.

It was later also known as the Hilltop Theatre, Rainbow Theatre and finally the Canyon Theatre.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Cobble Hill Cinemas on Dec 6, 2004 at 2:03 pm

When the Cobble Hill Cinemas was known as the Lido Theater in 1941, The Film Daily Yearbook for that year gives a seating capacity of 500.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Parkside Theater on Dec 6, 2004 at 1:53 pm

The 1930 Film Daily Yearbook lists the seating capacity of the Parkside Theater as 590.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Midway Theatre on Dec 6, 2004 at 1:32 pm

The Film Daily Yearbooks of 1941 and 1950 list the seating capacity as 581 and 598 respectively.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Bob Baker Marionette Theater on Dec 6, 2004 at 7:42 am

The York Theatre, located in the Highland Park district opened in 1923. It became a Korean Church in about 1985.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe commented about Fox Studio City Theatre on Dec 6, 2004 at 7:18 am

Any further information ie, Architect, Opening date (or year) would be very much appreciated. Thanks