Crest Theatre (Closed)
Oceanside, CA Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
Another Oceanside movie-house find is the Crest Theatre, where the rooftop framework gave the name a place above the surrounding storefronts. Check out the individual letters climbing the open steel tower. No need for an enormous sign cabinet when the theater’s name could make its way up a ladder.
Opened in 1951, the Crest paired its tall sign with a curved entrance and a straightforward neighborhood marquee. The corner setting gave moviegoers a place to meet, check the program, and head inside. Quite a few evenings began beneath those five rooftop letters.
UPDATE: The Crest Theater is now the Grace church. The marquee is still up sporting a new paint job, but is no longer lit and its letters now spell Grace instead of Crest. Many thanks to James Cimarusti for update. 02-07
UPDATE: The former theater now houses Grace Vineyard Christian Fellowship. The rooftop framework survives, with GRACE lettering taking the place of CREST. The congregation began using the building following its 1997 purchase by a developer and bought the property itself in 2019. A different gathering inside, and a familiar-looking announcement overhead. 10-26
Bay Theatre (Gone)
National City, CA
Architect S. Charles Lee Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
Rising above the entrance, the tall lettered tower once made the Bay Theatre an easy National City landmark to spot. Check out the way the vertical sign carried the theater’s name toward the sky. Three letters were enough to do quite a bit of roadside advertising.
Designed by S. Charles Lee, the Bay had the sort of entrance that could draw attention from well down the street. The tower gave the low building extra height and a little movie-house ceremony, even after films stopped appearing on the program.
UPDATE: The old BAY tower collapsed during a winter storm on January 9, 2018, falling onto the sidewalk and damaging the marquee below. The building had become a church by then. The loss took away the most recognizable feature of this former National City theater. 10-26
Mission Theatre
Fallbrook, CA Photo courtesy Louis Di Fazio
Looks like a few horses could be tied up outside the Mission Theatre in Fallbrook. The old western-looking frontage would fit right into a television town where the cast of Bonanza might stop by after a long day on the range. Fortunately, a theater ticket is easier to come by than a stagecoach.
The Main Avenue setting helps the illusion along, with the theater sitting among downtown storefronts rather than in a sprawling multiplex parking lot. Serving Fallbrook since 1948, the Mission has had plenty of time to become part of the town’s everyday scenery.
UPDATE: The Mission is open again and hosts films, concerts, comedy, and other live events. Its current calendar confirms that the old “closed” description no longer applies. There’s still entertainment behind this western-looking front, even when nobody arrives wearing spurs. 10-26
Guild Theatre
San Diego, CA Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey
How about a theater stop in Hillcrest? The Guild Theatre paired its projecting marquee with a curved, Mission-style frontage, giving Fifth Avenue a movie-house landmark with a little neighborhood charm. Check out the way the sign reached over the sidewalk, putting the theater’s name right in the path of passing motorists.
The building opened as the Hillcrest Theatre in 1913, bringing movies outside downtown San Diego at a time when neighborhood picture houses were still something new. It later took on the Guild name and became a familiar destination for audiences looking for something beyond the usual big Hollywood release.
Guild Theatre
San Diego, CA Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey
The marquee and decorative front gave the small theater plenty to show off from the street. Around the back, things looked a little less ready for opening night. Apparently, even an old movie house had a good side when it came time for a close-up.
UPDATE: The Guild Theater was gutted and turned into two retail spaces. The
original sign and marquee was removed and was replaced by a modern, faux
marquee advertising the shops. No character. Many thanks to Matt J. for update. 10-05
UPDATE: The Guild closed in 1997, and the original theater was demolished in 2002. Its replacement received a facade designed to resemble the earlier frontage, carrying a little of the old theater’s appearance into the building’s retail chapter. The auditorium and original marquee are gone, but the familiar curves still offer a reminder of Fifth Avenue’s movie-going days. 10-26
Star Theatre
Oceanside, CA Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
What better name for a movie house than the Star Theatre? This Oceanside landmark even supplies its own stars, so there’s something to admire before the sun goes down. Check out the tall vertical lettering and the star accents surrounding it. After dark, the neon gets a chance to put on a show above Coast Highway.
Opened in 1956 with Moby Dick, the Star gave local moviegoers a sizable screen and an entrance worth remembering. The sign helped point the way, rising above the storefronts with enough personality to catch the attention of travelers just passing through town. No telescope needed to find these stars.
There’s a little ghost lore inside, too. Local stories describe figures near the projection room and a mysterious man seenoccupying a seat during performances. Apparently, getting a good seat is a concern that follows some theater patrons for quite a while.
Star
Theatre
Oceanside, CA Photo courtesy Jimmy Bowman
UPDATE: The Star Theater in Oceanside is now a performing arts center (and sometime church). Unfortunately, they no longer show movies there. Many thanks to James Cimarusti for update. 02-07
UPDATE: The Star now hosts live productions through the Star Theatre Company and its youth company. The old movie house continues welcoming audiences, while its familiar neon sign remains a highlight along Coast Highway. The entertainment has moved from the screen to the stage, with plenty of stars still waiting outside. 10-26
Crest Theatre (Closed)
Bay Theatre (Gone)
Mission Theatre
Guild Theatre
Guild Theatre
Star Theatre
Star
Theatre
