State Theater

They did a semi nice job in the large cinema but they have the pre show white lights so high It ruins the screen image. Bring on some color blue lights like they had before. The other cinemas are way to small for me. At least Cinema West has saved the State for a future generation to enjoy. The new generation has no idea how nice the place was before with curtains and color lights.

The State is reopening Friday June 30, 2017 after being shut for renovations since 2010.https://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/state-theatres-reopening-transports-guests-back-to-golden-age-of-movies/

Work has started to rebuild the State into a 10-screen multiplex scheduled to open in 2016. Copy and paste the following link to read the story:

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/general-news/20150414/construction-begins-on-woodlands-state-theatre

Let us hope that the plan that would include the current State building as part of a new multiplex is the one that succeeds in getting approved. A similar plan helped bring the Alameda Theater in Oakland back to cinema use.

The intro currently says the State was built by Redland Theatres. It should read Redwood Theatres.

Also, the article CWalczak linked to on Dec 8, 2009, credits both S. Charles Lee and William B. David with the design of this theater. It’s probably correct. David was connected with Redwood Theatres from the mid-1930s to the mid-1940s, serving as the chain’s construction manager and a vice president.

This article shows a picture of the State not long after its opening before, according to the article, the highway commission forced the theater to remove its original marquee and signage, replacing them with the current rather bland facade that gives little hint that the theater originally was an S. Charles design:
View link

Cool story!