Bal Theatre
14808 E. 14th Street,
San Leandro,
CA
94578
14808 E. 14th Street,
San Leandro,
CA
94578
3 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 42 comments found
@davidkaye: Because that’s the name of that neighborhood in San Leandro. (I’m from San Leandro originally, grew up there in the 60’s/70’s)
Does anybody know why it was named the Bal? Is it Spanish? Was it someone’s last name?
The Bal Theatre was designed by architect Vincent G. Raney. An article about it appeared in Boxoffice of September 14, 1946. There are four photos. The article mistakenly palces the Bal in Oakland.
Great News! The grand reopening of the Bal will be on 4/23/10. According to the website calendar, renovations are being done, including the installation of a new curtain. Classic films are scheduled to play, starting with His Girl Friday on the 24th.
Here is a somewhat vertiginous view of the Bal:
http://tinyurl.com/yavk7d5
There have been independently made documentaries that have been showing here on Saturdays since November. Status should be changed to “open”. I am curious as to how much of an audience the documentaries are doing.
This is a November 2, 2009 article about the Bal Theater.
Looks like the Bal will be opening on November 14, 2009. Here is their website.
Here are some 1986 photos:
Photo1
Photo2
Photo3
Here is a January 1961 ad from the Hayward Review:
http://tinyurl.com/ctse5e
I hope they start showing cool B Movies at the Bal with the new owners.. San leandro is a gold mine for cool :)
This document dated January 15, 2009 mentions, “Matter of PLN2008-00049; Conditional Use and Parking Exception; to allow the establishment of a computer repair and service business at 14808 East 14th Street. The Bal Theater would continue to be used. Assessor’s Parcel Number 077E-1593-008-00; Xzault Media Group, D. and G. Dillman (Applicants and Property Owners); SA-1 South Area — 1 District."
I’m not sure what it means by “The Bal Theater would continue to be used”. Continue to be used for what, a computer repair business?
ok thank you, i see that you have taken recent shots of the theatre
have you been informed on what type of business is going to be inside of there?
I’d like to help you Theatre_Geek but I don’t have any information about the Bal Theater. Maybe someone else here can help you.
Hey Lost Memory I am the son of the man who has purchased the theater i was interested in what your history is with the theater,because i am very much interested in finding out as much as i can about the building, so if you can email me it would be great my email is
Thank you
2009 close-up view
I have also recently seen that there is now a Sold sign posted in one of the windows, i have also seen a few people walking in and out of the theatre from time to time. So is there any news on who has now purchased the Bal Theatre?
There is now a Sold sign in the window. Wonder who bought it this time.
This is a nice 2008 photo.
Did the name originate with the district or with the theatre? The San Leandro Times says the Bal Districts are of mostly post-WWII development. It’s easier to tell what came first in Fresno’s Tower District, for example, since the neighborhood is considerably older than the theatre from which it eventually got its current name.
The neighborhood surrounding the theater is called the Bal neighborhood.
Here is an article with several photos of the Bal, including some interior shots.
I haven’t been able to find how the theatre got its name, but what I have found is an online excerpt from a book called “Got a Revolution” which reveals that The Bal’s owner, Renny Lamarre, was also the manager of a young musician named Marty Buchwald and, not liking that surname, changed it to Balin, taking the first syllable from his Bal Theatre. Marty Balin then went on to fame as a member of the San Francisco band Jefferson Airplane.
Purely as speculation, I wonder if the theatre’s name was chosen because bal is the French word for ball, as in fancy-pants dance?
A good view of the Bal Theater in San Leandro taken by SteelePop.
Here are links to several articles regarding The Bal Theatre
It’s legal troubles over showing “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in 2001
View link
It’s conversion to showing Indian Bollywood films in 2004
View link
The Bal Theatre is still closed. The poster display window has a Bollywood Film poster still in it. The last I heard the Lobby had been painted garrish colors during the run of “Rocky Horror”
Does anyone know how the Bal Theater got its name?