Then and now: Movie theaters always changing
South shore’s first two movie theaters, circa 1949, were at Stateline.
The original Lakeside Theater. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society
One was the quonset-hut Lakeside Theater where the Park Tahoe Inn now stands, and opposite on Highway 50 was the original Tahoe Drive-In Theater behind Cecil’s Market, which was always showing two features.
The drive-in moved to what became Glenwood Way in Bijou in the mid-1950s. A large new
Lakeside Theater in the 1990s. Photo/Bill Kingman
Lakeside Theater was built in 1963 at highways 50 and 89 near the South Tahoe Y. In the late 1970s, that single-screen theater was partitioned into four small auditoriums and screens.
For a period, it was a one-man show. Bob Retzer had acquired the Lakeside, and then he opened the single-screen Tahoe Cinema across the street. It was sandwiched in the corner between Kmart and Raley’s in the South Y Center.
A 1996 ad in the Tahoe Daily Tribune for the six Wallace screens.
He also opened the tiny Stateline Cinema on Park Avenue facing Raley’s. Additionally, in the 1970s and early 1980s,
CVS at the Y today. Photo/Bill Kingman
Retzer as concessionaire ran first-run films in the huge dinner-theater showroom of the Sahara-Tahoe/High Sierra where waiters served drinks and where Retzer greeted patrons nightly in his tuxedo. Customers sat in luxurious padded booths.
And finally, Retzer also operated the Tahoe Drive-In Theater which closed in 1984.
Wallace Theatres acquired the Retzer theaters, but ultimately closed them and moved into the eight new movie auditoriums which the Horizon at Stateline had created by sub-dividing its historic showroom.
The Lakeside building at the Y next to today’s McDonald’s was demolished in the late 1990s and a Office Depot opened on
that site. It was fairly short-lived. It was replaced by Long’s Drugs, and now CVS. In the early 2000s, the new eight-screen Heavenly Village Cinema opened, which along with the Horizon’s eight-plex, placed all South Shore movies back at Stateline.
However, as reported by Lake Tahoe News on March 4, the Horizon is changing management and their eight movie screens are closing at the end of March.
Entrance to the theater at Horizon. Photo/Bill Kingman
Historically, there also were theaters at Meeks Bay, Kings Beach, Brockway, and Tahoe City, all now gone. In the 1980s there was a twin-screen drive-in movie at the bottom of Spooner at Highway 395, about where Trader Joe’s now stands.
— Bill Kingman
I think Bill Kingman should write a book on Tahoe Nostalgia with all his photos & history. It would be better than the coffee-table photo books, with more “content” — Bill illuminates the history of Tahoe which evolved through my 69-year ilife (and many of my friends from the Bay Area and Tahoe). Thank you for the loving memories…
First movie I saw in Tahoe was “The Fearless Vampire Killers” in 1968 at the Lakeside. Saw many a Saturday matinee in those days. Retzer used to come onstage there as well, often to tell us kids to be quiet. They also had the loge seating, which hardly anyone sat in.
The Lakeside Theater was first built and operated by Jeannie and Rudy Bucannan at the Quonset hut across from VanSycle’s Riding Stables, there was a home above the entrance that they lived in, after several years they built a home on Edgewood Circle, when they sold and moved to the “Y” next to where McDonalds now is, Rudy was the Judge here in Tahoe for several years before they sold the theater to Retzer and moved to Hawaii. The Drive In Theater was built and owned by Steve Meyers before he moved it to Glenwood Way.
Did the drive-in theater operate during the colder and snowy months? I grew up on the SF Peninsula and still remember my folks and all us kids piling into the station wagon to go to the drive-in. When the nights started getting colder everyone would bundle up and we’d be wrapped in blankets trying to stay warm, and the periodic starting of the car would always take place to run the defroster to clear the windshield. Going to the drive-in here in Tahoe during the colder months must have been an experience to remember. Ah yes–good times and much simpler.
Mrs. 4-mer-usmc
I remember going to the movies at the quonset-hut in the 50’s. Our mom would drop us off and we would enjoy the show. As my sister and I aged, the theatre changed places. I loved the drive-in in the 60’s. As 4-mer-usmc says, it was chilly later in the summer, but we loved the movies. I totally forgot about Judge Bucannan and Judy. They were good friends with my parents. Thank you for the fond memories.
I worked for Bob Retzer for 3 summers while in high school, mostly at the drive in on Glennwood, but also at the other theaters as well. Low pay, but man did we have fun! Some of the stories are better left untold as this is a respectable publication and I wouldn’t want to emberass myself or others.
Also went to the quonset-hut theater up by stateline before we moved here permanetly. I was pretty little but I still remember it. Lots of fun!
Sing along with me, “Now lets all go to the lobby to get ourselves some treats” accompmanied by the animated dancing and singing hot dog, big cup of soda and a carton of popcorn playing on the screen.
Thanks Bill, OLS
Great story Bill. When I was growing up at Tahoe two events heralded the fact that winter was over, spring had arrived, and summer was just around the corner. One was Jimboy’s Tacos (the original and just across the street from my family’s restaurant – now Izzy’s) was open for business and, two, the Drive In was open as well. Opening night at the Drive In was quite a social affair (wear your Block T jacket) and I am sure Mr. Retzer had more grey hair after each opening night. What a great place and time to grow up in!
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I remember the drive in on Glenwood Way. I also remember taking a bus to the Y, getting a double scoop of icecream at Thrifty’s (for .15 ) and then going to see Planet of the Ape movies at the theater in the corner next to Kmart. For a small community, we’ve had quite a few theaters over the years. I remember seeing movies in all of them.
To Bill Kingman
I want to thank you again for putting so much work into your “Then and Now” series. I read every word and study the old photos with a magnifying glass, (gettin’ old I guess!).
We can all argue here about paid parking, the hole, Meyers community plan, John Runnels place or all sorts of things, but your stories and photos really are a bright spot in my day.
I enjoy other old timers recollections of time gone by here at the lake and it always brings a smile to my face! As I told you once,”I don’t live in the past, the past lives in me”.
Keep it goin’ Bill, as you are doing a great service for this community by keeping Tahoe history alive.
Take care, Old Long Skiis
Yes Bill, I remember some of these theaters and the parties at the drive-in too. Lets put them back at the Y because frankly, I never enjoyed walking through a casino to see a movie like Saving Nemo with my kids.
everything that OLD said, just wonderful pictures, tales, and the most enjoyable post to read. thanks!!!
I know we went to a number of movies through the years, but the only one I remember specifically was at the corner between KMart and Raley’s. We saw “Murder By Death”, and I don’t think I ever heard my dad laugh so much. He just roared through the entire film. The whole theater laughed out loud, of course, and it wasn’t until I was able to see the film on TV that I heard all the lines that I’d missed while we were all laughing so hard. Good times.
I agree about wanting to have a theater at the Y again. It’s a more central location, and family friendly.
I had forgotten about the Stateline Theater on Park ~ as close to the casinos as I care to get.
In agreement with the others in wanting a theater back at the Y and in thanking Bill for keeping Tahoe history alive!
I remember one summer I helped a friend at the theater in Meeks Bay one week….saw “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” more times than I really wanted to! It was a blast to see the projector room and run the popcorn machine…nice memories! Growing up in Tahoe, we did go to the Lakeside Theater mostly, but I remember seeing 2001 Space Odyssey in the High Sierra Theater…..cool venue!
Thanks for the memories!
I look forward to every Sunday for Then and Now. I have spent 43 years in Tahoe and love the history but Bill you take it to another level. I always enjoy the comments and the stories. Thanks for your research and commitment Bill.
Thanks Bill. Had to go to the movies at the Horizon just to say good bye to the place. What was once a busy casino is now just a sad little slot arena. Still remember seeing “up In Smoke” at the Tahoe Drive In.
I agree that Bill should put together a book of Tahoe-Then and Now. I would certainly buy one and I am sure that many of the people on this site, as well as others, would love to have one. I bought the 2 book collection of The Saga of Tahoe many years ago and my daughter considers it a prized member of her personal library.
Let us all know if you get this done, Bill.
I also hope someone including Bill Kingman would assemble a historic account of Tahoe since the 50’s complete with photographs of the ever changing businesses. I have only been here since 78 but do remember going to the theaters at the Y and stepping over a puddle or two from a leaky roof.I would purchase a book as would most of our population that would show the before, during, and afters of the south shore. We at Sessions remember the Sierra Pacific Power offices we took over in 1986, and the drive thru window below our location.
As to the Horizon theaters , I have heard they are on there way out and the showroom may come back? That might be a great idea?
We often went to the theater at the Y. We learned that in Winter we had to dress like we were going skiing. Parkas, hats Sorels and gloves were absolutely required. I especially remember seeing Gorky Park there. The temperature in the theater was appropriate for a movie about Russia in winter.
At the Lakeside Theater at the “Y” is where I got to see the early James Bond movies with Sean Connery. I still watch those and he is by far still the best 007!
When I worked at the drive in we had a triple feature once, “Smog”, “Yog” and “Trog”…all really terrible films. Another movie, which the title of I don’t recall, came delivered with barf bags to hand out to the movie goers as it was supposed to be so scary and revolting. The film was pretty tame , the bags were just a gimmick.
I hope we get another theater in town and not a multi plex. Just a big single screen with a decent line up of films and a good snack bar with REAL buttered popcorn and Tahoe tap water. OLS
Thanks once again to Bill, but once again I have something to add, as this period was “the soundtrack of my life”:
Glad to know of the Retzer ownership, but the Lakeside before he bought it had a unique history of its’ own:
the Quonset hut in the picture, along with its’ companion in Meeks Bay, were owned by Judge Rudy Buchanan and his wife Jeannie.
The Meeks Bay theater shared the movies, and were taken across the Lake (89 closed) via the Lakeside Marina, hence the name.
There was a tiny office in the left-angled corner occupied by the office of Brad Murphy, a prominent CPA soon to become the 1st SLT Mayor, and the box-office was “manned” by none-other than Charon Houser (at the time about 14), whose parents owned the motel where an empty lot right behind 7/11 is now. . .
She only had to walk across-the-street and then a half-block to work to sell tickets to the likes of the classic “The Time Machine”, with Rod Taylor and Yvette Mimieux (who all the guys had a crush on). . .
Charon still comes to all STH reunions from her career in Real Estate in Florida.
The Buchanans also built a new office-building [still there] catty-corner across from the Al Tahoe post office (where Denny’s is now) on the corner of Al Tahoe Blvd (not there then) & Hiway 50. . .
CPA Murphy was offered to move into the corner office in the new building, but laughed, “what am I going to do with all that space ?”, but soon settled in by adding a few more employees. . .
My Mom was his relied-upon ‘right-hand’ person, who became Barton’s 1st Comptroller when Brad sold his practice, after he became the 1st Mayor, building the City. . . a lot centered around that Quonset hut.
dinner at El Pavo and a movie at state line cinema.