Coddingtown Cinemas
1630 Range Avenue,
Santa Rosa,
CA
95401
1630 Range Avenue,
Santa Rosa,
CA
95401
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.
Functions: Retail
Previous Names: 20th Century West Theatre
Nearby Theaters
This opened as a single screen on April 9, 1965. On December 25, 1974 it became a triple screen theatre. Another screen was added in the 1980’s. The last operator was United Artists.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
This house actually opened as a single-screen called the 20th Century West Theatre in 1965. Here’s copy and paste from my comment on the Tower Theatre page from May 21 (because I’m too lazy to rewrite it here):[quote]“The 20th Century West Theatre is mentioned in the April 26, 1965, issue of Boxoffice Magazine, which says that "The Greatest Story Ever Told” was the first movie shown at the recently opened house.
“Originally built for independent operators Mr. and Mrs. William Blair, the theater was bought in 1968 by the Sonoma Theatre Corporation, headed by George Mann, Robert L. Lippert, and Charles J. Maestri. Sonoma Theatre Corp. also bought a twin-screen house elsewhere in Santa Rosa from the Blairs at the same time.
“The July 22, 1974, issue of Boxoffice said that Sonoma Theatres would expand the 20th Century West by adding two 400-seat auditoriums adjacent to the original 800-seat house, with all three sharing a common entrance and lobby. The theater would be renamed the Coddingtown Cinemas.
“Mike Rivest’s list of Sonoma County theaters says that the house was expanded to four screens in the late 1980s, was last operated by the United Artists circuit, and was closed about 2000.:[/quote]
My guess would be that the four-plexing was accomplished by splitting the original 800-seat house, but never having been there I can’t say for sure.
I worked at this theater from 1981-1983. The 4th theater was added to the building during the time I worked there. So that was the early 80’s. They didn’t split any existing theater. At the time I worked there, it was owned by Redwood Theaters in Novato, CA. Since this was my first job, I have very fond memories of the theater.
Thanks for the update, Melissa. As the fourth screen was an addition, the ultimate total seating capacity must have been more than 1,600. Do you have any idea what it was?
I came across a web page about Coddingtown Mall. One of the comments (very near the bottom of the page) says that the theater was demolished, but a reply to the comment indicates that it was only partly demolished and the remainder was incorporated into the retail building currently occupied by Beverly’s Crafts & Fabrics. I’ve set Street View to show the entrance of Beverly’s, but I have no idea if that was where the theater entrance was. The building has a style characteristic of the years around 2000, so it must have been substantially altered.
Actually Boxoffice was wrong. I am looking at the opening day ad right now April 9, 1965 the opening film was Mary Poppins. there is also a picture of them putting up the marquee and it has Mary Poppins on the sign.
Grand opening ad in the photo section.
3 screens on Christmas day, 1974. Grand opening ad in the photo section
Joe, soo sorry for my very late reply. I don’t know what the total number of seats were. but the picture you have google maps set to is correct. That building is the correct building for the theater. I would love to visit that place again some day. I actually thought the whole building had been torn down but that marquee on the side sure looks the same to me.
UA began advertising this theatre as one of theirs on 2/26/1987.