Sterling Cinemas
2373 Sterling Avenue,
San Bernardino,
CA
92404
2373 Sterling Avenue,
San Bernardino,
CA
92404
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Update to 7-22-2024. The misidentifed theatre was actually in Fullerton, CA even though it was called Yorba Linda Cinema. https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/6641 It was a United General franchised theatre
It looks like this * did * open under the United General franchise name because that logo of the traffic cop in the upper left is the United General logo. There’s another United General theatre on C.T. that is misidentified as Jerry Lewis, in Yorba Linda CA. Boxoffice Magazine of Dec. 4, 1972 announced that United General had opened its 31st franchised theatre. Jerry Lewis Cinemas announced in an ad in March 1973 that it had reached 205 theatres. That figure probably included the several locations that had dropped the JLC name and were on their own. An item in Boxoffice (Aug 7, 1972) has an article about three Michigan theatres that were going to be 16mm operations under United General. In that same edition, there was a UG franchising ad. A classified ad was in the NY Times of 6/6/71, and a full page franchising ad in the Rochester, NY paper of 6/25/72. Another U.G. theatre was in Cross River, NY and teaser ads in the fall of 1972 said it was to be a U.G. theatre. It finally opened 4/11/73 but without any mention of U.G. in the ads. This frequently happened with Jerry Lewis Cinemas as well — announced, usually long delays, and finally opening without the franchise name.
This was originally announced as another automated franchise by United General Corporation in August of 1972. United General was racking up lawsuits about the time of the groundbreaking. It opened March 28, 1973 with “1776” on Cinema I with “Snowball Express” and “The African Lion” on Cinema II
The Family Twin Cinema I & II launched on a 20-year lease with “1776” on Cinema I with “Snowball Express” and “The African Lion” on Cinema II. The theatre had two identical 240-seat auditoriums which featured automated equipment and promised family fare. American Family Theatres Circuit took on the operation in 1991 taking it to end of lease.
Family then spent $2 million converting the theatre to a six-plex called the Sterling Cinemas. It re-launched the venue with a benefit screening of “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” on November 16, 1994 followed by a full slate of films at the grand opening to the public the two days later.
At the half-way point of the its second 30-year lease, Regency Theatres bought out the Sterling Cinemas location in November of 2009 giving it another modern refresh. It was still operating into the 2020s
November 18th, 1994 grand opening ad in photo section
The web site of Seattle architectural firm The Henry Architects lists the Sterling Cinema 6 in San Bernardino as one of their projects. There is one photo of it in their slide show.
This cinema is now operated by the independent chain known as Regency Cinemas. They seem to be a respectable operation which seems to take over smaller more depressed cinemas to keep them from closing.