California Theatre (Closed)
Dunsmuir, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The California Theatre in Dunsmuir brings a little movie-palace scenery to this Northern California railroad town. Its tall vertical sign gives the street a recognizable landmark, recalling evenings when the next attraction was waiting behind the doors.
Opened on June 12, 1926, the theatre originally offered movies, vaudeville, and organ music. Its history even includes visits by famous names such as Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Babe Ruth. Quite a guest list for a small-town theatre.
A renovation beginning in 1991 added two upstairs screens. The building later reopened in 2005, but that comeback lasted less than a year before another closure.
UPDATE: The California remains closed, with preservation efforts aimed at protecting the historic building and making another revival possible. The city’s historic preservation code now recognizes the California Theatre Landmark. No new opening night yet, but this old movie palace still has supporters hoping for another act. 10-26
Alameda Theatre
Alameda, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
The grand entrance at the Alameda Theatre looks ready for a movie premiere, although this old palace spent part of its life welcoming gymnasts instead of moviegoers. Fortunately, the gymnastics chapter wasn’t its final act.
Designed by Timothy Pflueger, the theatre opened in August 1932 with more than 2,000 seats. Governor James Rolph Jr. attended the dedication, and the opening bill included Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and a Laurel and Hardy short. Quite a welcome for Alameda’s new movie palace.
After closing as a cinema in 1979, the building passed through other uses, including its years as a gymnastics center. A major civic restoration eventually brought the movies back.
UPDATE: The Alameda Theatre & Cineplex reopened on May 21, 2008, combining the restored historic auditorium with additional screens. It remains open, offering movies, dining, and special events. Another old movie palace whose comeback involved putting the screen back to work. 10-26
California Theatre (Closed)
Berkeley, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Check out the tall sign outside Berkeley’s California Theatre. Its Deco styling gives the old movie house a recognizable downtown presence, recalling evenings when a glowing marquee helped decide where to stop.
Opened in 1914, the theatre received its Art Deco makeover around 1930 and eventually became a three-screen cinema. The screens went dark in March 2020, and Landmark confirmed in 2021 that the theatre would not reopen.
UPDATE: An ownership group led by Tien Lung Chen purchased the California for $5 million in April 2026, after earlier redevelopment plans fell through. The theatre remains closed, with its next chapter undecided. No new attraction on the bill just yet. 10-26
Hyatt Theatre (Demolished)
Burlingame, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
Check out the repeated arches and rounded shape of the Hyatt Theatre in Burlingame. This building certainly didn’t settle for the usual rectangular movie-house design. It looks quite comfortable among the flying saucers and futuristic ideas of the 1960s.
The building opened in 1964 as the Hyatt Music Theatre, originally presenting live theatre in the round. Movies arrived in 1966, when it became the Hyatt Cinema. The first film attraction was Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, a fitting title for such an unusual-looking venue.
UPDATE: The Hyatt closed in April 2007. Redevelopment proposals call for demolition of the former theatre as part of a larger office project. The movie run is over, with plans pointing toward a very different skyline around this old space-age attraction. 10-26
Towne Theatre (Closed)
San Jose, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
The familiar facade at San Jose’s Towne Theatre recalls the days when a neighborhood movie house could catch the eye before anyone checked what was playing. Its animated neon sign gave The Alameda a little movement after dark, making the entrance an attraction even for motorists who weren’t stopping for a show.
The building began as the Hester Theatre in the 1920s, designed by Binder and Curtis. It was among San Jose’s early neighborhood cinemas outside downtown, giving nearby residents a screen closer to home. An early-1950s remodel introduced the Towne name and a different look out front.
Towne Theatre
San Jose, CA Photo courtesy Devil Doll
The programming changed considerably over the decades. Adult films, repertory screenings, and Indian cinema all figured into its history. Quite a varied lineup beneath one marquee, with each chapter bringing a different audience through the doors.
Through those changes, the old entrance remained a recognizable part of the street. The movie titles came and went, but the Towne’s lettering and neon gave passing traffic something familiar to look for on an evening drive.
UPDATE: The Towne had closed by 2021. The building was still standing vacant in 2023, with reminders of its moviegoing days on the marquee. Another neighborhood theatre whose regular shows have stopped, leaving the old entrance waiting for its next act. 10-26
Park Theatre (Demolished)
Menlo Park, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
The Deco facade at the Park Theatre gave Menlo Park another distinctive movie-house entrance along El Camino Real. Its styling belonged to the days when even a neighborhood cinema could make the trip inside feel like an occasion.
Opened in 1947, the Park later became a destination for independent and foreign films under Landmark Theatres. For local movie fans, it offered an alternative to the usual blockbuster lineup.
The theatre closed in 2002, followed by years of vacancy and efforts to find a way to preserve it. Unfortunately, this one didn’t get the hoped-for return engagement.
UPDATE: Demolition was underway in November 2013, ending the Park’s place on the roadside. The old movie house is gone, leaving photographs and memories of evenings beneath its marquee. 10-26
Sierra Theatre (Closed)
Susanville, CA Photo courtesy Tony Craig
The old marquee at the Sierra Theatre gives Susanville’s Main Street a familiar movie-house greeting. This is the sort of downtown cinema that brings back thoughts of an evening show followed by a walk along the storefronts.
The Sierra dates to 1935, rather than the mid-1940s. It replaced an earlier theatre and brought a new auditorium to town, beginning decades of moviegoing beneath the same name.
Its long run as a regular cinema eventually came to an end, but local supporters saw another use for the building. A performing arts center offered a chance to keep entertainment behind the familiar entrance.
UPDATE: The Sierra closed its regular cinema operation in 2024 and entered a new chapter as the Susanville Performing Arts Center. Current programming includes Susanville Symphony performances and other events. Movies gave way to another kind of show, keeping this old theatre part of the town’s entertainment scene. 10-26
California Theatre (Closed)
Alameda Theatre
California Theatre (Closed)
Hyatt Theatre (Demolished)
Park Theatre (Demolished)
Sierra Theatre (Closed)
