UC Theatre

I am looking for any history on the "Campus Theater" in Berkeley. Is this "UC Theater" the same thing?

The UC and the Campus are not the same. The Campus still stands on Durant St. a little south of Telegraph Ave. The former Campus has long been an office and retail building, but the large concrete stage fly tower can still be seen sticking up above the rear of the building.

Wow! I had some great times in this old theater house, I can't count the number of times I went there in the 1970s and 1980s. The U.C. Berkeley Theater was like a Bay Area version of L.A.'s NUART, with a great mix of foreign films, indies, and classic American Hollywood movies on its fine programs. I went there several times for science fiction film festivals, and hung out in the projection room with the staff projectionist, my good friend Chris Rasmussen, and this was the place to be seen every Saturday night if you were into doing the midnight "Rocky Horror Picture Show" thing!

Tell me, what good is it to live in a city renown for it's high population of bleeding heart, lefty, do-gooders, if we can't even substain the oldest and most special movie theatre in town? The UC Theatre was part film education, part freak sanctuary and was truly the heart of downtown Berkeley. Everytime I walk by the boarded-up windows, it tears me up. Does anyone know the current status of this building? Is there anyone working on re-opening it in any capacity?

aw crap. I meant "sustain".

For many years, this was my most favorite theatre in the bay area. You couldn't beat the one-price double-features they used to run here, and the enthusiasm with which many of the films were presented, was memorable at the least. I saw a screening of William Castle's "House on Haunted Hill" here in '93, where they actually recreated the original "Emerge-O" effect, and pulled a life-size skeleton over the audiences' heads. It's the only time I can recall being in a theatre, and having people stand up to take photos during a screening!
Then there was the screening of "The Tingler" from around the same time, where they had ushers dress up in Halloween masks and run up and down the isles screaming...such fun!! Of course, "Rocky Horror" was long-running at this theatre on weekends, but it's the other stuff I enjoyed the most.
It had a wonderful old-time feel to it. The floor was wood, and was sloped. There were dimly-lit lamps in the alcoves next to the screen. The ambience was great. Shortly before this theatre closed, they celebrated an anniversary and had a new screen installed. Too bad it couldn't have remained open. After closing, the marquee read, "Hello, I must be going"...a Groucho Marx quote. If you called the theatre's answering machine at that time...instead of the usual program schedule, they had a sound effect tape playing of an empty room with wind blowing through (like a haunted house). How sad. Something really must be done to reopen and restore this terrific old theatre. It's Berkeley's jewel, to be sure.

The UC Theatre's address is 2036 University Avenue.

I was telling a friend about a 12 hour long horror movie marathon I watched at the U.C. Theatre in 1996, and it prompted me to get out the old calendars I saved. That made me quite melancholy, and led to me google-ing the theatre and finding this site. I'd give darn near anything to have the U.C. back. I was there sometimes 5 times in a week. It's absurd that Berkeley couldn't find a way to save that place.

One other thing...does anyone else have some of the film listing calendars from the U.C.? I saved a lot of them for some reason, but not all of them. It would be neat to compare and remember what films I saw there and when. I am p-sprout@pacbell.net if you want to e-mail me.

I grew up in the UC theatre, saw my first movie(s) there. I knew no peace like the peace of sitting in my favorite seat, watching Das Boot, or some other great film. I was lucky enough to work there as assistant manager up until she went dark for the last time. A glorious time, spent with the most amazing people. There are a million stories about the UC theatre which need to be told. I am now in the process of doing so, and would love to get some imput from you, the faithful who remember the life of that once great movie house. Please email me anything you feel like sharing @ benputman@comcast.net
I have a lot of files and historical information and other goodies from the theatre I'd love to share, so drop a line.
When I put "Hello, I must be going" on the marquee, I never thought it would be the last hurrah. Sadly, it appears that they are gutting her as I write this and that she's through as a movie theatre. Contact me if you'd like to know why the theatre really closed. It's a sad tale, but one that needs be told.

Putman's post reminded me...I too had "my" seat. It was up near the front, on the right side of the middle rows...there was this aisle that had a little bit more leg room. For a 6'3 guy, that is important. The fifth seat over...prime seating.

I knew that seat well, the one with leg room. Mind was 2/3rd's back, next to the wheelchair spaces. Had the best sound.
I still have those 4 chairs

This comment is specifically addressed to putman.

Putman, on your April 8 2004 posting, you mention:
"Contact me if you'd like to know why the theatre really
closed". You neglected, however, to provide a contact
e-mail address. Will you please post your e-mail address
now? Thanks.

benputman@comcast.net
I put this was in my post of 4/8/04, but here it is again, I look forward to hearing from you.

For sale for $6,500,000 which seems outrageously high at

I recently (Feb 2005) had the opportunity to tour the inside of the long closed UC theatre. My first impression upon entering the lobby was that things were not all that bad. But that was a temporary illusion. For some reason the lobby and concession stand area were in inexplicably good shape compared to the rest of the interior and auditorium which have pretty much been totally trashed. The fabric on the auditorium auditorium walls was torn & moldy. All the surround speakers had their cones slashed, and the wall sconce lighting fixtures were either smashed or partly melted from having something flammable poured on them. Nothing is left of the screen, or up the projection room. Parts of the dressing rooms under the stage were under several feet of water from recent heavy rains in the SF Bay area. I took some pictures, but there's really nothing to show. It was painful to see such a sad end to such a former showplace.

This is terrible. Possibly the lobby/concession area's relatively good condition may derive from its being overhauled and renovated about the early 1980's during the heyday of the Meyer years (does he know of the UC's current state?). Still, what a tragedy!

I saw hundreds of movies here in the 1970's and 80's. I loved the place - it was large, classy and a little run down. They showed great, imaginative double features. I watched a lot of classic films here in the pre-VCR era.

I also seem to remember going to some first run showings here in the 60's when I was a kid. Does anyone know the history before it became a repertory house? Do I remember correctly that I saw MASH here on its initial release?

We, as the resident Rocky Horror cast, spent 15 years (1980-1995) performing in this fabulous palace. Whether it was the 1387 seats which sold out on our final show as the Berkeley community said goodbye to us or the 300 faithful that would show up ever Saturday night at midnight, our audience was amazing. Our dressing room under the stage which we named Mouse City (no more mice, but the name stuck) would flood at least once during the rainy season. Gary Meyer and his staff were fantastic. Within those walls hold very special memories for us. We were deeply saddened by its closing and should the UC ever re-open, to reunite and perform at our theatre would be our honor.

I was here once only, in July of 1978, to see an excellent and unusual double bill of Ramparts of Clay and the Egyptian-made The Night of Counting the Years.

2 items not mentioned here:

1. Prior to Gary Meyer taking over in 1976, when it became a revival house, Mann Theaters operated this as a first-run house (and the Fox theater chain prior to that)

2. According to the 8/25/05 San Francisco Chronicle, it looks like Kimball's East (a well known jazz club formerly in Emeryville) will be taking over, and turning it into a 650 seat facility with a restaurant, a bar, and a sidewalk cafe. This will be their new location.

The UC was designed by Berkeley architect James W. Plachek.

An old man here; went to the UC as a kid lots of times, depression days. but I think what all you kids are missing is when in the hell have you seen this many seats on one floor.

Older man here; went to the UC a lot back during the Taft administration. And back in my day I used to have to walk 14 miles through 8 feet of snow just to fight for a seat. Because there were only 9 seats back then. Grumble.

The announcement of the UC Theatre was made in the October, 1916 issue of Architect & Engineer magazine. The owners were given as Messrs. Bradshaw and Williamson. The projected cost of the theatre was $100,000. The architect was James W. Plachek (1893-1948.)

Here is a 2000 photo of the UC Theater before it closed.

This website has a vintage photo of the UC Theater.

Here is an article I wrote about the u.c., I loved that place...

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=293613356&blogID=337960324

Yeah, a great theatre.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=93397660

One that I miss daily.

1980 Photo

1986 Night Photo

The UC is coming back to life, as a live music venue...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/23/BAC219R20T.DTL