Orinda Theatre
Moraga Way and Brookwood Road,
Orinda,
CA
94563
Moraga Way and Brookwood Road,
Orinda,
CA
94563
17 people
favorited this theater
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Orinda Theatre (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Renaissance Rialto
Architects: Alexander Aimwell Cantin, Alexander Mackenzie Cantin
Firms: Cantin and Cantin
Functions: Movies (First Run)
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
925.254.9060
Manager:
925.254.9065
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Feb 6, 2014 — Cinema photos by Franck Bohbot
- Apr 21, 2011 — New Rheem owners to take over operations of Orinda Theater
- May 9, 2008 — Theatre Historical Society Conclave To Visit Bay Area
The Orinda Theatre opened on December 27, 1941 with William Holden in “Texas”. The theatre was built for and operated by Donald Rheem. It was designed by father & son architects Alexander Aimwell Cantin & Alexander McKenzie Cantin, who, in 1950 would form the architectural firm Cantin and Cantin.
Slated for demolition in 1984, it was saved through the efforts of preservationists and reopened in 1989 as the center of the Theater Square Project – a retail/entertainment redevelopment project.
Two extra screens have been constructed within adjoining retail space, leaving the original screen intact.
Contributed by
Jeremy Sanford
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Recent comments (view all 33 comments)
I’ve posted information and photos from a recent visit here.
The address should be 2 Orinda Theater Square.
A 2010 photo can be seen here.
Very nice. I lhave seen a long shot on fb of the lobby-excellent.
I remember seeing a double feature of AGAINST ALL ODDS and MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON here in… 1984. Preferred the Bridges film. A recent visit to the theater (July 2017) finds it still beautifully kept up.
Opening ad:
Orinda theatre opening Fri, Dec 26, 1941 – Page 14 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com
For many years the stereo surround sound in the large original Orinda Theatre has been turned way down as the former IA union projectionist did not care for people looking up when they heard effect surround speaker volume so he turned the ceiling/wall surround speakers way down. That projectionist is no longer in the booth so the volume has been turned back up like It was in the past. Hope they can re open soon so we can go and see this classic deco neon cinema with better sound at least in the large cinema space. Turn on the marquee neon and bring back the movie crowd!
On a recent visit 5/1/2021 all the surround speakers are mostly turned off. Many of the speakers set hi up on the ceiling have blown out cones so they just turned them all off. Too bad hope they can get funding to put in better speakers or a Meyers sound system for the stereo surround system. People live in plus multi million dollars homes in Orinda and have fancy home movie theatres. So sad to go pay to see a movie in a great old deco 750 seat theatre like the Orinda and the sound does not work on the sides and back!
Uh oh! Looks like the end could be near! 🥺🥺😫😫
Per Orinda Theatre website, they are now putting on concerts (NOT a good look see UC in Berkeley for more information)
They’ve set up a Go Fund Me page too! 😔😔 That’s not reassuring either! With Cal and Oaks in Berkeley gone, local theaters are drying up! You talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel! Lamorinda is home to world famous St. Mary’s basketball team! YIU CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS PEOPLE! 🤬🤬
I will be teaming up with the Orinda to show Hollywood Studio Classic matinees, the last Tuesday of each month, starting TODAY, February 27th at 1p.m. $10.00 all seats: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952)
March 26 1 p.m. REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955)
April 30 1 p.m. SAN FRANCISCO (1936)
May 28 1 p.m. NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)
June 25 1 p.m. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942)
July 30 1 p.m. THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952) The Matias Bombal’s Hollywood Orinda Classic Movie Matinees www.orindamovies.com