The Stanford Theatre first opened in 1925, and it served for decades as Palo Alto's premier movie house.

In 1987, after a blockbuster Fred Astaire Film Festival, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation bought the theatre and restored it to its original splendor. It is now owned and operated by the non-profit Stanford Theatre Foundation, presenting classic Hollywood films.

The renovated Stanford Theatre quickly became America's most popular place to watch classic Hollywood movies. More people saw Casablanca here on its 50th anniversary in 1992 than anywhere else in America.

Most classic films played here on their initial Palo Alto engagement. The following schedules were compiled from ads in the Palo Alto Times.

Historic Stanford Theatre Schedules

1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961