|
On opening day, Saturday, Oct. 27, 1928,
West Coast Theaters – owners and managers of the new
Oakland Theater – purchased one hour of free transit
on the city’s bus and streetcar lines during peak travel
time, 11 a.m. to noon, for all inbound passengers, regardless
of destination. The theater's doors opened at 11:30 a.m.,
and after a short speech by Mayor John Davie, the first show
began at noon.
The program at the new Oakland Theater,
like those at other movie theaters of the day, consisted of
a movie ("talkies" were a novelty, having been introduced
just a year earlier, but were catching on fast), a newsreel
(actually there were two: one silent and the other "synchronized"),
music on the mighty Wurlitzer organ (a long-standing tradition
for silent movie houses), and a stage show with live musical
accompaniment (it was the last few years of vaudeville).
The opening day program (described below)
ran continuously, repeating five times, and played to as many
as 20,000 patrons. The Oakland Post-Enquirer declared, "It's
a whale of a show, and you're going to like the new Oakland
[Theater]. Twenty thousand people said so Saturday, and 20,000
people can't be wrong!"
"The Air Circus,"
advertised as a "William Fox Sound and Talking Sensation."
The Oakland Tribune described it
as "the first of the Fox synchronized pictures, a youthful
affair, clean, wholesome and abounding in air thrills …
a comedy drama of youth featuring Sue Carol and Arthur Lake
… with David Rollins as the youth who was cured of a
'yellow streak' when his pal faced danger in the air…
. Louise Dresser once again made a cinema role stand out in
the portrayal of the mother who was torn between affection
for her boy and fear that he might be claimed as a sacrifice
to the air as his older brother had during the war days."
The Oakland Post-Enquirer said the
sound picture "records the experiences of two ambitious
youths, determined to outshine Lindbergh, who set out to win
their wings. Arthur Lake gives a marvelous performance as
Speed, the peppiest of the pair, and David Rollins acquits
himself with credit as his less daring chum. Sue Carol is
the girl. She is soothing to the eye but a trifle grating
on the ear in a brief dialogue. Louise Dresser is, as ever,
the mother."
The San Francisco Chronicle reported
that the "William Fox special photoplay … tells
a humorous story of an attempt by young men to duplicate Colonel
Lindbergh's conquest of the air." A more detailed review
was presented a few days earlier, before the movie opened
in San Francisco:
<<
back to top
leading a 20-piece
orchestra.
The Oakland Tribune said King is "accepted
as an Oakland young man. His advance in a musical way since
his previous appearance here is little short of phenomenal
and he led his musicians in a masterly fashion through the
symphonic arrangement of the 'Slavic Rhapsody' for an overture."
The Oakland Post-Enquirer said "Hermie
King wields a wicked baton over the Oakland's augmented orchestra
with pleasing results… ."
at the mighty Wurlitzer
organ.
According to the Oakland Tribune, Le Bel "gave
a special recital on the Wurlitzer adapting his music to bring
out the pliability and tone of the organ which was also used
as an adjunct to the King orchestra in the musical accompaniment
for the Fanchon and Marco presentation entitled '[Up] in the
Air'."
The Oakland Post-Enquirer said "Henri
C. Le Bel, concert organist, puts the great instrument to
a trying test in a program which rung plaudits from the first
day's customers."
, a Fanchon and Marco live
stage show.
The Oakland Tribune noted that "on the
large Oakland stage the chorus and featured performers were
given ample elbow room for their gyrations. A variant of the
butterfly dance and a Chauvre-Souris stilt number received
thunderous approval."
The Oakland Post-Enquirer said the
"'Up in the Air' idea, arranged by Fanchon and Marco,
is as colorful as the curtains and drapes in the new theater
and presents a company of girls who perform remarkable feats
on stilts. Most remarkable is the parade of the wooden soldiers.
Dancers, songsters, and bicycle riders combine in such a merry
melee of fast and spectacular action that the act leaves one
entirely 'up in the air.'"
The San Francisco Chronicle reported,
"Fanchon and Marco's 'Up in the Air' idea brought to
the theater eighteen dancing girls; Walter Nilsson, the unicyclist;
Doris Whitmore, soprano; Jean Dix and Helen Burke, [specialty
dancers]; the Brooks [banjo] trio, Cliff Crane and other features."
The Tribune provided this information
about unicyclist Walter Nilsson, "… [Nilsson] has
performed many of his cycle stunts in various parts of the
world and under strange conditions. One of the most unusual
and perhaps one of the most dangerous was when he rode around
the top of the Cheops pyramid in Egypt. Besides this ride
on the pyramid Nilsson has ridden on the top cornice of many
of the world’s tallest buildings. "Nilsson’s
stunts are not confined to outdoors; he does many almost as
hazardous while mounted on a single wheel high above the stage
floor at the Oakland theater, where he is appearing in Fanchon
and Marco’s "Up in the Air."
, a newsreel produced
by Fox Movietone.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the
newsreel "will be a regular attraction on all future
programs at the new playhouse."
The Oakland Tribune noted that "Gerturde
Lawrence, the English singing comedienne, was featured on
the Fox Movietone vaudeville … and two news reels, a
silent one from Paramount and a synchronized one from Fox
completed the bill."
<<
back to top
San Francisco Chronicle, Oct. 26,
1928, East Bay Section, page 2
West Coast’s East Bay Home Expresses
Last Word in Playhouses
Declared to be one of the most equipped
theaters on the Pacific Coast and one whose architectural
and mechanical beauties add much to the comfort and enjoyment
of the patrons of the new Oakland Theater, ace West Coast
Theater of the east bay, will open its doors at 11:30 a.m.
tomorrow after being under construction for over a year.
The opening bill will be made up of Sue
Carol, Louise Dresser and Arthur Lake on the screen in "The
Air Circus." Fanchon and Marco’s "Up in the
Air Idea" on the stage, Hermie King and his twenty-piece
orchestra from Seattle in the pit and Fox Movietone newsreel
and sound features.
In producing the design of this theater
it was decided to have a different architecture from that
which is usually found in the theaters. The architects went
to the Far Western country of India to produce the theater
that would be different, novel and mystic.
The exterior, with its high, graceful dome,
is typical of the Brahamanicao temple of Northern India. Colored
tile inlaid on the face of the main facade give a richness
of color and beauty and the large gold marquee that covers
the main entrance is in a soft and playful design.
In the main entrance the large foyer is
flanked on both sides with rich imported marble walls and
also forms a base for beautiful India gold frieze of figures
that are seen in this faraway country.
The foyer is crowned with a huge colorful
dome, which extends 100 feet above the foyer floor. On the
upper wall opposite the main entrance, [is] a mural painting
by Maynard Dixon, which [is] titled "The Goddess of Fire."
Entering the interior foyer, which leads to the main auditorium,
patrons are impressed with the spaciousness, luxurious appointments
and beautiful designs. Two elevators are on either side of
the main entrance, which serve the mezzanine floor and balcony.
The elevators are one of the outstanding
features of the new theater, since it is possible to reach
the balcony seats as easily as an orchestra seat. Two very
wide and heavily carpeted stairways also lead to the mezzanine
floor. Rich tapestries and furniture in keeping with the general
architectural design add much to this beautiful auditorium
entrance.
The mezzanine foyer is a lounge with the
richly decorated ceiling in gold, silver, reds and blues.
The walls are soft colored stone and form a fine background
for the colored furniture. Large plate glass mirrors and beautiful
electrical fixtures are among the most noticeable appointments.
From this foyer the women’s rest room is reached. These
rooms are finished in tones of green against, which are set
large plate glass mirrors and vanities.
Modernized East India describes the architecture
and decorative scheme of the auditorium, which has more than
3000 leather and plush upholstered opera chairs and more than
700 heavily upholstered arm loge chairs.
The proscenium arch gives a feeling of
a woven cloth, while the coloring is such as to give the effect
of a rich fabric of gold and colors. Gold leaf is supplied
in such a way as to increase the illusion of fabric material
moving slightly in the breeze. The grand drape, which is the
largest that has ever been installed in a theater on the West
Coast, is a gorgeous drapery of gold color. Richly colored
Indian figures are woven in the curtain and are bedecked with
jewels of many colors. Flanking the stage on each side is
a huge pyle [sic] of architectural design towering fifty feet
in height.
The central feature is a large Buddha of
bronze with emeralds and bracelets and string of rubies hung
around the neck. An ornamental grille done in green silver
creates a panel in the back of the Buddha, while ornamental
motifs of architectural design are done in rich colors of
gold.
The ceiling is of exquisite workmanship
and detail. The design is an intricate and lacy pattern. Large
chandeliers also East Indian in design, with hundreds of colored
lights, are suspended from the ceiling with heavy gold chains.
The equipment that has been installed in
the playhouse is the latest and most complete that modern
science has developed. The stage, one of the largest in the
country, is equipped to handle the most elaborate stage presentations.
Special projection machines and electric equipment for synchronized
productions have also been installed.
The new theater will operate on a deluxe
policy, playing first run pictures, Franchon and Marco stage
productions, twenty-piece band under the direction of Hermie
King, Fox Movietone talking news weekly and other synchronized
products.
In conjunction with this policy A.M. Bowles,
division manager of West Coast Theaters in this territory,
announces that it was the desire of West Coast Theaters to
give big shows at popular prices amidst comfort, safety and
luxury.
The West Coast management has purchased
the entire Key System for one hour – from 11 a.m. to
12 noon – on the opening day, tomorrow.
During this hour any one living in 7-cent
fare zone will be permitted to ride on all inbound cars and
busses as the guests of the new Oakland Theater.
No pass, or identification of any kind will be needed by anyone.
Conductors will have their fare boxes closed and passengers
may ride to their desired destination down town without assuming
any obligation.
According to the Key System officials,
this makes the first time in history of the east bay transportation
system that a deal of this kind has been made by an individual,
firm or corporation. Over 200 cars and 43 busses will be affected
by the ruling: 270 miles of track serving the combined population
of over 340,000 people.
From 11 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday is
one of the peak traveling hours of the week and many thousand
of persons are expected to take advantage of this novel and
unusual offer.
<<
back to top
Oakland Tribune,
Oct. 28, 1928, Page 1
$3,500,000 Building Presents First
Show; Long Lines of Patrons Await Chance to See Initial Program.
Oakland’s reception to the new Oakland
theater, which opened its doors yesterday for the first time
was "magnificent."
That is the tribute paid to the theater
going public of East bay by Harold R. Franklin, president
and general manager of West Coast Theaters.
Franklin stood yesterday and watched crowds
gather long before the opening tour and all afternoon the
public poured into the theater at Nineteenth and Telegraph
streets.
"The construction of this $3,500,000
theater shows what we think about Oakland," said Franklin,
"and the way the East bay received it on opening day
shows what the public thinks about us."
"This theater will cost us $20,000 a week to operate,"
said the West Coast Theaters president. "We will bring
here the same shows that we present at the largest cities,
San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle.
"The way that we were received on
opening day in our new home makes me very happy that we have
been able to offer the public such a splendid theater.
"This is the two hundred and fifty
first theater in the West Coast circuit, and it is a composite
of the best features of them all. It has a seating capacity
of 3400 and every seat is comfortable.
"In the architecture we have followed
East Indian line and introduced an East Indian atmosphere.
We felt that this was very appropriate being as San Francisco
bay is the gateway to the Orient and the wonderful country
of India."
Franklin said that the Oakland theater
will have a payroll of 150 persons. The West Coast Theaters
employ more than 8000 persons in its chain of theaters from
Bellingham, Washington to San Diego.
"Another thing that is gratifying,"
said Franklin as he watched the crowd pouring into the Oakland,
is that we opened on time to the dot, on the date we set six
months ago."
The theater was opened with little ceremony.
Mayor John L. Davis delivered a brief speech before the curtain
when the program started at noon. With little other formality,
the huge palace became a going theater without a jar or ripple
on the surface.
"The finest pictures that can be produced
will be bought to the new Oakland," said Franklin.
"We are planning to give the East
bay programs as well as a theater of which it can be proud."
<<
back to top
– – –
– – – – – – – –
– – – – – – –
If you have personal memories, photographs,
or memorabilia of the Fox Oakland Theater, we'd love to hear
your story. Please
email FOOF.
|
