The Alhambra Theatre, “The Showplace of Sacramento”, was a rarity among urban movie theaters; in addition to its spectacular Moorish-themed design, it was graced by lush gardens inspired by its fourteenth-century namesake in Granada, Spain. The twentieth-century Alhambra, designed by architect Leonard Starks, was completed in 1927 and seated nearly four thousand in luxury. Universal Studios cannily premiered its 1936 clunker, “Sutter’s Gold”, at the Alhambra, the discovery of gold in California having occurred in nearby Coloma; the event was attended by the film’s stars, Edward Arnold and Lee Tracy, who arrived in Sacramento amid great fanfare. Alas, the Alhambra’s fate was not a happy one; despite a vigorous battle for its preservation, the theater was demolished in 1972 and its site used for parking.