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 cool place in Downtown Oakland, California. It's a big building with 2,800 seats! It first opened way back in 1928 as a movie theater. Later, it became a popular place for concerts. The theater is so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was fixed up in the 2000s and opened again 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. But when it opened, the sign said "The Oakland." 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. Everyone in the Bay Area was excited! It had 3,200 seats, making it the biggest theater in Oakland at the time.
The first movie shown was The Air Circus, which was an early sound film. Live shows also happened on stage between movies. Famous performers like "King of the Banjo" Eddie Peabody played there. A big band with 20 members and an organist played music. About 150 people worked at the theater.
Becoming the Fox Oakland
In March 1929, the theater got a new name: "Fox Oakland." This happened when William Fox bought the West Coast Theatres chain. He combined it with his own Fox Theatres chain.
The Fox Oakland helped bring "talkies" (movies with sound) to people. It also offered live stage shows, which were very popular.
Years When the Fox Theatre Was Closed
Closing Down and Difficult Times
In the 1960s, fewer people came to the theater. On September 14, 1965, the Fox closed. The newspaper said it was "temporarily" closed. The last movie shown was Morituri.
For the next seven years, the theater opened sometimes for movies or special events. But it was hard to keep it running. In 1973, the building was damaged by fire twice.
New Uses and Protection
In 1977, the theater was used to film a movie called Nightmare in Blood. In 1983 and 1984, a special event called the Dickens Fair used the theater. They made it look like a village from old England.
By 1975, the building was in bad shape. The city thought about buying it, tearing it down, and making a parking lot. But those plans didn't happen. In 1978, a family bought the theater. Sadly, the new owner passed away, and plans to fix it up stopped.
With help from Oakland Mayor Lionel Wilson, the building was named an Oakland City Landmark in 1978. It was then added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This helped protect the special building.
Restoring the Fox Oakland Theatre
Starting the Restoration Work
In 1996, the Oakland Redevelopment Agency bought the building for $3 million. In 1999, a group of people who cared about the theater formed "Friends of The Oakland Fox." They started some much-needed repair work.
In December 2004, the Oakland Redevelopment Agency received a grant of $2.9 million. This money helped with more restoration work.
A New Purpose for the Building
When Mayor Jerry Brown needed a new home for the Oakland School for the Arts, an arts high school, the idea came up to put the school in the Fox Theatre building. The school could use the office and retail spaces around the theater.
Fixing up and reopening the theater, while sharing it with the school, became a big project. Local developer Phil Tagami helped lead this idea. The "Friends of the Oakland Fox" group also helped raise money for the big $75 million restoration.
Reopening and New Features
A Grand Comeback
February 2009 was a new beginning for the Fox. After being empty for about 40 years, the beautiful theater came back to life. It reopened as a 2,800-seat concert hall.
The grand opening night celebrated the "roaring twenties" theme. Comedian Don Reed, who grew up in Oakland, hosted the event. The first paid concert after reopening was by the band Social Distortion.
The Fox Today
Today, the Fox Oakland Theatre is a busy place. It is home to the Oakland School for the Arts. This school is for students from 6th to 12th grade who specialize in different art forms.
The theater also has a restaurant. In 2011, Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe opened its second location in the building. One of the owners was Mike Dirnt from the band Green Day. Rudy's closed on July 26, 2018.
The Fox has hosted many famous artists since 2009. Some of them include The Avett Brothers, B.B. King, Paul Simon, Korn, Kylie Minogue, the Allman Brothers, Widespread Panic, Bob Dylan, Green Day, Twenty One Pilots, Charli XCX, Marina and the Diamonds, King Crimson, Metallica, Marilyn Manson, Primus, Alice in Chains, Atoms For Peace, Black Star, Lorde, Animal Collective, X Japan, the Decemberists, and Van Morrison. Even President Barack Obama spoke at the Fox during his 2012 re-election campaign.
Architecture and Design
The Fox Theatre's design was very special for the 1920s. It used terra cotta, bright colors, fancy gold details, and a unique dome. People said the inside of the Fox Theatre looked "mystical."
It looked a lot like an Indian temple, which made it a fascinating building in downtown Oakland. At that 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)
- Grand Lake Theatre
- Paramount Theatre (Oakland, California)
