Tower Theatre
Sacramento, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Check out the towering neon at Sacramento’s Tower Theatre. The tall spire gives this Deco movie house a presence well beyond its entrance, making it a familiar sight along Broadway. Apparently, a modest little sign above the doors wasn’t going to do the job here.
Built in 1938, the Tower has kept movies on the screen while many other neighborhood theatres have changed uses or disappeared. Its rounded architectural details and illuminated tower still offer that unmistakable movie-house welcome.
The building also has a place in music history. Russ Solomon’s early record-selling business began inside his father’s Tower Drugs, part of this theatre complex, eventually leading to Tower Records. Quite a legacy for a corner associated with movies and popcorn.
UPDATE: The Tower remains open as The Tower Theatre by Angelika, showing independent films, documentaries, and other releases. The familiar neon landmark continues to give moviegoers something to admire before the previews begin. 10-26
Fox California Theatre
Salinas, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here’s another Fox
California Theatre, this one in downtown Salinas. The tall sign and broad marquee give the old building plenty of sidewalk presence, recalling the days when checking the theatre’s bill was part of a trip along Main Street.
The theatre opened in November 1921 as the T & D, welcoming audiences for vaudeville and silent movies before joining the Fox family. Changing entertainment tastes brought plenty of adjustments over the decades, but the building remained a recognizable downtown landmark.
UPDATE: The Fox operates as Fox Theater Salinas, hosting performances and special events. The neon-lit marquee remains part of the entrance, so this old treasure has more going on than the earlier closed-theatre photo might suggest. The attractions have changed, but there’s still a reason to stop beneath the sign. 10-26
Del Oro Theatre
Grass Valley, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Look up at the neon tower on Grass Valley’s Del Oro Theatre. This Deco movie house gives downtown a landmark that’s hard to mistake for anything else. The tower rises above the entrance like an announcement that the evening’s entertainment is waiting below.
The Del Oro opened in May 1942, with Mickey Rooney’s The Courtship of Andy Hardy among its opening attractions. Originally a single-screen theatre, it later expanded while retaining much of its recognizable exterior.
The tower’s comeback deserved a celebration of its own. On October 7, 2004, the restored neon was switched on with period costumes, classic cars, and a special screening of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. That certainly beats quietly flipping a switch.
UPDATE: The Del Oro renovation is proceeding apace. The tower neon was recently relit
with considerable fanfare. The mural repainting is up for bid
and should be done in the next few months. Many thanks
to Ed Martin for update 08-05
UPDATE: The Del Oro remains open as Prime Cinemas Del Oro following an ownership change in December 2023. Movies continue beneath the familiar tower, keeping this old downtown showplace in the theatre business. 10-26
Stamm Theatre (Closed)
Antioch, CA Photo courtesy Devil Doll
Check out the geometric facade and tall marquee tower at Antioch’s Stamm Theatre. There’s a little space-age personality in this old movie house, with shapes that give the entrance something more to say than simply “movies.” The tower looks almost ready for a Flash Gordon adventure of its own.
Designed by Vincent G. Raney, the Stamm opened on November 17, 1948, with approximately 1,100 seats. The Stamm family already had a place in Antioch’s theatre history through the nearby El Campanil, but this newer house brought a distinctly postwar look to the scene.
Take a closer look at the patterns across the front. Along with the projecting sign, those details helped make the theatre recognizable before anyone got close enough to read the coming attractions. Even without a movie title on the marquee, the building still looks ready to welcome a crowd.
Stamm Theatre
Antioch, CA Photo courtesy Devil Doll
The Stamm entertained local audiences for decades before competition from newer cinemas helped bring its movie run to an end. The screens elsewhere grew bigger and more plentiful, leaving this neighborhood house facing a different future.
UPDATE: The Stamm closed in 1994 and was purchased by a church in 1996. Restored Life Church occupies the former theatre today, while the distinctive exterior tower remains a reminder of its cinema days. The popcorn crowds have moved on, but the old building still brings people together beneath that unmistakable theatre profile. 10-26
Jose Theatre
San Jose, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here’s a look at the Jose
Theatre in San Jose, where rehabilitation brought an old downtown entertainment landmark back into the evening scene. The restored sign and entrance give passersby a reason to look up, even if catching a show wasn’t on the agenda. Fortunately, the finished version offers considerably more to admire than the construction work shown in the earlier photo.
Opened in 1904, the Jose is San Jose’s oldest surviving theatre building. Its early live entertainment eventually gave way to movies, with second-run films becoming part of the program in the 1930s. That’s quite a few generations of audiences passing through the same doors.
There’s an unexpected connection behind its construction, too. The theatre was financed by David Jacks, the California landowner whose name became associated with Monterey Jack cheese. Apparently, his interests extended beyond something to put on a sandwich.
Jose Theatre
San Jose, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The building later needed substantial help, but preservation efforts kept it from disappearing. Restoring the facade and familiar marquee gave downtown another piece of its theatre history to enjoy. Bringing live performers back inside made the comeback especially fitting.
UPDATE: The Jose became the San Jose Improv in 2002 and remains an active comedy venue. The restored marquee welcomes another evening crowd, with stand-up comedians providing the laughs inside. More than a century after its opening, this old theatre still has an audience waiting for the next act. 10-26
Tower Theatre
Del Oro Theatre
Stamm Theatre (Closed)
Stamm Theatre
