Best Theatre

Joe Vogel on November 9, 2012 at 12:48 am

The August 1, 1911, issue of Building and Industrial News had this item about a proposed theater in San Leandro:

“Theatre. 1 story and base, brick, $12,500. Architect W. H. Weeks. 251 Kearny St., S. F. Owner Daniel Best. The building has been designed for a modern moving picture house, and will have a seating capacity of about 800 people. There will be a modern ventilating system. The exterior will be faced with pressed brick. The plans for the work are complete and the architect is taking figures on the construction.”

There is a photo of the Best Theatre on page 87 of San Leandro, by Cynthia Vrilakas Simons. Lloyd Bridges Sr., father of the actor, was apparently connected with the theater in some way, as he appears in the photo.

Architect William H. Weeks designed hundreds of buildings in Northern California, a large percentage of them being schools, although Cinema Treasures does currently attribute two other theaters to him.

kencmcintyre on January 30, 2010 at 6:42 pm

The building is now Citibank on the first floor and law offices on the other floors.