This page is part of an experiment in local film history. It presents a record of each documented screening of a particular Louise Brooks film in Northern California, from the time of its release through today. Recorded here are which city and at what venue and over what period of time (one week, three days, one day, etc…) any particular film was shown. Additionally noted are those occasions when a film was shown as part of a double bill, if there was a special guest appearance, or some other unusual circumstance, such as a benefit screening.
This page presents a record of screenings for Empty Saddles, which was officially released by Universal Pictures on December 20, 1936. For more about this production, be sure and check out its Louise Brooks Society FILMOGRAPHY PAGE. ||| Or, click here to advance to the NEXT FILM in the Lulu by the Bay set of records.
1937 Screenings: Solano in Fairfield (Feb. 6, 1937); New Rialto in San Francisco (Feb. 12, 1937 with Case of the Black Cat); El Campanil in Antioch (Feb. 20, 1937 with Mysterious Crossing); Redwood in Redwood City (Mar. 4-6, 1937 with Hats Off); Turlock Theatre in Turlock (Mar. 5-6, 1937); Menlo in Menlo Park (Mar. 13, 1937 with Rose Bowl); Marval in Vallejo (Mar. 18-20, 1937); Gustine in Newman (Mar. 19, 1937 with White Legion); Santa Cruz Theatre in Santa Cruz (Mar. 25-27, 1937 with Dance Band); Richmond Theatre in Richmond (Apr. 3-4, 1937 with Cain and Mable); Liberty in Eureka (Apr. 9-10, 1937 with The Woman Alone); Empire in Placerville (Apr. 17, 1937); Redding in Redding (April 23-24, 1937); Hart in Ferndale (Apr. 24, 1937); Fox State in Stockton (May 5-7, 1937 with The Gold Racket); Fox California in Salinas (May 21-22, 1937 with The Prince and the Pauper); National in Chico (May 21-22, 1937 with Paradise Express); Broadway in Oakland (May 22-24, 1937 with Crime Patrol); Brentwood in Brentwood (June 1, 1937 with Sea Devils); Jose in San Jose (June 20-21, 1937); Lincoln in San Francisco (June 20-22, 1937 with When You’re in Love); Niles Theatre in Niles (June 25-26, 1937 with Hit Parade); Amuse-U-Shows in Junction (June 29, 1937); Amuse-U-Shows in Hayfork (June 30, 1937); Amuse-U-Shows in Lewiston (July 1, 1937); Noe in San Francisco (July 4-5, 1937 with King & the Chorus Girl); Moore’s in Lincoln (July 8-9, 1937): Amador in Jackson (July 10, 1937 with Louis vs. Braddock Fight Picture); State in Livermore (July 10, 1937 with A Family Affair); New Lyric in Marysville (July 24, 1937); Liberty in Sacramento with Wake Up and Live (July 25-27, 1937); Verdi in San Francisco (July 25-26, 1937 with History is Made at Night); Strand in Grass Valley (Aug. 6, 1937); Niles in Alturas (Aug. 7, 1937); Majestic in San Francisco (Aug. 23-24, 1937 with A Family Affair); El Rey in Sebastopol (Aug. 27-28, 1937 with Wings Over Honolulu); Grand in Tracy (Oct. 1, 1937); Oak Park in Sacramento (Oct. 10-11, 1937 with I Met Him in Pari ); Rex in Madera (Oct. 16, 1937); Majestic in San Francisco (Nov. 1-2, 1937 with The Woman Alone); New Circle in San Francisco (Dec. 12, 1937 with Armored Car); Senator in Oakland (Dec. 23-24, 1937 as Zane Grey’s Empty Saddles);
Screenings after 1937: Lyric in Modesto (Feb. 20-21, 1938 with The Life of the Party); Roosevelt in Oakland (Feb. 23, 1938 with League of Frightened Men); Lyceum in San Francisco with Ali Baba Goes to Town (Feb. 27 to March 1, 1938); Roxie in Sacramento with Shipmates Forever (March 19, 1938); Roosevelt in Oakland (April 1-2, 1938 with League of Frightened Men); Victoria in San Francisco with That Certain Woman (April 1-2, 1938); Temple in San Francisco with Hell-Ship Morgan (July 9, 1938); Silver Palace in San Francisco with Non-Stop New York (Oct. 1, 1938); Oak Park in Sacramento with Gangs of New York (Oct. 14-15, 1938); Regal in San Francisco with The King of the Underworld (Aug. 1, 1939); New Circle in San Francisco with Trapped by G-Men (Aug. 26-28, 1939); Tower in Santa Rosa (March 9, 1940 with Shadows Over Shanghai and You Nazty Spy); Egyptian in San Francisco with Island of Lost Men (March 22-23, 1940); Mayfield in Menlo Park (May 24-25, 1940);
Contemporary screenings: Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Aug. 14, 1982 as part of the series “William K. Everson Presents”).
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If you live in Northern California and are curious to learn if a Brooks’ film played where you live, the 25 pages that comprise Lulu by the Bay — including this one, may be just the record to satisfy your curiosity. Want to know more about the non-Louise Brooks films which made the other half of a double bill? Try searching the Internet Movie Database, or IMDb. Additionally, if you are interested in finding out more about any of the theaters noted above, then be sure and check out Cinema Treasures. It’s a truly remarkable website with entries on more than 60,000 movie theaters from not only around California and the United States, but also around the world. Most every theater has its own page, which includes its location, a brief history, historic and contemporary images, and lots more. Cinema Treasures includes not just current theaters, but also those many venues which have closed, been converted to another use, or torn down. Notably, this crowd sourced website can be searched by theater name, location, or zip code.
Have a question or know of other screening not listed above? If so, please CONTACT the Louise Brooks Society.