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Paramount Theatre (Oakland, California)

January 06, 2023

The Paramount Theatre is a 3,040-seat Art Deco concert hall located at 2025 Broadway in Downtown Oakland. When it was built in 1931, it was the largest multi-purpose theater on the West Coast, seating 3,476.[4][5] Today, the Paramount is the home of the Oakland East Bay Symphony and the Oakland Ballet. It regularly plays host to R&B, jazz, blues, pop, rock, gospel, classical music, as well as ballets, plays, stand-up comedy, lecture series, special events, and screenings of classic movies from Hollywood's Golden Era.

Paramount Theatre
Location2025 Broadway
Oakland, California, USA
Coordinates37°48′34″N 122°16′05″W / 37.809532°N 122.26805°W / 37.809532; -122.26805
Public transit 19th Street
OwnerCity of Oakland
Nonprofit
TypeIndoor theater
Seating typeOrchestra, balcony
Capacity3,040
Construction
Opened1931
Renovated1973
Website
www.paramounttheatre.com
Paramount Theatre
Grand Lobby interior, Fountain of Light over entrance and marquee
Location in Oakland/East Bay
LocationOakland, California
Coordinates37°48′36″N 122°16′4″W / 37.81000°N 122.26778°W / 37.81000; -122.26778Coordinates: 37°48′36″N 122°16′4″W / 37.81000°N 122.26778°W / 37.81000; -122.26778
Arealess than one acre
Built1931
ArchitectTimothy Pflueger
Architectural styleArt Deco
NRHP reference No.73000395[1]
CHISL No.884[2]
ODL No.9
Significant dates
Added to NRHPAugust 14, 1973
Designated NHLMay 5, 1977[3]
Designated CHISL1975[2]
Designated ODL1975

History

The Paramount Theatre was built as a movie palace, during the rise of the motion picture industry in the late 1920s. Palace was both a common and an accurate term for the movie theaters of the 1920s and early 1930s.[according to whom?] In 1925, Adolph Zukor's Paramount Publix Corporation, the theater division of Paramount Pictures, one of the great studio-theater chains, began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters built. Publix assigned the design of the Oakland Paramount to 38-year-old San Francisco architect Timothy L. Pflueger (1892–1946) of Miller and Pflueger. The Paramount opened at a cost of $3 million on December 16, 1931.[6] Pflueger was also the designer of the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. The Art Deco design referred to the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris.[7] The term Art Deco has been used only since the late 1960s, when there was a revival of interest in the art and fashion of the early 20th century.[8]

The Paramount organ was built by Wurlitzer for the Paramount Publix theaters: a four-manual, twenty-rank model called the Publix I (Opus 2164), which cost $20,000 in 1931.

The gala premiere on December 16, 1931, was attended by Kay Francis, star of the opening film, The False Madonna,[9] and cast members Conway Tearle, Charles D. Brown, Marjorie Gateson, and William Boyd (not yet known as Hopalong Cassidy). Notable guests included California's governor James Rolph and Oakland mayor Fred N. Morcom. Tickets were first-come, first-served: sixty cents for the balcony seat and eighty-five cents for a seat in the orchestra.[10] The program also included a Fox Movietone News newsreel, a Silly Symphony animated cartoon The Spider and the Fly, and the music of the Paramount's own 16-piece house orchestra, under the direction of Lew Kosloff. Last on the program was the stage show Fanchon & Marco's "Slavique Idea", a forty-minute revue featuring Sam Hearn, comedians Brock and Thompson, dancer LaVonne Sweet, the acrobatic Seven Arconis, Patsy Marr, and the Sunkist Beauties in a chorus-line finale.

In June 1932 the Paramount closed, unable to meet operating expenses of more than $27,000 per week. Competing with Paramount was the Fox Oakland Theater, which had opened in 1928. The Paramount stayed closed for nearly a year. The days when movie theaters could support not just the showing of movies, but entire orchestras, stage shows, and uniformed attendants, were over, just as the Paramount was being completed. When it reopened in May 1933, it was under the management of Frank Burhans, the manager of the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco. He was commissioned to get the Paramount out of debt, and his method for achieving this was to operate without either a stage show or an orchestra, and to unscrew light bulbs in an effort to reduce energy expenses.[citation needed] The Paramount showed the best of the new motion pictures, including such features as Dancing Lady (1933) with Joan Crawford and Clark Gable, Dames (1934) with Dick Powell, and The Gay Divorcee (1934) with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The Great Depression gave way to World War II, and the Port of Oakland became a major departure and arrival point for servicemen. The Paramount's comfortable chairs and spacious lounges were a favorite gathering place. In the 1950s, popcorn machines and candy counters were installed, and on the lobby walls the incandescent lights were taken out and replaced by neon tubing in red and blue. In 1953, it played the first CinemaScope movie The Robe with Richard Burton and Jean Simmons. The 1957 Elvis Presley's Jailhouse Rock attracted a thousand young people. At the end of the 1950s theaters were losing patrons to television, but the Paramount management responded with talent shows, prize nights, and advertising campaigns.

For a second time the Paramount closed on September 15, 1970, because it no longer was able to compete with smaller movie theaters in the suburbs. The Paramount's last film was Let It Be (1970) with The Beatles.[11] In 1971, a Warner Bros. movie, The Candidate, starring Robert Redford, was filmed using the interior of the Paramount as one of the principal locations.

Hope surfaced in October 1972 when the Oakland Symphony Orchestra Association (OSO), in need of a new home, purchased the Paramount for $1 million, half of which was donated by the seller, National General Theaters—formerly the Fox Theaters-West Coast—with the other half coming from generous[clarification needed] private donors. The popcorn machines and candy counters were removed. With the help of restoration project manager Peter Botto, new, wider seats were installed, the distance between rows was increased to provide more leg room, and a replica of the original carpet was laid throughout the theater. Two bars, one on the mezzanine and one on the lower level, and a new box office were added. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill were consultants for the restoration, with Milton Pflueger & Associates assisting. The Paramount reopened on September 22, 1973,[12] in its original 1931 splendor. Following the Opening the Oakland Symphony had sold out nearly all seats on subscription sales and sold out a majority of individual concerts.

But even with the house full the Paramount Theatre proved a financial burden to the Oakland Symphony. In addition the Oakland Symphony financed renovation costs with a $1 million loan. Rather than continue absorbing the Paramount's operating losses, the Oakland Symphony transferred the Paramount to the City of Oakland in 1975 for $1 in exchange for 40 years of free rent. They continued with that agreement until the Oakland Symphony Orchestra filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in September 1986.

Seeing an opportunity, a group of seven private citizens banded together and approached city officials with the idea of managing and operating the Paramount on behalf of the city as a nonprofit organization. They agreed, and the management structure has remained to this day.

Walking into the main lobby, with its gold ornamentation along the walls, curving staircase, and glowing light fixtures, is like taking a trip back through Old Hollywood.[citation needed] Public tours of the Paramount Theatre are given on the first and third Saturdays of each month, excluding holidays and holiday weekends.[13] Documented in 1972 by the Historic American Buildings Survey, the theater was entered into the National Register of Historic Places on August 14, 1973, and became a California Registered Historical Landmark in 1976[14] and a U.S. National Historical Landmark in 1977.[3]

Photo gallery

  •  

    2005 view of marquee listing Elvis Costello

  •  

    1975 photograph by Jack E. Boucher showing the four-story Grand Lobby

  •  

    Fountain of Light over seven double doors at entrance

  •  

    Grand Lobby north wall showing dancing figures

  •  

    1932 image of auditorium ceiling and balcony soffit. Round holes in balcony edge are for stage lighting instruments. Dark windows in far wall are for film projectors and spotlights.

  •  

    1932 view looking down from the balcony at the ceiling, proscenium, curtain, seating and hydraulic orchestra pit

  •  

    Basement lounge showing stylized couches and benches. Note the bold wall and ceiling designs

  •  

    Mezzanine-level foyer

  •  

    Men's lounge, mezzanine level

  •  

    Women's lounge, basement level

  •  

    Women's Smoking Room, basement level

  •  

    Architect's basement plan

  •  

    Architect's first floor plan

  •  

    Architect's mezzanine plan

  •  

    Architect's longitudinal section (cutaway side view)

  •  

    A small section of Timothy L. Pflueger's patented ceiling grid which extends over the entire auditorium

  •  

    Detail of mosaic on facade

  •  

    Detail of mosaic on facade

  •  

    Detail of Women's Lounge, basement level

  • Alvin Tenpo's smugmug photos of the Paramount Theater, Oakland, California
  • Flickr photos of the Paramount Theatre, Oakland, California

Main events

Symphony and ballet

Michael Morgan was music director from September 1990 until his death in August 2021.[15][16] With its May 18, 2007, performance of George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess sold out, the Oakland East Bay Symphony opened its final rehearsal to the public.[17]

In December 2007, the Oakland Ballet celebrated the 35th anniversary of Ronn Guidi's Nutcracker at the Paramount Theatre, with Michael Morgan conducting the music of Tchaikovsky.

Notable concerts

The Paramount has hosted concerts by a wide variety of acts since the mid-1970s, including Bob Marley & The Wailers, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Prince, James Brown, Diana Ross, Bonnie Raitt, Al Green, Jeff Beck, Lionel Richie, B.B. King, Anita Baker, Brian Wilson, Elvis Costello, Gladys Knight, Lucinda Williams, and Nelly Furtado.[citation needed]

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1986

1988

1991

1992

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2011

Stand-up comedy

Black Comedy Explosion

Live stage plays

  • 1997 – The musical play The Wiz was at the Paramount, with Grace Jones, Peabo Bryson and CeCe Peniston.[62]
  • 2001 – The Diary of Black Men, directed by Clarence Whitmore, a play that had been touring the country since 1983[63]
  • 2006 – Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail played to a packed seven-date stint at the Paramount.[64]
  • 2008 – Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats was performed in May.

Classic movie nights

It wasn't until 1987 that the Paramount returned to its true calling as a movie house, showing Buster Keaton's The General (1926), a silent film accompanied by the Wurlitzer. In 1988, Casablanca (1942), starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, launched the first movie series. The 2002 feature was Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove (1964).[11]

In 2002 it showed Wizard of Oz (1939), with Judy Garland, and in 2004 the Paramount showed several classic movies: Harvey (1950), starring James Stewart, Viva Las Vegas (1964) starring Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret, The Graduate (1967) with Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft, and The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) starring Kirk Douglas and Lana Turner.

The Paramount Movie Classics series continues scheduling screenings throughout the year and is enthusiastically supported by guests and staff members alike who often dress up in costume as movie characters.[65]

Other

In order to accommodate the large number of people attending on the High Holy Days, since 2001 Oakland's Temple Sinai has held its main High Holy Day services at the Paramount, filling the entire 1,800 seats on the mezzanine of the theater, and most of the 1,200 seats in the balcony.[66]

Notable events

The Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame was founded in 1973 in Oakland. They held elegant events that honored such screen legends as Clarence Muse, Hattie McDaniel, Billy Dee Williams, Melvin Van Peebles, and Danny Glover with the Oscar Micheaux Awards. Some of the events were hosted at Oakland's Paramount Theatre. In 2001 Harry Belafonte, Eubie Blake and Diahann Carroll was inducted in the Filmmakers Hall of Fame at the Paramount.[67]

1995 – Poet Maya Angelou read from her work at a benefit at Paramount for the St. Paul's Episcopal School.[68]

1999 – Actress Halle Berry was at the Paramount for the premiere of Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, an HBO docudrama.[69]

2007 – Former Congressman Ron Dellums was sworn in on Monday, January 8, as Oakland's 48th mayor in a public ceremony at the Paramount Theatre. A crowd of 1,900 people gathered for the ceremony.[70]

2011 – Hosting of the premiere for the 2011 film Moneyball. The cast as well as some Oakland Athletics players and executives attended the premiere.

2012 – Abel Gance's film Napoléon had four screenings from March 24 to April 1 as part of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Accompanied by a live orchestra, Napoléon was shown at the original 20 frames per second and ending with a 20-minute final triptych sequence. These, the first US screenings of British film historian Kevin Brownlow's 5.5-hour-long restored version, were described[by whom?] as requiring three intermissions, one of which was a dinner break. Score arranger Carl Davis led the 46-piece Oakland East Bay Symphony for the performances.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Paramount Theatre". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  3. ^ a b
  4. ^ Pitts, Carolyn (February 17, 1977). "Paramount Theatre" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places – Nomination and Inventory. National Park Service. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  5. ^ "Paramount Theatre" (pdf). Photographs. National Park Service. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  6. ^ "Tours Rediscover Oakland Landmark. San Francisco Chronicle". November 20, 1998.
  7. ^ Menten, Theodore, The Art Deco Style in Household Objects, Architecture, Sculpture, Graphics, Jewelry, Courier Dover, (1972), ISBN 0-486-22824-X
  8. ^ Mackrell, Alice. Art And Fashion, Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., page 116, (2005) – ISBN 0-7134-8873-5
  9. ^ "The False Madonna". December 5, 1931. Retrieved April 16, 2017 – via IMDb.
  10. ^ Stone, Susannah Harris. The Oakland Paramount, Lancaster-Miller Publishers, page 18, (1982) – ISBN 0-89581-607-5
  11. ^ a b "Now playing -- grand nostalgia / Oakland's Paramount film series evokes an era of reel glamour". SFGate.com. August 2, 2002. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  12. ^ contributor. "Paramount Theatre". cinematour.com. Cinema Tour. Retrieved May 30, 2015. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ "Paramount Theatre: Guided Tours". ParamountTheatre.com. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  14. ^ "Landmark 884 – Paramount Theatre – Alameda County". DonaldLaird.com. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  15. ^ Voynovskaya, Nastia (August 20, 2021). "Michael Morgan, Visionary Oakland Symphony Conductor, Dies at Age 63". KQED Inc. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  16. ^ . OEBS.org. Archived from the original on June 3, 2008. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  17. ^ "DATE LINES / News, notes and updates from the Bay Area arts and culture scene". SFGate.com. April 30, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  18. ^ "Anita Baker -- Over the Top / Rapturous singing at Paramount overwhelms the songs". SFGate.com. April 5, 1995. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  19. ^ "Witherspoon still serving up the blues". SFGate.com. October 27, 1995. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  20. ^ "Raitt shows steal PBS spotlight". SFGate.com. December 8, 1995. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  21. ^ "Stevie Wonder Emerges From Hibernation / Singer wows concert crowd". SFGate.com. January 18, 1995. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  22. ^ "k.d. in the Comfort Zone / Crooner k.d. lang lacks edge at Paramount". SFGate.com. February 21, 1996. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  23. ^ "Waits Benefits Friend, Audience". SFGate.com. February 6, 1996. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  24. ^ "Charles Brown Gets His Reward / Raitt, Hooker celebrate R&B veteran's comeback". SFGate.com. November 4, 1997. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  25. ^ "A surprising "Porgy and Bess' at the Paramount". SFGate.com. November 3, 1997. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  26. ^ "Raitt Fundamentally Fine at Warfield / Singer entertains with musicianship, charm". SFGate.com. June 8, 1998. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  27. ^ "James Brown: Still "Pleasing'". SFGate.com. August 5, 1999. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  28. ^ "Something to Crow about". SFGate.com. April 13, 1999. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  29. ^ "Smoking Cubans / Ruben Gonzalez and Ibrahim Ferrer full of life in quirky, festive concert at end of S.F. Jazz Festival". SFGate.com. November 8, 1999. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  30. ^ "With a hot, 16-piece band behind her, she shows that her phenomenal solo album was not a fluke". SFGate.com. March 3, 1999. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  31. ^ "Maxwell's Silver Sound Blows Warm and Cool". SFGate.com. August 13, 1999. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  32. ^ "Pop Princess / Britney Spears makes adoring fans squeal with delight at Paramount Theatre". SFGate.com. July 31, 1999. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  33. ^ "Blige Taps Her Superpowers / Hip-hop queen gives knockout performance at Paramount Theatre". SFGate.com. August 25, 2000. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  34. ^ "James Brown Still Can't Act His Age / Birthday concert sets Paramount ablaze with funk". SFGate.com. May 12, 2000. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  35. ^ "D'Angelo's A Turn-On In Oakland / Singer seduces crowd with sexy, skillful R&B". SFGate.com. April 7, 2000. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  36. ^ "The Man in the Bubble / A gloomy Paul Simon lets his well-crafted music do the talking at the Paramount". SFGate.com. November 15, 2000. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  37. ^ "A Mesmerizing Badu Loosens Up". SFGate.com. March 13, 2001. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  38. ^ "Quixotic Bjork spreads her wings in Oakland". SFGate.com. October 19, 2001. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  39. ^ "Elfin Bjork alights in Oakland". SFGate.com. October 18, 2001. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  40. ^ "Maxwell has crowd swooning / No gimmicks, just sexy soul sound". SFGate.com. November 12, 2001. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  41. ^ "Amos through the ages / Singer's message as complex as ever". SFGate.com. November 13, 2001. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  42. ^ "REVIEW / Blige, royal and real / R&B star toys with dualities at Paramount". SFGate.com. March 2, 2002. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  43. ^ "Keys concert only hints at her power / Reigning soul diva is missing in action at crucial moments of Oakland show". SFGate.com. March 5, 2002. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  44. ^ "Purple reign at the Paramount as Prince pontificates / True believers lap it up at surprise show". SFGate.com. April 26, 2002. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  45. ^ "The (r)evolution of Erykah Badu / Revamped persona stands out but message remains same". SFGate.com. January 16, 2003. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  46. ^ . J-Notes.com. March 30, 2004. Archived from the original on November 18, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  47. ^ "Groban brings musical comfort food to Paramount". SFGate.com. January 30, 2004. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  48. ^ "Enrique doesn't have to sing to get his fans to scream". SFGate.com. February 26, 2004. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  49. ^ "I'm With The Band / Nels Cline talks about going from avant-garde improviser to Wilco's new guitarist". SFGate.com. November 11, 2004. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  50. ^ "Ballet aside, it comes down to rock for Costello". SFGate.com. March 24, 2005. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  51. ^ "Jill Scott's Soulful Slam / Singer unleashes her unique mix". SFGate.com. February 14, 2001. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  52. ^ "LOOKING FORWARD TO IT! / FORECAST". SFGate.com. May 21, 2006. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  53. ^ "Paramount Theatre presents: B.B. King & Mavis Staples". SFStation.com. Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  54. ^ "DATE LINES / News, notes and updates from the Bay Area arts and culture scene compiled by Chronicle staff writers and critics". SFGate.com. September 27, 2006. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  55. ^ "Late start, new approach disappoint Lauryn Hill fans at Oakland concert". SFGate.com. June 29, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  56. ^ "Review: Diana Ross sings blues, pop, disco – and it's all superb". SFGate.com. November 5, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  57. ^ "Rock on a Roll / Caustic comic does rip-roaring Oakland show -- and we can tell you about some of it". SFGate.com. March 9, 1999. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  58. ^ "Chris Rock learned to roll with the punch line". SFGate.com. December 31, 2003. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  59. ^ a b "Paramount Theatre: Press Releases". ParamountTheatre.com. May 4, 2005. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  60. ^ "JERRY SEINFELD Everyguy". SFGate.com. May 26, 1996. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  61. ^ "REVIEW / Seinfeld Voices His Petty Grievances / Comedian delivers flawless routine". SFGate.com. March 30, 2001. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  62. ^ "Big Names, Small Parts / Grace Jones gets wicked in 'The Wiz'". SFGate.com. June 13, 1997. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  63. ^ "Long-running 'Diary of Black Men' returns to Paramount / Fans appreciate show's message about relationships". SFGate.com. June 29, 2001. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  64. ^ "Perry's 'Family' Matters". SFGate.com. February 26, 2006. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  65. ^ "Movie Classics: Paramount Theatre, Winter, 2016/2017". ParamountTheatre.com. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  66. ^ Altman-Ohr (2009).
  67. ^ "Miss Chinatown U.S.A. Came to San Francisco in 1976". SFGate.com. February 9, 2001. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  68. ^ "Tour Honors Blacks in Bay's History / It's one of month's many commemorations". SFGate.com. February 6, 1995. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  69. ^ "Illuminating Halle Berry". SFGate.com. August 21, 1999. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  70. ^ "IT'S DELLUMS' DAY / THE PEOPLE SPEAK: Diversity of opinion on what the city needs is as varied as the constituency". SFGate.com. January 9, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2017.

References

  • Detailed History of the Paramount
  • Stone, Susannah Harris. The Oakland Paramount, Lancaster-Miller Publishers (1982) – ISBN 0-89581-607-5

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paramount Theater, Oakland.
  • Official website
  • Oakland East Bay Symphony
  • Oakland Ballet
  • Article on Paramount Theatre archives at Bancroft Library
  • Guide to the Paramount Theatre Records at Bancroft Library
  • Tours Rediscover Oakland Landmark, San Francisco Chronicle (Friday, November 20, 1998)
  • Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. CA-1976, "Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland, Alameda County, CA", 39 photos, 2 color transparencies, 54 data pages, 5 photo caption pages
  • Dan Vint's collection of Paramount Theatre photographs

January 06, 2023
paramount, theatre, oakland, california, paramount, theatre, seat, deco, concert, hall, located, 2025, broadway, downtown, oakland, when, built, 1931, largest, multi, purpose, theater, west, coast, seating, today, paramount, home, oakland, east, symphony, oakl. The Paramount Theatre is a 3 040 seat Art Deco concert hall located at 2025 Broadway in Downtown Oakland When it was built in 1931 it was the largest multi purpose theater on the West Coast seating 3 476 4 5 Today the Paramount is the home of the Oakland East Bay Symphony and the Oakland Ballet It regularly plays host to R amp B jazz blues pop rock gospel classical music as well as ballets plays stand up comedy lecture series special events and screenings of classic movies from Hollywood s Golden Era Paramount TheatreLocation2025 BroadwayOakland California USACoordinates37 48 34 N 122 16 05 W 37 809532 N 122 26805 W 37 809532 122 26805Public transit19th StreetOwnerCity of OaklandNonprofitTypeIndoor theaterSeating typeOrchestra balconyCapacity3 040ConstructionOpened1931Renovated1973Websitewww wbr paramounttheatre wbr comParamount TheatreU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S National Historic LandmarkCalifornia Historical Landmark No 884 2 Oakland Designated Landmark No 9Grand Lobby interior Fountain of Light over entrance and marqueeLocation in Oakland East BayLocationOakland CaliforniaCoordinates37 48 36 N 122 16 4 W 37 81000 N 122 26778 W 37 81000 122 26778 Coordinates 37 48 36 N 122 16 4 W 37 81000 N 122 26778 W 37 81000 122 26778Arealess than one acreBuilt1931ArchitectTimothy PfluegerArchitectural styleArt DecoNRHP reference No 73000395 1 CHISL No 884 2 ODL No 9Significant datesAdded to NRHPAugust 14 1973Designated NHLMay 5 1977 3 Designated CHISL1975 2 Designated ODL1975 Contents 1 History 1 1 Photo gallery 2 Main events 2 1 Symphony and ballet 2 2 Notable concerts 2 3 Stand up comedy 2 3 1 Black Comedy Explosion 2 4 Live stage plays 2 5 Classic movie nights 2 6 Other 2 7 Notable events 3 See also 4 Footnotes 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditThe Paramount Theatre was built as a movie palace during the rise of the motion picture industry in the late 1920s Palace was both a common and an accurate term for the movie theaters of the 1920s and early 1930s according to whom In 1925 Adolph Zukor s Paramount Publix Corporation the theater division of Paramount Pictures one of the great studio theater chains began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters built Publix assigned the design of the Oakland Paramount to 38 year old San Francisco architect Timothy L Pflueger 1892 1946 of Miller and Pflueger The Paramount opened at a cost of 3 million on December 16 1931 6 Pflueger was also the designer of the Castro Theatre in San Francisco The Art Deco design referred to the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris 7 The term Art Deco has been used only since the late 1960s when there was a revival of interest in the art and fashion of the early 20th century 8 The Paramount organ was built by Wurlitzer for the Paramount Publix theaters a four manual twenty rank model called the Publix I Opus 2164 which cost 20 000 in 1931 The gala premiere on December 16 1931 was attended by Kay Francis star of the opening film The False Madonna 9 and cast members Conway Tearle Charles D Brown Marjorie Gateson and William Boyd not yet known as Hopalong Cassidy Notable guests included California s governor James Rolph and Oakland mayor Fred N Morcom Tickets were first come first served sixty cents for the balcony seat and eighty five cents for a seat in the orchestra 10 The program also included a Fox Movietone News newsreel a Silly Symphony animated cartoon The Spider and the Fly and the music of the Paramount s own 16 piece house orchestra under the direction of Lew Kosloff Last on the program was the stage show Fanchon amp Marco s Slavique Idea a forty minute revue featuring Sam Hearn comedians Brock and Thompson dancer LaVonne Sweet the acrobatic Seven Arconis Patsy Marr and the Sunkist Beauties in a chorus line finale In June 1932 the Paramount closed unable to meet operating expenses of more than 27 000 per week Competing with Paramount was the Fox Oakland Theater which had opened in 1928 The Paramount stayed closed for nearly a year The days when movie theaters could support not just the showing of movies but entire orchestras stage shows and uniformed attendants were over just as the Paramount was being completed When it reopened in May 1933 it was under the management of Frank Burhans the manager of the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco He was commissioned to get the Paramount out of debt and his method for achieving this was to operate without either a stage show or an orchestra and to unscrew light bulbs in an effort to reduce energy expenses citation needed The Paramount showed the best of the new motion pictures including such features as Dancing Lady 1933 with Joan Crawford and Clark Gable Dames 1934 with Dick Powell and The Gay Divorcee 1934 with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers The Great Depression gave way to World War II and the Port of Oakland became a major departure and arrival point for servicemen The Paramount s comfortable chairs and spacious lounges were a favorite gathering place In the 1950s popcorn machines and candy counters were installed and on the lobby walls the incandescent lights were taken out and replaced by neon tubing in red and blue In 1953 it played the first CinemaScope movie The Robe with Richard Burton and Jean Simmons The 1957 Elvis Presley s Jailhouse Rock attracted a thousand young people At the end of the 1950s theaters were losing patrons to television but the Paramount management responded with talent shows prize nights and advertising campaigns For a second time the Paramount closed on September 15 1970 because it no longer was able to compete with smaller movie theaters in the suburbs The Paramount s last film was Let It Be 1970 with The Beatles 11 In 1971 a Warner Bros movie The Candidate starring Robert Redford was filmed using the interior of the Paramount as one of the principal locations Hope surfaced in October 1972 when the Oakland Symphony Orchestra Association OSO in need of a new home purchased the Paramount for 1 million half of which was donated by the seller National General Theaters formerly the Fox Theaters West Coast with the other half coming from generous clarification needed private donors The popcorn machines and candy counters were removed With the help of restoration project manager Peter Botto new wider seats were installed the distance between rows was increased to provide more leg room and a replica of the original carpet was laid throughout the theater Two bars one on the mezzanine and one on the lower level and a new box office were added Skidmore Owings amp Merrill were consultants for the restoration with Milton Pflueger amp Associates assisting The Paramount reopened on September 22 1973 12 in its original 1931 splendor Following the Opening the Oakland Symphony had sold out nearly all seats on subscription sales and sold out a majority of individual concerts But even with the house full the Paramount Theatre proved a financial burden to the Oakland Symphony In addition the Oakland Symphony financed renovation costs with a 1 million loan Rather than continue absorbing the Paramount s operating losses the Oakland Symphony transferred the Paramount to the City of Oakland in 1975 for 1 in exchange for 40 years of free rent They continued with that agreement until the Oakland Symphony Orchestra filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in September 1986 Seeing an opportunity a group of seven private citizens banded together and approached city officials with the idea of managing and operating the Paramount on behalf of the city as a nonprofit organization They agreed and the management structure has remained to this day Walking into the main lobby with its gold ornamentation along the walls curving staircase and glowing light fixtures is like taking a trip back through Old Hollywood citation needed Public tours of the Paramount Theatre are given on the first and third Saturdays of each month excluding holidays and holiday weekends 13 Documented in 1972 by the Historic American Buildings Survey the theater was entered into the National Register of Historic Places on August 14 1973 and became a California Registered Historical Landmark in 1976 14 and a U S National Historical Landmark in 1977 3 Photo gallery Edit 2005 view of marquee listing Elvis Costello 1975 photograph by Jack E Boucher showing the four story Grand Lobby Fountain of Light over seven double doors at entrance Grand Lobby north wall showing dancing figures 1932 image of auditorium ceiling and balcony soffit Round holes in balcony edge are for stage lighting instruments Dark windows in far wall are for film projectors and spotlights 1932 view looking down from the balcony at the ceiling proscenium curtain seating and hydraulic orchestra pit Basement lounge showing stylized couches and benches Note the bold wall and ceiling designs Mezzanine level foyer Men s lounge mezzanine level Women s lounge basement level Women s Smoking Room basement level Architect s basement plan Architect s first floor plan Architect s mezzanine plan Architect s longitudinal section cutaway side view A small section of Timothy L Pflueger s patented ceiling grid which extends over the entire auditorium Detail of mosaic on facade Detail of mosaic on facade Detail of Women s Lounge basement levelAlvin Tenpo s smugmug photos of the Paramount Theater Oakland California Flickr photos of the Paramount Theatre Oakland CaliforniaMain events EditSymphony and ballet Edit Michael Morgan was music director from September 1990 until his death in August 2021 15 16 With its May 18 2007 performance of George Gershwin s Porgy and Bess sold out the Oakland East Bay Symphony opened its final rehearsal to the public 17 In December 2007 the Oakland Ballet celebrated the 35th anniversary of Ronn Guidi s Nutcracker at the Paramount Theatre with Michael Morgan conducting the music of Tchaikovsky Notable concerts Edit The Paramount has hosted concerts by a wide variety of acts since the mid 1970s including Bob Marley amp The Wailers Bruce Springsteen amp The E Street Band Prince James Brown Diana Ross Bonnie Raitt Al Green Jeff Beck Lionel Richie B B King Anita Baker Brian Wilson Elvis Costello Gladys Knight Lucinda Williams and Nelly Furtado citation needed 1974 Boz Scaggs Slow Dancer March 41975 Bob Marley amp The Wailers July 8 Patti LaBelle with Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash September 9 Nancy Wilson Les McCann Hubert Laws Esther Phillips Stanley Turrentine Jelly Roll Jazz Festival October 3 Boz Scaggs A Night to Remember December 291976 Grover Washington Jr George Benson January 16 Vladimir Horowitz February 15 Bob Marley and the Wailers May 29 and 30 Bruce Springsteen amp the E Street Band October 21977 Peter Allen December 15 Al Jarreau with The Crusaders December 311978 Ronnie Laws Flora Purim Airto Moreira February 9 Oingo Boingo Band October 311986 Ashford amp Simpson December 61988 Jackson Browne Band David Crosby Graham Nash November 2 and 31991 Natalie Cole Unforgettable Tour Daryl Hall amp John Oates Jean Luc Ponty1992 Morris Day Jerome Benton Edwin Hawkins David Whitfield En Vogue David Sanborn Band with comedian Jeff Cesario1994 The Canton Spirituals with The Blind Boys of Alabama The Fairfield Four Lyle Lovett Earth Wind amp Fire Illinois Jacquet Big Band J J Johnson Quintet The Jazz at the Philharmonic All Star Jam with Tommy Flanagan Benny Carter Roy Haynes and Al McKibbon1995 Anita Baker 18 Harry Belafonte Jackson Browne California Blues Swingtime Tribute with Johnny Otis Charles Brown Jay McShann Jimmy Witherspoon Jimmy McCracklin Lowell Fulson and Earl Brown 19 Fourplay Kirk Franklin and Family Mississippi Mass Choir with Dorothy Norwood Olivet Institutional Baptist Church Choir of Oakland Rachelle Ferrell with Will Downing Gerald Albright Jonathan Butler Bonnie Raitt 20 Stevie Wonder 21 1996 Tori Amos k d lang 22 Tom Waits 23 1997 Ashford amp Simpson with Maya Angelou Charles Brown with Ruth Brown John Lee Hooker Bonnie Raitt 24 Sarah McLachlan with Madeleine Peyroux Maxwell Nicholas Brothers Count Basie Orchestra Donald O Connor Williams Brothers Porgy and Bess concert Joe Henderson sextet with Tommy Flanagan Dave Holland Al Foster Conrad Herwig and Stephan Harris 25 1998 Amy Grant Lyle Lovett Bonnie Raitt 26 Lionel Richie1999 Jeff Beck James Brown 27 Sheryl Crow 28 Ruben Gonzalez with Ibrahim Ferrer 29 Lauryn Hill 30 B B King Maxwell 31 Britney Spears 32 July 29 Tom Waits Neil Young March 202000 Mary J Blige 33 James Brown with Tower of Power 34 D Angelo 35 Will Downing Gerald Albright Chante Moore and Phil Perry Rickie Lee Jones with Dan Hicks amp the Hot Licks Maze with Frankie Beverly Paul Simon 36 2001 Erykah Badu 37 Bjork 38 39 James Brown with Tower of Power Isaac Hayes and the Oakland East Bay Symphony Musical tribute to Gordon Parks Alicia Keys Maxwell musician 40 Tori Amos 41 2002 Jeff Beck Mary J Blige 42 Ani DiFranco Bruce U Utah Phillips Toshi Reagon Enrique Iglesias Alicia Keys with Glenn Lewis 43 Pat Metheny Group Teddy Pendergrass Prince One Nite Alone With Prince U S Spring tour 44 Bonnie Raitt2003 Erykah Badu 45 Anita Baker James Brown Earth Wind amp Fire Al Green Brian McKnight with Mya Sigur Ros2004 Natalie Cole 46 Will Downing with Kem Kenny Lattimore Josh Groban 47 Enrique Iglesias 48 Taj Mahal Sarah McLachlan The Temptations and the Four Tops Wilco Band 49 2005 Elvis Costello 50 Dead Can Dance Bob Dylan Tom Jones with Tower of Power Journey Alicia Keys David Gray Gerald Levert Eddie Levert Ricky Martin Brian McKnight Bonnie Raitt Jill Scott 51 The Whispers amp Howard Hewett2006 James Blunt Toni Braxton Elvis Costello Donald Fagen David Gilmour Al Green with Booker T Jones 52 R Kelly B B King special guest Mavis Staples 53 Gladys Knight Madeleine Peyroux with Vienna Teng 54 Robert Plant Tool2007 Pepe Aguilar amp His 20 Piece Mariachi Orchestra Tori Amos Benise The Black Crowes Crowded House Earth Wind amp Fire Kenny Babyface Edmonds Nelly Furtado Ben Harper amp The Innocent Criminals Iron amp Wine Dave Koz with Jonathan Butler Wayman Tisdale and Kimberley Locke Lauryn Hill 55 Diana Ross U S I Love You tour Produced by Live Nation November 4 56 Twelve Girls Band Tyrese with Ginuwine Lucinda Williams Brian Wilson2008 Erykah Badu with The Roots Bowfire Jill Scott 70s Soul Jam with The Stylistics Bloodstone The Delfonics The Chi Lites and Main Ingredient featuring Cuba Gooding Sr Donna Summer Keith Sweat Bell Biv DeVoe Tony Toni Tone The Temptations amp Four Tops The Whispers Stephanie Mills Dream Theater Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester2011 One DirectionStand up comedy Edit 1974 George Carlin 1975 Richard Pryor Lily Tomlin 1997 Bernie Mac 2000 2001 Jamie Foxx 2004 2007 George Lopez 2005 Bill Cosby 2006 Lewis Black 2007 Mike Epps 2008 Cedric the Entertainer Katt Williams Chris Rock 1997 1999 2003 2008 57 58 The three sold out performances by Chris Rock in 2003 included a total attendance of 8 883 and a total gross of 448 000 59 Jerry Seinfeld 1996 2001 2004 2011 60 61 In 2004 the four sold out performances of Seinfeld grossed 819 390 12 001 patrons is a record since the renovation and re opening of the Paramount Theatre back in 1973 59 2023 Louis CKBlack Comedy Explosion Edit 1990 Paul Mooney Martin Lawrence Shawn Wayans Damon Wayans Larry La La Laura Hayes 1991 Martin Lawrence Jamie Foxx Chris Thomas Yvette Wilson 1992 Jamie Foxx Chris Thomas Yvette Wilson 1993 D L Hughley Paul Mooney Chris Tucker Yvette Wilson Ruben Paul 1994 George Wallace Mark Curry Chris Tucker Chris Spencer 1995 Chris Rock Mark Curry Cedric the Entertainer 1996 Dave Chappelle Cedric the Entertainer Tommy Davidson 1997 Jamie Foxx Yvette Wilson Cedric the Entertainer Chris Thomas D L Hughley Arnez J Sheryl Underwood Guy Torry 1998 Tommy Davidson Don D C Curry 1999 Don DC Party Sheryl Underwood Mike Epps 2000 D L Hughley 2001 Guy Torry Bruce Bruce Ricky Smiley 2002 Tommy Davidson Sheryl Underwood Alex Thomas 2004 Sheryl Underwood Paul Mooney 2005 D L Hughley Lavelle Crawford 2007 Lavelle Crawford Earthquake Sheryl Underwood Ruben PaulLive stage plays Edit 1997 The musical play The Wiz was at the Paramount with Grace Jones Peabo Bryson and CeCe Peniston 62 2001 The Diary of Black Men directed by Clarence Whitmore a play that had been touring the country since 1983 63 2006 Tyler Perry s Madea Goes to Jail played to a packed seven date stint at the Paramount 64 2008 Andrew Lloyd Webber s musical Cats was performed in May Classic movie nights Edit It wasn t until 1987 that the Paramount returned to its true calling as a movie house showing Buster Keaton s The General 1926 a silent film accompanied by the Wurlitzer In 1988 Casablanca 1942 starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman launched the first movie series The 2002 feature was Peter Sellers in Dr Strangelove 1964 11 In 2002 it showed Wizard of Oz 1939 with Judy Garland and in 2004 the Paramount showed several classic movies Harvey 1950 starring James Stewart Viva Las Vegas 1964 starring Elvis Presley and Ann Margret The Graduate 1967 with Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft and The Bad and the Beautiful 1952 starring Kirk Douglas and Lana Turner The Paramount Movie Classics series continues scheduling screenings throughout the year and is enthusiastically supported by guests and staff members alike who often dress up in costume as movie characters 65 Other Edit In order to accommodate the large number of people attending on the High Holy Days since 2001 Oakland s Temple Sinai has held its main High Holy Day services at the Paramount filling the entire 1 800 seats on the mezzanine of the theater and most of the 1 200 seats in the balcony 66 Notable events Edit The Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame was founded in 1973 in Oakland They held elegant events that honored such screen legends as Clarence Muse Hattie McDaniel Billy Dee Williams Melvin Van Peebles and Danny Glover with the Oscar Micheaux Awards Some of the events were hosted at Oakland s Paramount Theatre In 2001 Harry Belafonte Eubie Blake and Diahann Carroll was inducted in the Filmmakers Hall of Fame at the Paramount 67 1995 Poet Maya Angelou read from her work at a benefit at Paramount for the St Paul s Episcopal School 68 1999 Actress Halle Berry was at the Paramount for the premiere of Introducing Dorothy Dandridge an HBO docudrama 69 2007 Former Congressman Ron Dellums was sworn in on Monday January 8 as Oakland s 48th mayor in a public ceremony at the Paramount Theatre A crowd of 1 900 people gathered for the ceremony 70 2011 Hosting of the premiere for the 2011 film Moneyball The cast as well as some Oakland Athletics players and executives attended the premiere 2012 Abel Gance s film Napoleon had four screenings from March 24 to April 1 as part of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival Accompanied by a live orchestra Napoleon was shown at the original 20 frames per second and ending with a 20 minute final triptych sequence These the first US screenings of British film historian Kevin Brownlow s 5 5 hour long restored version were described by whom as requiring three intermissions one of which was a dinner break Score arranger Carl Davis led the 46 piece Oakland East Bay Symphony for the performances See also EditAlameda Theatre Alameda California Fox Oakland Theater Grand Lake TheaterFootnotes Edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 a b Paramount Theatre Office of Historic Preservation California State Parks Retrieved March 30 2012 a b NHL Summary Pitts Carolyn February 17 1977 Paramount Theatre pdf National Register of Historic Places Nomination and Inventory National Park Service Retrieved May 25 2012 Paramount Theatre pdf Photographs National Park Service Retrieved May 25 2012 Tours Rediscover Oakland Landmark San Francisco Chronicle November 20 1998 Menten Theodore The Art Deco Style in Household Objects Architecture Sculpture Graphics Jewelry Courier Dover 1972 ISBN 0 486 22824 X Mackrell Alice Art And Fashion Sterling Publishing Company Inc page 116 2005 ISBN 0 7134 8873 5 The False Madonna December 5 1931 Retrieved April 16 2017 via IMDb Stone Susannah Harris The Oakland Paramount Lancaster Miller Publishers page 18 1982 ISBN 0 89581 607 5 a b Now playing grand nostalgia Oakland s Paramount film series evokes an era of reel glamour SFGate com August 2 2002 Retrieved April 16 2017 contributor Paramount Theatre cinematour com Cinema Tour Retrieved May 30 2015 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a last1 has generic name help Paramount Theatre Guided Tours ParamountTheatre com Retrieved April 16 2017 Landmark 884 Paramount Theatre Alameda County DonaldLaird com Retrieved April 16 2017 Voynovskaya Nastia August 20 2021 Michael Morgan Visionary Oakland Symphony Conductor Dies at Age 63 KQED Inc Retrieved August 21 2021 Oakland East Bay Symphony History OEBS org Archived from the original on June 3 2008 Retrieved April 16 2017 DATE LINES News notes and updates from the Bay Area arts and culture scene SFGate com April 30 2007 Retrieved April 16 2017 Anita Baker Over the Top Rapturous singing at Paramount overwhelms the songs SFGate com April 5 1995 Retrieved April 17 2017 Witherspoon still serving up the blues SFGate com October 27 1995 Retrieved April 17 2017 Raitt shows steal PBS spotlight SFGate com December 8 1995 Retrieved April 16 2017 Stevie Wonder Emerges From Hibernation Singer wows concert crowd SFGate com January 18 1995 Retrieved April 16 2017 k d in the Comfort Zone Crooner k d lang lacks edge at Paramount SFGate com February 21 1996 Retrieved April 16 2017 Waits Benefits Friend Audience SFGate com February 6 1996 Retrieved April 16 2017 Charles Brown Gets His Reward Raitt Hooker celebrate R amp B veteran s comeback SFGate com November 4 1997 Retrieved April 16 2017 A surprising Porgy and Bess at the Paramount SFGate com November 3 1997 Retrieved April 16 2017 Raitt Fundamentally Fine at Warfield Singer entertains with musicianship charm SFGate com June 8 1998 Retrieved April 16 2017 James Brown Still Pleasing SFGate com August 5 1999 Retrieved April 16 2017 Something to Crow about SFGate com April 13 1999 Retrieved April 16 2017 Smoking Cubans Ruben Gonzalez and Ibrahim Ferrer full of life in quirky festive concert at end of S F Jazz Festival SFGate com November 8 1999 Retrieved April 16 2017 With a hot 16 piece band behind her she shows that her phenomenal solo album was not a fluke SFGate com March 3 1999 Retrieved April 16 2017 Maxwell s Silver Sound Blows Warm and Cool SFGate com August 13 1999 Retrieved April 16 2017 Pop Princess Britney Spears makes adoring fans squeal with delight at Paramount Theatre SFGate com July 31 1999 Retrieved April 16 2017 Blige Taps Her Superpowers Hip hop queen gives knockout performance at Paramount Theatre SFGate com August 25 2000 Retrieved April 16 2017 James Brown Still Can t Act His Age Birthday concert sets Paramount ablaze with funk SFGate com May 12 2000 Retrieved April 16 2017 D Angelo s A Turn On In Oakland Singer seduces crowd with sexy skillful R amp B SFGate com April 7 2000 Retrieved April 16 2017 The Man in the Bubble A gloomy Paul Simon lets his well crafted music do the talking at the Paramount SFGate com November 15 2000 Retrieved April 16 2017 A Mesmerizing Badu Loosens Up SFGate com March 13 2001 Retrieved April 16 2017 Quixotic Bjork spreads her wings in Oakland SFGate com October 19 2001 Retrieved April 16 2017 Elfin Bjork alights in Oakland SFGate com October 18 2001 Retrieved April 16 2017 Maxwell has crowd swooning No gimmicks just sexy soul sound SFGate com November 12 2001 Retrieved April 16 2017 Amos through the ages Singer s message as complex as ever SFGate com November 13 2001 Retrieved April 16 2017 REVIEW Blige royal and real R amp B star toys with dualities at Paramount SFGate com March 2 2002 Retrieved April 16 2017 Keys concert only hints at her power Reigning soul diva is missing in action at crucial moments of Oakland show SFGate com March 5 2002 Retrieved April 16 2017 Purple reign at the Paramount as Prince pontificates True believers lap it up at surprise show SFGate com April 26 2002 Retrieved April 16 2017 The r evolution of Erykah Badu Revamped persona stands out but message remains same SFGate com January 16 2003 Retrieved April 16 2017 Natalie Cole at the Paramount J Notes com March 30 2004 Archived from the original on November 18 2007 Retrieved April 16 2017 Groban brings musical comfort food to Paramount SFGate com January 30 2004 Retrieved April 16 2017 Enrique doesn t have to sing to get his fans to scream SFGate com February 26 2004 Retrieved April 16 2017 I m With The Band Nels Cline talks about going from avant garde improviser to Wilco s new guitarist SFGate com November 11 2004 Retrieved April 16 2017 Ballet aside it comes down to rock for Costello SFGate com March 24 2005 Retrieved April 16 2017 Jill Scott s Soulful Slam Singer unleashes her unique mix SFGate com February 14 2001 Retrieved April 16 2017 LOOKING FORWARD TO IT FORECAST SFGate com May 21 2006 Retrieved April 16 2017 Paramount Theatre presents B B King amp Mavis Staples SFStation com Archived from the original on September 12 2012 Retrieved April 16 2017 DATE LINES News notes and updates from the Bay Area arts and culture scene compiled by Chronicle staff writers and critics SFGate com September 27 2006 Retrieved April 16 2017 Late start new approach disappoint Lauryn Hill fans at Oakland concert SFGate com June 29 2007 Retrieved April 16 2017 Review Diana Ross sings blues pop disco and it s all superb SFGate com November 5 2007 Retrieved April 16 2017 Rock on a Roll Caustic comic does rip roaring Oakland show and we can tell you about some of it SFGate com March 9 1999 Retrieved April 16 2017 Chris Rock learned to roll with the punch line SFGate com December 31 2003 Retrieved April 16 2017 a b Paramount Theatre Press Releases ParamountTheatre com May 4 2005 Retrieved April 16 2017 JERRY SEINFELD Everyguy SFGate com May 26 1996 Retrieved April 16 2017 REVIEW Seinfeld Voices His Petty Grievances Comedian delivers flawless routine SFGate com March 30 2001 Retrieved April 16 2017 Big Names Small Parts Grace Jones gets wicked in The Wiz SFGate com June 13 1997 Retrieved April 16 2017 Long running Diary of Black Men returns to Paramount Fans appreciate show s message about relationships SFGate com June 29 2001 Retrieved April 16 2017 Perry s Family Matters SFGate com February 26 2006 Retrieved April 16 2017 Movie Classics Paramount Theatre Winter 2016 2017 ParamountTheatre com Retrieved April 16 2017 Altman Ohr 2009 Miss Chinatown U S A Came to San Francisco in 1976 SFGate com February 9 2001 Retrieved April 16 2017 Tour Honors Blacks in Bay s History It s one of month s many commemorations SFGate com February 6 1995 Retrieved April 16 2017 Illuminating Halle Berry SFGate com August 21 1999 Retrieved April 16 2017 IT S DELLUMS DAY THE PEOPLE SPEAK Diversity of opinion on what the city needs is as varied as the constituency SFGate com January 9 2007 Retrieved April 16 2017 References EditDetailed History of the Paramount Stone Susannah Harris The Oakland Paramount Lancaster Miller Publishers 1982 ISBN 0 89581 607 5External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paramount Theater Oakland Official websiteThis article s use of external links may not follow Wikipedia s policies or guidelines Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references April 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Oakland East Bay Symphony Oakland Ballet Article on Paramount Theatre archives at Bancroft Library Guide to the Paramount Theatre Records at Bancroft Library Tours Rediscover Oakland Landmark San Francisco Chronicle Friday November 20 1998 Historic American Buildings Survey HABS No CA 1976 Paramount Theatre 2025 Broadway Oakland Alameda County CA 39 photos 2 color transparencies 54 data pages 5 photo caption pages Dan Vint s collection of Paramount Theatre photographs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paramount Theatre Oakland California amp oldid 1131935195, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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