Merced Theatre

Closed December 24th, 1994, when the ceiling caved in on the lower level. It reopened on July 20th, 1995. Another ad posted.

October 29th, 1931 opening. Merced Theatre opening 29 Oct 1931, Thu Merced Sun-Star (Merced, California) Newspapers.com

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

My parents operated a department store on 17th and K in Merced. As I recall there was a small theatre, The Rio, located on 16th near K, which showed mostly Spanish speaking movies. This was in the late 40s and 50s.

The Merced Theatre opened on Saturday, October 31, 1931 by Golden State and Realty Company.

Before the previous owner left the theatre, I was able to go through the theatre from top to bottom. This theatre really “got it” from the previous owner. It should be absolutely stunning when it is all put back together. The stage is astoundingly large for a movie/vaudeville house with plenty of wing space. In the orchestra ready room under the stage, I found a couple of what were probably original seat end standards.

In 1914 there was also a theatre called the Elite operating in Merced. In that year the manager of the Elite, C.H. Douglas, formed a company with plans to build a new theatre.

Here is something I just added to the Mainzer’s Cinema Treasure’s page blog: /theaters/4405/

Now to add more confusion to things, the 5-rank Wurlitzer went to the original Merced Theatre in 1921. That is a given from the Wurlitzer opus list. In 1920, the Wicks Organ Company of Highland, IL (still in business) shipped a small theatre organ to an unnamed theatre in Merced and was their Opus 311. So now the question, was there a Merced Theatre 1 AND a Strand Theatre—two different locations? It is highly unlikely that on theatre bought the Wicks and then the next year bought the Wurlitzer.

Drama Dude, I actually found a recent photo of our old house. It is indeed 171 E. Main St. now and looks to have blue siding on it now, when it was white stucco back then. I was shocked to find it for sale for close to $300,000.00, pretty good for what was a $85.00 a month rent house in 1963!
This was the house I always believed was haunted. On our first day of moving in,(we moved from the $80.00 a month house next door), I was sitting at the top of the stairs, (most of the attic had been converted into a 3rd bedroom).

I was looking all around thinking we we’re just like the people on TV now, because we had a two story house. Then I noticed the attic door was open, it was closed when I sat down. I got up and closed it, and made sure it was latched, then sat down again, to continue my grandeous day dreaming, and heard the attic door slowly creak open, then turned to watch it open as wide as it would go. I took the stairs two at a time, and neither my brother, or I, would sleep in that room, unless my grandparents slept in there.
The stairs were very narrow, and steep, and there was a small landing where they turned. Our Toy Poodle couldn’t get up, or down the stairs, he had to be carried. One morning he woke my mother up with a slow persistant barking. She thought he wanted to be let out, but when she got up to look for him, she couldn’t find him, he was at the top of the stairs, and wanted someone to come get him down.
My brother and I were getting dressed for school one morning, and he told me he woke up during the night, and there was an old man sitting at the foot of our bed. I asked him why he didn’t yell, and wake someone up?
He said he was too scared, and that he pulled the covers over his head, waited then looked, and he was still there. He said he did it two more times, and finally on the third time, the man was gone.
We refused to sleep without a night light, it was a small lamp that sat on top of our chest of drawers. One night after we’d gone to bed, we were talking quietly, and the light went out. We BOLTED down the hall, and into the living room. My dad told us we were babies, and scardy cats, and that the light bulb had probably just burned out. He walked us back in to our room, turned the switch, and the lamp came right back on!
I would never stay alone in that house, I remember once when my mother had taken my brother to the doctor, I wasn’t allowed to go, and after a few minutes alone, I got the dog, and sat on the front porch and watched TV through the screen door until my mom came home.
My mother even admitted, (in later years), that she always felt like someone was watching her in that house.

Anyone can join the Merced Theatre Foundation (free), by writing P.O. Box 716, Merced 95341, (209) 722-3266. I have recently returned to live in Merced; I spent my childhood at this wonderful theatre. It was absolutely appalling that anyone was allowed to nearly destroy such a treasure. Fortunately the foundation is now restoring everything to its original state. It’s about half done now; there is a 75th Anniversary gala in October 2006.

If you join, you will get a newsletter and information on the restoration. Thank heavens some local citizens decided to save this magnificent building.

While growing up in Merced, the Merced Theater was a fantasy escape. The massive Moorish seats in the lobbies where like thrones in a Spanish court to me. The richly tiled water fountains were places where I imagined Zorro swinging through for a sip of water. The Auditorium was a luxurious blend of intriquing tapestries, warm balconey lighting, evening sky, arched walkways, massive stage and plenty of mysterious windows and doors to keep a young kid distracted. It was a great place to escape the San Joaquin Valley summer heat and hang out with family and friends.

Now living in the SF Bay Area, I’d glady get involved helping to restore this gem. The Alhambra in Santa Barbara is very similar in style. Merced would do well to learn from the Alhambra’s business model.

I lived in Merced as a child from 1962 to 1964. I have many fond memories of the Merced Theater. I was always so facinated by the ceiling, and the faux buildings that ran around the sides of the auditorium, I always wanted to go up there and take a closer look at them. I hope the theater will be restored to it’s former glory. I live in Ft. Worth now, but would love to return to Merced someday. I’ve looked for our old house, but I can’t find 171 E. 17th St. on a map. Have some of the street names changed?