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AKA: California Theater, Bakersfield, CA; Fox Theatres Corporation, Fox California Theatre, Bakersfield, CA
Structure Type: built works - performing arts structures - theatres
Designers: Moeller, Carl G., Interior Designer (firm); Skouras Brothers, Theatre Management Company (firm); Carl Gerhardt Moeller (architectural designer); Charles Peter Skouras (interior designer); George Skouras (interior designer); Spyros Skouras (interior designer)
Dates: constructed 1920-1921
Building History
During the 1920s, various civic groups used the California Theatre for their meetings. For example, the local Elks Lodge used the facility for its Memorial Day observance in 1922; a convocation of farmers used the theatre in 03/1928 (in conjunction with a large agricultural exposition held in Bakersfield).
In 1938, the venue was known as the Fox California Theatre. (See Bakersfield, CA, City Directory, 1938, p. 737.)
Building Notes
Originally, this theatre held 959 patrons, and had an atmospheric movie palace interior. This one resembled a small, rustic town.
Alteration
A new Wurlitzer organ was installed at The California Theatre in 02/1921. The Skouras Brothers, a theatre remodeling company active on the West Coast, redesigned the California's atmospheric interior into one more Streamline Moderne, c. 1945. It was later remodeled after this, and reused as a bank before 2003. The interior was redesigned by the Skouras
PCAD id: 10707
