Ah ha!! Do the above search but put “Theatre” instead of “Theater” and you will find some interesting things. One site shows a scan of an old November 12, 1938 newspaper and it states:
“Burton Walker, Dixie Theatre, Ashdown, did some remodeling of his theatre this week, moved the screen back eight feet and installed three rows of seats.”
BTW I just submitted the theater here at CT but once they add it, I’ll have to submit the proper name “theatre”.
“On the east side of the newspaper office was The Dixie Theater. Built in 1915, it was a silent movie theater. In 1947, a theater was built on Keller Street. The K. Lee Williams Theater was a “talkie,†unlike the Dixie Theater on Commerce which was a silent movie theater. It was unique in design also. It was a very tall structure with art deco styling on the front part of the structure and a Quonset hut on the rear. ”
What is the address of the Dixie and what is your source of the listing of that theater? There easily could have been another theater or it may have been the original name of this one. It may have just changed owners shortly after opening.
I need to make a correction! It seems sometime in the 60s or 70s, the dividing west wall was torn out to expand Belk Jones and the front of the building was renovated to match. The old BJ building housed an antique mall for many years which I had been in. I had to think on it hard to remember that extra space on the east side of the store that was only 1 story high. That space is where the Century Theater was. So the building does more or less still exist but only 3 walls of it. Oddly enough, the antique mall closed and the entire building was converted into a night club. So now the old Century theater building is part of an entertainment venue once again after being retail for so long.
You are thinking of the Perot Theater which was once owned by Paramount. The building of the Century theater still stands but is vacant. I will take a photo of it next time I go by there. If you look at the photo linked on “Related websites” above, the Hotel Victory no longer exists but the store next to it “Wellworths” is still in operation. With it’s old 5&10 display counters and all, but not much stock.
The ‘Village Cinema’ in Town & Country area (Northwest corner of Fulton & Marconi) hasn’t been torn down…yet. /theaters/6552/ It’s hiding behind the gas station. I snapped a photo of it a couple months back and if this site would open photo submissions again I will submit it.
Regarding the Tower being at risk, maybe someone should contact The History Channel’s “Save Our History” program about it. The program is to help save buildings and make them historical landmarks.
The current edition of SN&R has an artical on the Tower and how the city of Sacramento is paying companies millions of dollars to build multiplexes which in turn will force the Tower to close. You can find the artical at this link: View link
At the time of the demolition, I lived within viewing distance and saw the progress of the wrecking crew from my window. It always saddens me to see a theater (or any entertainment place) torn down, even if I’ve never set foot into it.
The Alhambra theater was way before my time. However my mom was a part of the protests against the demolition of the theater. She told me this as she was parking the car to go shopping in that Safeway.
I don’t completely understand the idea of not shopping at JUST the Safeway location that took away the Alhambra theater. If you really feel absolute disgust for Safeway, you wouldn’t shop at ANY location, not just the one. All the money goes to the same people regardless of the location.
The newly remodeled/reconstructed Country Club Plaza (Watt at El Camino) has a store (the name has slipped my mind, they also have a store in Old Sac) with various TV and movie collectibles. They have a 10+ foot model of the Alhambra theater there with a sign telling the history of it as well as having postcards and other items for sale.
Ah ha!! Do the above search but put “Theatre” instead of “Theater” and you will find some interesting things. One site shows a scan of an old November 12, 1938 newspaper and it states:
“Burton Walker, Dixie Theatre, Ashdown, did some remodeling of his theatre this week, moved the screen back eight feet and installed three rows of seats.”
BTW I just submitted the theater here at CT but once they add it, I’ll have to submit the proper name “theatre”.
Detective work? Hardly. ;) I went to Google and did this search:
View link
Ah ha, and here’s the answer:
“On the east side of the newspaper office was The Dixie Theater. Built in 1915, it was a silent movie theater. In 1947, a theater was built on Keller Street. The K. Lee Williams Theater was a “talkie,†unlike the Dixie Theater on Commerce which was a silent movie theater. It was unique in design also. It was a very tall structure with art deco styling on the front part of the structure and a Quonset hut on the rear. ”
Source: View link
What is the address of the Dixie and what is your source of the listing of that theater? There easily could have been another theater or it may have been the original name of this one. It may have just changed owners shortly after opening.
The address is 360 Keller Street. Check out the Google Maps view of it. That long white building where the “A” is pointing in front of is it.
I need to make a correction! It seems sometime in the 60s or 70s, the dividing west wall was torn out to expand Belk Jones and the front of the building was renovated to match. The old BJ building housed an antique mall for many years which I had been in. I had to think on it hard to remember that extra space on the east side of the store that was only 1 story high. That space is where the Century Theater was. So the building does more or less still exist but only 3 walls of it. Oddly enough, the antique mall closed and the entire building was converted into a night club. So now the old Century theater building is part of an entertainment venue once again after being retail for so long.
This theater is not demolished as it’s listed (as of the date of this post). Click here to view pictures I just took of it today.
I snapped a somewhat good photo of it back in 2004 when I added this theater to the site. You can find the photo here.
You are thinking of the Perot Theater which was once owned by Paramount. The building of the Century theater still stands but is vacant. I will take a photo of it next time I go by there. If you look at the photo linked on “Related websites” above, the Hotel Victory no longer exists but the store next to it “Wellworths” is still in operation. With it’s old 5&10 display counters and all, but not much stock.
The ‘Village Cinema’ in Town & Country area (Northwest corner of Fulton & Marconi) hasn’t been torn down…yet. /theaters/6552/ It’s hiding behind the gas station. I snapped a photo of it a couple months back and if this site would open photo submissions again I will submit it.
You’re telling us about a gathering that happened April 4 now that it’s April 27? I’m assuming you mean May 4..
Regarding the Tower being at risk, maybe someone should contact The History Channel’s “Save Our History” program about it. The program is to help save buildings and make them historical landmarks.
http://www.saveourhistory.com/home.htm
Certainly couldn’t hurt. Hard driving the Alhambra’s fate might be a good boost for saving the Tower.
I posted the news here on the site about the Tower a little while back:
http://cinematreasures.org/news/11529_0_1_0_C/
The current edition of SN&R has an artical on the Tower and how the city of Sacramento is paying companies millions of dollars to build multiplexes which in turn will force the Tower to close. You can find the artical at this link:
View link
At the time of the demolition, I lived within viewing distance and saw the progress of the wrecking crew from my window. It always saddens me to see a theater (or any entertainment place) torn down, even if I’ve never set foot into it.
The Alhambra theater was way before my time. However my mom was a part of the protests against the demolition of the theater. She told me this as she was parking the car to go shopping in that Safeway.
I don’t completely understand the idea of not shopping at JUST the Safeway location that took away the Alhambra theater. If you really feel absolute disgust for Safeway, you wouldn’t shop at ANY location, not just the one. All the money goes to the same people regardless of the location.
The newly remodeled/reconstructed Country Club Plaza (Watt at El Camino) has a store (the name has slipped my mind, they also have a store in Old Sac) with various TV and movie collectibles. They have a 10+ foot model of the Alhambra theater there with a sign telling the history of it as well as having postcards and other items for sale.