Historic Theatre - Alameda Theatre & Cineplex (2024)

Many Alamedans still remember the Alameda Theater’s beginning and its early years.
Alan Ward, 79, who was almost 4 on Aug. 16, 1932, can recall the theater’s grand-opening night, saying, “It was a dramatic and colorful event. I remember the lobby’s glittery lights and the colorful costumes of the usherettes.”

The theater indeed opened with much fanfare, and the guest of honor was California Gov. James Rolph Jr., who dedicated the theater while Alameda Mayor William Murray presided over the ceremony. Alameda’s 35,000 residents had plenty of theaters-the Strand, the Rio, the Vogue, the Park and the Neptune-but they didn’t have a true movie palace until the Alameda Theater: 33,400 square feet, 2,200 seats, one of the largest movie screens in the Bay Area, a beautiful Art Deco design and a vertical blade sign that soared 70 feet into the sky with “Alameda” in big capital letters. Built in 14 months at a cost of $500,000 by the Nasser Brothers, a company of seven brothers who owned a chain of Bay Area theaters, the Alameda Theater instantly became the dominant building in the Park Street Business District.
The Nassers chose a family film for opening night’s feature, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, starring Marion Nixon and Ralph Bellamy. The bill also included The Chimp, with Laurel and Hardy; a Betty Boop cartoon; and a Fox Movietone Newsreel.

The Alameda Times-Star’s edition of Aug. 17 recounted opening night, which was attended by 5,000 Alamedans. Two searchlights illuminated the night sky to announce the theater’s arrival as people flooded the sidewalk between Oak and Park streets. For the 2,200 people lucky enough to get inside, admission was 10 cents for children and 35 cents for adults. The balcony cost 40 cents and was for adults only.
“Its exterior had promised a greater theater than Alameda has ever had, but the gorgeousness and luxurious comfort of the interior surprised even the most imaginative,” reported the Times-Star. “The first-nighters felt like the small boy who joyfully found what he thought was a quarter but on picking it up discovered it to be a five-dollar gold piece.”

Both Gov. Rolph and Mayor Murray delivered platitude-filled speeches, praising the Nassers’ new theater, but their sentiment deserved more credence than usual: For what today would be approximately $7.5 million, the Nassers had built a grand movie theater in Alameda, at the height of the Great Depression when movies were the primary form of entertainment and proved a great escape from the grim realities of the times. It also proved to be the last great movie palace built in the Bay Area.

Other Nasser brothers theaters included the Alhambra and the Castro, which were both designed by Timothy Pflueger, the architect of the Alameda Theater. Pflueger, who had designed the Paramount in Oakland, gave the Alameda Theater many of the same Art Deco features he had bestowed upon its older, bigger brother, which had opened the year before.

The Alameda Theater was beautiful, both inside and out. The front featured eight pink columns, complete with intricate, intertwined embossed floral designs that ran the full height of the façade from above the marquee to the roof. The top of the façade was encircled with decorative waves, a recurring element inside.
Just below the sign were a black marquee, a ticket booth and a terrazzo sidewalk. There were glass double doors, between them an elegant foyer, which opened into the lobby. Pflueger imbued the interior with artwork, stylized bas-relief panels, plaster gods and goddesses and a large gilt-framed mirror bracketed by twin 9-foot-tall gold-leaf lamps, or torchieres, at the rear of the lobby. The lobby stairs glowed with the bright, abstract pattern of a richly woven, luxuriously thick carpet, the design created in the art department of a Hollywood motion picture studio. The mohair seats and carpet blended splendidly with the teal, copper, terra cotta and dark mustard colors of the auditorium’s walls and ceiling.

Alameda resident Jerry Justin, 89, remembers how central the theater was to her life. “I saw all my movies there. There were other theaters, too, such as the Strand and the Vogue, but this particular theater was so gorgeous and glamorous; everyone went there.”

Alameda resident Dorothy de Maria, 90, one of four children raised by their single mother in a family that didn’t have much money, remembers how proud she was of her hometown’s new theater. “It was a very depressing time. There was no money, no fun. If you could get a dime, you could go to the theater,” she says.
During the Great Depression, theater operators such as the Nassers offered promotions to attract people during the week. There was grocery night, dish night and bank night, which gave away groceries, dishes and cash, respectively.

Trips to the theater had sentimental value, too, for people such as Alan Ward. “I remember numerous Sunday matinees with my father. It was the only day he had off,” he says. “There’s something about going out with your dad. Just the two of you. That made it special.”

Historic Theatre - Alameda Theatre & Cineplex (2024)

FAQs

What is the best seating in the movie theater? ›

While filmmakers and film tech experts may have varied opinions on the ideal seat, there seems to be a consensus that the second or third row from the back, along with seats in the middle, offer an exceptional viewing experience.

How old is the Alameda theater? ›

How to save money at the movie theater? ›

Tactics to try at the box office
  1. Go on the right day. You could save money simply by seeing a movie on a certain day of the week. ...
  2. Cash in on discounts. ...
  3. Redeem a coupon. ...
  4. Take kids to summer movies. ...
  5. 11 Ways to Get Free Stuff.
Feb 2, 2024

Where is the best place to sit at a theater show? ›

Typically, stalls seats can be regarded as some of the best seats in the auditorium, due to their close proximity to the stage. If you're sitting in the first few rows of the stalls seats, you may even be able to touch the stage and see performers blink.

Where is the safest place to sit in a movie theater? ›

An aisle seat in the far rear of the theater might be the absolute best place to be. 2) Pick at least two exits. Look around before you sit down and notice all the potential exit points. Your primary strategy during any type of emergency is to escape.

Who owns the Alameda theater? ›

ALAMEDA, Calif - For 88 years the Alameda Theatre has stood in the middle of downtown Alameda, one of the last of the great art deco movie houses still standing in the Bay Area. "It's a magical place," said owner Kyle Conner.

When was the Alameda theater built? ›

The Alameda Theatre is an Art Deco movie theatre built in 1932 in Alameda, California. It opened with a seating capacity of 2,168. It was designed by architect Timothy L. Pflueger and was the last grand movie palace built in the San Francisco Bay Area.

What is America's oldest theater? ›

Walnut Street Theatre is the oldest theatre in America, standing at the corner of Ninth & Walnut Streets in Philadelphia for over two hundred years.

What days are movie tickets cheapest? ›

Discount Tuesdays benefits are available anywhere AMC tickets are sold. That means you can get discounted tickets on Tuesdays at any of our participating theatres, on our website or mobile application, and on third-party ticketing sites Fandango and Atom Tickets.

Which day is cheapest to go to the cinema? ›

Tuesday is the most frequently discounted day for major chains in the US… but check with your local theater as that is subject to vary based on the theater chain and location.

What is the cheapest day to see a movie? ›

There's never been a better time to turn up on a weekday, because every Tuesday at Cinemark is Discount Tuesday—slews of movie specials and a whole bunch of other ways to enjoy discount movie tickets.

What is D box movie? ›

The D-BOX theatrical experience brings movies to life through over 65,000 haptic movements, vibrations, and textures perfectly synchronized to the on-screen action. Do you want to go beyond sight and sound and be immersed like never before? Visit our showtimes page for our current featured D-BOX title.

What is XD movie? ›

An XD Movie theater is a movie theater that uses a technology called extreme digital (XD) to project movies. This technology is a type of digital projection that uses a special projector to deliver a sharper image with more vibrant colors. XD.

What movies are playing at the Pittsburg Mall? ›

  • Kung Fu Panda 4. 1hr 34m. Film format: ...
  • Abigail. 1hr 49m. Film format: . ...
  • Civil War. 1hr 49m. Film format: ...
  • Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. 1hr 55m. Film format: . ...
  • The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. 2hr. Film format: ...
  • The First Omen. 2hr. Film format: ...
  • Spy x Family Code: White. 1hr 50m. Film format: ...
  • Monkey Man. 1hr 53m. Film format:

Which cinema seats are best for couples? ›

Couples sitting in the corner seats of a movie theater often engage in intimate moments, such as holding hands, cuddling, and stealing kisses. These seats provide a sense of privacy and seclusion, allowing couples to fully immerse themselves in the movie and each other's company.

What is IMAX seating? ›

IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating, with the 1.43:1 ratio format being available only in few selected locations. IMAX.

Where should I sit on a movie date? ›

Pick seats next to each other, where you can both see the screen. Make sure you opt for seats where you can both view the screen easily, so you can comfortably enjoy the movie. In most movie theaters, the best seats are ⅔ of the way back and toward the center of the row, as they will have the best sound.

Is the back row good for IMAX? ›

That answer depends on the nature of the room and your preferences. As we've established, the front row of an IMAX isn't great due to the giant screen. You'll be craning your neck and looking left and right to get everything in – it's not comfortable. Some go to the other extreme and go for the back row.

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