The Azteca Theater (Teatro Azteca) is an historic Art Deco theater in the

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...

district of Fresno, California, built by Gustavo Acosta in 1948. The theater was the first Spanish language cinema in the San Joaquin Valley, serving a growing population of Mexican-Americans in California's Central Valley. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.

History

The theater was designed by Fresno firm, Johnson & Moore Consulting Engineers who designed the Biola Theater and Johnson was involved earlier in some of the facade work on the

Warnors Theater Warnors Theatre is a historic theater located in downtown Fresno, California. The 2,000-seat venue opened in 1928 as the Pantages Theater, after the name of its then owner, Alexander Pantages, and later, the Warner Theater in 1929 after it was p ...

in Fresno. It officially opened on 30 November 1948. In 1956 Acosta leased the Azteca Theater to Arturo Tirado who is closely associated with the theater and entertainment in the Hispanic community into the 1980s when he retired. In 1961 Tirado was President of the Spanish Pictures Exhibitors Association representing 300 movie theaters in the United States. His father Romualdo Tirado was well known in California theater and a Cantinflas. Known as the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema, Cantinflas, Pedro Infante, María Félix, Agustín Lara, Pedro Vargas, Miguel Aceves Mejía, Pedro Armendáriz,

Antonio Aguilar José Pascual Antonio Aguilar Márquez Barraza (17 May 191919 June 2007) was a Mexican singer, actor, songwriter, equestrian, film producer, and screenwriter with a dominating career in music. He recorded over 150 albums, which sold 25 mill ...

and José Alfredo Jiménez were among the luminaries seen at the Azteca Theater. Besides popular films from the Mexican Cinema, singers and theatrical acts frequented the stage. The theater was a rallying point for César Chávez on 24 March 1966 when he made his march from Delano to Sacramento. The Azteca closed in the late 1980s and was partially reopening in 1999 with an art gallery and events. In 2014, the theater was restored.

Description

The Azteca Theater is a 2-story brick masonry building constructed in a late Art Deco style. A statue of

Bruce Lee Bruce Lee (; born Lee Jun-fan, ; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Hong Kong and American martial artist and actor. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that ...

stands in the lobby, a hint of the fact that the theater would also play kung-fu movies. The walls of the dressing room in the backstage have signatures of many artists that performed in the theater. The wooden organ pipes that were part of the theater are now on display on the walls of the next door bar, A Love letter to Fresno.

References

External links

Azteca Theater official websiteCinema Treasures
Azteca Theater

Fresno Film Commission {{Coord, 36.7290, -119.7933, region:US-CA_type:landmark, display=title Theatres completed in 1948 Buildings and structures in Fresno, California Cinemas and movie theaters in California Theatres in California Tourist attractions in Fresno, California Music venues in Fresno, California National Register of Historic Places in Fresno County, California

History

Description

See also

References

External links