Fox Theatre

Browsing the net I find several references to Tuscon AZ, however, the closest city name I can find on my maps is Tucson AZ. Is this an acceptable alternate spelling or is there really a place called Tuscon AZ? If so, where in AZ is it located?

The architect was M. Eugene Durfee from Santa Monica (at the time of design,1929). I would like to find other projects that he may have designed.

who is doing this renovation? how can I get in touch with them?

Here is the web site for this theater:

http://www.foxtucsontheatre.org/

Anthony
www.ross-art.com

I just wanted to fill in some blanks for you on the Fox Theatre in Tucson. The seating capacity is 1,300, and the architect is

Erickson Leader Associates, Architects of Tucson, AZ.

I have had a alot of good memories at the Fox theatre.. My sister and I use to see movies there in the 1960's.. I'm glad they are restoring it and hope to see it on my next trip home to Tucson!!!!

This theatre is one of some 200 that could be described as "Skouras-ized For Showmanship" which is the title of the ANNUAL of 1987 of the Theatre Historical Soc. of America. In the late 1930s through the 1950s, there occurred on the west coast of the United States a phenomenon known as the 'Skouras style' in recognition of the oversight of the Skouras brothers in their management of several cinema chains. They employed a designer by the name of Carl G. Moeller to render their cinemas/theatres in a new style best described as 'Art Moderne meets Streamlined Rococo.' The then new availability of aluminum sheeting at low cost was the principal material difference to this style allowing for sweeping, 3-dimensional shapes of scrolls to adorn walls and facades in an expression that would have been much more expensive and not at all the same in plaster. With the use of hand tinted and etched aluminum forms, the designers could make ornaments in mass production that allowed much greater economies of scale. The ANNUAL also shows in its 44 pages how some 20 theatres were good examples of this combining of aluminum forms with sweeping draperies heavily hung with large tassels, and with box offices and facades richly treated with neon within the aluminum forms. Few of these examples survive today, but it was a glorious era while it lasted, and this collection of crisp b/w photos is a fitting epitaph by the late Preston Kaufmann.
PHOTOS AVAILABLE:
To obtain any available Back Issue of either "Marquee" or of its ANNUALS, simply go to the web site of the THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA at:
www.HistoricTheatres.org
and notice on their first page the link "PUBLICATIONS: Back Issues List" and click on that and you will be taken to their listing where they also give ordering details. The "Marquee" magazine is 8-1/2x11 inches tall ('portrait') format, and the ANNUALS are also soft cover in the same size, but in the long ('landscape') format, and are anywhere from 26 to 44 pages. Should they indicate that a publication is Out Of Print, then it may still be possible to view it via Inter-Library Loan where you go to the librarian at any public or school library and ask them to locate which library has the item by using the Union List of Serials, and your library can then ask the other library to lend it to them for you to read or photocopy. [Photocopies of most THSA publications are available from University Microforms International (UMI), but their prices are exorbitant.]

Note: Most any photo in any of their publications may be had in large size by purchase; see their ARCHIVE link. You should realize that there was no color still photography in the 1920s, so few theatres were seen in color at that time except by means of hand tinted renderings or post cards, thus all the antique photos from the Society will be in black and white, but it is quite possible that the Society has later color images available; it is best to inquire of them.

Should you not be able to contact them via their web site, you may also contact their Executive Director via E-mail at: execdir@historictheatres.org
Or you may reach them via phone or snail mail at:
Theatre Historical Soc. of America
152 N. York, 2nd Floor York Theatre Bldg.
Elmhurst, ILL. 60126-2806 (they are about 15 miles west of Chicago)

Phone: 630-782-1800 or via FAX at: 630-782-1802 (Monday through Friday, 9AM--4PM, CT)

I was stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Base in Tucson in Feb-Mar 1969 and went to the Fox to see Alan Bates in "The Fixer". Don't remember much about it, but it was a grand old lady of the classic movie house era. Ah, memories.

I photographed the FOX and was able to take a look through the doors in late December (2004).

It looks like they are doing a total and complete restoration and a wonderful job!

BACK TO THE BLUEPRINT
Theaters: Fox Theatre, Tucson, AZ and Saenger Theater, Mobile, AL
Airs on Saturday, March 26 at 2:00pm ET

Episode description: “Talking Pictures” gave birth to a theater-building boom in the 1930s. In an attempt to make going to the movies as memorable as the film itself, architects and engineers constructed buildings that stimulated the senses. From the flashing lights of the marquee to the cushion seats of the balcony, no detail was overlooked. Host Marty Dunham travels to Arizona and visits the Fox Tucson Theatre. While there, he installs new air-conditioning ducts and acoustone--a soundproofing material that dates to the 1920s. Then, Marty visits Santa Theresa Tile Works to recreate the vintage tile that once covered the Fox’s facade. And at the Saenger Theatre in Mobile, Alabama, Marty helps mount a plaster bracket for new box seats and assists in applying gold leafing to this renovated movie house.

I taped the the above show and just watched it. Very good!

Amazing that a property can sit dormant so long, and then come back to life. Similar story at the Fox-Oakland.

Here is a 1999 article about the sale of the theater:
http://tinyurl.com/plabj

Here is another article about the restoration in 2002:
http://tinyurl.com/mbql6

Here is one more article about the restoration from an engineering perspective:
http://tinyurl.com/nm3u8

Fox Tucson Grand Re-opening was New Year's Eve 2005.
Entertainment schedule and information available on the
Fox Tucson website: www.foxtucsontheatre.org
Volunteer and fan website: www.frappr.com/foxtucsontheatrebalconyloge

My December 2004 photograph of the FOX http://www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/191207379/

The Fox is showing some classic films several nights each week.

I visited the Fox for a concert. The theater is beautifully restored. It is being used in varied ways- classic films, cine mexicano, live concerts, etc.

Glad to read that this Fox has or is being renovated as it was featured on the recent broadcast of Mrs. America on 10/30/06. Too bad that the Fox in Phoenix is listed as having been demolished!

Interesting that the architect for this theatre done in Pueblo Deco was M. Eugene Durfee and the architect for the Fox done in Art Deco in Phoenix was S. Charles Lee.

Tonight (Halloween) the Fox is featuring a couple of great horror films- The Shining and the Exorcist. This weekend they will have a Mexican Film Festival. It is really great to see that the management is offering a variety of presentations. The Fox is one of the venues that will anchor the Rio Nuevo Project, an attempt to lure folks to downtown Tucson.

Added to the National Register of Historical Places in 2003

Fox Theatre *** (added 2003 - Building - #03000905)
17 W. Congress St., Tucson
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Durfee, Eugene
Architectural Style: Art Deco
Area of Significance: Community Planning And Development, Architecture
Period of Significance: 1925-1949, 1950-1974
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Work In Progress

Here is another photo of the Fox Theater.

Here are two photos from the CA state library:
http://helios.library.ca.gov/soca/mott-merge/2006/1992-2242.jpg
http://helios.library.ca.gov/soca/mott-merge/2006/1992-2243.jpg

ken mc: Love that second interior photo...such clean design lines.

ken mc: When comparing the August 3, 2007 photo with your posted exterior b/w exterior vintage photo I can see the differences like awnings at the above windows and the change in the ticket kios!

But thank goodness the marquee doesn't seem to have been changed!

This is a recent photo of the Fox Theater.

photos of restoration, click on each month:
http://qtvr.arizona.edu/work/fox_new/fox_theatre_new_years.html

May 2000 article with photo of Art Deco chandelier:
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Arts/Content?oid=42471
larger version of chandelier photo:
http://www.danieldesigns.com/Demos/loismoran/passingera.html
photo of ceiling under restoration:
http://decopix.com/New%20Site/Pages/Image%20pages/ClassicDecoPages/tucson_fox.html

Masonry repair:
http://www.masonryconstruction.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=795&articleID=498440

In the Spring Semester of 1964 I attended the U. of AZ. In cleaning out some saved items from then I have found a Student Discount Card - a blue field with a white-lined illustration of a theater with the words "FOX" and "THEATRES" on the marquee and the vertical above it bearing the word FOX, and a kleig light and stars and light flashes in the sky. On the left is a cane with flag/banners in red/white/ blue with the three words FOX WEST COAST separated in each flag/ banner. Under it is the signature of Wm. H. Thedford. The id number under that is "518470" and "Expires June 30, 1964." Then there was a place for a student's signature.

On the backside it also bears:
"This card entitles bearer to Fox West Coast Student Discount Admission Price.

Not good for Special or Reserved Seat Attractions.

Present at the box office with Student Identification.

Discount Privilege will be revoked if used by other than original purchaser."

It also bears in the bottom left corner at the back a small "n" over a small "c" inside the capitol letter "G" and at the center "PRICE 50 (cents)."

If any preservation group for the Fox Theater in Tucson would be interested in this discount card to add to their collection of memorabilia for this theater, please advise.

Can anyone answer this question? In the Spring of 1964 I saw "Long Day's Journey Into Night" in a small theater in Tucson, favored by students, that was the first "arthouse movie theater" I ever attended. Might anyone recall or share the name of it? It was quite a well attended theater, not large, and had posters of many films shown there on display in the exterior reception walls leading to the entrance to the theater. It seemed like it may have been a "wood" entry. I was surprised at the number of patrons it could house at one time. I also remember for the quality of films shown, the price seemed fairly modest (even though it was a university town).

Here is a 2008 night view.

To answer SPearce, I believe that the theater that you referred to is the Loft which was located near the U of A at 6th and Fremont. Its current inception is the Loft Cinema which is listed in Cinema Treasures. Several years ago, the Loft Cinema took over the building that used to be the Showcase on Speedway Blvd. near Country Club Road. It is a non-profit run by a foundation. It shows mainly independent and art films and has a good following. This was the only theater in Tucson to show the Piaf film last year. There are two auditoriums, the larger one is downstairs and a smaller one is in what was once the balcony.

The Fox Tucson is located on Congress Street just west of Stone Avenue in downtown Tucson. It was closed from the mid 1970's until early 2006. It has been fully restored and is used for concerts as well as movies. This weekend the fully restored version of a 1950's John Wayne western, "Hondo" is being shown. It is being presented in its original 3D version.

TomG: I think you're right. The "Loft" rings a bell. I think when I asked at the University where the "Loft" was, I was told - Oh, everyone knows where the Loft is; just go to such and such (a corner) and you'll see alot of people going to the Loft; just follow them; and they were right. I was looking for a building with a "loft" but it was just the opposite; that theater had no height at all. I think its name was from an earlier incarnation as some other business. Thank you.

Went to the RE-opening movie Wizard of Oz. May see Frankenstein or The Blob there this summer

This is a close-up view of the Fox.

Great photo showing the original ticket kios!

Looks like a pretty cool theatre. My (now-deceased) grandparents lived in Tucson, having moved there from Brooklyn, NY in 1959. Sadly, none of us ever got to know about the Fox Theatre, let alone see any movies there.

Here is a December 2008 photo.

Here is a 2/1/09 article from the Arizona Star:
http://tinyurl.com/dgo285

This was the Fox in 2004.

1980 photio of the Fox Theatre. Sad shape at the time of this photo.

http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c3%2c3%2c-1&ProductID=23327

Latest news about the Fox as of 5/7/2009

Fox Theatre lost $1.4 million in 2 years

http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/291873

Here is a November 1972 ad from the Tucson Daily Citizen:
http://tinyurl.com/mscl9e

I recently met a couple from Tucson and they told me about the Fox Theatre in their city. Thank goodness it was saved from the wrecking ball and was restored and reopened after many years plus it is on the National Registry of Historic Places. I applaud the City of Tucson for saving this Fox as they did the Fox in Atlanta. Also nice to read that the ticket kios is being used as a will-call booth and that it wasn't removed as is the case more often than not.

After reading the May 7, 2009 post about the Fox I do hope that the residents of Tucson and the surrounding areas continue to support this theatre as they are lucky to have this restored theatre in their downtown area after many years of it being closed. It's a true AZ cinema gem and needs to be respected, not neglected ever again! As I recall the City of Phoenix lost their Fox, but Tucson did the right thing by restoring and preserving their Fox!