That's about the coolest thing I've ever heard.

 

Peter Contarino

 

From: MoPo List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Susan
Heim
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2010 5:46 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [MOPO] The Stanford Theater in Palo Alto

 

Hello all,
 
  I have just returned from Palo Alto, California where I was touring
Stanford University with my younger daughter. The area is just beautiful
and, while driving around in the rain, I came across a movie theater called
The Stanford. The downtown area of Palo Alto is a very quaint little
village. As I was driving down University Avenue, I spotted a big window
with a 3 sheet of Bandwagon facing out and next to it a huge movie marquis
with neon lighting. I made a U-turn at the corner and came back, found a
parking place and went up to the theater door. It was mid-day on Sunday,
raining and the door was locked. The film on the marquis was Mr. Smith Goes
to Washington and Come Live with Me. Wow!! A double feature!!. This little
annex next to the theater where the Bandwagon 3 sheet was hanging in the
window was very intriguing, so I looked through the window and saw walls
filled with one sheets, foreign posters, all framed up and looking
wonderful. I went back to the front of the theater and saw a man going to
open a door I hadn't tried and went right in, so I followed.
  
    I wound up speaking to a couple of very nice people that explained that
they only show vintage films. The theater was restored several years ago and
a foundation pays for the theater to operate and they don't show any
"current" movies, only vintage films. The owner of the theater is David
Packard of Hewlett Packard Computers. In addition to the theater, they have
a gallery that had dozens of original movie posters framed up including
those Golddiggers of 1933 door posters that were sold at Heritage a couple
of years ago. They hang on either side of the entrance as you enter the
gallery. They are stunning in person. On one wall, the currently have all
the Fred/Ginger one sheets. As you walk down a ramp into the gallery, the
walls are lined with inserts of Shirley Temple's early films. They was a
Prisoner of Zenda on one wall. They were currently "swapping" out a
Breakfast at Tiffanys for some other poster of an upcoming film. 
 
   They had a wooden display case filled with memorabilia and newspaper
articles about the theater. The theater was two story with a winding
staircase to the upper floor whose walls were also adorned with beautifully
framed movie posters. Needless to say, I was in heaven. I would move there
if I could one retire and two, had the money. We saw a little 3 bedroom, 2
bath cottage just off the street where the theater was and it was on the
market for $2.4 million dollars. 
 
    You can find out more info about the theater at www.stanfordtheater.org.
I'm just wondering if some of our members that live in northern California
know about this wonderful theater. I'm so glad that there are still people
out there that love old movies and have the resources to keep something like
this theater alive and functioning for the rest of us. It is truly a gift,
as you can imagine, they don't make money. It's truly a labor of love. Thank
you, Mr. Packard, wherever you are!!
 
 
Sue
www.hollywoodposterframes.com 
    

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