Fox Theatre

Yesterday while driving down Spring Street, I passed the old Fox Theater. Old and empty buildings make me sad. The Fox theater was once a place of joy and happiness where people from all roads in life gathered together, even if it was just to stare at a screen. But movies were more back then, it was an outing and people would dress up and enjoy themselves. As I glanced up to look at the all familiar “For Sale” sign I realized it was missing. In its place, on the marquee, in beautiful big black letters, “Future Downtown Home of Re:Find Distillery​”. I was so happy! The owners of Re:Find are going to breath life into this dying building. The Fox Theater will once again be a place of joy and happiness. I wish I could see it before the work starts, I always had a plan in the back of my mind to break in and take pictures.

http://pasoroblesdailynews.com/refind-distillery-purchases-iconic-paso-robles-fox-theatre/54808/

What is your point Moviemanforever. Why would you spend your time making negative comments on this site.

Hello, I am new to this site, and was very excited to see the old Fox Theatre on here. I have been fantasizing buying it and fixing up for years! Does anyone have pictures of what the inside originally looked like? I would love to get in on fixing it up. It would even be cool to make it one of those new wine bar/ theaters. It is in the perfect place for doing that! Right in the hot happening part of town! Maybe someone at the city level could be rallied to help restore it since it is an historical building?

Here is a photo from 2006
View link

Several years ago the owner of the Fox Theatre was selling seats. I’m not sure if they were the original theatre seats or if they had upgraded sometime during its operation.

Various issues of Boxoffice Magazine indicate that the Hi-Ho Theatre was built for Arthur M. Miller in 1941. It opened early in June that year. In 1942, Miller sold the house to Fox West Coast’s T&D Theatres affiliate.

The January 19, 1957, issue of Boxoffice Magazine said that Fox West Coast planned to close its T&D Theatre in Paso Robles. Their intention was to demolish the auditorium and convert the lobby to retail space. The Hi-Ho Theatre would be renovated to become the chain’s main house in Paso Robles. The December 7 issue of Boxoffice that same year said that the Hi-Ho Theatre had been renamed the Fox Theatre.

There are frequent mentions of Al Stanford in issues of Boxoffice from 1951 until 1973, most often in connection with the Oaks Drive-In (not yet listed at Cinema Treasures, by the way.) The Fox is also mentioned frequently, but I can’t find a single mention of the third Paso Robles hardtop, the Park Theatre. However, Paso Robles currently has a 9-screen multiplex at 1100 Pine Street downtown called the Park Cinemas 9. It’s not listed here yet either.

Was there ever a stage? Perhaps a thrust stage or a stage for the speakers, but that would be about it if it is even still there. There certainly never was a fly.

If the exterior is any indication, the inside must be grim. I was in PR last week and the Fox is pretty much as it has been for years and years—uncared for and boarded-up.

The old Park Theatre/T & D was further downtown and actually had a small Wurlitzer. That organ was given to the local Methodist church who trashed the organ…several decades ago.

The Hi-Ho marquee can be seen on the left side of the frame in this undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/2hara9

If ednsb is talking about Walnut Properties/Pussycat Theatres then it’s a Walnut/Pussycat that I never heard of, and I worked for them for a long time as I stated above. They had ten houses in the San Diego area, four in Oceanside and I can’t even remember how many in the Los Angeles area. The Oaks Drive-In was dark for most of the time I worked for them but I do remember Raul Castenada, who was their chief projectionist for many years, talking about how much trouble the sound system caused and that he was trying to talk Mr. Miranda and Mr. Tate into changing over to an FM broadcast sound system. The drive-in was still operating when Walnut had it, at least for a little while. They are the ones who shut it down. I think ednsb is mistaken.

I never heard any comments about the possibility of the Fox showing X-rated fare. I went there twice on orders from Mr. Tate. The first time was to service the equipment as there were plans to lease the house. Nothing ever came of it. The second time I was there was to remove the platter system. I can’t remember now if I removed any of the other projection equipment; I probably did. I do recall hearing of a theatre in Orcutt, but I don’t know anything about it. Sorry. I worked for Walnut/Pussycat from 1972-1974 and then again from 1978-1989. It was a lot of hard work and long hours and I’d do it again at the drop of a hat. My home was in San Diego and I drove all over for them. A guy who has postings at this website, Jay Allen Sanford, is a writer for the Reader newspaper in San Diego. He’s putting together an article about Mr. Miranda. Feel free to e-mail me at the e-dress posted in my profile here.

That’s because it never showed x-rated movies and, if you pay attention, you’ll notice that I didn’t say it did. Walnut Properties/Pussycat theatres owned several houses that were not x-rated. Also, this house was dark all the time Walnut/Pussycat owned it. They also owned the Oaks Drive-In; I removed all the projection equipment from there some time in the ‘80s. The theatre in San Luis Obispo was called, if I remember correctly, the Log Cabin. Mr. Tate was advised beforehand that it was a bad move but paid no attention.

The only theaters that played XXX fare in San Luis Obispo county were (all early to mid 1980’s):

Oaks Drive-In—Paso Robles Usually played XXX fare in the winter months (started in late 1970’s)
Central Coast Theater—Pismo Beach In the early 1980’s, they showed XXX fare at midnight on Fridays & Saturdays (I saw Cafe Flesh there, I also know they played Deep Throat and a few others) A local preacher started picketing the theater (& also went after stores that sold Playboy & Penthouse) and the midnight screenings of XXX fare stopped.
A building (a prior dance hall converted into a theater) just outside the San Luis Obispo city limits—Walnut Properties started showing foreign films here (non-sex) for a few weeks, then converted it into an XXX house that was raided by the Sheriff’s office within 2 weeks. They tried showing XXX fare again & the Sheriff raided the theater (within a week) & it wound up having its operating permit yanked & thus it went out of business.

I do not recall the Fox showing XXX fare.

Question—Did Al Stanford also own/operate the following theaters in San Luis Obispo county at one time: Bay (Morro Bay), Fair Oaks(Arroyo Grande), and a 2-screener in Atascadero (name escapes me at the moment)?