Del Mar Theatre
1124 Pacific Avenue,
Santa Cruz,
CA
95060
1124 Pacific Avenue,
Santa Cruz,
CA
95060
15 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Landmark Theatres(USA) (Official)
Additional Info
Operated by: Landmark Theatres (USA)
Architects: J. Lloyd Conrich
Functions: Movies (Independent)
Styles: Art Deco
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
831.469.3220
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Feb 26, 2013 — Popping it, properly
- Jul 22, 2009 — Small town bay area theaters keep tradition alive
- May 9, 2008 — Theatre Historical Society Conclave To Visit Bay Area
Opened on August 14, 1936 with “China Clipper”, the 1,521-seat Del Mar Theatre has served the college town of Santa Cruz, California for almost 65 years.
After years of struggling through dollar nights and intermittent attendance, the Del Mar Theatre was sold in 1999 and closed.
After an extensive renovation and restoration, the Del Mar Theatre reopened in February of 2002. In November 2015 it was taken over by Landmark Theatres.
Contributed by
Tom Mayer, Jacob Hunter
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Recent comments (view all 33 comments)
August 14th, 1936 and November 15th, 1978 grand opening ads in photo section.
I have a personal interest story regarding this historic theater. My grandfather, Robert Hanson, a carpenter, fell from the balcony while working on the original build in 1936, fracturing his skull. He died the next day, May 21, 1936.
According to newspaper clippings that I have, as a gesture of sympathy, his coworkers presented my grandmother and her 2 small children (the youngest being my 1-year old father, Vernon) with a fund that they gave generously from their paychecks the following day.
I would love to have him remembered as one of the original builders of the theater.
Thank you,
Crystal Hanson
http://thenick.com/tours.html
The video referred to on my post of 10/19/14 can now be seen here. Sorry about the confusion.
February 8th, 2002 grand opening ad now online.
Sad news I have heard today Nov 23 2015 the great Del Mar Theatre along with the Nick and Aptos Twin in the Santa Cruz CA area have just been bought by Landmark Theatres. I can tell you when the nice curtains stop to work at the Del Mar Landmark won’t fix them, just like all the other cinemas they run or rent in the SF Bay Area that had curtains they will leave them broke. Lets see what they do come next month with any neon marquee issues. Goodbye to showmanship in Santa Cruz CA.
The curtains as of the first week in Dec 2016 are broke and Landmark won’t fix them. The neon marquee has many letters and light bars off and not working. Seems Landmark does not care to fix anything at this time. They blame It on the city of Santa Cruz that owns the Del Mar, Landmark just pays the lease each month. Soon nothing will light up when all the neon goes out.
1936 postcard image added courtesy of Sandy Ragsdale.
Good news thanks to Scott one of the managers at Theatre Delmar the great red waterfall curtains are working again as of Oct 7 2017. We hope Scott like before can also put in a cue for the curtains to close again on the last 10sec of trailers then open again on the main feature. Showmanship is back at Landmark in Santa Cruz! Now let’s go to work on the neon marquee repair project.
Just look over this post am shocked at how this old classic of the theater looks today, I was with the small theater chain took over this theater and others after the do nothing and spend nothing chain of U.A. I did almost nothing but as much as I could being alone and without funds, my health went and retired do to health. LANDMARK WELL DONE YOU SAVE A CLASSIC OF A THEATER, so many we lost, I am so please this one was saved
Does Landmark own the building? Or is time for a community funded Neon restoration? Because the marquee is looking a bit sad.