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Your guide to movie theaters

 * Movie Theaters
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 * Oakland
 * Downtown
 * Paramount Theatre


PARAMOUNT THEATRE

2025 BROADWAY,
OAKLAND, CA 94612

Open
1 screen
2,998 seats

59 people favorited this theater

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The Paramount Theatre of the Arts (Official)


ADDITIONAL INFO

Previously operated by: Fox West Coast Theatres, Nasser Bros. Theaters, National
General Theatres, Paramount Pictures Inc., Paramount-Publix

Architects: James Rupert Miller, Timothy L. Pflueger

Firms: Miller & Pflueger

Functions: Performing Arts

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Paramount Theatre of the Arts

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 510.465.6400
Manager: 510.893.2300


NEARBY THEATERS

 * Telenews Theatre
 * Fox Oakland Theater
 * Fox Orpheum Theatre
 * Roxie Theatre
 * Esquire Theatre


NEWS ABOUT THIS THEATER

 * May 9, 2008 — Theatre Historical Society Conclave To Visit Bay Area
 * Aug 3, 2007 — Oakland Movie Palace rivals to compete
 * Oct 10, 2006 — Theatres of Oakland book now on sale!



A truly magnificent example of Art Deco style beauty and construction, Oakland’s
3,476 seat Paramount Theatre is a marvellous counterpart to Radio City Music
Hall, NYC in gilded glory. The Paramount Theatre was opened December 16, 1931
with Kay Francis in “The False Madonna”, a “Fox Movietone” newsreel, a Silly
Symphony cartoon “The Spider and the Fly” and on the stage a 45-minute Fanchon &
Marco revue “Slavique Idea”. Attending the opening were film-stars George
Bancroft, Elissa Landi, John Boles, Francis Dee and John Breedon. It was
equipped with a Wurlitzer 4 manual 20 ranks theatre organ. After operating for
six months with a movie & stage show policy, it was closed for a year, reopening
in May 1933, managed by Frank Burhans who had come from the Warfield Theatre,
San Francisco. It was now purely a movie house. It was briefly taken over by the
Nasser Bros. Theaters circuit, followed by Fox West Coast Theatres.

In 1953 it was equipped with CinemaScope to screen “The Robe” starring Richard
Burton. The Wurlitzer organ had been little used after 1932, and was removed
from the theatre in the late-1950’s. The Paramount Theatre was closed by
National General Theatres on September 15, 1970 with The Beatles in “Let It Be”.
It was then used for occasional movies. At the end of 1971 it was used as a
location shoot for the movie “The Candidate”. In October 1972, it was purchased
as a new home for the Oakland Symphony Orchestra. The final movie to play the
Paramount Theatre was a matinee performance on December 19, 1972 of “Joy in the
Morning” starring Richard Chamberlain.

The following day work began on a full restoration of the theatre. It reopened
September 22, 1973 with a reduced seating capacity of 2,998. On October 1, 1975,
the Paramount Theatre was gifted by the Oakland Symphony Orchestra to the city
of Oakland for $1.00. In 1974 a Wurlitzer organ was installed, the 4 manual 27
ranks instrument have originally been installed in the Capitol Theatre, Detroit,
MI. The organ made its debut in November 1981. On October 1, 1975, the Paramount
Theatre was gifted by the Oakland Symphony Orchestra to the City of Oakland for
$1.00. Regular classic film shows featuring the organ were very popular.

Sadly in early-November 2021 it was announced that the Paramount Theatre’s
regular classic movie screenings with the organ used as part of the program
would be discontinued as they have become unviable. Films were presented on 35mm
projectors, the theatre having not been equipped with digital projection.

Unlike the San Francisco Fox Theatre, this classic is still very much alive in
the Bay area.

The Paramount Theatre was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

Contributed by Ken Roe
Get Movie Tickets & Showtimes



RECENT COMMENTS (VIEW ALL 69 COMMENTS)

calcynic on April 18, 2011 at 4:30 pm

This is simply a treasure and must be sampled. If you live in the BayArea and
haven’t been there…..whaddya waitin fer????

trainmaster on April 19, 2011 at 11:17 am

I take it you are referring to the Paramount Theater tours.

For ONLY $3.00, on the first and third Saturdays, you get an cmplete tour of the
Paramount. It lasts about two hours and you are shown
the entire theater. What a bargain!!!!!!

For $17.00 (according to the 2011 edition of the AAA New York tour guide book),
you get a one-hour tour of the Radio City Music Hall.
That place is easily twice the size of the Paramount, and 1-hour hardly covers
the place.

You won’t regret taking a tour of the Paramount. More than likely, you will want
to take it again and again.

trainmaster

owlhen on October 29, 2011 at 11:14 am

The tour of the paramount is well worth the $3. It’s nice to go there for a show
(movies or live performance), but the in-depth information and time you get to
spend with the theater on the tour is a real treat. The groups are small and you
get to take your time appreciating all the details without having to navigate a
crowd or hustle to your seat. The lounge areas adjacent to some of the
rest-rooms are just as much of a treat as the auditorium. Going to the Paramount
for any reason is like stepping into a time machine – highly recommended, and if
you’re in the area you have no excuse NOT to see it.

Mikeyisirish on June 27, 2012 at 10:58 am

A few 2011 photos can be seen here, here and here.

JeffryBluRay on April 5, 2013 at 12:31 am

I attended one of the showings of Abel Gance’s NAPOLEON in April of 2012 and was
just blown away at how gorgeous the theater was and the quality of the
projection work. Just a gorgeous theater and I am so glad I had the chance to
see it in all its glory.

pbignardi on July 6, 2013 at 4:02 pm

For many years the Paramount ran a classic movie series, and going to see a
classic movie in this theater was like a step back in time to a wonderful and
long lost era. Classics I saw here included Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, North
by Northwest, Jason and Argonauts, and Giant. The mighty Wurlitzer played and it
was an amazing experience. Much of downtown Oakland is heavy with Art Deco
designed buildings, but this is the best. It is good that the downtown may
finally be getting an infusion of money and interest to restore it to its past
glory.

ERD on July 3, 2016 at 12:56 pm

Good to know this theatre is being well maintained.

terrywade on August 1, 2016 at 2:13 am

I worked at the Fox Paramount in the mid 60’s. The manager was Robert Apple, a
great showman. This is were I saw my first CinemaScope® film in the early 50’s.
They had many true studio sneak previews. I worked the time they showed the
sneak preview of ‘Mollie Brow’ in 4 track mag stereo. When the movie was
released at the Paramount later on they only sent a mono print. MR Apple was
very upset I remember ‘Mollie’ had some great surround sound effects and the
Paramount had plenty of surround speakers in the balcony also. So nice It’s
still open and they do show movies once in a while.

rivest266 on August 4, 2018 at 10:26 am

Opening ad Paramount Oakland opening Tue, Dec 15, 1931 – Page 29 · Oakland
Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com

HowardBHaas on February 25, 2023 at 9:42 am

Why was the great weekly classic series discontinued in 2022? it was always
popular. There are still 35mm prints of classics.

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