Lorin Theatre
3332 Adeline Street,
Berkeley,
CA
94703
3332 Adeline Street,
Berkeley,
CA
94703
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The theater was originally located across the street in a building that no longer exists.
The 1920 rebuilding of the Lorin designed by James Plachek took even longer than the 1916 rebuilding, so it must have been quite extensive. The March 1, 1921, issue of The Film Daily said that the Lorin Theatre had reopened on January 27 after having been closed for four months for rebuilding.
The Lorin Theatre was completely rebuilt in 1916. That year’s September 23 issue of The Moving Picture World said that the Lorin had opened on Saturday, June 24. The old theater had been closed on March 5 and demolished.
A Wurlitzer theater organ opus 1006 style “B” special was installed in the Lorin Theater on 3/3/1925.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission in Berkeley, CA lists the architects as Hiram Lovell (1914) and James W. Plachek (1920). Here is their website. The Lorin Theater is building number 59 on the list.
Here is a photo of the former Lorin Theater, now the Phillips Temple Church.
Lorin’s style was “Italian Renaissance.”
Would gsmurph be willing to email me at I have questions about Berkeley CA movie houses.
The Lorin was built in 1914 by H.L. Beach and W.F. Krahn. The original architect was Albert W. Cornelius. Its interior was remodeled in 1920 by James Plachek. It closed as a theater in 1954.
The former Lorin is today (and has been for a number of years) known as Phillips Temple Church. It is still an impressive sight (at least in terms of its facade).