Every week or so, the staff at the Uptown Theatre go about their routine of adorning the 70-year-old movie palace’s marquee with the title of the latest film to set its reels in motion on screen.

Seymour Cohen, known for his innovations in the movie theater marquee industry, has listed his retreat in Santa Ynez at $1.349 million. The 3,182-square-foot home, built in 1930, sits behind gates on ...