INTRODUCTION
You may not remember me but my name is Argyle Sox, I'm a sock puppet, and I ran for the San Rafael City Council back in 2001. Excuse me, I tried to run but the powers that be pulled some strings and I was prevented from partaking in the democratic process because of a few technicalities . But I digress.
There have many many stories and articles over the years about how the Christopher B Smith Rafael Film Center came to be. These various articles have pontificated the names of certain individuals over and over again as if repetition will make it true.
I feel compelled to set the record straight and tell the REAL story of how the Rafael Film Center came to be.
There have many many stories and articles over the years about how the Christopher B Smith Rafael Film Center came to be. These various articles have pontificated the names of certain individuals over and over again as if repetition will make it true.
I feel compelled to set the record straight and tell the REAL story of how the Rafael Film Center came to be.
THE REAL STORY
Back in the early 1990's, my friend and campaign manager, Bob Cooper, (actually he has had a hand in everything I do), had an office on the corner of 2nd and B Streets in San Rafael. One day he took a break and visited the Rafael Book and News. Upon exiting the bookstore, he looked up at the marquee of the closed Rafael Theatre and asked himself why it was still closed. He contacted the city and was directed to the Redevelopment Department. There he met the director, Jake Ours. Mr. Ours informed Bob that the city had done a $40,000 feasibility study for turning the Rafael Theatre into a performing arts center. Bob suggested to Mr. Ours that none of the local theatre groups had the 2.5 million dollars that the study suggested it would cost to renovate the theatre. Bob, who worked at Lucasfilm at the time, suggested that the city try to connect with the local film industry and get support that way. Mr. Ours said that he didn't know any of those folks and suggested to Bob that if he wanted to give it a try to go ahead.
Bob started contacting any and everyone he knew at Lucasfilm and ended up contacting Doug Norby, who was then the President of Lucasfilm. Bob asked if Lucasfilm or George Lucas would be interested in opening up their own theatre or
film center. Mr. Norby said he would get back to Bob.
A short time later, Mr. Norby contacted Bob and told him that Lucasfilm wasn't interested. And what about George, asked Bob. Mr. Norby suggested Bob write to George. Bob did and got a nice letter back from George's secretary saying that George wasn't interested.
Bob continued to contact other people he knew in the industry. At the same time, an opening on the Citizen's Advisory
Committee for Redevelopment became available and Bob applied with the single goal of getting the Rafael Theatre
re-opened.
Bob again contacted Doug Norby and said there must be somebody in the film community we can contact to generate some interest in getting the Rafael Theater re-opened. At that point he said he was a board member of the Mill Valley Film
Institute and they were looking for a permanent home. He suggested Bob give them a call. Bob did. He spoke with Mark
Fishkin, Director and Founder of the Mill Valley Film Festival. Mr. Fishkin sounded interested in Bob's idea and
suggested he talk to Ann Brebner who was in charge of finding a permanent home for the organization. Bob called Ann and got a very polite "no thank you." It seems they were already in negotiations with a theatre in southern Marin, which Ann refused to identify. Bob told Ann that the City of San Rafael really, really wanted to reopen the Rafael theatre. Again, Ann thanked Bob for calling but she wasn't interested. When Bob hung up he decided he was going to keep calling Ann until she was interested. Thus began a six month campaign to get Ann to come to San Rafael and at least talk with Redevelopment. As the weeks went on it Bob found out that the "secret" theatre was in fact the Marin Theatre in Sausalito and it became increasingly clear that Ann was having problems. Ann complained that the city of Sausalito wouldn't let them close off
the street for special events. Bob checked with Jake Ours and the Citizens Advisory Committee on every obstacle that Ann faced in Sausalito and got Jake's assurance that it wouldn't be a problem if Ann came to San Rafael.
At one point, Jake told the committee and Bob that the City was willing to buy the theatre for $800,000+ and sell it to the film institute for a dollar. Bob conveyed all this information to Ann and she finally, after six months of prodding by Bob, agreed to meet with representatives from City to discuss the possibilities of the Rafael Theatre. Bob was invited to the meeting and also
the City Manager, Pam Nicoli. It should be stated and made clear that the Mayor, Al Boro, was not in attendance. The meeting went very well and Jake Ours and the City Manager made it very clear that the City was willing to do whatever was necessary to get the Film Institute to move to San Rafael and re-open the Rafael Theatre.
After the meeting Bob invited Ann out to lunch and told her that he wanted to stay involved with the project as it moved forward. Ann asked Bob if he had $100,000. When Bob said no, Ann informed Bob that perhaps he had served his
purpose. Bob told Ann that even though he didn't have money he was willing to work hard to see that the project was a success.
Ann invited Bob to help open their new campaign office which was located in the old candy store a couple of doors down from the theatre. When Bob showed up at the candy store, Ann informed Bob that there was a bucket in the back and the
windows needed cleaning. Bob thanked Ann for calling him but told her that he hadn't volunteered to clean windows.
Bob eventually resigned from the Citizen's Advisory Committee for Redevelopment when he realized that Ann was sabotaging his efforts. The Mayor and City Council members presented him with a letter of appreciation for bringing the City of San Rafael and the Film Institute together.
Bob was invited to one of the private opening night screenings during the week in which Mayor Al Boro got up and said that he had looked long and hard for someone or some organization to reopen the theatre. He said that someone on the
Redevelopment Advisory Committee, a Bob Cooper, mentioned that the Film Institute was looking for a permanent home. The Mayor then said he went to Mill Valley and invited them to come to San Rafael. The Mayor completely ignored the fact that Bob had spent six months lobbying Ann Brebner to come and talk to the City. The Mayor didn't even have the common courtesy to acknowledge Bob in the audience.
When the newly renovated Rafael Film Center finally officially opened, Bob stood out front, behind the ropes, among the crowd, and watched as Mark Fishkin walked down the red carpet and thanked everyone. He then introduced the "man who
was there from the very beginning, the man who made it happen ... Mayor Al Boro." The Mayor thanked Mark and confirmed that yes, it was he (Al Boro) who was there from the very beginning." And that, folks, is how politics works.
Imagine how inspirational it would have been if the Film institute and the Mayor had taken the Frank Capra route and told the public the truth --- that an ordinary citizen can make a difference in his or her community. That is the stuff that dreams and movies are made of ... and THAT is the real story.
film center. Mr. Norby said he would get back to Bob.
A short time later, Mr. Norby contacted Bob and told him that Lucasfilm wasn't interested. And what about George, asked Bob. Mr. Norby suggested Bob write to George. Bob did and got a nice letter back from George's secretary saying that George wasn't interested.
Bob continued to contact other people he knew in the industry. At the same time, an opening on the Citizen's Advisory
Committee for Redevelopment became available and Bob applied with the single goal of getting the Rafael Theatre
re-opened.
Bob again contacted Doug Norby and said there must be somebody in the film community we can contact to generate some interest in getting the Rafael Theater re-opened. At that point he said he was a board member of the Mill Valley Film
Institute and they were looking for a permanent home. He suggested Bob give them a call. Bob did. He spoke with Mark
Fishkin, Director and Founder of the Mill Valley Film Festival. Mr. Fishkin sounded interested in Bob's idea and
suggested he talk to Ann Brebner who was in charge of finding a permanent home for the organization. Bob called Ann and got a very polite "no thank you." It seems they were already in negotiations with a theatre in southern Marin, which Ann refused to identify. Bob told Ann that the City of San Rafael really, really wanted to reopen the Rafael theatre. Again, Ann thanked Bob for calling but she wasn't interested. When Bob hung up he decided he was going to keep calling Ann until she was interested. Thus began a six month campaign to get Ann to come to San Rafael and at least talk with Redevelopment. As the weeks went on it Bob found out that the "secret" theatre was in fact the Marin Theatre in Sausalito and it became increasingly clear that Ann was having problems. Ann complained that the city of Sausalito wouldn't let them close off
the street for special events. Bob checked with Jake Ours and the Citizens Advisory Committee on every obstacle that Ann faced in Sausalito and got Jake's assurance that it wouldn't be a problem if Ann came to San Rafael.
At one point, Jake told the committee and Bob that the City was willing to buy the theatre for $800,000+ and sell it to the film institute for a dollar. Bob conveyed all this information to Ann and she finally, after six months of prodding by Bob, agreed to meet with representatives from City to discuss the possibilities of the Rafael Theatre. Bob was invited to the meeting and also
the City Manager, Pam Nicoli. It should be stated and made clear that the Mayor, Al Boro, was not in attendance. The meeting went very well and Jake Ours and the City Manager made it very clear that the City was willing to do whatever was necessary to get the Film Institute to move to San Rafael and re-open the Rafael Theatre.
After the meeting Bob invited Ann out to lunch and told her that he wanted to stay involved with the project as it moved forward. Ann asked Bob if he had $100,000. When Bob said no, Ann informed Bob that perhaps he had served his
purpose. Bob told Ann that even though he didn't have money he was willing to work hard to see that the project was a success.
Ann invited Bob to help open their new campaign office which was located in the old candy store a couple of doors down from the theatre. When Bob showed up at the candy store, Ann informed Bob that there was a bucket in the back and the
windows needed cleaning. Bob thanked Ann for calling him but told her that he hadn't volunteered to clean windows.
Bob eventually resigned from the Citizen's Advisory Committee for Redevelopment when he realized that Ann was sabotaging his efforts. The Mayor and City Council members presented him with a letter of appreciation for bringing the City of San Rafael and the Film Institute together.
Bob was invited to one of the private opening night screenings during the week in which Mayor Al Boro got up and said that he had looked long and hard for someone or some organization to reopen the theatre. He said that someone on the
Redevelopment Advisory Committee, a Bob Cooper, mentioned that the Film Institute was looking for a permanent home. The Mayor then said he went to Mill Valley and invited them to come to San Rafael. The Mayor completely ignored the fact that Bob had spent six months lobbying Ann Brebner to come and talk to the City. The Mayor didn't even have the common courtesy to acknowledge Bob in the audience.
When the newly renovated Rafael Film Center finally officially opened, Bob stood out front, behind the ropes, among the crowd, and watched as Mark Fishkin walked down the red carpet and thanked everyone. He then introduced the "man who
was there from the very beginning, the man who made it happen ... Mayor Al Boro." The Mayor thanked Mark and confirmed that yes, it was he (Al Boro) who was there from the very beginning." And that, folks, is how politics works.
Imagine how inspirational it would have been if the Film institute and the Mayor had taken the Frank Capra route and told the public the truth --- that an ordinary citizen can make a difference in his or her community. That is the stuff that dreams and movies are made of ... and THAT is the real story.
