California Theatre
San Diego, CA. 3 shows, 1988 through 1990. Closed in 1990.
- Capacity
- 2,200
- Operated
- 1927–1990
- Also known as
- New California Theatre
A 2,200-seat Spanish Colonial Revival movie palace that opened April 22, 1927 at Fourth and C, so ornate it was called the cathedral of the motion picture — gold-leaf ceilings, a Wurlitzer for the silent era. It showed vaudeville and films for decades, briefly housed the Old Globe after a 1978 arson, was renovated for concerts in 1988, and closed for good after a Cowboy Junkies show on June 20, 1990. It has stood empty ever since; as of 2025 the owners face a deadline to sell or demolish.