7/11/2001

Riverside, CA. Municipal Museum

1928 Fox Theater, 3801 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside,CA. Designed by the firm of Balch and Stanberry [sic], this Mission Revival theater opened in 1928 as a combination cinema-vaudeville house. Among the performers who entertained on its stage were Bing Crosby and Judy Garland (under her real name, Frances Gumm). With the death of vaudeville, space formerly occupied by the large stage was converted to a smaller cinema, [the Lido Theatre], fronting Mission Inn Avenue, in 1942. Due to its proximity to Hollywood, the Fox served through the 1960's as a choice motion picture preview house. The first public screening of "Gone With The Wind" took place in this building.