Alameda Theatre

Reopened with three screens on March 12th, 1975. Ad in photo section.

I’m happy to say, as the Alameda Theatre and Cineplex nears its 6th anniversary (in May of this year), the theatre couldn’t be in better shape. I visited this site today for the first time in years. Looking back at all the comments, I had to laugh out loud when I read the remarks of the nay sayers who posted on this site. They all seem so trivial and petty in light of the great success of the project.

All eight screens now feature digital projection and state of the art sound. Seeing a movie, especially in the original main theatre, is a treat. By the way, the popcorn with butter is fantasitc.

The theatre is ramping up for their classic film series. To see the schedule go to shopparkstreet.com which will lead you to the theatre’s web site. They have a numbe of great movies lined up.

Enjoy the movies.

Best Regards,
Robb Ratto
Executive Director
Park Street Business Association

A few 2011 photos can be seen here and here.

Curtain continued:
restoration and was well acquainted with
its needs. She had soon prepared a
stencil of the design to be transferred
onto new fabric.
Theatre operator Conner collaborated
with local upholsterer Jimmy Luque to
find the perfect curtain fabric,
eventually selecting Turkish velvet.
After Ms. Bruhl creates a newly painted
curtain panel and it is attached to the
existing curtain, the curtain will be back
to itself again.
To learn more about the historic
Alameda Theatre, visit
http://www.ci.alameda.ca.us/theater/

Thanks for your photos Will— they are fabulous! Wish we could get them substituted for the photo at the top of this page.

Per the auditorium maximum occupancy signs, seating counts for the various auditoriums are as follows:
1 – 433 (the historic theater)
Downstairs screens:
2 – 137
3 – 133
4 – 139
Upstairs screens:
5 – 189
6 – 178 (3-D enabled)
7 – 169
8 – 82
Total seats: 1460
The mezzanine is currently closed to the public; it’s possible that the balcony seating has its own occupancy, in addition to the 433 seats I list for screen 1.

There will be a talk by Therese Poletti, on Timothy Pflueger, the architect of this theater as well as 11 others around California, sponsored by the Alameda Architectural Preservation Society on January 24 at 6 p.m. Ms. Poletti wrote a book on this architect called “Art Deco San Francisco: The Architecture of Timothy Pflueger”. The lecture will be hosted by the Alameda Theatre in the main, historic auditorium. Please see http://www.alameda-preservation.org/ for more information, and also http://blog.timothypflueger.com/ .

That one works. Nice color photo.

Also freakin' sweet:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwchicago/2771716131/

Way to go BW.

The Alameda Theatre, was refurbished beautifully. It was extremely disappointing to walk into this theatre with the curtains not closed. It ruined the atmosphere. I attended the Alameda regularly, I remember when the balcony was being converted to two theatres, they still showed movies – we were watching the movie downstairs and heard the hammers banging up above. When the Alhambra in San Francisco was de-twinned, and restored to its original condition, the curtain was not closed as well. I asked why to the Management of both. It was interesting of the responses I received. The Alhambra Manager replied, “closing the curtain went out with Mickey Mouse” – Alameda Management replied, “we have received a few complaints, I don’t know why they don’t”. As a former projectionist, and my father being a projectionist, I was trained young to the fact that you always use the curtains to provide the customer the best in their movie value. It is an art, and unfortunately this art is gone in a lot of houses, plagued by the responsibility of the projectionist having to run up to 14 projectors, and 10 in another house at the same time. I was in San Francisco yesterday and was allowed to walk around at the El Rey in San Francisco, which is Alameda’s sister theater, with the interior layout exactly the same, with a totally different motif, interesting layout of mirrors to reflect light though the lobby and different murals. Missing from the Alameda lobby was a mirror with a sunstar border, that was centered between the entrances Aisles of 2 and 4. The wall between these aisles were removed which was not part of the original condition of the theatre. The El Rey had this mirror also and it is still there. However, despite the curtain situation, the Alameda is a wonderful restoration, and well worth the trip.

I think the poster means it’s not practical or financially possible to have a projectionist monitoring each auditorium at all times. Let’s face it. with platters it’s not necessary. The days of carbon arc lamps and films on 2000 foot (20 minute) reels which pretty much required constant attention are long gone except in a very few specialized theaters.

You do have to prepare the films on platters right, splice the reels together in frame for example, a procedure which the Alameda still seems to be unclear on the concept. You do have to check your focus and framing and sound volume when the show starts. It’s a good idea to re-check these things after the trailers at the beginning of the feature. When you are running the projectors in anywhere from 4 to 25 auditoriums you just can’t give each auditorium your constant attention, as much as that would be an ideal situation. By hiring competent personnel you can minimize your problems and audience complaints though. Again the Alameda seems to be unclear on that concept!

Wait till the article comes out in the regualar paper The East Bay Exprees about how things are so bad at the New Alameda. As of now only the limited people reading our great Cinema Treasures site can see what is going on. Now with the public and the many people that have had trouble with the Alameda going in a telling their horror stories maybe they will get some new people that know projection and management. The worst thing If there is a problem they give you a pass but when you try to use them they show in the paper no passes on all the films they are showing. When I go to use my pass (because the projector stopped 7 times in 20 minutes) If they don’t honor It I will call the police. The scam about passes will come to a end.