Hardy's Theatre
944 Van Ness Street,
Fresno,
CA
93721
944 Van Ness Street,
Fresno,
CA
93721
4 people
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The church is now closed it appears as the theatre is boarded up! Sad
It was discovered in August 2021 that the theatre’s new owner, Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, gutted much of the interior allegedly without permits/permission. According to local newspaper The Fresno Bee “The entire second level was removed — some 1,000 theater seats — to make space for living quarters, along with plaster from the walls and much of the original ornamental work. All that is left is the original stage. The city cited the building’s owner, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, for several code violations, including construction without a permit. The city is meeting this week [early August 2021] to determine next steps, which could involve a work stoppage and additional fines.”
City councilmember Miguel Arias noticed construction work taking place at the building and did not recall any plans or permits. “People were taken back by the significant demolition that has been done. essentially the whole interior has been demolished except for crown molding that’s left,” Arias said.
Whereas the Fresno Bee is behind a paywall, you can read more here on yourcentralvalley.com.
There is a 3-minute video tour of the theatre, filmed in 2011, here on YouTube.
Reopening as Hardy’s on June 24th, 1931
Grand opening ad posted.
I would be curious to verify the original seating capacity of 1917. Some claim it was closer to 2000. Over the years the capacity shrunk. The insanely high and steep upper third of the balcony was sealed off. Projection booth always on the main floor so there were no “keystoning” issues with the screen image. The 1950s remodel with “Rocking Chair Loges” in the rear orchestra also reduced capacity. But in the 50s it was the most comfortable movie seat in Fresno. Another remodel in the 60s expanded the lobby and snack bar and finally added rest rooms on the main floor.
I literally saw hundreds of movies at the Hardys Theatre during the1950s and 1960s. “Everything from "Love Me Or Leave Me,” and “Some Like It Hot,” to “Tom Thumb,” “West Side Story,” “The King of Kings,” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
This house should be listed as Hardy’s Theatre, since it was called the Liberty only from 1917 to 1931.
Now a music studio Oct 2019. I hope some one saved the old classic theatre neon marquee sign that said Hardy’s?
was still open in 1981
http://www.americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=fresno&catpageindex=2&ProductID=23752
please update!
The partner of architect William D. Coates was Harrison B. Traver. Both studied in Philadelphia with the Beaux-Arts trained classicist Paul Cret around 1906-1907. They formed a partnership in San Francisco in 1911, and moved their office to Fresno in 1914. When the partnership was dissolved in 1925, Traver moved to Los Angeles and Coates continued to practice in Fresno. As far as I’ve been able to determine, the Liberty was the only theater they designed during their partnership.
A few 2011 photos can be seen here and here.
KFSR 90.7 held an event, “The Fresno Grand Opry,” in May 2011 at the Liberty Theater (Hardy’s). They asked us to do a video tour of the balcony area since it would be closed to guests. Here’s our video if you’re interested in seeing what this amazing theater looks like inside!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS9eyhrd73A
Here are a few recent photos of the Liberty, sans Mexico sign…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cakeight/4791945417
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cakeight/4791945309
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cakeight/4791933837
Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/yld63xh
After considerable delay, during some of which they showed movies at the White Theatre under the name Liberty Theatre Photo Plays at the White, the Liberty Theatre opened on November 27, 1917 with When a Man Sees Red.
When it reopened on June 24, 1931, the photo in the Bee shows the marquee as “Hardy’s Fresno Theatre,” with “Hardy’s” and “Theatre” in small print at the top and bottom horizontally, and “Fresno” in larger letters vertically.
Here is another 1981 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/nfo35c
Here is a June 1947 ad from the Fresno Bee:
http://tinyurl.com/mcg84k
Here is a 1981 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cgcslq
Hello,
Does anyone have information about Clarence Lauren Hartsough? His calling card, circa 1920, 1921 says that he was an organist and “estimator on organs” and gives his address as the Liberty Theatre, Fresno. Thanks LMD
showman – To answer your question from Sept 07… YES, I definitely think Fresno could support an independent/art house theater. But the city needs someone to spearhead such an effort. We have a local film group that shows art films monthly at the Tower Theater, but they don’t have an interest in starting a regularly operating art house theater. Feel free to contact me at bryanharley AT comcast DOT net
I don’t know why it was Otto in the first story and Ott in the second. Maybe he knocked a letter off his name when he hit himself with the pipe.
Here is the original story from four days earlier, before the hapless Mr. Otto confessed:
Bandit Takes Theater Cash
Victim for the second time in 14 months of a daring daylight robbery, Norris W. Otto, theater manager, was beaten on the head with an iron pipe and robbed of $1200 in receipts as he was leaving for the bank today.
Since the robbery of $500 last year, the office door has been kept locked. Today Otto counted the money, placed it in a sack and left the office. He had descended the stairs a short distance when he was struck from behind. He was knocked unconscious and did not recover until a half-hour later, when he dragged himself to the office. The pipe with which he was struck was found on the stairway by E.H. Schultz, a theater confectionary operator. Otto could not give police a description of the bandit.
Here is part of an LA Times article dated 8/28/43:
Man Confesses Taking $1306 in Fake Robbery
Asst. District Atty. Melvin Gibbs today announced Norris W. Ott, manager of a Fresno theater, has confessed to stealing $1306 in theater funds Monday morning and then striking himself on the head with a length of pipe to simulate a robbery.
Approximately $600 of the money has been recovered by Gerald Hardy, owner of the theater, from hiding places where it had been secreted by Ott.
Ott told Gibbs and Hardy he stole the money to replace $500 which he had taken from theater receipts to replace another $500, which Ott said he lost in a bookie establishment.
When he struck himself with the pipe, Ott inflicted a brain concussion which necessitated him remaining in a hospital for two days.
“D”, I have a name for you…and a phone number.