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 screening for The American Venus, which was officially released by Famous-Players Lasky / Paramount on January 31, 1926. 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.
1926 screenings: American in Oakland (Jan. 1, 1926 New Year’s Eve midnight matinee, benefit screening); California in Pittsburg (Jan. 5-6, 1926); Granada in San Francisco (Jan. 9-15, 1926 with afternoon and evening appearances by Fay Lanphier); Lodi Theatre in Lodi (Jan. 16-17, 1926); American in Oakland (Jan. 16-22, 1926 – see pictured advertisement); Garden in Burlingame (Jan. 18-20, 1926); Sequoia in Redwood City (Jan. 20-21, 1926); Princess in Sausalito (Jan. 21-22, 1931); Varsity in Davis (Jan. 21-22, 1926); Strand in Gilroy (Jan. 23, 1926); Liberty in San Jose (Jan. 24-26, 1926); New Stanford in Palo Alto (Jan. 26-27, 1926); California in Turlock (Jan. 29, 1926); Playhouse in Calistoga (Jan. 31 – Feb. 1, 1926); Novelty in Martinez (Jan. 31 – Feb. 1, 1926); Novelty in San Bruno (Feb. 3, 1926); Regent in San Mateo (Feb. 6, 1926); Liberty in Susanville (Feb. 8-9, 1926); Virginia in Vallejo (Feb. 8-9, 1926); Glen in Mountain View (Feb. 9-10, 1926); Liberty in St. Helena (Feb. 10-11, 1926); Capitol in Sacramento (Feb. 10-13, 1926); Majestic in Benicia (Feb. 11, 1926); Strand in Modesto (Feb. 11-13, 1926); Forest in Boulder Creek (Feb. 13, 1926); California in Berkeley (Feb. 14-16, 1926); National in Chico (Feb. 16-17, 1926); Liberty in Healdsburg (Feb. 18-19, 1926); Strand in Alameda (Feb, 18-19, 1926); Ramona in Walnut Creek (Feb. 20-21, 1926); Ratto’s in Jackson (Feb. 21-22, 1926); Redding in Redding (Feb. 21-22, 1926); Elite in Placerville (Feb. 26-27, 1926); Chimes in Oakland (Mar. 5-6, 1926); New Piedmont in Oakland (Mar. 7, 1926); California in Salinas (Mar. 8-9, 1926); Liberty in Fort Bragg (Mar. 11-12, 1926); National in Woodland (Mar. 11-12, 1926); Parkway in Oakland (Mar. 11-12, 1926); Starland in Sebastopol (Mar. 13-14, 1926); Strand in Los Gatos (Mar. 14, 1926); Hub in Mill Valley (Mar. 14-15, 1926); Strand in Grass Valley (Mar. 15-16, 1926); Nevada in Nevada City (Mar. 17-18, 1926); Strand in Berkeley (Mar. 19-20, 1926); Solano in Fairfield (Mar. 19-20, 1926); California in Watsonville (Mar. 22-23, 1926); National in Madera (Mar. 24, 1926); Mystic in Petaluma (Mar. 28-29, 1926); California in Santa Rosa (Apr. 1-3, 1926); Starland in Sebastopol (Apr. 3-4, 1926); California in Richmond (Apr. 4-6, 1926); Orpheum in Red Bluff (Apr. 6-7, 1926); National in Modesto (Apr. 8-9, 1926); Royal in South San Francisco (Apr. 9, 1926); Rialto in Willows (Apr. 12, 1926); Orpheum in Stockton (Apr. 14-17, 1926); Fortuna in Fortuna (Apr. 22-23, 1926); Gardella in Oroville (Apr. 22-24, 1926); J. and J. in Soledad (Apr. 23, 1926); Auburn in Auburn (Apr. 25, 1926); Hippodrome in Napa (Apr. 25, 1926); New Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz (Apr. 30-31, 1926); Star in Newman (May 1, 1926); Oaks in Berkeley (May 13, 1926 with The Timber Wolf); Lorin in Berkeley (May 17-18, 1926); Palace in Alameda (May 18-19, 1926); Peter’s in Yreka (May 18-19, 1926); Ratto’s in Jackson (May 19, 1926); Town Hall in Fall River Mills (May 22, 1926); New Fillmore in San Francisco (May 27-28, 1926); New Mission in San Francisco (May 27-28, 1926); Strand in Lincoln (June 6-7, 1926 with “an added feature not known”); Palace in Dixon (June 8, 1926); Alexandria in San Francisco (June 12-13, 1926); Rialto in Stockton (June 22-23, 1926); Strand in Colusa (June 26-27, 1926); Galt Theatre in Galt (July 10-11, 1926); Hayward in Hayward (July 26-27, 1926); Strand in Eureka (July 31 – Aug. 1-2, 1926); Granada in Oakland (Aug. 9-10, 1926); Maywood Airdome in Corning (Aug. 11-12, 1926); Regent in San Francisco (Aug. 15, 1926); Majestic in Concord (Aug. 24-25, 1926); Excelsior in San Francisco (Aug. 25, 1926); New State in San Francisco (Aug. 25, 1926); Casino in San Francisco (Aug. 26-27, 1926); Theatre Folsom in Folsom (Aug. 28-29, 1926); Bayview in San Francisco (Aug. 30-31, 1926); Berkeley in Berkeley (Sept. 5-7, 1926); Palace in San Leandro (Sept. 11, 1926); Century in Oakland (Sept. 18, 1926); Bay Shore in San Francisco (Oct. 24, 1926); Majestic in San Francisco (Nov. 23-24, 1926); Casino in Oakland (Nov. 25, 1926); Town Hall in Quincy (Dec. 4, 1926);
1927 screenings: Park in Oakland (Jan. 11-12, 1927); Jose in San Jose (Sept. 13-14, 1927 with Hell’s Four Hundred); Cline in Santa Rosa (Oct. 20-21, 1927 with Burnt Fingers);
Contemporary screenings: Castro in San Francisco (July 14, 2007 screening of fragments, as part of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival).
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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.