Hanlon Theatre
414 Virginia Street,
Vallejo,
CA
94503
414 Virginia Street,
Vallejo,
CA
94503
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The Virginia Theatre was constructed in 1920. After acquisition by the Fox West Coast chain in 1929, the theater was renamed in honor of its founder, Peter Hanlon. A devastating fire in 1954 ended operation as a movie house. In its final years, the theater was used as a furniture warehouse before it was demolished in June 1974.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Here is an excerpt from a June 1974 newspaper article on the demolition:
A Vallejo landmark that served as the community’s leading cinema for nearly 35 years until it was heavily damaged by fire 20 years ago is being torn down to prevent it from becoming a derelict structure. It’s the old Hanlon Theater at 414 Virginia St. where wrecking crews began demolition of the 51-year-oki building early last week under a permit granted Senator Luther E. Gibson, who acquired the building in 1952.
Senator Gibson said it is with regret that the two story structure which once served as Vallejo’s major entertainment center and the city’s only movie palace is coming to an ignominious end. “Many Vallejoans thought the theater might be restored to its former grandeur after it was ravaged by fire or that it could be converted to some other commercial use”, Senator Gibson said, “but the economic facts of the situation are that such re-construction is not practical”.
A Wurlitzer theater organ opus 267 style 135B was installed in a Hanlon Theater in Vallejo on 12/24/1919.
Minerva Burr, mother of actor Raymond Burr, was the organist at this theater for many years.
This is a 1954 newspaper photo of the interior after the fire and here is a clearer photo of the damage.
Here is a newspaper photo from the article about the demolition in June 1974. The poor quality is from the original.
http://tinyurl.com/dhkhwn
From 1927 a photo postcard view of the Virginia Theatre in Vallejo.