Fox Oakland Theatre facts for kids
Fox Oakland Theatre 2002
|
|
| Location | 1807 Telegraph Avenue Oakland, California, US |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°48′28″N 122°16′12″W / 37.8079°N 122.27013°W |
| Public transit |  19th Street Oakland Uptown Transit Center |
| Owner | City of Oakland |
| Operator | Another Planet Entertainment |
| Type | Indoor theatre |
| Seating type | Orchestra, Balcony |
| Capacity | 2,800 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1928 |
| Renovated | February 5, 2009 |
| Closed | 1973 |
| Website | |
|
Fox-Oakland Theatre
|
|
 Location in Oakland, California
Location in California
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 1807–29 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, California |
| Built | 1928 |
| Built by | Maury L. Diggs |
| Architect | Weeks and Day |
| Architectural style | Art Deco architecture |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000468 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 2, 1979 |
The Fox Oakland Theatre is a large concert hall in Downtown Oakland, California. It has 2,800 seats and used to be a movie theater. It first opened in 1928 and showed movies until 1970. The theater was designed by Weeks and Day. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site. After being closed for many years, it was fixed up in the 2000s. It reopened as a concert venue on February 5, 2009.
Contents
History of the Fox Oakland Theatre
Early Days and Grand Opening
The theater was first going to be called "The Bagdad." This was because its design looked like buildings from the Middle East. Instead, it opened with the name "The Oakland" on its large sign, called a marquee. It was also known as the "West Coast Oakland."
The Oakland Theatre was the 251st theater to open in the West Coast Theater chain. It opened on October 27, 1928, after two years of building work. People in the Bay Area were very excited about its opening. With 3,200 seats, it was the biggest theater in Oakland at the time.
The first movie shown was The Air Circus from Fox Film Corporation. This was an early "sound film," meaning it had talking and music. Live shows also happened on stage between movies and newsreels. Famous performers like "King of the Banjo" Eddie Peabody entertained the crowds.
Music was played by the Hermie King band, which had 20 members. An organist also played the theater's huge Wurlitzer organ. About 150 people worked to run the theater every day.
Becoming the Fox Oakland
In March 1929, the theater's name changed to "Fox Oakland." This happened when William Fox bought the West Coast Theatres chain. He combined it with his own Fox Theatres chain. The Fox Theatre helped bring "talkies" (movies with sound) to more people. It also offered live stage shows, which made going to the movies a big event.
Years of Closure and Disrepair
Temporary Closures and Challenges
In the 1960s, fewer people came to the theater. On September 14, 1965, the Fox closed "temporarily." The last movie shown was Morituri. For the next seven years, the theater opened only sometimes for movies and special events. But it was hard to keep it running because of the high costs.
In 1973, the theater building was damaged by fire more than once. In 1977, the theater was used to film parts of the horror movie Nightmare in Blood. In 1983 and 1984, the Dickens Fair used the theater. They set up a pretend Victorian English village inside.
Plans for Demolition and Landmark Status
By 1975, the building was in very bad shape. The City's Public Works Department suggested buying the property and tearing it down. They wanted to create a parking lot instead. However, these plans did not work out.
On January 24, 1978, the Mann Theater Group sold the theater at an auction. Mario and Erma DeLucchi bought it for $340,000. Sadly, Mr. DeLucchi passed away a few months later. Plans to fix up the theater did not move forward.
With support from Oakland Mayor Lionel Wilson, the building became an Oakland City Landmark in 1978. It was then listed on the National Register of Historic Places the next year. This helped protect the building from being torn down.
Restoration Efforts
In 1996, the Oakland Redevelopment Agency bought the building for $3 million. In 1999, a group of people called "Friends of The Oakland Fox" formed. They started some much-needed repair work. In December 2004, the Oakland Redevelopment Agency received a large grant of $2.9 million. This money helped with more restoration work.
Mayor Jerry Brown needed a new home for the Oakland School for the Arts. This is a high school for students who want to study art. The idea came up to put the school in the shops and offices around the Fox Theatre. Fixing up and reopening the theater to share with the school became a popular idea. Local developer Phil Tagami strongly supported this plan. The Friends of the Oakland Fox group also helped raise money for the big $75 million restoration project.
Reopening and New Life
A New Era for the Fox
February 2009 marked a new beginning for the Fox Theatre. After being neglected for 40 years, the beautiful theater made a comeback. It reopened as a 2,800-seat concert hall. The grand opening night celebrated with a "roaring twenties" theme. Comedian Don Reed, who grew up in Oakland, hosted the event.
The first paid performance after reopening was by the band Social Distortion. The Oakland Fox Theatre now serves as a school, a restaurant, and a popular place for live concerts. Many famous artists have performed there since 2009. These include B.B. King, Paul Simon, Green Day, Metallica, and Bob Dylan. President Barack Obama even spoke at the Fox during his 2012 re-election campaign.
Home to the Arts and More
The Oakland Fox Theatre is home to the Oakland School for the Arts. This charter school started in 2002. It teaches students from 6th to 12th grade who specialize in different art forms.
In 2011, Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe opened its second location inside the building. One of the owners was Mike Dirnt from the band Green Day. Rudy's Cafe closed on July 26, 2018.
Architecture and Design
The Fox Theatre's design was very special for the 1920s. It used terra cotta, bright colors, and detailed gold decorations. It also had a unique dome. The inside of the Fox Theatre was crafted with great care. Many people described it as "mystical."
With its interesting look, like an Indian temple, the Fox Theatre was a fascinating building in downtown Oakland. During this time, theaters across the country wanted to be more than just regular buildings. Many theater designs were inspired by architecture from the Middle East and India.
See also
- Fox Theater (disambiguation) for Fox Theatres in other U.S. cities
- Grand Lake Theatre
- Paramount Theatre (Oakland, California)
