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 King of Gamblers, which was officially released by Paramount Pictures on May 3, 1937. As a B-picture, King of Gamblers was often shown as part of a double. 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: Paramount in San Francisco (Apr. 29, 1937 with Hit Parade); Fox State in Stockton (May 1-4, 1937 with The Man in the Mirror); Plaza Theatre in Healdsburg (May 8, 1937); New Roseville Theatre in Roseville (May 29, 1937); Peter Pan in Cloverdale (June 3-4, 1937); Empire in Placerville (June 3-4, 1937); Grand in Tracy (June 8, 1937); Enean in Pittsburg (June 10-12, 1937); Orpheum in Lakeport (June 22-23, 1937); Fox in San Francisco (June 24 – July 7, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Concord in Concord (June 25-26, 1937); Orpheum in Oakland (June 25-26, 1937); California in Santa Rosa (June 26, 1937 with You Can’t Buy Luck); Merced in Merced (June 30, 1937); Fox Senator in Sacramento (July 1-3, 1937 with Pick a Star); Fox Oakland in Oakland (July 2-8, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Fox California in San Jose (July 3-9, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Del Mar in Santa Cruz (July 7-10, 1937 with Mountain Music); El Camino in San Rafael (July 9-10, 1937 with Pick a Star and Louis vs. Braddock fight pictures); Fox California in Salinas (July 9-10, 1937); Grand Lake in Oakland (July 9-15, 1937 with The Singing Marine); El Rey in Sebastopol (July 10, 1937 with Borderland); Grand Lake in Oakland (July 11, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Sequoia in Redwood City (July 14, 1937 with Penrod and Sam); New Stanford in Palo Alto (July 15, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Tamalpais in San Anselmo (July 15, 1937 with Mountain Music); Peninsula in Burlingame (July 18-20, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Nevada Theatre in Nevada City (July 21-22, 1937); Senator in Chico (July 22, 1937 as King of Gambling); Baywood in San Mateo (July 22-24, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Sequoia in Mill Valley (July 22-24, 1937 with Mountain Music); United Artists in Berkeley (July 23, 1937 with Riding on Air and Double Talk); Soledad Theatre in Soledad (July 25, 1937); Fox Richmond in Richmond (July 25-26, 1937 with The Singing Marine); California in Petaluma (July 29-30, 1937 with Meet the Missus); Nurieber in Grass Valley (July 30-31, 1937); Amador in Jackson (July 31, 1937); Dixon Theatre in Dixon (July 31, 1937 with Penrod and Sam); Vacaville Theatre in Vacaville (Aug. 3-4, 1937 with Sing and Be Happy); State in Fort Bragg (Aug. 6, 1937); State in Marysville (Aug. 6, 1937); State in Modesto (Aug. 10-12, 1937 with Big Business); Madera in Madera (Aug. 11, 1937 with She Had to Eat); Hayward in Hayward (Aug. 14, 1937 with New Faces of 1937); Cascade in Redding (Aug. 14, 1937 with Forlorn River); Lodi Theatre in Lodi (Aug. 17-18, 1937); Senator in Vallejo (Aug. 17-18, 1937); State in Martinez (Aug. 17-18, 1937 with Meet the Missus); Alameda in Alameda (Aug. 18-20, 1937 with Married Before Breakfast); Moore’s in Lincoln (Aug. 19-20, 1937); Sierra in Susanville (Aug. 20-21, 1937 with Angel’s Holiday); State in Oroville (Aug. 24-25, 1937); El Rey in Walnut Creek (Aug. 27-28, 1937 with New Faces of 1937); State in Livermore (Aug. 28, 1937 with Empty Holsters); Strand in Grass Valley (Aug. 28, 1937); Brentwood in Brentwood (Aug. 29, 1937 with Pick a Star); Fruitvale in Oakland (Aug. 29, 1937 with The Singing Marine); State in Hollister (Aug. 31 – Sept. 1, 1937); California in Berkeley (Sept. 1-3, 1937 with New Faces of 1937); State in Oakland (Sept. 2, 1937 with New Faces of 1937); New Mission in San Francisco (Sept. 3-4, 1937); State in Auburn (Sept. 7-8, 1937 with Meet the Missus); State in South San Francisco (Sept. 7-8, 1937 with Family Affair); California in Dunsmuir (Sept. 9-10, 1937); Dimond in Oakland (Sept. 9-10, 1937 with The Singing Marine and Louis vs. Farr fight pictures); Oaks in Berkeley (Sept. 11-14, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Rivoli in Berkeley (Sept. 12, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Fortuna in Fortuna (Sept. 14, 1937); Piedmont in Oakland (Sept. 16, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Neptune in Alameda (Sept. 16-17, 1937 with Meet the Missus); Coliseum in San Francisco (Sept. 18-21, 1937 with Emperor’s Candlesticks); California in Sacramento with As Good as Married and Louis Farr Fight (Sept. 19-21, 1937); Mayfield in Palo Alto (Sept. 23-24, 1937 with I Met Him in Paris); Palace in San Leandro (Sept. 24, 1937); El Rey in San Francisco (Sept. 24-25-1937 with Hollywood Cowboy); Casa Grande in Santa Clara (Sept. 25, 1937); Palace in Oakland (Sept. 26-28, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Granada in Oakland (Sept. 26-27, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Capitol in Oakland (Sept. 26-28, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Metropolitan in San Francisco (Sept. 29-30, 1937 with Great Hospital Mystery); Gateway in Oakland (Sept. 30, 1937 with The Singing Marine); New State in San Francisco (Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 1937 with Last Train from Madrid); Parkside in San Francisco (Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 1937 with Last Train from Madrid); President in San Francisco (Oct. 5, 1937 and Oct. 9, 1937 with The Key); Harding in San Francisco (Oct. 7-8, 1937 with Saratoga); Uptown in Berkeley (Oct. 8, 1937 with Let’s Get Married); Niles Theatre in Niles (Oct. 8-9, 1937 with Left Handed Law and Carnival of Champs); Amazon in San Francisco (Oct. 8-9, 1937 with Roaring Timber); Harding in San Francisco (Oct. 9, 1937 with Saratoga); Marina in San Francisco (Oct. 10-13, 1937 with Born to Dance); Blanco’s Sunnyvale Theatre in Sunnyvale (Oct. 12, 1937 with It Happened in Hollywood); Haight in San Francisco (Oct. 13, 1937 with The Go-Getter); Irving in San Francisco (Oct. 13, 1937 with Ever Since Eve); Midtown in San Francisco (Oct. 13, 1937 with The 13th Chair); Balboa in San Francisco (Oct. 13-14, 1937 with You’re in the Army Now); Granada in San Francisco (Oct. 14-15, 1937 with Emperor’s Candlesticks); New Fillmore in San Francisco (Oct. 14-20, 1937 with Artists & Models); Roxy in Santa Rose (Oct. 16, 1937 with Outer Gate); Strand in Alameda (Oct. 17-20, 1937 with Reported Missing); Verdi in San Francisco (Oct. 19-20, 1937 with Fly-Away Baby); Bayview in San Francisco (Oct. 20, 1937 with Great Hospital Mystery); Fox U.C. in Berkeley (Oct. 20, 1937 with Rhythm in the Clouds); Gate Theatre in Sausalito (Oct. 25-26, 1937 with Mr. Deeds Goes to Town); Noe in San Francisco (Oct. 27, 1937 with Fly-Away Baby); Majestic in San Francisco (Oct. 28, 1937 with Roaring Timber); Central in Oakland (Nov. 2-3, 1937 with The 13th Chair); Albany in Albany (Nov. 4-5, 1937 with Dr. Bull); Foothill in Oakland (Nov. 5-6, 1937 with Between Two Women); Oak Park in Sacramento (Nov. 7-8, 1937 with Come On, Cowboy); Liberty in Sacramento with The 13th Chair (Nov. 10-11, 1937); Quincy Theatre in Quincy (Nov. 17-18, 1937); Davies in San Francisco (Nov. 22-23, 1937 with There Goes My Girl); Rialto in Stockton (Nov. 22-23, 1937 with The Emperor’s Candlestick); Bayshore in San Francisco (Nov. 23-24, 1937 with Married Before Breakfast); Avenue in San Francisco (Nov. 26-28, 1937 with The Californian); Star in San Francisco (Nov. 26-27, 1937 with The Californian); Powell in San Francisco (Nov. 28, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Roxie in San Francisco (Nov. 28-29, 1937 with Married Before Breakfast); American in San Francisco (Nov. 29-30, 1937 with The Singing Marine); Roosevelt in San Francisco (Dec. 1-2, 1937 with Between Two Women); Empire in San Francisco (Dec. 7-8, 1937 with Make Way for Tomorrow); Modesto in Modesto (Dec. 14-16, 1937 with Super Sleuth); Fox in Napa (Dec. 16-18, 1937 with Trail Dust); T&D in Oakland (Dec. 17-18, 1937 with The Women I Love); Ellis in San Francisco (Dec. 27, 1937 with Slim); Regal in San Francisco (Dec. 30-31, 1937 with The Californians);
Screenings since 1938: American in Oakland (Jan. 1, 1938 with Married Before Breakfast); Ritz in Oakland (Jan. 15, 1938 with Big Business); Plaza in San Francisco (Jan. 16-17, 1938 with Wife, Doctor and Nurse); Rialto in Oakland (Jan. 25, 1938 with She Had to Eat); Silver Palace in San Francisco (Feb. 2, 1938 with Royal Steed); Strand in San Francisco (Feb. 4-5, 1938 with Wake up and Live); El Rey in Sacramento (Feb. 11-12, 1938 with Dance Charley Dance); New Circle in San Francisco Feb. 15, 1938 with Another Dawn); Cameo in San Francisco (Feb. 21, 1938 with Riders of the Dawn); Casino in San Francisco (March 12, 1938 with Hotel Haywire); New Lyric in Marysville (April 20, 1938); Temple in San Francisco (June 2, 1938 with Footloose Heiress); President in San Francisco (Nov. 8-10, 1938); Crystal Theatre in Salinas (Feb. 3-4, 1939 with Rose of the Rancho); Roxie in Sacramento (Feb. 12-13, 1939 with Scarface); Peerless in San Francisco (July 22, 1939 with Maid to Order); New Circle in San Francisco (Aug. 3, 1939 with Next Time I Marry); Rialto in Eureka (Oct. 20-21, 1939 with Raw Timber); El Rey in Oakland (Nov. 14-15, 1939 with That Certain Woman); Downtown in Oakland (May 16, 1940 with Dancing Co-Ed); Roxy in Stockton (July 16-18, 1940 with A Man to Remember); Grand in San Francisco (March 16-17, 1941 with 5th Avenue Girl); Egyptian in San Francisco (Dec. 12-13, 1941 with Bullet Code); Downtown in Oakland (Oct. 10, 1942 with Three Smart Girls Grow Up); El Rey in Salinas (June 19, 1943 with In Which We Serve); Fox in Richmond * (Oct. 14, 1948 with Walls of Jericho); Grand in Richmond * (Oct. 14, 1948 with Walls of Jericho); Liberty in Richmond * (Oct. 18, 1948 with Walls of Jericho).
* Newspaper listings for the last three Richmond screenings noted here each state the film showing, King of Gamblers, stars Lloyd Nolan. A few days later local papers listed screenings for King of the Gamblers, a 1948 release starring Janet Martin and William Wright. It’s likely the three Richmond screenings are misidentified.
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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.