Rivoli Theatre

1941 San Pablo Avenue,
Berkeley, CA 94702

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Golden State Theater & Realty Corp.

Architects: Marc T. Jorgensen

Functions: Retail

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Located in West Berkeley at San Pablo Avenue & University Avenue. The Rivoli Theatre was opened in 1926 with Marie Prevost in “Up In Mable’s Room”. It was equipped with a Hope-Jones orchestra organ and a fully equipped stage. It was still open in 1957.

Contributed by William Gabel

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Recent comments (view all 19 comments)

pdossetti on April 6, 2008 at 9:32 pm

A Souvenier Program dated October 31, 1931 for the grand opening of the Merced Theatre in Merced CA also lists the Rivoli as being part of Golden State Theatre Corporation’s chain. Ward Casady is listed as being the manager of the Rivoli Theatre.

gsmurph on June 20, 2008 at 5:48 pm

Good news to report—-the 99-Cent store that’s taken over the Rivoli has kept the interior “remains” that Smart N'Final had uncovered and Longs Drugs had retained.

amende on June 7, 2010 at 9:00 pm

Now the site of a 99 Cents Only Store, this former theater is worth a visit to view the amazing painted ceilings, as well as pick up very inexpensive candy. I will have to post a photo at a later date.

gsmurph on September 22, 2010 at 1:58 pm

Must point out that the opening contribution by William Gabel mistakenly says “Rialto” rather than “Rivoli.”

Mike Rogers on September 22, 2010 at 2:55 pm

Wild looking theatre in 1986 picture.

LBorg on February 12, 2011 at 8:01 pm

Lawrence Borg, my Uncle, built the Rivioli in 1925. and in 1926 he bacame owner of the Parkway Theatre,Berkeley. The Rivoli and Parkway were thus sold in 1931 to the Golden State Theatre & Realty Corp., San Francisco.

It is my dream to one day soon, be able to purchase one of his theatres back that is shut down and revive it, as they did in Napa with the Uptown Theatre .

GaryParks on April 8, 2011 at 1:28 pm

Last night I got to see a single pencil-on-vellum longitudinal section drawing of the Rivoli which has been owned by a friend of mine for nearly ten years, but I hadn’t seen it as it had been in storage. The drawing (from Jorgensen’s drafting table) shows the auditorium’s ornamental scheme exactly as one sees it today—that is, what survives. The drawing also shows that there was much cove lighting. I realize now that I didn’t pay much attention to the lobby in the drawing, but it was rather low. The box down in the lower right corner names the theatre as the “West Berkeley Theatre.” Clearly, this was the proposed name at the time of its design. Perhaps the name change to Rivoli was to save money on sign design and maintenance.