California Theatre

Photos of the restored California Theatre can be seen on this page at the web site of ELS Architecture and Urban Design, the firm that handled the renovation project. The project included an entirely new stage tower and two new buildings to augment the theater’s production space and public areas. The web page has a plan of the ground floor showing the changes.

ELS also designed restoration projects for the Portland Theatre in Portland, Oregon, now Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall; The Fox Oakland Theatre; the restoration of the Grand Theatre at Tracy, California, as part of the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts; and the recent renovation of the former AMC Kabuki multiplex in San Francisco for Sundance Cinemas.

From the 1940s a photo of the California Theatre in San Jose.

Here is a 1945 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/kjl8om

The California as it appeared in 1997:
View link

The THSA has a large photo gallery of photos of theatres from their 2008 Conclave in the San Francisco region, at

Here are links to their photos of the California Theatre:

View link – Interior – lobby
View link – Lobby
View link – Lobby
View link – Auditorium seat
View link – Auditorium Detail
View link – Main Lobby
View link – Main Lobby
View link – Lobby window
View link – Main Lobby
View link – Auditorium Ceiling
View link – Proscenium
View link – Auditorium sidewalls
View link – Upper proscenium – sunburst
View link – Proscenium
View link – exterior
View link – vertical sign , marquee

Here is part of an LA Times story, dated 2/11/30:

SAN JOSE (Feb. 10)-Two bandits entered the California Theater here shortly before 1 o'clock today, held up the assistant business manager, Harold Flora, and escaped with the week-end’s receipts totaling several thousand dollars. It is believed that they concealed themselves overnight in the theater.

With Flora at the time of the hold-up was Helen Barr, cashier, and Charlotte McDonald, usher. All were commanded to lie face down on the floor. After taking the money the men continued to the rear exits, passing several ushers who thought they were electricians.

This is a 2008 photo.

And here is a photo from 2007.

Here is a ticket dated March 15, 1964 to see the Beatles on a closed circuit telecast at the Fox Theater.

Here is a recent interior view of the California Theater.

The photo displayed via the comment immediately above shows the vertical sign dating from 1957,as well as the marquee installed then as well. The vertical was removed in 1988 by the San Jose Redevelopment Agency, who also paid for the restoration of the 1957 marquee, which was used to promote Downtown events (and occasional limited-use events in the theatre itself such as tours and lobby receptions) until its removal during the theatre’s restoration beginning in 2001. In the photo, the vertical is stained with soot from the 1970s fire which destroyed the Mission Hotel next door.

How do I reserve the Theatre for an event

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