Foothill Theater

3440 Foothill Boulevard,
Oakland, CA 94601

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Golden State Theater & Realty Corp., Robert L. Lippert Theatres Inc.

Functions: Religious Services

Previous Names: Glen Theater, Casino Theater, Studio 1 Theater

Nearby Theaters

Projection Booth

Built by Merrill Newsom in 1915. Was named the Glen Theater from 1915-21, the Casino Theater from 1921-37, and finally, the Foothill Theater from July 11, 1935 until closing in 1958.

It now houses the True Buddha Vijaya Temple.

Contributed by john brennan

Recent comments (view all 18 comments)

gsmurph
gsmurph on April 19, 2005 at 8:54 pm

At least when it was the Studio 1, the Foothill seated 367 people.

gsmurph
gsmurph on July 19, 2005 at 9:23 am

…but as the Foothill it seated 687.

jvbrennan
jvbrennan on July 12, 2006 at 12:40 am

According to the Oakland Tribune theater listing for July 4, 1960 it was re-named the NEW FOOTHILL.

jvbrennan
jvbrennan on February 7, 2008 at 4:40 am

The venerable Foothill Theater holds a multitude of memories that I share with my brothers and sisters. Going to “the show” meant plunking down twenty-five cents and never being disappointed. Never in life afterwards would I ever get my moneys worth like I did when I was a kid sitting in the Foothill for a Saturday matinee of entertainment. Prizes raffled off during intermission included a wooden rocking horse and box of assorted concession goodies plus complimentary movie tickets. Irish luck would have it that these enviable items would be won by my two sisters whose matching ticket stubs were plucked from a tumbling mixing bin on stage, and forever become part of our family story.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on February 7, 2008 at 5:26 am

There is a small photo on this site. I think some remodeling has been done:
http://tinyurl.com/3cylx6

bago1
bago1 on April 17, 2009 at 7:03 pm

i grew up in the fruitvale district in the 80s and 90s and i remember this theater being open for a short time in the mid 80s. i never went in it but i do remember it being open once in a great while during most of the 90s it sat vacant till the buddhist church took it over in early 2000 tobad i never got to see a movie here …..

wrightofway_2
wrightofway_2 on September 2, 2015 at 1:25 am

The reason the seats decreased is because for a period time the theater was used for stage shows and a huge stage was built.

rivest266
rivest266 on August 4, 2018 at 6:20 pm

Listings as Foothill started on July 11th, 1935. No grand opening ad found.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on October 9, 2021 at 6:39 pm

Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 12, 1952: “Robert Lippert sold the 687-seat Foothill in Oakland to the Golden State Circuit.”

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