The Show’s Not Over for Fox Theatre

In dramatic fashion befitting the white-knuckle conclusion of a suspense movie, an unidentified businessman donated $1 million on Wednesday to save Fullerton’s historic Fox Theatre as it was about to roll its final credits.

The gift from the Orange County benefactor came as preservationists were facing an extended Friday deadline to save the structure from the wrecking ball.

“We were hoping for an angel, someone who would come in at the last minute with a checkbook and say, ‘Here. Here is the money,’ and one did,” said Todd Huffman of the Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation.

The last-minute donation capped the foundation’s 10-month pledge drive to raise $1.85 million, which when added to the city’s $1.65-million challenge grant is enough to open escrow on the downtown property by Friday, the foundation said.

Preservationists had already missed a Nov. 1 deadline when they had pledges of more than $700,000 -- about $1.1 million short of the goal. They pleaded, won an extension and raised more money but were still $700,000 short going into Friday’s deadline.

The theater and adjacent restaurant were headed for demolition because a developer had an option to buy the site and build apartments. The developer later pledged $50,000 to the drive.

For the foundation and its army of volunteers, reaching their goal was an emotional roller coaster ride that took them over and around obstacles they didn’t know existed when they received the city’s grant in February.

“This was very stressful,” said Jane Reifer, foundation president. “But we always were optimistic because we looked at other cities who have saved their old theaters and we said, ‘We can do this too.’ ”

Reifer, a small-business owner, was hailed at the news conference for putting her “heart and soul” into the campaign.

But during the campaign’s low points, even she was targeted for criticism, which she and foundation board members attributed to human nature.

One hurdle, which the foundation failed to negotiate, came when its request for a $1.8-million loan from the city’s Redevelopment Agency was denied by a 4-1 vote.

Several City Council members noted that the $700,000 raised at that time didn’t show the full support of the city’s residents, and Reifer’s leadership abilities were questioned.

Councilman Leland Wilson, who voted to award the loan, had provided support since the theater drive began. He praised the volunteers and said saving the theater and its historic structure would improve Fullerton’s downtown and give it personality unlike other Orange County cities.

“A professional fundraising group would not have done this project because they only had eight to 10 months to raise nearly $2 million,” Wilson said. “This is a great feat.”

Fundraisers had said it would take two to three years, not 10 months, to raise $4 million.

The theater has been closed since 1987, its days of grandeur long gone. But although it is dilapidated and has major water damage, the theater’s architecture and interior murals give it a pedigree among the nation’s best movie theaters, aficionados said. It was designed by the theater architectural firm of Meyer & Holler, the same firm that built Grauman’s Chinese and the Egyptian theaters in Hollywood.

The “Save Our Fox” campaign resonated among donors large and small because they didn’t want to see downtown Fullerton lose its village atmosphere and a theater that could have become a jewel in the city’s downtown renovation, they said.

Jim and Judy Merry of Fullerton, who belong to an organization that preserves theater organs, loaned $100,000 to help push the drive over the top. Though the Fox’s organ was removed, they hope someday one will be put back in, said Jim Merry, a retired government worker.

“This is kind of our cup of tea, and we love the idea that they can be successful rather than knocking it down and putting up apartments,” he said.

But the campaign didn’t hit full stride until the last days. Supporters raised nearly $200,000 in a week, including a $50,000 pledge from the Morgan Group, which gave up its option to buy the property in favor of the foundation.

Volunteers pulled long shifts making telephone calls, working at the foundation office and even standing outside the theater all night seeking donations.

With time fading, the coup occurred when the $1-million benefactor called the foundation and met with Reifer and Huffman. He gave them a check for $700,000 and a promise for $300,000 next year to help with renovation.

“He called out of the blue,” Huffman recalled. “When we met him, he said he was doing this because the city of Fullerton had been good to him.”

The businessman, Huffman said, added that if the campaign drive failed, the money should be distributed to the Fullerton Boys and Girls Club or some other worthy nonprofit in the city.

“He then looked at us and said, ‘Do you want the check now?’ We said, ‘Yes,’ ” Huffman said, who then accompanied Reifer to the bank, where they deposited the check.

Once escrow closes, preservationists can move forward with the second phase of fundraising. They have estimated that at least $9.3 million is needed to renovate the theater.