“6161” – A VILLAGE THEATRE TRADITION RECLAIMED
CORONADO The Village Theatre, a post World War II theatre that had entertained villagers since 1947, is growing closer to re-opening. As construction teams work feverishly to complete the Coronado landmark everyone has early reason to celebrate.
In 1947, when party lines were in vogue and rotary dial telephones the norm, every child in Coronado had memorized Henley 3-6161 as the telephone number for the Village Theatre.
When the theatre went dark in 2000 the number had evolved to 435-6161 but, again, every child and most adults on the island had that telephone number memorized.
On Friday, May 13, management of the Village Theatre acquired “437-6161” as their telephone number through AT&T, keeping the tradition of “6161” alive.
“We tried to get the “435” number,” said Lance Alspaugh, CEO of Vintage Cinemas and the man who spearheaded the 10-year courtship with property owners and the city of Coronado to bring back the theatre. “After the Village Theatre closed in 2000 the number went to a couple of different organizations,” he said. “While it is being used by someone else at present, we are in negotiations to obtain that number as well.”
With a June opening on the horizon, residents and guests will be able to enjoy the theatre again, and this time with three movie screens (two of them 3-D capable), the finest sound system in San Diego County, restored sidewalk Terrazzo and a fresh dedication by Vintage Cinemas to serve Coronado and San Diego with a wide variety of film options.
For more information visit http://www.vintagecinemas.com/village/.
An advertisement in the Coronado Journal (March 1947) promotes the double feature at the Village Theatre on the night after their grand opening. The telephone number, Henley 3-6161 has stayed associated with the Village Theatre all these years in one form or another. (Image courtesy Coronado Public Library)
Opening night at the Village Theatre in 1947. The last film shown was in 2000, starring Jim Carrey in “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.”
Photo courtesy Coronado Public Library.
The author, posing by the recently restored Village Theatre sign shares the enthusiasm of an entire city as the Coronado Village Theatre prepares for a re-opening in June. Photo by Brian White.
