Burbank Cinema

552 S. Bascom Avenue,
San Jose, CA 95128

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Showing 1 - 25 of 37 comments

JameyMonroe123_
JameyMonroe123_ on July 29, 2024 at 11:15 am

Here’s the scoop:

The Burbank is going the way of the Fine Arts/Mitchell Brothers in Berkeley…Condo City! 👿😭🤮

Except for the the marquee, ALL will be demolished!

rivest266
rivest266 on April 18, 2024 at 6:06 pm

The Burbank theatre closed or stopped its ads in 1954 and reopened as Burbank Cinema on October 9th, 1963. Another ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on April 17, 2024 at 7:04 pm

Opened on September 5th, 1951. Grand opening ad posted. Theatre was boarded up in 2021 according to Google Street View.

terrywade
terrywade on January 25, 2022 at 12:47 am

Just sold Jan 13 2022 to True Investments for $1.6 million. This Art-Moderne neighborhood theatre opened in 1949 I think. The building for closed in 2019. I have no idea what the inside looks like at this time. The new owners may have no interest in turning It back into a theatre? The Preservation Action Council of San Jose will try to reach out to the new owners about future use. The former cinema is listed on the Santa Clara Country’s Historic Resources Inventory but legal protections on It’s demolition are very limited. Let’s hope they don’t tear the theatre down and build more condos.

Kappi
Kappi on March 12, 2013 at 8:34 am

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.270911863025756.62364.265549483561994&type=3

Kappi
Kappi on March 12, 2013 at 8:33 am

Hi, I really love this theatre, and is in my 2 blocks neighborhood …I took the first photo series from my “Diva” project… I would like to take my second session inside theatre if is possible, please send to me a message if someone knows, how I to do this please…. here it is some of my photoproject with Laura San Pablo my singer friend : https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=270917439691865&set=a.270911863025756.62364.265549483561994&type=3&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=270917486358527&set=a.270911863025756.62364.265549483561994&type=3&permPage=1 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=270917673025175&set=a.270911863025756.62364.265549483561994&type=3&permPage=1 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=270917556358520&set=a.270911863025756.62364.265549483561994&type=3&permPage=1

brando
brando on July 12, 2012 at 1:05 am

So does anyone know who currently owns the Burbank Theater?

Mikeyisirish
Mikeyisirish on June 27, 2012 at 5:51 pm

A few 2012 photos can be seen here, here and here.

amir
amir on March 6, 2011 at 12:59 am

Hello everyone. I am the current owner’s son and happened to venture on to this page. If anyone is interested in more information regarding the Burbank Theater you are more than welcome to contact me. Currently the theater has undergone major renovations and there are multiple sections that are up for rent. My email is

Thanks
Amir

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on February 7, 2011 at 11:58 pm

Thanks Chuck,depressing,but that is life.

GaryParks
GaryParks on October 13, 2010 at 8:02 pm

Much more of the exterior is now painted in a warm sandstone/orangish color. This painting process seems to be added to whenever the owner can afford more paint and/or labor.

thurstonsspam
thurstonsspam on August 5, 2009 at 9:55 pm

i would like to hold a charity art show here but I’m having troubles contacting someone. Please send me an emaail if you can help thanks.
mike

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on January 3, 2009 at 1:59 am

Here is part of a March 1999 article from the San Jose Mercury News:

ADULT THEATER CLOSING SOUGHT BURBANK CINEMA: DISTRICT ATTORNEY SUES OWNERS, CLAIMING PUBLIC NUISANCE, UNLAWFUL SEX ACTS

Calling it a public nuisance, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office sought an order Friday to close the Burbank Theatre, an adult movie house and longtime fixture in the unincorporated community of Burbank. Though Superior Court Judge William Elfving did not immediately shut down the theater, he ordered the owners to stop allowing unlawful sex acts on the premises and to meet a series of conditions, including hiring full-time security.

slicktoria
slicktoria on January 2, 2008 at 11:53 pm

I checked on Loopnet and this isn’t for sale that I can see… Has anyone spoken to the owner lately? Does anyone know where they stand in terms of selling this or leasing it to restore it to a cinematic, historic, and architectural attraction? I hear it is still being operated as a world- broadcast Muslim language tv/radio station… Looks like it sold for 1.3M in April, 2004…

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on December 21, 2007 at 4:36 am

Here is a photo on the wikipedia site:
http://tinyurl.com/ypn7wl

GaryParks
GaryParks on August 16, 2007 at 5:49 am

Drove by the other day, and the stucco exterior was all painted in white primer, and on one side, a contemporary vivid earth toned color was being applied. While I’d love to see the original mint green restored, the new color beats the horribly cold and chalky grey and blue-grey which has marred the exterior since the mid-80s.

tarantex
tarantex on June 18, 2007 at 7:14 pm

that has to be the funniest thing i have ever seen writtin on here
‘SHIITE MUSLIMS" who wrote this your so funny!

vintagedepartmentstore
vintagedepartmentstore on May 15, 2007 at 4:42 am

it was reported today that the Burbank was recently sold to a group of shiite muslims and renovated as a broadcasting studio for worldwide televising of islamic news and events.

AlexisMorgan
AlexisMorgan on June 18, 2006 at 10:22 pm

I live in the Burbank neighborhood, and it would be great to see this theater refurbished, especially since it is such a prominent landmark here.

Does anyone in contact with the owner know if he has considered working with San Jose City College to make it part of their film studies and/or journalism department. It is in such close proximity to the campus, and it would be a perfect place to host a small independent/student film festival. I also picture a brew pub in that building, connected to the theater … and patrons from the College and Valley Med Hospital.

DaisyStar234
DaisyStar234 on February 19, 2005 at 8:15 pm

I have lived in the Burbank area all my life, as well as my great- grandparents back in the early 1900’s and owned a great part of the orchards here in the area as well as graduating from the Burbank School. I believe we should give back to the community and make it an all age center. I have the same ideas as must others, to have a coffee shop upstairs and downstairs a theater that shows old movies and maybe have a musical group come play certain days and have arcade games and after school activities such as a homework center. Then when night falls make it like an all age club. I know of lots of local bands that are looking for places to play and get there music out. Upstairs will then become somewhat off limits to the underage but will sell food for them to enjoy. Kind of sounds like the Cactus Club that used to be downtown, but this one will be for everyone in our community by having the alcohol upstairs. The people that I talk to that live near me and the theater disagree with having a place for kids to go and believe that it will only make the peaceful neighborhood loud and crowded with people and traffic. Their annoyed with the fact that people will be parking in front of their houses. Well, I’m annoyed that on Leland Ave. everyone has to pay $30 for each car each year to park in front of their own house, and I have asked each person on this street and no one signed anything to have this happen. Just think of the kids, teens, young adults and even adults that roam the streets with nothing to do. Kids are our future and the older people in this community need to understand that. We can put in new $2,000 palm trees down our streets but we can’t help the people in this community. I think everyone needs to open their eyes before deciding the future of the Burbank Theater.

jroberts
jroberts on January 23, 2005 at 5:19 am

Hello I spoke to the owner today he told me that the theater is for sale at 3 million. He is a very nice guy, who wants to do something for the Burbank community.

ranulimes
ranulimes on December 28, 2004 at 10:35 pm

A sign posted on the door says that the building is “Not fit for human occupation.”