Oakland (Special to ZennieReport.com) – The Grand Lake Theater, an historic movie palace in Oakland, California, will celebrate 100 years of entertaining on Friday March 6, 2026.
When the theater first opened in 1926 with silent films it was the largest theater West of the Mississippi. With over 2000 seats and a full theatrical stage it was a major vaudeville venue and hosted stars such as Burns & Allen and Rosemary Cluny who got her start in show business at the Grand Lake.
The theater was built by a pair of local developers Mssrs. Karski and Kalisky. In 1928 , faced with competition from the opening of the larger and more opulent Oakland Theater (now known as the Fox Oakland) they entered into a 95 year ground lease with West Coast Theaters, Inc.
The Grand Lake remained with that company and its successors, Fox West Coast, National General theaters, and finally Mann Theaters of California. In the late 1970s Mann Theaters began closing or selling off its inventory of classic movie palaces to focus on multiplex theaters and in December of 1979 the Grand Lake’s 1928 ground lease was sold to Allen Michaan’s Renissance Rialto theater group which has operated it continuously since that time with the exception of a 14 month closure during the Covid pandemic. Several years prior to
the expiration of that lease Michaan was successful in negotiating the purchase of the actual property from the eight descendants of the original owners.
Today the Grand Lake is thriving as a popular first run movie house.
Since its aquisition by Renaissance Rialto, Inc. it has experieced a program of constant restoration and expansion. In 1981 the balcony was walled off to create a second screen of 450 seats while leaving the beautiful palatial interior of the downstairs auditorium intact. The work was accomplished with great sensitivity to the original decor as all of the modifications were designed to be easily removed so as to be able to return the space to the original configuration.
Since the Grand Lake retains the original large stage, dressing rooms and fly loft it is a prime candidate to become a live perfomance venue in the future.
Also, in the early 80s a years long project to install a Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ was completed and the instrument is played every Friday and Saturday prior to the evening performance.
In 1985 the retail wing of the structure was gutted to make room for an additional pair of theaters each designed in a unique approach that no one had created since the 1920s. Built with full ornamental plasterwork interiors, theater 3 is an Egyptian courtyard with fibre optic stars twinkling above. Theater 4 boasts a colorful Moorish interior and both spaces have balcony seating. With 35/70MM film projection capabilities as well as 2 projector 3-D the best of presentation can be expected at the Grand Lake Theater.
The theater has been the recipient of constant restoration projects over the years since 1980 including the replacement ofthe neon on the marquee, removed in the 1960s, and the enormous 60′ tall 1926 roof sign which features nnearly 3000
light bulbs in a 45 second sequence treating the viewer to a nightly light show. It is the largest surviving rotary contact incandescent
sign in the world…all bulbs…no neon!
In 2020 the installation of solar panels that cover the roof allowed the theater to become green as it now generates most of the electricity t consumes.
Over the years the Grand Lake has hosted numerous community events, charity fundraisers, film premiers, church services and of course Hollywood blockbusters.
The Grand Lake looks forward to the next 100 years of serving the community and will be celebrating its birthday with open house tours on Friday afetrnoon March 6 and morning tours the following 2 days.