BIG Cinemas Towne 3
1433 The Alameda,
San Jose,
CA
95126
1433 The Alameda,
San Jose,
CA
95126
7 people
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Photos of the Towne Theatre
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Recently a fellow researcher and I stumbled upon a beautiful nighttime photo in the archives at San Jose State, which shows this theatre when it was newly minted as the Towne in the early 50s. It is a nighttime shot, and it shows that the marquee once had a little extra bit of metal sculpture—with neon—above the still-remaining curling neon at the marquee’s point. Also, the painted detailing which once decorated the floral metal sculpture on the facade is clearly visible, and shows that originally, this scuplture only had neon behind it, which glowed indirectly from around the sculpture’s edges, as remained the case until a lot of extra neon was added in recent years.
Finally, the box office which once stood to the Right of the entrance (marked today by a patch of concrete amid the terrazzo) is clearly visible.
Link doesn’t work – at least they’ve stopped lying to people by calling it a 6-plex!
Since the marquee is historic, the name of the theatre has returned to Towne with the grand re-opening. It is now monikered “BIG Cinemas Towne 3”. The interior has been completely renovated…
Pictures available here:
photos.imc6.com
I believe the IMC6 was the name of a previous 6 screen theatre the company ran. I’ve seen it happen a few times with the Bollywood Theatres where they change venues but keep the same name because it became so identified with the original theatre. Perhaps it’s a way of saying “Hey – it’s still us – not some other people – you can trust us!”.
The NAZ8 (at the old GCC Fremont Hub 8) kept their name NAZ8 even when they moved to an old Super Saver 7 down the road in Fremont, CA. I think the IMC6 comes from an old UA house in Lakewood, CA.
Anybody else find it unreasonably stupid the theater is called the IMC6 – an acronym for Indian Movie Center 6 when it only has 3 theaters?
The theater is now under new ownership and should be listed as BIG Cinemas San Jose. In addition, there should be another aka: IMC6. See story here: View link
This article about Bollywood was in the LA Times today:
http://tinyurl.com/yg63gn3
Here are two 1986 photos:
Photo1
Photo2
Here is a 1984 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cplnee
Glen Welden & Associates has just completed the neon restoration of the marquee for The Towne Theatre. An extensive process involving 140 man hours, multiple neon tube and wiring replacements as well as the removal of over 350+ pounds of used transformers, wiring and bird refuse from the roof of the marquee structure. The decorative wall neon was replaced and the original four point flasher unit was restored to allow the “chasing” of the red and white neon up the facade of the theatre.
Many thanks to Danny Colburn of Associated Sign, Hayward California, for his exhaustive work on the marquee.
Glen Welden & Associates is the exclusive United States Re-Imaging firm for Phoenix Adlabs Theatre Group located in Mombi, India. Adlabs was the production firm for “Slum Dog Millionaire”, a recipient of 8 Academy Awards.
The Paletta Group, Atlanta Georgia is the U.S. Distribution firm for Adlabs.
Thanks to Adlabs for thier appreciation and support in the restoration of The Towne Theatre Marquee.
Photos of the restoration can be viewed at www/facebook.com/album/glenwelden
Here is an item in Boxoffice magazine, April 1950:
SAN JOSE, CALIF-The Harvey Amusement Company has purchased the Hester Theater here from Milton and Kirk Samis. The circuit plans a $10,000 remodeling job. The building which houses the theater was sold last year for $100,000 to E.H. Emmick of San Francisco. The late Milton Samis Sr., father of Milton and Kirk, operated the theater for more than 20 years. O.B. Caldwell is the Hester’s new manager.
Thought this might be interesting to some of the Avenue Theatre Silent and Townne Theatre Film Fans – I now own the Wurlitzer Opus 1773 that was installed in this theatre in the 1960’s. After the Avenue Theatre’s owner died the arrangement with the organ’s owners and the theatre’s new owners deteriorated and the organ was moved to the Towne Theatre in San Jose for a period. After its time there the instrument was removed and stored.
In 2005 the organ was packed and trucked to FL where it is being professionally installed in my studio after restoration takes place. This 3 year process is about over and I’m expecting a truck on Oct 27 to arrive here and installation to begin.
I’m proud to be the new curator of this piece of history.
IMC6 website
This is a 2008 night view.
A new Thai restaurant that everyone is raving about opened next door to the theatre recently…
To at least in part answer the prior poster’s question as to what sort of facade improvements were being done: All of the neon has been repaired, for one thing. In addition, some of the decorative tubing on the marquee which was previously all white is now green and magenta, which really looks nice. At present, there are no letters placed on the reader boards, though at night the lights are on, posters are in the cases, and people are seen going in and out and hanging out in front or in the lobby.
Here is a 2007 photo of the Towne Theater.
A recent article in the Rosegarden Resident weekly neighborhood newspaper advised that facade improvements had been made to the Towne. Sorry, it’s always going to be the Towne to me and the neon will bear me out on this. Calling it the “IMC6” or “India Movie Center” sounds like this place is a non-descript box in a Sunnyvale strip mall. I have not been by this theater yet to see what kind of work was done but it appears from the news article that no major architectural changes were made. Upscale businesses are opening adjacent to this theater so I’m hopeful the Camera Cinema guys will find it to be a worthwhile venue for independent films again sometime soon.
SUN10SEP06
There was a short period of time when Walnut Properties/Pussycat Theatres was affiliated with this house. I worked for them and was at the house some time in the ‘80s to install a Xetron automation system. I don’t really remember much about it apart from the fact that it was a wonderful old house and I wish I’d have had time to explore it. In a storeroom underneath the projection booth were two old pieces of equipment which I’m pretty sure were the “turntables” for the old Vitaphone sound system. I wonder if anyone did anything with them other than throw them away?
Dan Whitehead
Irving, Tx.
Color photo of the art moderne Towne Theatre
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This is another photo of the Towne Theater.
Many more photos of this theater can be seen here. Click on each photo to enlarge.
Color photo of the Towne Theatre.
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When opened as the Hester Theatre it had a seating capacity given as 812.