Fox Theatres was a large movie theater chain in the United States. Their first theaters were built in the 1920s and they merged West Coast Theatres in 1929, creating Fox West Coast Theatres. This merged company was sold to National Theatres Corporation in 1934.
Architecture
Many of Fox Theatres's movie palaces were built with a mishmash of architectural styles drawn from Asian, Indian, Persian, and Moorish influences.
History Fox Theatres was founded by William Fox in the 1920s. The company merged with West Coast Theatres in 1929.
The Great Depression forced Fox West Coast Theatres into bankruptcy. The bankruptcy was initiated Chicago Title & Tr. Co. v. Fox Theatres Corp., 182 F. Supp. 18 (S.D.N.Y. 1960) and National Theatres Corporation bought the company for $17 million on November 19, 1934. Bankruptcy proceedings, however, continued until 1954, when a final suit was brought by trustees to vacate the 1933 purchase. The suit was dismissed by United States District Court S.D. New York in 1960.
Fox Theatre's surviving theaters share almost identical histories of decline and disrepair. Many were located in urban centers, faltered due to suburbanization, and later underwent preservation and restoration. Many were converted to the performing arts theaters, including the chain's largest theater, Detroit Fox Theatre, which was restored in 1988.
List of theaters California
Anaheim – opened 1968, 2nd and 3rd screens created in 1974, demolished 1998 Bakersfield – opened 1930 Banning – currently open with 3 screens Beverly Hills Beverly – leased from 1925 until at least 1953 Wilshire – opened September 19, 1930, closed 1977, reopened by Nederlander Theatres as the Saban 1981, currently being restored Burlingame Costa Mesa – opened 1968, screen divided in early 1970s, closed 2000, demolished 2008, site now occupied by a lawn East Los Angeles – opened 1931 as a United Artists Theater Fullerton – opened 1925 as the Alician Court Theatre Hanford – opened 1929 and is currently used for live concerts, restoration is ongoing Hermosa Beach Inglewood Academy — opened 1939, closed 1976 Inglewood — opened March 31, 1949, closed mid-1980s, vacant United Artists — opened 1931 as a United Artists Theater Long Beach Fox Belmont – built 1929 United Artists – opened 1931 as a United Artists Theater
Los Angeles Adams – open as the Kettering, demolished 1969 Criterion – bought , sold in the 1930s El Portal – originally owned by West Coast Theatres, taken over by National General Figueroa – opened 1925, closed/demolished late 1960s, site now occupied by a Broadway Federal Bank Florence – opened 1932, closed around 1965, demolished around 1968, site now occupied by a Rite-Aid Four Star – leased in the late 1930s and 1940s Gentry – opened 1938, eventually closed, now divided into multiple retail spaces Granada – bought in 1927, later closed Highland – bought during or before 1938, sold during or before the early 1970s Hollywood – bought in 1965, later sold to Mann Theatres Hollywood – bought during or before 1938, now the Hollywood Museum La Brea – opened 1949, now a church La Reina – opened 1938 Metropolitan – owned by Paramount Publix but operated by Fox West Coast Theaters in the 1920s Palace – bought in 1929, sold early 1940s Parisian – bought sometime after 1930, closed 1958 Northridge – opened September 11, 1963, subsequently a shoe store, and now a Goodwill thrift shop. Ritz – opened 1926, reopened 1963 as the Lindy Opera House, demolished 1977 Stadium – opened 1931, now a church Studio City – opened 1938, closed 1991, now a Barnes and Noble bookstore Uptown – open as early as 1926, closed, and demolished 1965 Vogue – bought in 1945, now the Vogue Multicultural Museum Westwood – opened 1931 Oakland — opened 1928, restored in 2009 Pasadena Academy — bought in 1942, now operated by Regency Theatres Pasadena — bought and re-opened in 1930, closed in the 1950s United Artists — opened 1931 as a United Artists Theater, bought in 1938, closed 1990 Paso Robles — opening and closing dates unknown, still standing but abandoned Pomona – opened 1931 Redlands – opened 1928 Redwood City – opened in 1929, remodeled in the 1950s, listed on National Register of Historic Places in 1993 Riverside – opened 1929, first theatre to preview Gone with the Wind; restored in 2008–2009, reopened January 2010, San Bernardino – opened 1929 Salinas San Diego Egyptian – opened 1923, completely remodeled 1954, closed 1997, demolished 2003 Fairmount – opened January 29, 1929, renamed Crest by 1950, closed 1959 and demolished shortly later San Diego – opened 1929 Valley Circle – opened 1967, closed/demolished 1998 San Francisco Parkside – opened 1928, closed 1988, now a daycare Mission Street Showcase – closed in 1957, now a parking lot San Francisco – opened 1929, closed/demolished 1963, site now occupied by Fox Plaza (no relation to the famous Fox Plaza in Los Angeles) San Jose – opened 1927, closed in 1973, renovated and reopened in 2004 Santa Barbara – opened 1930 Santa Monica – bought early 1930s, sold late 1970s Santa Paula – opened on October 12, 1950, the Fox Theatre ran through at least 1968 but was demolished in the late-1980s. Stockton – opened 1930, renamed the Bob Hope Theatre Taft – opened 1951 Venice – opened 1951, now an indoor swap meet Ventura – opened 1969, twinned December 1982, closed late 1980s, now a Jewelry Couture Visalia – opened 1930, reopened 1999 Watsonville – closed 2009
Elsewhere
Amarillo, Texas – opened 1967, closed 1992, demolished 1993 Atlanta, Georgia – opened 1929 Aurora, Colorado – opened 1946 Aurora, Illinois – opened 1935 Billings, Montana – opened in 1931, sold in 1978 Boulder, Colorado – opened 1926 as the Rialto Theatre Britt, Iowa Brooklyn, New York Alba – opened 1929, operation later handed over to Randforce Amusement Corporation, closed 1970, eventually demolished, site now occupied by a hospital Brooklyn – opened August 31, 1928, demolished 1971, site now occupied by Con Edison Congress – opened 1927, later taken over by Randforce, vacant as of 2006 Meserole – opened 1921, originally operated by Small & Strausburg, later taken over by Fox West Coast, then by United Artists, closed 1978, now Rite Aid Savoy – opened September 1, 1926, operation taken over by Randforce Amusement Corporation 1933, eventually became Charity Neighborhood Baptist Church, demolished 2014 Bunkie, Louisiana – opened 1945, closed early 1960s, now city hall Centralia, Washington – opened 1930. Closed 1990s. Detroit, Michigan – largest Fox theatre, opened 1928, fully restored 1988 El Paso, Texas – opened in 1965, and was the first in Texas. Has since been demolished. Forest Hills, New York – opened September 14, 1929, demolished late 1950s Green Bay, Wisconsin – opened February 14, 1930 Hutchinson, Kansas – opened 1931 Joplin, Missouri – opened 1930, now converted to a church Kingsport, Tennessee – opened 1944, closed no later than 1963, was a country music recording studio into the early ’90s, now a beauty salon Las Cruces, New Mexico – opened 1926, acquired by Fox in 1929, restored in 2005 Las Vegas, New Mexico Dayton, Ohio – opened 1967, sold by 1975 Kettering, Ohio – opened 1966, sold by 1975 McCook, Nebraska – opened January 28, 1927, now a live theater North Platte, Nebraska – opened 1929, now a live theater Missoula, Montana — opened December 8, 1949, demolished now New Orleans, Louisiana — opened 1941, closed/demolished 1975 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — opened 1923. Closed and demolished in 1980. Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix – opened July 30, 1931, demolished 1975 Chris-Town – opened 1967, 2nd screen added 1971, 3rd through 11th screens added 1996 Ponce, Puerto Rico — opened 1931, closed in 1980; now a hotel Portland, Oregon – opened 1911, demolished April 1997 Provo, Utah – opened 1967, closed 1986, demolished Salina, Kansas – opened 1932, closed 1987, given to City 1989, restored by non-profit and reopened 2003 as a performing arts center (still in use 2018..) Salt Lake City, Utah – opened July 10, 1968, screen divided into 2 December 1976, screens 3 & 4 added 1977, closed February 14, 2002, demolished late 2000s, site now vacant San Antonio, Texas – opened 1969 as Fox Twin Theatres, renamed Fox Central Park 3 Theatres in 1974, screen 1 divided 1984, closed mid 1990s, demolished 2003 Seattle, Washington – opened 1929, renamed Roxy in 1933 Spokane, Washington – opened 1931 Springfield, Massachusetts – opened February 26, 1970, now a "Carpetland & More Inc" store Springfield, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri – opened 1929, restored in 1982
Tucson, Arizona Buena Vista – opened February 10, 1967, 2nd screen added in 1972, closed early 1990s, reopened 1995, closed late 1997 to early 1998, demolished 2008, site now occupied by Hampton Inn & Suites Lyric – opened as early as 1919, operated by Fox West Coast as early as March 19, 1949, in operation as late as May 21, 1963, since demolished, site now occupied by Pima County building Tucson – opened 1930, closed 1974, reopened 2005 22nd Street Drive-In – opened June 2, 1954, closed and demolished 1979, Wichita, Kansas – opened October 23, 1969
References
External links Movie Theaters Previously Operated by Fox Theatres (Cinema Treasures)