San Mateo Theatre

pnelson on July 11, 2015 at 6:59 pm

One of the most handsome interiors for a theatre in the country. Rivals LA’S best. Art Deco meets mission. What a tragedy not to save it. The exterior is great too.

AndrewBarrett on September 26, 2014 at 12:51 am

What an awesome-looking interior, and I normally don’t really care for Art Deco! (although I do think those theatres should be preserved, too). Too bad it’s no longer a theatre, although good the building is still there.

I note the organ console in the pictures, could this be a Smith or Leathurby-Smith organ?

According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David Junchen, pg. 629, there was a 2 manual, 8 rank Leathurby-Smith organ installed at a “Balboa Th.” in San Mateo, California, in 1925. No blower info is given, but as you can see, most of the essential details are there. I see no mention of a “Balboa Theatre” in San Mateo, and so assume this must be a misprint(?) and perhaps they are referring to the San Mateo Theatre(?) Does anybody know what happened to this organ?

Thanks!

kencmcintyre on August 16, 2009 at 12:32 am

Here is a November 1953 ad from the SMT:
http://tinyurl.com/r3thqt

kencmcintyre on February 8, 2009 at 10:52 am

Here are some photos from the LA Library, circa 1925:
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00080/00080361.jpg
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00080/00080362.jpg
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00080/00080363.jpg
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00080/00080364.jpg

tarantex on June 16, 2007 at 5:45 pm

I use to change the marquee when San Carlos Cinemas leased it from Mann Theatres, The theatre was so run down from when mann theatres ran it the upstairs balcony was closed off the upstairs lobby which in itsday circled around that was boarded up and used to store all kinds of theatre crap, i remember when Beverly and scrappy ran it for mann it was the philtist dump, Bev use to live in the Janitors Closet and they would drink the night away at the Ben Franks, when i was changing the marquee all seats were a $ 1.oo what a fun time that was

GaryParks on October 16, 2002 at 2:01 pm

The San Mateo was NOT torn down, though it was lost as a theatre. It still stands, in use as an office and retail building. Most of its Greco-Renaissance hybrid facade was allowed to remain intact, though the central arched pavilion feature and marquee were removed.

The interior was arguably the first, possibly anywhere, to be decorated in what would ultimately be known as Art Deco, the decorative scheme having been changed during construction to reflect the era’s changes in taste.