Fox Oakland Theater

I got to spend a few hours inside the Fox last week while was daughter was doing a fashion shoot for Oakbook magazine, I’ve put some photos up here and have many more to go through/add in the next couple weeks.

I wasn’t able to go into the orchestra level/stage area, but got to explore the mezzanine and upper levels, and walked around the walkway that encircles the top of the theater and get real close to the ceiling. The foreman [?] said they were half done cleaning the ceiling — the nicotine’s 1/8" thick! — and had just returned half the scaffolding [he said just scaffolding rental is $30,000/day, I assume this is before they took half of it out, I think he said the ceiling alone is a $40 million job but don’t quote me on that]. Went into the dome, one side of it is badly earthquake damaged/collapsed. Much of the detail paint is badly peeling but still beautiful. All the seating and carpet have been removed.

The issue of Oakbook with the fashion spread inside the Fox comes out February 7, there’s info about where to pick up a free issue here.

The article that states the 68 Million restoration of the Fox is nearing completion is a little misleading. A huge portion of the funds is being used to build a charter school which wraps around the Fox. I would like to know how much was actually spent on the theatre.Im glad the Fox is getting the restoration it deserves it is my favorite surviving movie palace in the Bay Area. I can’t wait to see the restored auditorium. I saw many movies at the Fox which had its last exclusive run with “Rosemary’s Baby”.The restored marquee of the Fox is beautiful along with the marquee at the Paramount.I hope the Fox gives Downtown a much needed boost along with the Uptown project next door. I wish my parents were still here to see the final result it took nearly 40 years. The Fox and the Paramount represent the heday of Hollywood and helped a genaration cope with the Depression and WW11. The Fox and the Paramount are the two largest surviving movie palaces in California and the among the four largest West of the Mississippi along with the Paramount in Seattle and the Portland in Portland. I hope classic film will be shown at both theatres from time to time.brucec

Ken would love to see more adds of the Fox,Paramount,T&D,Roxie and Grand Lake. I remember all the adds advertising the great Fox West Coast Theatre Chain in Oakland Tribune.Thanks for the Ad. brucec

Friends of the Fox need to do a better job of updating there Home Page. The Fox is currently under renovation/restoration and updates would be welcome. Pictures and posts of the progress being made would be very helpful.brucec

I took a private tour of the Fox Oakland a few months ago. Had to put on a hard hat! This will be a super fine remodel. The place doesn’t look to bad on the inside. I took some photos, will try to post some next week.

I passed by the Fox back in 2005…..has there been any work on it lately and what’s happening to the restoration??? Their web site only goes back to 2004 and there’s nothing new on it………

Link to long article:
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As a life long resident of Oakland, I often saw the Fox Oakland as a forgotten and neglected piece of theater architecture that demanded to be reborn. During the 60’s and forward, I never considered the Fox to be what it was in its early days. Although I never went inside the Fox, I often thought that it must indeed been a sight to behold. When I first saw the inside, it was via the Internet and I was not disappointed at what I saw. The stage and auditorium are magnificantly grand. I also appreciate the history of the Fox Oakland during a time of, sad to say, discrimination in which minorities were not welcomed at other movie palaces. Yet, the Fox Oakland indeed had a no discrimination policy. Therefore, I think people of all races should take part in the restoration and future life of the Fox Oakland Theater. Also, the Paramount, which is I believe a triumph of art deco architecture, second to none outside of Egypt would give Oakland the tourst attraction appeal that it deserves. Lastly, I often wondered what was the reason for demolishing the Fox San Francisco. I saw pictures of it and it was absolutely awsome.

The Fox Oakland’s last double bill was “Lady Sings The Blues” and “The God Father”, it played there in 1973. From 1968 to 1973, the Fox showed movies for 50 cents, then changed to soft core porn showing movies like “All The Loving Couples” and “I am curious yellow”. What was interesting the San Leandro Oakland Drive In showed the same movies as the Fox at the time. However, the Fox had live concerts during that time. The Oakland Tribune, attending the first concert starring Donny Hathaway and Ann Peebles, called the Fox a future “west coast Apollo Theatre”. The tribune, said “the fox rocked and rolled like it never did before, despite several outages of the sound system”. The Fox Oakland did quite well on those concerts, until a series of fires were deliberately set. It was rumored in the Oakland community where I grew up in, that the Black Panthers were responsible for it. But strictly rumor. There is a movie called “Nightmare In Blood” available on DVD, that was filmed in its entirety at the Fox Oakland during the seventies before the seats were removed. There are excellent interior shots as well as a wonderful nighttime shot of the Avenue Theatre in San Francisco, lit up in it’s glory. I am pleased that the Fox is being restored.

Dear gsmurph,
I was glad to hear about that. Only because the great days of the theater has seemed to pass us. I am so happy that I was within those last heydays of the movies and the theaters. when going to the newer “cinemas” it is so discouraging to walk into a cold theater with no class of yesteryear. It’s sorta like “Here you go. Here’s a building with 4 or more small theaters combined. go in a watch a movie…. oh give us all that money we want too. And then only 1 film. Remember? we got Movietime News reels, Cartoons, a class "A” film and a class “B”(most of the time) or another “A” film. Everyone dressed for the movies. People were nicer to each other. I am happy for the restoration planning. The young can see the greatness, but will never experience our experiences of the whole entertainment.

The Fox. Many Saturdays were spent there. My Grandmother worked practically across the Street at Capwell’s. I would catch a matinee. Always great movies there. .25 got me in for the afternoon. As a young boy in the late forties and early fifties it was easy to be overwhelmed by the magnificant architecture of the theater itself. Although obviously built before the forties this theater was magnificant. After the matinee my Grandmother and me would go to eat and then often headed to the Paramount theater(just awesome) or down to the old T&D theater if something special was playing. It (the T&D)wasn’t as “high class” but did play some good films here and there.

It’s so unfortunate that the young will not have those meaningful experiences we all did during the hey days of this magnificant theater.

It looks to be in decent shape. Amazing considering it has been sitting these many years.