Ritz Theatre
423 N. E Street,
San Bernardino,
CA
92401
423 N. E Street,
San Bernardino,
CA
92401
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Pussycat Theatres, Stanley-Warner Theatres, Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.
Architects: John Paxton Perrine
Styles: Art Deco
Previous Names: Auditorium Theatre, Strand Theatre, Pussycat Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Auditorium Theatre was opened on May 16, 1910. Following a refresh, it reopened as the Strand Theatre on March 8, 1917. In 1930 it was remodelled in an Art Deco style, reopening on March 6, 1930 as the Ritz Theatre and operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. It was taken over by Stanley-Warner on June 19, 1963. It was showing adult films from January 1969 as the Pussycat Theatre, which closed in 1991. It has since been demolished.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
Here is a September 1973 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/y9esnrh
Whatever happened to the building, there’s a cinema (chain?) at this address now.
I used to go to the Bugs Bunney club at the Ritz on Satursday.
Great movie,Great ad,Kenmc.
This would be the same block that now hold the Empire 20, which is currently closed.
The exterior remodel of the facade took place in the early 1940s as was announced in December 1940 in this San Bernardino newspaper (includes a drawing of the new facade) http://cbsrdb3.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19401224.1.11&srpos=2&e=———-en—20—1—txt-txIN-%22ritz+theater%22+marque——–# There was also an interior remodel to the building in 1935 which gave it a more “modernistic” lobby and auditorium. Here is a 1935 photo of the pre-remodel facade with its Vitaphone marquee http://cbsrdb3.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19350104.1.23&srpos=180&e=———-en—20—161—txt-txIN-%22ritz+theater%22——–#
March 6th, 1930 grand opening ad as Ritz in photo section
E.H. Dowell opened here as the Auditorium Theater on May 16, 1910 with motion pictures. Dowell was also manager of the La Petite and Star theatre in the Nickelodeon, show-store era. This theatre was an advance with an orchestra and multiple projectors. Carl Ray took on the venue and it was converted after a $10,000 refresh to the Strand Theatre on March 8, 1917. It converted to sound and changed names to the Ritz theatre on March 6, 1930. It became an adult theater just after Christmas of 1968. It closed in 1991 under the operation as a Pussycat Adult Theatre and was demolished.
Taken Over By Stanley-Warner On June 19, 1963.
When The Theater Became The Ritz In 1930, It Became A Warner Bros Operated Theater.