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Rafael Theatre
San Rafael, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

A busy Saturday night looks right at home beneath the Rafael Theatre marquee in downtown San Rafael. The neon gives the sidewalk a little movie-house glow, with the streamlined facade making its own attraction before anyone heads inside.

The site’s moviegoing history began with the Orpheus Theatre in 1920. A fire closed that theatre in 1937, and the Rafael followed in 1938. Unfortunately, the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake brought another interruption, leaving the familiar movie house dark.

Fortunately, this one got a second act. A restoration led by architect Mark Cavagnero brought audiences back on April 16, 1999. Quite a comeback for a theatre that had already weathered fire and an earthquake.

UPDATE: The theatre remains active as the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, operated by the California Film Institute. Independent films, special screenings, and filmmaker appearances keep the old movie house busy. Another evening beneath the Rafael marquee is still on the bill. 10-26

Fox California Theatre
San Jose, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Check out the neon greeting outside San Jose’s old Fox California Theatre. This is the sort of movie-house entrance that makes a night downtown feel like an occasion. The marquee has plenty to admire, even without a ticket.

The theatre opened on April 16, 1927, as the California, with a lavish interior designed by architects Weeks and Day. Hollywood stars attended the opening festivities. Apparently, San Jose’s new movie palace wasn’t going to make a quiet entrance.

The Fox name arrived later, but the good times didn’t last forever. The theatre closed in 1973 and spent years awaiting a comeback. A major restoration eventually returned the ornate interior and illuminated entrance to their former showmanship.

UPDATE: Reopened in September 2004 as the California Theatre, the building now hosts Opera San José and Symphony San José. Movies gave way to live performances, and the old theatre once again gives downtown visitors a reason to stop beneath the marquee. 10-26

Jose Theatre
San Jose, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

There’s still a show going on behind the old Jose Theatre entrance in downtown San Jose, although the laughs now come from the stage. The illuminated marquee carries on the theatre tradition while the San Jose Improv handles the entertainment inside.

Built in 1904, the Jose is San Jose’s oldest surviving theatre. Its early attractions included vaudeville and touring shows, followed by years of movies. Quite a few changes in entertainment have passed through these doors.

There’s an unexpected connection behind the building, too. David Jacks, the businessman associated with the Monterey Jack cheese name, commissioned the theatre. Cheese and show business apparently had something in common after all.

UPDATE: The Improv opened here in 2002 and continues to present comedy shows. The old theatre survived earthquake damage and a rescue effort, finding another use without losing its place on the downtown street. The coming attractions now arrive with a microphone. 10-26

Tower Theatre
Roseville, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The nighttime glow at Roseville’s Tower Theatre makes a fine advertisement for an evening downtown. That tall sign gives the building a little extra presence along the street, announcing a movie house with more personality than the average storefront.

The Tower opened on November 7, 1940, just before America’s entry into World War II. Generations of moviegoers followed, with the theatre becoming a familiar part of downtown Roseville.

Its run as a commercial movie house ended in 1983, but the building avoided the wrecking ball. Angelo Tsakopoulos later donated it to the city with restrictions intended to keep the property devoted to the arts. Fortunately, closing night didn’t mean demolition day.

UPDATE: The Tower survives, although its days as a regular first-run cinema are over. Its later history has included arts uses and proposals for another revival. The old theatre has had a longer intermission than movie fans might like, but the building remains part of Roseville’s downtown scenery. 10-26

Towne Theatre (Closed)
San Jose, CA
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

The animated neon outside San Jose’s Towne Theatre gave passing motorists something to watch without buying a ticket. This neighborhood movie house knew how to get attention along The Alameda, with its marquee adding a little movement to the evening scenery.

The theatre’s roots go back to the 1920s, when it opened as the Hester. Its original design came from Binder and Curtis, and a remodel in the early 1950s introduced the Towne name and a different look outside.

The attractions changed considerably over the years. Silent pictures, adult films, repertory programs, and Indian cinema all figured into its history. Quite a varied lineup for one neighborhood theatre.

UPDATE: The Towne had closed by 2021, ending its long moviegoing run. The building was still standing vacant in 2023, with reminders of its cinema days on the marquee. Another old theatre waiting for a new attraction, although this time the next chapter may happen offscreen. 10-26

Stanford Theatre
Palo Alto, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Old movies and a glowing marquee make a good combination at the Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto. The names on the attraction board might belong to another era, but that’s part of the appeal. Here’s a place where a classic picture still gets the big-screen treatment.

The theatre opened on June 9, 1925, with actor Reginald Denny appearing in person. Designed by Weeks and Day, it became a longtime downtown moviegoing destination before later years took their toll. A successful Fred Astaire film festival helped set the stage for its rescue. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation purchased the theatre in 1987 and restored its elaborate interior. Inside, the Mighty Wurlitzer adds another reminder that going to the movies once involved more than watching previews.

UPDATE: The Stanford continues as a classic-film theatre, preserving the experience of seeing older movies in a proper movie palace. The familiar marquee still has something worth advertising, even when the attraction is decades older than the audience. 10-26

Sutter Theatre
Yuba City, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the tall marquee at the Sutter Theatre in Yuba City. Its illuminated lettering gives the street a little old movie-house atmosphere, with enough height to catch the eye beyond the neighboring storefronts.

The theatre opened in 1950 as a single-screen house seating more than 900 patrons. It eventually became the three-screen Sutter Cinema 3, but the commercial movie run ended in December 2006.

Fortunately, the closing didn’t finish the building’s story. Community preservation efforts gave the old theatre another chance, with art and live entertainment taking over where movie audiences once gathered.

UPDATE: Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture acquired the property in 2021 and renamed it the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts. Its gallery and smaller performance space are active, while fundraising continues to restore the larger auditorium. There’s still another act ahead for this old theatre. 10-26

Noyo Theatre
Willits, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

The neon at the Noyo Theatre gives downtown Willits a fine nighttime attraction. Check out the lettering and decorative trim on this old movie house. The facade puts on a little show of its own before the feature starts.

The Noyo opened on May 4, 1940, with John Wayne and Claire Trevor in Dark Command. Originally a 650-seat theatre, it brought a substantial movie house to this small Northern California town.

The theatre closed in 1995, but returned in 1996 following a renovation that added two screens. Fortunately, expanding the movie selection didn’t mean giving up the recognizable old exterior.

UPDATE: James Devine and Michelle Hutchins took over the Noyo in July 2024, and the theatre continues showing movies. The owners are also working to broaden its role with live performances and community events. Another historic movie house keeping the coming attractions coming. 10-26