It was the grand dame of Manteca. Built at a cost of $110,000 at the height of the Depression, the El Rey Theatre opened in the 100 block of East Yosemite Avenue in downtown Manteca with great fanfare on April 15, 1937. The 900-seat, air-conditioned theatre dubbed “The House of Courtesy” was complete with tiled bathroom floors and art on the walls and ceilings accented with gold leaf.
El Rey was Mantecas grand dame back in 1937