A
Great 89-Year History
Located in the heart of the Mother Lode, the Sutter Creek Theatre
has survived a tumultuous history. Its wooden predecessors rose
repeatedly out of the ashes of the town's early-day fires. In the
1860s a saloon and billiard parlor was located on the site. But
repeated fires in 1862, 1865, 1868 and 1888 destroyed it and any
other wooden shops there. By 1912 the site held a saloon, barber
shop, and bocce ball court.
Around 1912 John F. Ratto, a Sutter Creek merchant (who was also
the county's Hupmobile dealer), opened a silent-movie house in the
1850s vintage brick building now known as the Bellotti Inn across
the street from the site of the soon to be built Sutter Creek Theatre.
In 1919 Ratto signed a lease for the SCT site and began construction
of a two-story brick theatre. Sutter Creek has a strong Italian
influence, and architect S.F. Dal Proto built the theatre with the
traditional arches and stonework found in many Italian buildings
of the 18th century.
By the end of the year, the (then) 250-seat theatre was practically complete,
but the deadly Spanish Influenza epidemic of 1919 had closed down
all of Sutter Creek's public buildings, delaying the Theatre's grand
opening. While the records have been lost, rumor has it that the
Theatre opened its doors on Wednesday, March 5, 1920, playing D.
W. Griffiths' Hearts of the World, starring Lillian Gish.
For
two decades the SCT thrived. The owners lived in the large two-story,
three-bedroom apartment above the Theatre lobby, and Mrs. Ratto
played the piano and organ to accompany the silent movies. By the
early 1930's talkies had replaced the silent films, and for another two
decades the Theatre thrived. But in 1952 the Theatre closed, playing
Walt Disney's "Bambi" as its last feature.
The SCT underwent its first renovation in the 1970s. Sometime later
several rows of seats on the lower floor were removed to install
a stage. The SCT underwent a second, and major, renovation from
2000-2003 and the current owners continue to upgrade and restore
the facilities. Patrons and artists benefit from modern sound,
lighting, heating and air conditioning, and other physical improvements.
Restoration of the original seating with new upholstery is continuing.
A total of four "Ratto" theaters were built in Amador
County. Information was lost on the exact location of the theater
in Plymouth. The theater in Ione was torn down to make way for a
parking lot in the 70s, and fire destroyed the Ratto Theater building
in Jackson on October 14, 1998. The SCT is the only remaining original
former silent-movie house in the region.
