Theatres of Oakland (Images of America)

This building’s present use is for retail. within the photo above, the Piedmont is displaying Million greenback secret, a 23-part Thanhouser serial published in 1914 and 1915. Locals additionally take note seeing the preferred Broncho Billy westerns made by way of Essanay in close by Niles. the picture lower than positive aspects actor Gilbert M. Anderson with rifle in hand in Broncho Billy and the fake observe (1915). (Broncho Billy picture courtesy Niles Essanay Silent movie Museum. ) William Fox featured Theodosia Goodman of Ohio, renamed Theda Bara, as “The Vamp” who whispered, “Kiss me, my idiot” within the Fox movie A idiot there has been. This handbill, from inventory produced for nationwide distribution, used to be given out in 1916 via the Alcatraz Theatre situated at 6384 Telegraph road close to the Berkeley-Oakland border. The movie, made in 1914, premiered in long island urban on January 12, 1915, and performed on the T&D downtown a complete yr earlier than it made its solution to North Oakland. jogging a couple of blocks north into Berkeley, the place freshly published modern motion pictures additionally performed roughly at the same time with downtown Oakland, can have additionally afforded enthusiasts a quicker glance, that may good were one of many purposes for the Alcatraz’s early death. in the course of its brief run, from 1913 to round 1917, the theatre used to be often referred to as the Colonial. apart from the later addition of a sweet counter, this can be how the Piedmont Theatre foyer sorted a tremendous transform in 1934 via Alexander A. Cantin. the steps at left ended in the hot balcony with loge seating the place smoking was once accredited. consumers could usually need to look forward to a seat to open up, accordingly the comfy upholstered chairs and ashtray. As outfitted, a tiled water fountain supplied the single refreshment for purchasers, however the present-day foyer is dedicated to meals revenues. The stenciled paintings deco, 824-seat auditorium was once a deal with for the eyes with its zigzag and swirling photographs of water and hearth, pagodas, and toga-clad ladies. An unlucky triplexing within the Nineteen Seventies led to miniscule auditoriums being carved out of what used to be the upstairs loge and balcony part, however the downstairs part remained fairly unchanged. either the auditorium and foyer pictures have been made in 1945. the recent Piedmont Theatre, which opened in September 1917 at 4186 Piedmont street, is the oldest working motion-picture theatre in Oakland. It was once the next move for its proprietor, musician and artist David Rosebrook, who had led a theatre orchestra that after seemed downtown on the American Theatre. the unique auditorium had simply ground-floor seating, however it did have the considered necessary WurliTzer organ. A short-lived equipment was once the “pay-as-you-enter” process during which consumers dropped their admission right into a field, taking away the necessity for a cashier. ads in 1917 promised “always 8 reels” to a functionality. This view was once taken in 1945 after significant improvements a decade past had altered the unique visual appeal. The Claremont Theatre used to be in-built 1913 at 5110 Telegraph street. Architect Alfred W. Smith, having simply accomplished the Globe Theatre on Twenty-third road, was once commissioned to layout the theatre via house owner Francisco (Frank) Armanino, an area wine and liquor broker.