Colonial Theater
3522 Stockton Boulevard,
Sacramento,
CA
95818
3522 Stockton Boulevard,
Sacramento,
CA
95818
2 people
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Originally opened as a movie theatre in June 1940. Recent attempts have been made to redevelop the neighborhood around the Colonial Theatre, which has been in somewhat of a decline, but there has been little success.
Today, it remains open and is used as a venue for live performances.
Contributed by
Jeremy Sanford
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
I saw a few soft-core pornos there while stationed at Mather AFB in 1968-69.
This is a photo of the Colonial Theater in Sacramento.
Recent photos and 1940 opening information here.
The architect was Herbert E. Goodpastor. The contemporary report calls the building “a modern version of colonial style” but it looks like ordinary Art Moderne to me.
Opening date was June 7, 1940. Seating capacity was given as 856. The theatre was independently owned.
The Colonial was running softcore pin up nudie films in the mid 1960’s. I believe it was the first Sacramento theater to break the full frontal nudity barrier with these films. Softcore films of course later turned to hardcore as they did at almost all of the adult theaters in the country. I’d almost forgotten about this theater until I read that Sacramento theater (Crest, Guild) impresario Matias Bombal was programming classic movies again at the Colonial. That policy was unfortunately short lived, just as it was at the Guild. I believe that was sometime in the late 1990’s. It’s nice to know that at least the building still stands.
1942 Photo
1981 Photo
Here are a couple photos of the Colonial Theatre courtesy of Tom Spaulding.
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Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/y98mguh
Colonial Theatre from another direction.
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Another 2010 photo of the Colonial Theatre.
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A 2011 photo can be seen here.