Showcase Theatre
13200 Central Avenue,
Boulder Creek,
CA
95006
13200 Central Avenue,
Boulder Creek,
CA
95006
2 people
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So Forest Theatre name should be removed, and Showcase Theatre should replace it as the last name it operated as a theatre as.
GaryParks’ comment that this theatre dates to “1947 or so” is spot on, it was opened by W. C. Dolan as the “Dolan Theatre” in the spring of that year. This was reported in the May 3 issue of Billboard and the May 16 issue of The Film Daily. The opening was also mentioned in the May 2 issue of the Motion Picture Daily. All three mentioned it was a Quonset style theatre seating 400. When plans to build what would become the Dolan were announced in the fall of 1946, The Film Daily reported it was expected to cost $14,000.
This was never the Forest Theatre, having opened as the Dolan, later renamed the Burl and, according to an above comment by garrufat, was the Showcase Theatre by 1975.
There was a Forest Theatre in Boulder Creek that was operating as early as 1922 and as late as 1939, I’m sure will be listed on CT before long.
Late `40s photo as Dolan Theatre added courtesy Neil Bass. Definitely the same facade/building on the Quonsot hut auditorium. So Dolan Theatre should be added as an previous name. Mr. Bass claims it was still open in 1977 when he saw “Reefer Madness”. Boulder Creek Pizza & Pub is the current tenant as of February 2020 per Yelp.
Someone in Boulder Creek that has old 8x10 photos or of the outside or inside of the Burl Theatre or ad flyers needs to put them inside the radio station windows or pizza place now inside this former cinema building. Most young people have no idea this still open building with a second floor added was once the local movie theatre for Boulder Creek CA. It does say on the roof Burl Building. Thanks Terry
A little bit off topic but sure miss the Forest Pool, went there during summer visits down from San Francisco. Looks like they demolished it, Google Maps just shows dirt. Do the Hiltons who owned the Forest Theater still own the land that the pool stood on?
Just an FYI about the Burl Theatre in Boulder Creek. I became the projectionist in late 1975 when it was the Showcase Theatre. After 6 months I ended up renting the building under my commercial business The Boulder Creek Theatre in the summer of 1976 – Gone With The Wind was our July 4th opening. Eventually I split the week with 35mm films on the 1926 Simplex carbon arc projectors (factoid to remember – sound came out in 1927 – these beasts had turntable drives for silent records, and optical sound track heads for sound on films – they were classic antiques) After creating the Santa Cruz Mountain Community Theatre non-profit effort to save the theatre we presented music shows on the weekends and showed feature movies during the week. This was about the time that Scotts Valley Cinema opened. I had to meet with SF cigar chomping film distributor’s to explain the split week thing. It had never been done before but those old guys respected Harold Hilton, the old guy I learned from. His parents bought the Dolan for him in the late ‘40s when he also had Forest Pool. He had a small pipe organ in his house overlooking Boulder Creek and highway 9 when he shared his life with me in 1976. The country club off 236 has a Hilton Dr(?) in his honor. More info soon if there’s interest. Greg Arrufat
Small architectural correction, as I stopped by the former Burl today: The exterior of the commercial block in front is, and always was, faced in wood, not stucco as I erroneously said in my description above.
It’s time to bring back the Burl Theatre to Boulder Creek CA as a second run cinema. This will be Santa Cruz’s first second run theatre if ever opened as a movie place again. Many first run movies just play a short time as the college town nearby of Santa Cruz is under screened. Many art films don’t even play in town. When they converted the Burl they put in a second level floor for a gym long gone, so this will have to torn out to make one large theatre. Good news in the nearby city of Felton CA the Trout Farm Inn has reopened with a nice remodel to the pool and restaurant.
In the late 50s and early 60s this was known as the BURL Theatre. Operated by Harold & Winnie Hilton who also operayted the Forest Swimming Pool. Their son Bobby served as the projectionist.
I am now inclined to believe that the Forest Theatre which was listed in the 1941 and 1943 Film Daily Yearbook editions with 150 seats has to be a different, earlier theatre than the Dolan/Burl. The Dolan is a Quonset-built structure, and therefore dates to around 1947 or so. The Quonset was developed for wartime use in 1941, and was utilized often for theatre construction after the war, its peak use seeming to be in 1947-48. Quonset theatres typically had a capacity of between 400 and 700 seats. 150 seats, as the Forest had, is far too small a capacity, let alone the fact that Quonsets hadn’t been put to civilian use in 1941 or ‘43.
The Burl Theare in Boulder Creek Ca still stands. At one time they put a gym on the top level. The same people I think owned a small Drive In also in Boulder Creek across from the Boulder Creek Country Club. Called the Starview or Starlite. One of the great things about this little Santa Cruz mountain theatre It was a fun to go during the summer in the 60’s. They ran 2 movies, had curtains and color lights on the side walls. I collected the monthly adds with small photos on what was playing for the whole month. Like a movie Calendar. To bad my dad tossed out all my collection of movie adds for this theatre and the Encina Drive In in Santa Cruz. CA when I was on vacation in Hawaii in the mid 60’s. I didn’t talk to him for 2 months. At least he did'nt get to my poster collection. If your in the Santa Cruz mountains go by and check out this nice little town Boulder Creek CA and check out what is left of the Burl Theatre. Look on the side of the quonset hut of the former Burl. I talked to a former manager in the 70’s she told me they closed it because the kids kept cutting the seats up. Bad kids on summer vacation! They sold the Drive In for a houses. Never put in Cinemascope at the Drive In as I think it went down mid 50’s? The Burl had a very nice size scope screen up till it closed. The only other theatre still open is a small 6 plex in Scotts Valley Ca. Or you can drive into Santa Cruz and check out the Delmar Theatre downtown. Regal also has a multiplex on the main st in Santa Cruz along with a small twin near the river. The old Encina Drive In is still open under a new name and has been twinned in Santa Cruz. I think the Burl can be brought back someday so the people of Boulder Creek have a movie place to go. Just keep the rough kids out! If they were that bad in the 60’s the new kids are worse now. Show family films and art movies at night. Make the kids come with the parents. It is a very safe town,I think in the 60’s you got the beach kids that liked to cause trouble.
Listed in the 1941 and 1943 editions of Film Daily Yearbook as the Forest Theatre, Boulder Creek, CA with a seating capacity of 150. It is listed as (Closed) in both editions.
Last year I bought a black and white postcard of this theatre from the 40s (judging by the cars out front). At the time, the theatre was called the Dolan. “DOLAN THEATRE” was written on the marquee in neon.
In the mid-1960s the theatre was known as the Burl (after redwood burl I’d imagine) and showed a fare of sub-run films changed twice a week. It was a family-run operation at the time. Admission was 80 cents (first-run in the area was about $1.50 at the time).