Hillsdale Cinema
3011 S. El Camino Real,
San Mateo,
CA
94403
3011 S. El Camino Real,
San Mateo,
CA
94403
1 person
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 32 comments found
I seen “Superman” there in 1978 and I still remember my shoes sticking to the floor with what felt like syrup..That was the most untidy theater I ever watched a flick in.
John,if you are asking Mike R,No.I don’t ever recall a David Blackburn working at Regency.
HEY mike, was david blackburn the Manager when you worked there?
Paul68,just be glad you got to work in a theatre,seems like most of the folks on CT never had the fun we did because we worked in the business,Me 7 years and for GCC. Our REGENCY MALL I.II.&III looked the same as yours inside.
My first Job was working at the Hillsdale Cinema.( 1984). I served popcorn, drinks and candy. The movies playing the first day I started were: far-lap, Places in the heart, A soldiers Story, and Starman. Everyone working there were teenagers and we had a lott of fun. ( Goofing Around). Got to see many free movies, and eat all the free popcorn. I allways let my friends into the movies for free. My uniform was the standard black polyester pants, white dress shirt and clip on tie. After work I would cruise up and down the El Camino.
There were hundreds of teenagers cruising the El Camino. San Mateo is a totally different place. Everyone I know has moved away. No more Hillsdale Cinema just memories.
I saw a lot of movies here in the 70’s and 80’s, including Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and All the President’s Men. Didn’t they tear down that wonderful Foster’s Fried Chicken restaurant to build the theatre? (They had the best fried chicken, with mashed potatoes and cream gravy. The perfect Sunday dinner.)
Does anyone know if Friday 13th Parts 3 +/or 4 were shown there? I sort of need to know.
Excellent photo. That’s how I remember her!! Thank you for posting.
This is a 1986 photo.
“‘Return Of The Jedi’ played at the UA Redwood 6 in Redwood City around 1983. That theatre had 70mm capability, and was able to play ‘Jedi’ in that format.”
I don’t doubt that.
What I’m saying is Return of the Jedi was not shown in the 70’s, since it was first shown in 1983.
“What’s there now and what about the parking garage that was next to the theatre, is it gone too??”
It’s an office building now.
‘Return Of The Jedi’ played at the UA Redwood 6 in Redwood City around 1983. That theatre had 70mm capability, and was able to play ‘Jedi’ in that format.
I’m sure the UA REDWOOD 6 THEATRE was not there in the 70’s. It had to have gone up and opened in the MID eighties. My children were about 7 and 8 when they were begging me to take them there. And that would put it at 83 or84 The first movie there I took them to was to see DUTCH. It sure seems the theatre was closed up by 93 or 94 at the latest. It just sat there for so long. Now I understand it was torn down. What’s there now and what about the parking garage that was next to the theatre, is it gone too??
Return of the Jedi was released in May of 1983.
The UA Redwood City opened around the mid-70s because ‘Return Of The Jedi’ was shown there.
Hey Larry,
I recall seeing movies at the UA Redwood City in 1984 (when it first opened?), so it seems was just there for 10 years and gone.
“The Hillsdale Cinema was just a typical 70’s looking building that housed a movie theatre lacking any of the charm of the aformentioned REAL THEATRES.”
I can agree with that statement.
Not a lot of charm like the other theaters in the area.
In regard to the Hillsdale Cinema comments made by my self, I should clarify that compared to the theatres I was raised around, IE: Fox Stanford, Palo Alto, Fox, Redwood City, Carlos, San Carlos, Laurel, San Carlos, San Mateo Theatre, San Mateo, Fox, Burlingame, even the Fox Skyline, San Bruno, The Hillsdale Cinema was just a typical 70’s looking building that housed a movie theatre lacking any of the charm of the aformentioned REAL THEATRES.
In regard to the UA Redwood Theatre, I remember it opening in the late 80’s early 90’s. However it was not able to compete with the newly opened Century Theatres near Bayshore (old Redwood Drive-in site.) It was a pretty nice multiplex, 6 screens as I remember. It sure did not last long. It was closed in 94 if my memory serves me right. Also UA THEATRES was in a financial bind during that time period. A lot of UA Cinemas closed.
I also can’t find info on the UA Redwood City theater.
Maybe Larry knows???
“I think it had more character than some of the new megaplexes we see on the peninsula now a days.”
True, theaters of today are just cookie cutters with no real thing that stands out from others.
Off subject, do you know when the new downtown San Mateo theater opened? 2000? 2001?
I think it had more character than some of the new megaplexes we see on the peninsula now a days. It was your typical GCC plex theatre (one screen split into four), with the gray metallic walls and metal reclining seats. The look was identical to the GCC Southland theatre in Hayward, but the Hillsdale theatre never got the remodel (new blue high back seats, red paint on the metallic walls) that the Southland Cinema got in the early ‘90’s. Wow, it’s been 10 years since this closed as a theatre. Building still stands though…
“This theatre had to be the ugliest,functional use only building I have ever seen.”
I wouldn’t call it ugly.
It was just plain and simple.
It was nice and clean.
This theatre had to be the ugliest,functional use only building I have ever seen. It showed all the current films of the times, but lacked any “personality” of architecture. General Cinema seemed to always be on a ‘budget’ when it came to building theatres. With so many other peninsula theatres during the 60’s & 70’s to choose from I did my best to avoid that one.
Seen a lot of movies here over the years.
Rocky III, Star Trek IV, Commando, Tommy Boy, Mortal Kombat, etc…
It was a box outside, but it was rather nice inside.
I really like the Belmont theater and Fashion Island theater.
Here is a November 1968 ad from the San Mateo Times:
http://tinyurl.com/2ahr33
I remember it had a big arrangement of hanging white lamps that seemed ultra-modern at the time, and entertainingly kitschy in later years. Though I agree it was never considered any kind of architectural treasure—it was the new, big, modern cinema that was driving the older theaters out!
I suspect the same architects were also involved in the UA cinema along Bayshore in Redwood City, because its bathroom has the unusually long arrangement of sinks & stalls that was characteristic of the Hillsdale (though I remember the Hillsdale’s stall doors as being some kind of hyper 70’s color like bright orange, or harvest gold.)
Coincidentally, a teacher at Ralston Intermediate School in Belmont appeared as an extra in “Family Plot”. I saw it at the Hillsdale, and almost fell out of my chair getting dizzy during the mountain-driving sequence.