Roxie Theater facts for kids
The Roxie Theater marquee in 2009
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| Location | 3117 16th Street San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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| Coordinates | 37°45′53″N 122°25′21″W / 37.76472°N 122.42250°W |
| Type | Movie theater |
| Opened | 1912 |
The Roxie Theater is a super old movie theater in San Francisco. It's also called the Roxie Cinema or just The Roxie. It opened way back in 1912! You can find it at 3117 16th Street in the Mission District. Today, it's a special kind of movie theater called a "community arthouse cinema." This means it's a non-profit place that shows unique and independent films.
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The Roxie Theater: A Look Back
The Roxie is one of the oldest movie theaters in the United States that's still showing movies today. Its story began over 100 years ago!
Early Days and New Names
In 1933, the theater got a makeover. It changed its name to the Roxie. It also got a cool, unique sign with neon lights. In 2003, a smaller theater opened nearby. It's called the Little Roxie and has 49 seats.
Over the years, the theater has had many different names:
- The Poppy (1912–1916)
- The New 16th Street (1916–1920)
- The Rex (1920–1926)
- The Gem (1926–1930)
- The Gaiety (1930–1933)
- The Roxie (1933–present)
A New Chapter for Films
In the late 1960s, the theater started to struggle. But in 1976, four movie fans bought the Roxie. They were Robert Christopher Evans, Dick Gaikowski, Peter Moore, and Tom Mayer. They fixed it up and made it a place for special "art films" and "independent films." These are movies that are often made outside of big Hollywood studios.
The Roxie has shown many important films. For example, in 1979, it showed L'Âge d'Or. This movie had been banned for almost 50 years! The Roxie has also hosted many film festivals. These include the Frameline Film Festival, the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, and the Arab Film Festival.
Becoming a Non-Profit Theater
In 2005, a college called New College of California took over the Roxie. It became part of their Media Studies Program. An anonymous helper paid off the theater's debts. The college then made the Roxie a non-profit organization. This means it uses its money to support its mission, not to make a profit.
In 2008, New College closed down. This meant the Roxie lost its support. But Rod Holt and his son Alan stepped in to keep the theater open.
Later, community leaders helped the Roxie even more. Christopher Statton became the Executive Director. He worked to make the Roxie a strong community non-profit. He also started the Lights. Camera. Action! Awards. These awards honor filmmakers who make movies about social justice. Statton helped raise a lot of money to support the Roxie. In 2013, he won an award for his great work for San Francisco's film community.
Isabel Fondevila became the new director in 2013. She added even more film festivals. She also started RoxCine, a series of Spanish-language films.
In 2015, Dave Cowen became the executive director. He helped the theater become financially stable. He also improved the movie projectors and the building. The Roxie's classic neon sign was fully fixed during this time. In 2017, the Roxie was honored as the Small Business of the Year by the California State Assembly.
Today, Elizabeth O'Malley is the executive director. Lex Sloan is the general manager. The Roxie continues to be a beloved part of the San Francisco community.
Roxie Releasing
The Roxie Theater also has a part of its business called Roxie Releasing. This is a company that helps independent films get shown to audiences. They are especially known for helping to re-release George A. Romero's movie Night of the Living Dead for its 30th anniversary. Roxie Releasing often helps share documentaries with the world.
See also
- Castro Theatre
- Victoria Theatre
- Atheist Film Festival
