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Private company

Fox Theatres

Chain of movie theaters in the United States

Fox Theatres was a large movie theater chain in the United States. Their first theaters were built in the 1920s and they merged West Coast Theatres in 1929, creating Fox West Coast Theatres. This merged company was sold to National Theatres Corporation in 1934.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

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Fox Oakland Theatre
Photo: Photographed by Paul Stokstad, August 2002., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

Fox Theatres was a large movie theater chain in the United States. Their first theaters were built in the 1920s and they merged West Coast Theatres in 1929, creating Fox West Coast Theatres. This merged company was sold to National Theatres Corporation in 1934.2

The story

Fox Theatres was founded by William Fox in the 1920s. The company merged with West Coast Theatres in 1929.

The Great Depression forced Fox West Coast Theatres into bankruptcy. The bankruptcy was initiated c. 1929 and National Theatres Corporation bought the company for $17 million ($409 million in 2025) on November 19, 1934. Bankruptcy proceedings, however, continued until 1954, when a final suit was brought by trustees to vacate the 1933 purchase. The suit was dismissed by United States District Court S.D. New York in 1960.

Fox Theatre's surviving theaters share almost identical histories of decline and disrepair. Many were located in urban centers, faltered due to suburbanization, and later underwent preservation and restoration. Many were converted to the performing arts theaters, including the chain's largest theater, Detroit Fox Theatre, which was restored in 1988.

From Wikipedia’s article on Fox Theatres, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Sources

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