Copley Symphony Hall

This theatre needs a proper marquee.brucec

Opened as the Fox Theatre on 8th November 1929 it cost $2.5m when built. At the time, it was the third largest theatre in California. The opening was attended by Buddy Rogers, Bessie Love and Buster Keaton.

The Fox closed in 1975 and remain empty until purchased by the City and was converted into a live productions venue in May 1977. It re-opened in November 1985 as the Copley Symphony Hall and during the eight intervening years the entire exterior of the original theatre had been altered to accomodate a large office block that was built around and above it. Even the main lobby and ticket hall had been totally modernised. But once inside the auditorium, it still exists in the style and decor it had when it first opened in 1929.

KenRoe is right on the money. The theater is totally modern until you walk into the auditorium. I would only add that the room is now painted in very subdued colors and I believe some of the ornamentation has been removed, because it seems very plain to me. Still, it is a nice venue for classical music and the acoustics are amazing! A very nice blending of a new structure and a historic auditorium, I would say.

The opening night feature was Will Rogers in "They Had To See Paris".

On that program it featured:

1) "The national Anthem" U.S. Navy Band & U.S. Marine Corps. Band

2) Al Lyons conducting the Fox Symphony Orchestra in a Dedicatory Overture "Slavische Rhapsodie", C. Sharpe Minor at the Console.

3) Fox Movietone News "It Speaks For Itself"

4) Cartoon

5) Fox West Coast Theatres presents Fanchon & Marco's "Jazz Temple" Idea.

6) Intermission (10 minutes) Art Exhibit...Mezzanine Promenade

7) Introduction of Hollywood Stars and Fox Fiesta Queens, Benny Rubin M/C

8) Feature Film "They Had To See Paris"

9) Exit March, C. Sharpe Minor at the Console

I attended a presentation last weekend of the 1922 silent version of "Robin Hood" starring Douglas Fairbanks. The original score was played by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. During the intermission, the newly restored Fox Theater organ rose up out of the stage floor and we in the audience watched and listened with a sense of true awe. Altogether this was a wonderful experience I would like to see much more often.

I am just delighted to know that the organ here speaks again. I attended several concerts back in the early 1970s which were sponsored by the American Theatre Organ Society. Dennis James was here twice and they were all wonderful concerts. I understand that there are plans to add more ranks so that the organ can also be used for classical music. This is great news.

The Fox was hosting rock concerts in the late '70s. Also, found this interesting nugget on IMDB, RE Todd Browning's career-destroying 1932 film Freaks:

Although production chief Irving Thalberg decided to re-cut the picture immediately after the disastrous test screening, he could not cancel the world premiere on January 28, 1932 at the 3,000-seat Fox Theatre in San Diego. This is the only venue at which the uncut version of "Freaks" is known to have played. Ironically, the unexpurgated "Freaks" was a major box-office success. Crowds lined up around the block to see the picture, which broke the theatre's house record. By the end of the run, word had spread that "Freaks" was about to be butchered, and the theatre advertised, "Your last opportunity to see 'Freaks' in its uncensored form!"

Their official website (in the description at top) has a nice set of virtual tours from various places in the auditorium and lobbies. It looks the original inner lobbies/mezanines are all original (restored) and the only modern part is the new outer lobby.

The virtual tours are worth checking out - the color is somewhat monotone, but in a nice way, very appropriate for a classical musical venue.