Fox Oakland Theater

Friday was my 70th birthday, and I wanted to see the Fox. My kids took me there. I haven’t been inside the Fox Oakland for 50 years. amd it was just absolutely stunning inside. There were a lot of things missing, like the chandeliers in the ceiling and a mural of the bay bridge, treasure island and the bay when you first walked in. The staff and security was incredible, they were everywhere, and very friendly. The music was very good, a band called OMD, but the acoustics in the theater were terrible. The sounds bounced off the walls like echoing thuds, and it gave me a headache (age I guess), so I went to the mezzanine to relax for a bit. I was sitting there for less than 10 minutes and two different times, staff asked to see my ticket. The security was checking everyones tickets to make sure they were in the section they were supposed to be in. After being asked twice to see my ticket, I got irritated, and they didn’t ask me anymore. I don’t see how these kids can afford the high priced drinks in there, My son got a screwdriver and it was over vodka’d. It was so good to be in there again, it brought back a lot of memories. The audience was good mannered and everyone was having a great time. The staff and security were just wonderful, just pesty and doing their job. I asked if they could get the statues to spew smoke again someday, they didn’t know that it the statues did that. Aside from the terrible sound system, it is just beautiful inside. I sure miss Capwells, Milens Jewelers, and the Newberry’s. But the area sure looks nice and its bustling again.

Another great Barto and Mann photo,thanks for posting Brad.

Went there a few times, all the movies I saw there were widescreen except one time we went in to see The Little Shop of Horrors. The screen didn’t have a black border around the movie, but a projected border that looked like gold squares of the statues on the sides of the stage. Those statues were beautiful, how during the movie they would periodically spew smoke from the bowls and the back would flash green like a little explosion. I would love to see the inside again oneday, if only something decent was there. Terry and Simon were right, they should also show films and have performances for us seniors.

The people that lease the Fox Oakland are missing out entertainment and movies for the older adult crowd. As they just book rock mainly. To bad, write to them and lets see If we can get them to book some acts that the seniors will enjoy. So easy to just take the BART train almost to the front door. Book in some family shows also.

2010 night photo of the Fox Oakland marquee.
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Took the anniversary tour on Friday night — was happy to see that the restoration was a success, with beautiful painted ceilings, redone plaster bas relief, reproduction lighting and fully restored and working electric and neon marquee. Was sad that showing films is no longer an option (other than digital projection on a tiny screen) and that the Wurlitzer and all original fixtures were sold off to the highest bidders ever so long ago. But the Fox Theater is lovely again. Do wish I could enjoy a historic-style cinema or vaudeville-type experience, instead of a loud rock concert, tho.

(pre- and post-restoration photos taken by Paula Wirth, including night shots of the Fox Theater marquee)
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2005 photo of the Fox Oakland courtesy of Tom Spaulding.
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photo of the verticle
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A real jewel of a theatre! Even before restoration, the Fox Oakland grabbed attention from blocks away. A “little bit of Bagdad” on Telegraph Ave., as Ben Hall might have said. But—-when do we get
an interior tour…? Any hopes of a tour sans the modern loud musick…?

Here are some 1986 photos:

Photo1

Photo2

Photo3

This is a recent close-up view.

Another photo can be seen here.

This is a February 2009 photo. It looks like the Fox is open again.