River Theatre
1213 N. Chester Avenue,
Bakersfield,
CA
93308
1213 N. Chester Avenue,
Bakersfield,
CA
93308
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Located in the Oildale district, to the north of Bakersfield, CA. The River Theatre was opened in September 1939. It was closed around 1964/1965. It became a recording studio for Buck Owens from 1968 until 1992. It then became an independent recording studio from 1992 until it closed in April 2008.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
The River Theatre was built for the Banducci and Lemucchi Theatre Company, according to an item in Southwest Builder & Contractor, March 17, 1939. The May 26 issue of the same publication revealed that Clifford Balch was the architect for the project.
The September 23, 1939, issue of Boxoffice Magazine reported that the River Theatre at Oildale had been opened. Banducci and Lemucchi also operated the Arvin Theatre at Arvin and the Granada Theatre in Bakersfield.
Following the death of Jim Banducci in 1955, various issues of Boxoffice reported multiple closings and re-openings of the River under various operators during the next two years, until it was taken over by Ernest Martini in 1957. Martini was still operating the house in January, 1964, the last mention of it I’ve found in Boxoffice.
1972 photo as Buck Owens Studios added.
Every thing I can find on this location, this is in Bakerfield, CA. Googlemaps also pulls this up in Bakersfield as well.. A nicely done video, seen here. Enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wra4Voz56WM RAC Photography
I was told back in November of 2020, that Buck Owens son, Buddy Alan, still owns this property & It was still being used as a recording studio when I was here photographing the structure.. RAC Photography