Fox Fullerton Theatre

Renovations update: dailytitan

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.

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.

Photo of the roof top sign.

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Fox Theatre box-office.

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This is another 2009 photo.

Here is a 1983 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ck9t9m

I started going to the Fox when the La Habra Theatre closed in 1954 or early 1955. My favorite memory was going with my father to see “The Hustler” and sitting in the huge loge seats in the balcony. The biggest loges, all formal wood and red leather, as I recall, and I thought they must have been stolen from William Randolph Hearst at San Simeon.

Here is a 9/08 shot of the Fox:
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Here is a February 2008 article about renovation:
http://tinyurl.com/5gpott

A Marr & Colton theater organ size 3/16 was installed in the Alician Court Theater in 1925.

I was recently treated to an extensive tour of the building, spoke with the volunteers working on the project, and shown plans for the restoration/renovation. I was impressed by the building’s diverse potential as well as the obvious dedication of the volunteers. When I got home and checked Cinema Treasures, I didn’t find this listing, and tried to submit one. Now that I’ve discovered the theatre is already listed, I’ve submitted a news article to try to focus some well deserved attention on this worthy project….

In October 2006 this theatre was added to the National Regustry of Historic Places. It’s existance is protected, but it now needs all the TLC, support and funding it can get. The folks in charge have made real progress and taken obvious care with the building and rehab plans. There is great opportunity here for creative and commercial involvement in the buildings attached to the theatre. New business ventures opening in this complex will not only support the theatre’s revival, they will reap the benefits of being part of an exciting entertainment destination.

All inquiries may be directed to Jon Wagner – Executive Director, Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation. Phone: (714) 870-0069 Fax: (714) 870-5123 Email:

Wow! I just discovered this site tonight and would love to share my memories of the Fox. I saw several films there as a child in the 1960’s, the most memorable being The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit. I am thrilled that this building is being restored – downtown Fullerton would NOT be the same without it!

I was at the first “Movies on the Fox” event a couple months ago. It was a great event! They showed a video about the theatre, a couple of classic movie previews, a warner brothers cartoon, and the original “War of the Worlds”. As stated above, there was a very good crowd attending the first event. The next show is “Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein” on OCT 27th. I plan to be there and I encourage anyone in the area to come and support the foundation and their work.