This page is part of an experiment in local film history. It presents a record of each of the documented screenings of a Louise Brooks film in Northern California, from 1926 through today. I recorded in 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, I noted 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.
This page presents a record of screening for It’s the Old Army Game, which was officially released by Famous-Players Lasky / Paramount on May 25, 1926. For more about this production, be sure and check out its Louise Brooks Society filmography page.
1926 screenings: New Stanford in Palo Alto (May 24-26, 1926); Garden in Burlingame (May 27-28, 1926); Hub in Mill Valley (May 27-28, 1926); Granada in San Francisco (May 29 – June 4, 1926); Princess in Sausalito (May 30-31, 1931); Strand in Modesto (May 30 – June 1, 1926); National in Woodland (May 31 – June 1, 1926); Sequoia in Redwood City (June 2-3, 1926); Orpheum in Lakeport (June 3-4, 1926); California in Pittsburg (June 6-7, 1926); Virginia in Vallejo (June 7-8, 1926); Novelty in Martinez (June 9-10, 1926); California in San Jose (June 9-12, 1926); National in Madera (June 10-11, 1926); Regent in San Mateo (June 10-11, 1926); California in Stockton (June 11-12, 1926); Varsity in Davis (June 10-11, 1926); Orpheus in San Rafael (June 14-16, 1926); American in Oakland (June 19-25, 1926); Novelty in San Bruno (June 23, 1926); Liberty in Fort Bragg (June 24-25, 1926); Liberty in Susanville (June 24-25, 1926 as At’s An Old Army Game); Elite in Placerville (June 25-26, 1926 as Old Army Game); Oakdale Theatre in Oakdale (June 30 – July 1, 1926); Lodi Theatre in Lodi (July 1-2, 1926); Maywood Airdome in Corning (July 4-5, 1926); California in Santa Rosa (July 5-6, 1926); Airdome in Chico (July 6, 1926); Strand in Los Gatos (July 8-9, 1926); Gardella in Oroville (July 15-17, 1926); California in Turlock (July 18, 1926); Palace in Davis (July 18-19, 1926); Fortuna in Fortuna (July 20-21, 1926); Capitol in Sacramento (July 21-24, 1926); Rialto in Willows (July 22-23, 1926); California in Salinas (July 29-30, 1926); California in Richmond (Aug. 2-3, 1926); U.C. in Berkeley (Aug. 4-7, 1926); Royal in South San Francisco (Aug. 7, 1926); Strand in Grass Valley (Aug. 9-10, 1926); Nevada in Nevada City (Aug. 11-12, 1926); New Roseville Theatre in Roseville (Aug. 12-13, 1926); Mystic in Petaluma (Aug. 13-14, 1926); Manzanita in Carmel (Aug. 16-17, 1926); Solano in Fairfield (Aug. 18-19, 1926 as The Old Army Game); Ramona in Walnut Creek (Aug. 21-22, 1926); New Santa Cruz Theatre in Santa Cruz (Aug. 23-24, 1926); Engelmine in Engelmine (Aug. 24, 1926 with Call a Cop); Liberty in St. Helena (Aug. 25-26, 1926); Chimes in Oakland (Aug. 27-28, 1926); New Colma in Colma (Aug. 29, 1926); Mountain View Theatre in Mountain View (Sept. 1, 1926); Rialto in Stockton (Sept. 2, 1926); High School Auditorium in Gonzales (Sept. 3, 1926); New Fillmore in San Francisco (Sept. 4-5, 1926); New Mission in San Francisco (Sept. 4-5, 1926); New Piedmont in Oakland (Sept. 6, 1926); Strand in Eureka (Sept. 7-8, 1926); Clark in Vacaville (Sept. 8-9, 1926); Liberty in Healdsburg (Sept. 9-10, 1926); Richmond Theatre in Richmond (Sept. 10-11, 1926); Starland in Sebastopol (Sept. 11-12, 1926); New Fruitvale in Oakland (Sept. 13, 1926); Peter’s in Yreka (Sept. 14-15, 1926); Fairfax in Oakland (Sept. 16, 1926); Strand in Lincoln (Sept. 23-24, 1926); Auburn in Auburn (Sept. 26, 1926); Strand in Berkeley (Sept. 28-29, 1926); Lorin in Berkeley (Sept. 29-30, 1926); Redding in Redding (Sept. 30 – Oct. 1, 1926); Hippodrome in Napa (Oct. 3, 1926); Community House in Novato (Oct. 6, 1926); Oaks in Berkeley (Oct. 10-11, 1926); Majestic in Concord (Oct. 12-13, 1926); Granada in Oakland (Oct. 18, 1926); Palace in San Leandro (Oct. 20-21, 1926); Balboa in San Francisco (Oct. 22-23, 1926); Strand in Gilroy (Oct. 23, 1926); New Lyceum in San Francisco (Oct. 24, 1926 with Man in the Saddle); Theatre Folsom in Folsom (Oct. 30-31, 1926); Galt Theatre in Galt (Oct. 30-31, 1926); Playhouse in Calistoga (Nov. 6, 1926); Berkeley Theatre in Berkeley (Nov. 10-13, 1926); J. and J. in Soledad (Nov. 14, 1926 as The Old Army Game); Liberty in Oakland (Nov. 14, 1926); Orland Theatre in Orland (Nov. 14-15, 1926); Town Hall in Quincy (Nov. 18, 1926); Excelsior in San Francisco (Nov. 20, 1926); New State in San Francisco (Nov. 20, 1926); Rialto in Oakland (Dec. 9-10, 1926); Century in Oakland (Dec. 9-10, 1926); Bay View in San Francisco (Dec. 10, 1926); Golden State in Oakland (Dec. 23, 1926);
1927 screenings: Hayward Theatre in Hayward (Jan. 10-11, 1927); Casino in San Francisco (Jan. 12, 1927); Strand in Colusa (April 24, 1927); Cline in Santa Rosa (July 5, 1927 with The Demon Rider); Jose in San Jose (Sept. 13-14, 1927 with The Gilded Butterfly);
Contemporary screenings: Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Aug. 17, 1976 with Beggars of Life); San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco (Aug. 22, 1976 with Beggars of Life); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Sept. 30, 1979); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (July 1, 1980 as part of the series “From Silent To Sound: W.C. Fields”); Avenue in San Francisco with Harold Lloyd’s World of Comedy (Feb. 26, 1981); Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (Mar. 29, 1981 with Beggars of Life and clips from Overland Stage Raiders as part of the series “The American Films of Louise Brooks”); Avenue in San Francisco with My Sister Eileen (March 12, 1982); Avenue in San Francisco with Topper (March 30, 1984); Edison in Fremont (Feb. 16, 2008 at Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum); Edison in Fremont (July 21, 2018 at Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum).
If you live in Northern California and are interested in find out if a Brooks’ film played where you live, here is just the record to satisfy your curiosity. Also, if you know of other screening which are not listed, please CONTACT the Louise Brooks Society.