Ken Cinema

Placed its first ad on December 27th, 1946. Posted in photo section.

When I lived in San Diego during the 90’s, I lived right around the corner from the Ken Theatre. Next door was the best video store in town, Kensington Video. I was fortunate to many modern classic films on the big screen in glorious 35mm. I saw several great films including Barry Lyndon, Cabaret, A Clockwork Orange, The Exorcist, Taxi Driver and Midnight Cowboy, just to name a few. Great foreign films Das Boot, Pelle the Conqueror, Burnt by the Sun, and Dersu Uzala. It was nice to have the Ken in town, a place I could escape to. Too bad the rising costs of greed, keep theatres like the Ken from existence. For cinephiles, the next best place is Quentin Tarantino’s New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles. One of the few great places left in the country where you can still catch a good old classic movie in 35mm. Thank you Quentin!

Shortly after the Landmark publicist sent out next week’s bookings to the media they sent out a notice they were closing the theaters because of Coronavirus.

While they will re-open someday at least one won’t survive.  The Ken in San Diego was one of the earliest theaters in the chain, for many years a great rep house. Beloved by the locals it had a Crying Room and  Cigar Room (used for private parties and then storage by the time LTC —-actually called Parallax Theatres then—– got it). A dedicated staff made sure it was a welcoming and fun place to see great movies.

But alas…it is closed now forever unless an angel comes to save it.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/story/2020-02-25/ken-cinemas-future-uncertain-as-landmark-theatres-pulls-out

A loving editorial that also points out the negatives that the writer didn’t mind. https://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/apr/15/ken-cinema-closing/

https://twitter.com/cinebeth/status/1231772281094856705?s=19

“After long consideration and much effort, we regret that we are unable to continue operating the Ken Cinema.”

Just a quick note to point out that the Ken no longer runs carbon arc as is noted in the description above.

And… it will live!

It’ll be closed from Monday to Thursday and be back on Friday, 02 May 2014.

I liked the Ken best during its days as a repertory cinema, with a new double-feature on the bill every day of the week! I remember going in for a film, getting a large cup of Celestial Seasonings orange-spice tea, and settling in. I suppose you still can…but whether the tea is the same or not, I couldn’t say! Great theatre. Also, back in about 1981 or 82, on many Saturday nights a trip to see “Dance Craze” the ska concert-film was the same as going to a concert. The theatre was packed, and everyone was in their seat, then when the music started, the whole place was on their feet and bouncing off the walls. What a great time! I left many molecules off the soles of my Penny-Loafers on the floors and carpets of the Ken!

Sorry, the date you have for the Ken’s inception is wrong. It may have been conflated with the construction date for San Diego’s Hillcrest Theater (later the Guild).

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/sep/14/ken-cinema-celebrates-100-years-film-not-its-100th/

One of the comments in the above link states that a resident “who has lived in Kensington since 1945, says he remembers only a vacant lot on the west half of the 4000-block of south side of Adams Avenue until the theater opened in 1947.”

Other local histories also support a 1947 opening, as does information passed to me by people who worked with the Ken’s Bob Berkum before his retirement in the early 1980s.

Does anyone have any information on the Ken pre-1947 remodel? Did it actually show movies before then?

Can’t make out that One-sheet!

I recently took a weekend trip to San Diego. While in San Diego I wanted to visited any historic theaters that were still left in the city. I was sadden to find out that Ken Cinema was the last single-screen theater in San Diego. of course I had to see film, “ Holy Rollers.” I am happy this theater at least remains.

Thanks.