Garden Theatre
1165 Lincoln Avenue,
San Jose,
CA
95125
1165 Lincoln Avenue,
San Jose,
CA
95125
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Architects: Otto A. Deichmann
Functions: Office Space, Retail
Styles: Streamline Moderne
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The Garden Theatre opened on June 22, 1949 with Humphry Bogart in “Knock on Any Door” and Burl Ives in Walt Disney’s “So Dear to My Heart”. It’s name echoed the old term for San Jose as "The Garden City." The architect was Otto A. Deichman. It was operated for most of its life by General Theatrical as a first run house, and was very successful as the theatre for San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood.
In the mid-1970’s, the Garden Theatre changed ownership and operated a policy of Spanish language movies. With the increasing gentrification of the neighborhood, this policy no longer was profitable and the theatre closed in 1988.
Camera Cinemas, the local art house exhibitors, very much wanted to buy the Garden Theatre, with the idea of turning it into a triplex, while restoring it (the theatre was almost totally unaltered).
This would likely have been a successful venture, but the owners wanted more money than Camera Cinemas could afford, and Camera Cinemas opted to acquire the Towne Theatre instead.
In 1989, the Garden Theatre was gutted to the bare walls, its auditorium chandeliers being allowed to crash to the floor. However, many of the human figures of its auditorium murals (the work of the Anthony B. Heinsbergen decorating company) were painted on canvas glued to the plaster. These were removed, as well as bas relief friezes in the lobby, and all of the etched glass doors.
Some of the doors may now be found in the Orinda Theatre, Orinda, along with selected mural figures, and some of the doors are now reused in the Oaks Theatre, Berkeley.
The Garden Theatre’s facade survived the building’s conversion to an office/retail mall with marquee and vertical sign intact. The neon lights up every night.
Contributed by
Gary Parks
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
I was in the Garden a few times as a kid. I remember the balcony especially, and the seats up there rocked! Literally! This was more luxurious than anything the downtown theatres could offer. I agree with Howie T that Spanish language films were a mismatch for this theatre, considering its location in a more upscale part of town, and the theatre itself being an anchor for the bustling Lincoln Avenue business district. I still do not understand why the people of Willow Glen, activists that so many of them are, could not prevent the destruction of this theatre down to a shell of its former self. This would have been a perfect venue for independent and art-house films and the yuppie types that live near it would have packed the place. I will never stop shaking my head over the loss of this theatre. I think it would have been a cinch to prevent, but nobody seemed to care. If the Fox/California could be saved in a downtown dead zone, then there’s no reason the Garden couldn’t have been saved in a thriving business district. Shame on all Willow Glen residents who sat by and let this happen.
Here is a current photo of the theater
View link
Great photos and history.
A few 2012 photos can be seen here, here and here.
June 22, 1949 Grand Opening and interior photos added courtesy of Deedee Summers.
I grew up in Willow Glen in the 60’s and 70’s and I vividly remember the Garden Theater on Lincoln Ave. where I spent many hours watching movies. I now live in NW Montana and our town has a one theater with a drop down movie screen that reminds me of the Garden, but not as fancy and 1/3rd the number of seats. I love to show moves in our little theater and I’m trying to build up enough of an audience to show classic movies regularly. I currently run a 4-day retro film festival here in October. The theater is mostly used for live theater, but there is a desire to show more movies. For me it’s all about reliving my childhood watching great old movies in a single screen theater.
I still dream of this beautiful theatre. We loved coming to movies here as children, it was such a treat and so beautiful! It breaks my heart that it was demolished and no one stepped in to preserve it.
The Garden was not demolished. It is still standing, just not used as a theatre any longer. It was converted into various retail space. Link below.
http://www.willowglen.org/business-garden-theater-barber-shop-1957
1970s image added via Dan Summers.
The Garden theatre opened on June 22nd, 1949. Grand opening ad posted.