Kern Theatre

The Kern Theatre started it’s life as Parra’s around 1909 then about 1915 the name was changed to the Hippodrome then in 1938 the name was changed again to the Kern Theatre. The earthquake of 1952 damaged the building to the point that it was no longer useful as a theatre. The building is still standing and is being used a retail store. The fly loft can me made out by viewing the building from the alley.

THe Hippodrome had actually been closed for nearly a decade when Fiox West Coast decided to rename it the Kern and reopened it in 1938 as a temporary first-run until the Nile opened in a couple of months, where first-run policy was instituted there and the Kern became a second (subsequent) run theatre. Then, in the mid 40’s, the theatre was remodeled (new seats, carpeting, paint) to become a “continued first-run” theatre, linked to the larger Fox Theatre whereas a Fox double feature would move immediately to the Kern without the normal kind of clearance (or buffer)between first and subsequent run engagements. (it was normal to hold back giving films to other theatres in an area for a month or more between first and second run). So the Kern didn’t have to compete at all with other theatres and got to charge more than a second ruin would normally have charged. This was one of the non-competitive practices that the consent decrees banned in late 1949-1950.

In the listing of downtown Bakersfield theaters—-the California between 18 and 19th on Chester was left out-went there often—-dad’s dental office was at 19th and chester—