The State has reopened under new managment with the building owner remaining the same. Just before the fire, I was called in by the Monterey Church to assess the Wurlitzer which had not been used in 2 years. The Monterey Church had been told the organ was in bad shape and could not be played because of its “condition.” Total crock of BS. We got the organ playing and it played almost flawlessly after sitting for two years and completely without maintenance or tuning. The organ was not playable because the theatre owner did not want it playable!
Regarding the Monterey Theatre and NOT the photo above, I learned one of my first music teachers in Monterey, Forest “Frosty” Durland also played the organ and piano quite well. I was talking to a member of the Monterey Stock Family who played in a pit group at the Monterey Theatre in the late 1950s—and that the Wurlitzer was still in the theatre and playable. “Frosty” Durland played the piano console organ with the group. I would hate to think of this intrument’s fate when the building was demolished.
The photo above is totally incorrect. That is the 1917 Strand Theatre almost across Alvarado from the Golden State Theatre. Only this year has the Strand/Regency ceased to exist, though the Elks Building it was in, survives. Gary’s info above is correct.
The earlier Soledad Theatre was not destroyed by fire. The Johnson Family closed the theatre because they were sick of running the place and their principal business was automtoive sales/service in the southern Salinas Valley. It was only in the last decade or so that the original Soledad Theatre location burned. The theatre pictured above had no relation to the earlier Soledad Theatre. Last I saw, the building above is still standing as an office of some sort.
The information on the original Soledad Theatre is correct. The building only recently burned. I have no idea who owned it when it burned. The theate space was eventually turned into Johnson’s Automotive. They had shops in Gonzales and Soledad. The last remaining Johnson, Bette, died a few years ago in Salinas. The later Soledad Theatre (building was still standing a few years ago) should be on its own page as Soledad Theatre #2 or some such. It has no bearing on the orgiginal Soledad Theatre. Once closed, the Johnson’s stayed out of the theatre business and stuck to automotive matters. Now it is entirely possible as the Johnsons' tired of the theatre/skating rink operation, they passed the theatre to the Franscioni Familiy. This could play out—Johnson tore up the Photoplayer when it was no longer needed when talking pictures came in and the operation went to Franscioni.
Once the quake of May 1983 hit, the State Theatre was toast as was 90% of the masonry downtown. Theatre fan and artist Ron Mussleman and I drove over to Coalinga from Fresno. We were astounded at the damage to the town. Not a single 1920s era masonry beuilding survived. We took photos of the State Theatre and msot of the rest of downtown. In the first photo Ken posted above, we were able to get fairly clear shots of what had been the stagehouse. The two remaining walls had been pulled down for obvious safety and aftershock concern. We were able to see through the proscenium opening into the house as well as the daylight streaming in through the projection ports. The front of the theatre had largely come down as well.
It is hard to believe that in another couple months, it will have been 30 years since that shake. I was on top of a ladder at Pizza and Pipes (with its theatre organ from Shea’s Hippodrome/Center Theatre Buffalo, NY) The restaurant emptied as the quake hit. The dining room mirror ball was swinging back and forth and the organ chimes were slamming into each other. I got out to see my ‘78 Grand Am rocking like a giant was on top of it. Amazing day indeed. 6.3 as I recall.
An absolute crime that that church got in there and painted out the auditorium. The wall murals were as spectacular as the Orinda Theatre.
Restored by Evergreene Studio.
The Wurlitzer organ is still there, but covered by a semi-removable panel in the stage apron.
The State has reopened under new managment with the building owner remaining the same. Just before the fire, I was called in by the Monterey Church to assess the Wurlitzer which had not been used in 2 years. The Monterey Church had been told the organ was in bad shape and could not be played because of its “condition.” Total crock of BS. We got the organ playing and it played almost flawlessly after sitting for two years and completely without maintenance or tuning. The organ was not playable because the theatre owner did not want it playable!
Regarding the Monterey Theatre and NOT the photo above, I learned one of my first music teachers in Monterey, Forest “Frosty” Durland also played the organ and piano quite well. I was talking to a member of the Monterey Stock Family who played in a pit group at the Monterey Theatre in the late 1950s—and that the Wurlitzer was still in the theatre and playable. “Frosty” Durland played the piano console organ with the group. I would hate to think of this intrument’s fate when the building was demolished.
The photo above is totally incorrect. That is the 1917 Strand Theatre almost across Alvarado from the Golden State Theatre. Only this year has the Strand/Regency ceased to exist, though the Elks Building it was in, survives. Gary’s info above is correct.
The earlier Soledad Theatre was not destroyed by fire. The Johnson Family closed the theatre because they were sick of running the place and their principal business was automtoive sales/service in the southern Salinas Valley. It was only in the last decade or so that the original Soledad Theatre location burned. The theatre pictured above had no relation to the earlier Soledad Theatre. Last I saw, the building above is still standing as an office of some sort.
The information on the original Soledad Theatre is correct. The building only recently burned. I have no idea who owned it when it burned. The theate space was eventually turned into Johnson’s Automotive. They had shops in Gonzales and Soledad. The last remaining Johnson, Bette, died a few years ago in Salinas. The later Soledad Theatre (building was still standing a few years ago) should be on its own page as Soledad Theatre #2 or some such. It has no bearing on the orgiginal Soledad Theatre. Once closed, the Johnson’s stayed out of the theatre business and stuck to automotive matters. Now it is entirely possible as the Johnsons' tired of the theatre/skating rink operation, they passed the theatre to the Franscioni Familiy. This could play out—Johnson tore up the Photoplayer when it was no longer needed when talking pictures came in and the operation went to Franscioni.
Once the quake of May 1983 hit, the State Theatre was toast as was 90% of the masonry downtown. Theatre fan and artist Ron Mussleman and I drove over to Coalinga from Fresno. We were astounded at the damage to the town. Not a single 1920s era masonry beuilding survived. We took photos of the State Theatre and msot of the rest of downtown. In the first photo Ken posted above, we were able to get fairly clear shots of what had been the stagehouse. The two remaining walls had been pulled down for obvious safety and aftershock concern. We were able to see through the proscenium opening into the house as well as the daylight streaming in through the projection ports. The front of the theatre had largely come down as well. It is hard to believe that in another couple months, it will have been 30 years since that shake. I was on top of a ladder at Pizza and Pipes (with its theatre organ from Shea’s Hippodrome/Center Theatre Buffalo, NY) The restaurant emptied as the quake hit. The dining room mirror ball was swinging back and forth and the organ chimes were slamming into each other. I got out to see my ‘78 Grand Am rocking like a giant was on top of it. Amazing day indeed. 6.3 as I recall.