Santa Ana Army Air Base Theatre

Theatre No. 3, the largest theatre at the Santa Ana Army Air Base, seating 1,092, opened February 1, 1943, with the world premiere of John Ridgley in “Air Force” and director Howard Hawks in attendance. Theatre No. 1 had opened on March 10, 1942, with James Cagney in “Captains of the Clouds", followed by Theatre No. 2 on April 28 of that year. Admission to the base theatres was 15c and on August 22, 1943, the millionth ticket was sold at the theatres.

On April 14, 1943, Bob Hope broadcast his regular Tuesday night show from the theatre. In May Jack Benny and Eddie Cantor entertained the troops.

More than 128,000 men trained at the base from 1942 to 1945, including such notables as Joe DiMaggio, Gene Autry and Joseph Heller.

Orange Coast College held its first commencement in the theatre in June 1949. Other buildings on the 1,300-acre site were taken by the Orange County Fairgrounds, which sits on the site today.

The city of Costa Mesa was incorporated in 1953. The theatres were located in today’s Mesa del Mar neighborhood between Fairview Avenue and Lorenzo Avenue, near the Costa Mesa High School tennis courts.

The complete history of the Santa Ana Army Air Base is documented in “The SAAAB Story” by Edrick J. Miller.

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