The theater was designed by Fresno firm, Johnson & Moore Consulting Engineers who designed the Biola Theater and Johnson was involved earlier in some of the facade work on the Warnors Theater in Fresno. It officially opened on 30 November 1948.[1]
In 1956 Acosta leased the Azteca Theater to Arturo Tirado[1] who is closely associated with the theater and entertainment in the Hispanic community into the 1980s when he retired. In 1961 Tirado was President of the Spanish Pictures Exhibitors Association representing 300 movie theaters in the United States. His father Romualdo Tirado was well known in California theater and a Cantinflas.
Besides popular films from the Mexican Cinema, singers and theatrical acts frequented the stage. The theater was a rallying point for César Chávez on 24 March 1966 when he made his march from Delano to Sacramento. [1]
The Azteca closed in the late 1980s and was partially reopening in 1999 with an art gallery and events. In 2014, the theater was restored.[3]
Architectureedit
The Azteca Theater is a 2-story brick masonry building constructed in a late Art Deco style.[1] A statue of Bruce Lee stands in the lobby, a hint of the fact that the theater would also play kung-fu movies.[3] The walls of the dressing room in the backstage have signatures of many artists that performed in the theater.[2]
The wooden organ pipes that were part of the theater are now on display on the walls of the next door bar, A Love letter to Fresno.[4]
^ abcde"Azteca Theater (1948)". Historicfresno.org. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
^ abEzra David Romero (2 October 2014). "Teatro Azteca: Dreaming Up Spanish Language Theater In Fresno". KVPR. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
^ ab"Azteca theatre in Fresno's Chinatown being restored". ABC 30. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
^"'A Love letter to Fresno'. Tower District's newest bar opens with plenty to see inside". Fresno Bee. 14 December 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
Gonzales, Manuel G. (March 2006). "Arturo Tirado and the Teatro Azteca: Mexican popular culture in the central San Joaquin Valley". California History. 83 (4): 46.
azteca, theater, fresno, california, azteca, theater, teatro, azteca, historic, deco, theater, chinatown, district, fresno, california, built, gustavo, acosta, 1948, theater, first, spanish, language, cinema, joaquin, valley, serving, growing, population, mexi. The Azteca Theater Teatro Azteca is a historic Art Deco theater in the Chinatown district of Fresno California built by Gustavo Acosta in 1948 The theater was the first Spanish language cinema in the San Joaquin Valley serving a growing population of Mexican Americans in California s Central Valley It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017 1 Theatro Azteca 2006 Contents 1 History 2 Architecture 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editThe theater was designed by Fresno firm Johnson amp Moore Consulting Engineers who designed the Biola Theater and Johnson was involved earlier in some of the facade work on the Warnors Theater in Fresno It officially opened on 30 November 1948 1 In 1956 Acosta leased the Azteca Theater to Arturo Tirado 1 who is closely associated with the theater and entertainment in the Hispanic community into the 1980s when he retired In 1961 Tirado was President of the Spanish Pictures Exhibitors Association representing 300 movie theaters in the United States His father Romualdo Tirado was well known in California theater and a Cantinflas Known as the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema Cantinflas Pedro Infante Maria Felix Agustin Lara Pedro Vargas Miguel Aceves Mejia Pedro Armendariz Antonio Aguilar and Jose Alfredo Jimenez were among the luminaries seen at the Azteca Theater 2 Besides popular films from the Mexican Cinema singers and theatrical acts frequented the stage The theater was a rallying point for Cesar Chavez on 24 March 1966 when he made his march from Delano to Sacramento 1 The Azteca closed in the late 1980s and was partially reopening in 1999 with an art gallery and events In 2014 the theater was restored 3 Architecture editThe Azteca Theater is a 2 story brick masonry building constructed in a late Art Deco style 1 A statue of Bruce Lee stands in the lobby a hint of the fact that the theater would also play kung fu movies 3 The walls of the dressing room in the backstage have signatures of many artists that performed in the theater 2 The wooden organ pipes that were part of the theater are now on display on the walls of the next door bar A Love letter to Fresno 4 See also editAzteca Theater Houston Texas History of Mexican Americans CaliforniosReferences edit a b c d e Azteca Theater 1948 Historicfresno org Retrieved 19 May 2022 a b Ezra David Romero 2 October 2014 Teatro Azteca Dreaming Up Spanish Language Theater In Fresno KVPR Retrieved 19 May 2022 a b Azteca theatre in Fresno s Chinatown being restored ABC 30 24 September 2014 Retrieved 19 May 2022 A Love letter to Fresno Tower District s newest bar opens with plenty to see inside Fresno Bee 14 December 2021 Retrieved 19 May 2022 Gonzales Manuel G March 2006 Arturo Tirado and the Teatro Azteca Mexican popular culture in the central San Joaquin Valley California History 83 4 46 External links editAzteca Theater official website Cinema Treasures Azteca Theater EnVision March 2009 Fresno Film Commission 36 43 44 N 119 47 36 W 36 7290 N 119 7933 W 36 7290 119 7933 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Azteca Theater Fresno California amp oldid 1203475666, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
