Fox Fullerton Theatre
512 N. Harbor Boulevard,
Fullerton,
CA
92832
512 N. Harbor Boulevard,
Fullerton,
CA
92832
19 people
favorited this theater
Opened as Chapman’s Aician Court Theatre on May 28, 1925. The opening film was Tom Mix in “Dick Turpin”. The theatre had 1,095 seats in orchestra and balcony levels, was equipped with a theatre organ. Its architect was Raymond Kennedy, of the firm of Meyer and Holler, who also designed Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre, both in Hollywood. The theatre was designed with a California Gold Rush theme and included several impressive murals by Anthony Heinsbergen and John Beckman. There is also sculpture throughout the theater, and its proscenium arch (still very intact today) feature unusual tapered and squared columns called herms.
In the mid-1950’s, the theatre was ‘modernized’ during a remodeling that obscured the theater’s original murals and other features.
This theatre has also operated under the names Mission Court Theatre, Universal Mission Court Theatre, and the Fox Mission Theatre.
The theater was in danger of being demolished for five-story apartments, but a non profit group, the Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation, fought a long battle, and raised enough money to purchase the building to use it as a a multi-use entertainment venue featuring independent and classic films as well as peforming arts. Work began on the restoration project in the summer of 2005.
Contributed by
Jane Reifer, William Gabel
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Recent comments (view all 44 comments)
Here are two more 1983 photos:
Day Photo
Night Photo
This is another 2009 photo.
A September 2009 photo of the Fox I took:
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Photo of the roof top sign.
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Fox Theatre box-office.
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Vintage photo of the Alician Court.
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vintage photo of the Fullerton Fox
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Some more photos of the Fox Fullerton
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The Fox Fullerton has been very important in my life. I grew up there. I started going there as a boy. There was Saturday Crazy Races and Sunday Matinees. As I grew older, I went on Friday nights. It was a good place to meet girls. Saturday night became date night. There was always a double feature and cartoon. Maybe even a newsreel. I spent some weekends pulling weeds out in the back of the theater or cleaning the basement for a minimum wage. When I was older I became an usher and doorman. During one three week period in the summer my brother and I were hired as custodians there so the regular custodian could go on vacation. We worked from the end of the last showing every day to 8:00AM the next morning. You see, my father was the manager there during this time. My favorite times were as a boy when my brother and I would accompany my father to work during the week when the theater was empty and no movies were being shown. We explored every nook and cranny from the attic to the basement. Here’s one for Fox Fullerton fans. Do you know where the fountain was? I did and I knew how to turn it on. I also knew how to sneak into the projection room through the roof.
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Along with celebrating the theatre’s 85th anniversary this month, it was announced that phase one of the site’s renovation will begin in the Fall of 2010. Apparently, this first phase will primarily focus on the complex’s exterior and adjoining commercial units; the idea being that the commercial spaces can provide a steady income, once tenants are able to occupy them.
Today (5/31/11), they will begin removing the 50’s era marquee and box office as part of the ongoing renovation; thus, restoring the theatre’s original look.
Renovations update: dailytitan