Fox Orpheum Theatre
1730 Broadway,
Oakland,
CA
94612
1730 Broadway,
Oakland,
CA
94612
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Fox West Coast Theatres
Architects: William Day, Charles Peter Weeks
Firms: Weeks and Day
Styles: French Renaissance
Previous Names: Fox Oakland Theatre, Orpheum Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Opened on August 25, 1923, this was the original Fox Oakland Theatre and stood on Broadway; it became the Orpheum Theatre when the present-day Fox Oakland Theatre (on Telegraph Avenue; q.v. as Fox Theater) was built.
It remained the Fox Orpheum Theatre until it was demolished in the mid-1960’s (reportedly due to BART construction). A large bank building now stands where the Fox Orpheum Theatre once did.
Contributed by
Garrett Murphy
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
My father told me in the late 30’s that this theatre had a revolving stage for speed of changing scenes and performers.
shoe2
This is excerpted from a 9/15/07 article in the Oakland Tribune. This is clearly a different building, and may not have shown films at all:
The big new temple of vaudeville on Twelfth street, the new Orpheum Theater of Oakland, which for a year has been in the hands of the architects and contractors, today was turned over to the force
of interior decorators employed by the Orpheum Circuit Company to embellish and make beautiful throughout the magnificent house which is to be devoted, hereafter, to the staging of vaudeville shows in Oakland.
Here is an article from the Oakland Tribune dated 6/8/56:
Orpheum Theater May Be Torn Down for Parking Lot Site
The Orpheum Theater at 1730 Broadway, closed for the past four years, may be torn down to make way for a parking lot. Officials of Fox West Coast to what a Fox spokesman called Theaters met with wrecking company representatives today to discuss possible razing of the 33-year-old theater. Robert Bracken, purchasing agent for the theater chain, said only the theater itself would be razed and the adjoining three-story office and store building would remain.
The theater seats 2,550 persons. It closed in May, 1952, due to a “multiple first run situation.” If the theater is torn down, Bracken said a ground level parking lot with a capacity of about 55 cars will be put in. He said the company will have only its decision in about a week.
Here is a photo, circa 1945:
http://tinyurl.com/2tuvfo
I recently completed writing the biography of my great uncle, Bee Ho Gray. He was a Western performer from Indian Territory. He performed at this Orpheum Theater during the week of January 6, 1918.
More information about him can be found at www.beehogray.com
Thanks,
Clark Gray
In the middle or late 1940’s ( I think 1947) my family went there to see a Marx Brothers movie. After the movie, Groucho, Harpo and Chico came on stage and did about a half hour of some of their funny routines, complete with colorful props and scenery. Re3ally enjoyed it.
Norm Nunes
Here are some pictures of the 1922 Moller Organ from the Fox Orpheum in 2012. http://aztecatheater.com/fox_orpheum_moller_organ.html
Yes, gsmurph, My family and I saw Eddie Peabody on stage there. Must have been about 1949. It was a standard vaudeville production, and I believe he was the final act to come out.
There is an excellent 1928 photo of the Fox-Orpheum Theatre on the Historic-Memphis.com wesite’s Theatre page. Here’s a link to the page.
Opened August 25th, 1923 as the Fox Oakland theater.
Fox Oakland opening Fri, Aug 24, 1923 – Page 24 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com