Comments from Joe Vogel

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Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Sierra Theater on Dec 12, 2004 at 8:02 pm

Either this theater or the Eagle Theater was probably the one originally called the United Theater, which was referred to in an article in the Highland Park News Herald on July 23rd, 1926, on the occasion of its purchase by Mr. John Sugar, named as the owner of the York Theater. Mr. Sugar sold both of his Eagle Rock theaters and the York theater sometime later, as noted in an article in the Los Angeles Times of December 28th, 1928.

The Cinema Treasures listing of the Eagle Theater (currently listed as being located in Eagle Rock, California rather than Los Angeles) contains no information regarding former names it may have had in the 1920s, though a comment there says that in the 1930s it was called the Yosemite Theater, and later was known as the New Eagle Theater.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Fox Criterion Theatre on Dec 10, 2004 at 5:03 am

The L.A. Public Library photo collection contains an earlier picture of this theater. Apparently, its name when it opened was the Kinema. This name was actually carved into the wall of the side of the building, as clearly shown in the photograph.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Tower Theatre on Dec 10, 2004 at 3:11 am

L. Linares;

I only went to the Tower those two times; First, at the end of 1963, when it was still the Newsreel Theatre, and then again in 1967 after it had gone back to its original name and was showing first run movies. But the doors were so close to the sidewalk that it was easy to see the grand staircase in the lobby every time I passed by. I went to movies downtown mostly during the early 1960s, and had little interest in the fare at the Newsreel, but I went to the other big Broadway theatres many times.

I think that the L.A. Conservancy is still having its Broadway Theatre Tours every Saturday. I’ve heard that the United Artists is no longer available to them, and that the Million Dollar was recently taken off the tour due to falling plaster, so that leaves only the Los Angeles, the Orpheum, the Palace and maybe the Tower as stops on the tour. They try to include three theatres in the tour, but it depends on the availability (for example, if a music video or an ad or a movie is being filmed in one of the theatres, they wouldn’t be able to include that one that week.) I think they charge eight dollars for the tour, and you need to make a reservation a month in advance.

The conservancy also sponsors a program called Last Remaining Seats, which features a series of old movies presented at one or another of the Broadway theatres, and usually one at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. This series usually happens in June, but you’ll have to check on their web site to get the exact dates.

The Palace used to be one of the theatres at which these programs were presented, but it recently suffered some water damage to its projection room, so it may not be available for the series this year, and the Million Dollar is probably off the list too, because of the falling plaster. So this year’s program will probably be confined to the Los Angeles, the Orpheum, and the Alex.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Arcade Theatre on Dec 9, 2004 at 11:06 pm

For at least part of the 1920s, this was called Dalton’s Theatre. Presumably, this was between the time the new Pantages opened and 1928, when this theatre became the Arcade.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Avenue Theatre on Dec 9, 2004 at 8:15 pm

I have been able to determine that the Meralta was designed by architect Evan Jones, of Hollywood, but I don’t know which of the other proposed theaters on Downey Avenue is which. Whichever one was at the northwest corner of Second Street is the one designed by Newton and Truesdell, but I don’t know which of the theaters that is.

I also know that there was a theater called the Downey that was operating in the early 1920s, and that yet another theater was proposed for an unidentified location on Downey Avenue in 1925. I have only the vaguest memories of Downey Avenue, as it was several miles from where I lived, and I only passed through the town infrequently, usually on Rosemead Boulevard or Firestone.

I remember seeing the Downey, Meralta and Avenue theatres listed in the L.A. Times, but don’t remember a Fiesta theatre at all.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Garrick Theatre on Dec 9, 2004 at 7:46 pm

The Garrick was originally called the Hyman Theatre, built by Los Angeles Theatrical promoter Arthr S. Hyman, sometime after 1913 (when the project was first announced.)

Late in 1921, it was remodeled to a design by architect George Edwin Bergstrom. I don’t know if the name change to Garrick Theatre accompanied the reopening, or happened some time earlier.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Fox Oakland Theater on Dec 9, 2004 at 7:28 pm

One of the last houses opened by West Coast Theatres before that circuit was purchased by Willaim Fox, the Oakland was one of the first theaters to have the “Fox” name added to its marquee. The change was announced in Exhibitors Herald-World of March 23rd, 1929.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Sebastian Theater on Dec 9, 2004 at 3:46 pm

I am quite surprised to come across a reverse theatre, and to find that there were more of them. However, there is one that is missing from the list above. Though it has sadly been multiplexed, the Pacific Hastings 8 in Pasadena, California, began as a large, single-screen reverse theatre. It was a late-arriving member of this small family, having been built only in the late 1960s or early 1970s. I am wondering if these other reverse theatres shared with the Hastings its other distinguishing feature- the continental seating, an arrangement in which the aisles run up the sides of the theatre and the seats run in unbroken rows across the width of the auditorium. Though the Hastings was not a highly decorated theatre, it was nevertheless an excellent place to see a movie. I had thought it was unique in its arrangement, and always wondered why more had not been built that way. I’m glad to see that at least a few others were.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Granada Theatre on Dec 9, 2004 at 3:55 am

The architect at Levy and Klein who designed the Granada was Edward E. Eichenbaum.

The original architectural drawings of the Granada are in the possession of the Art Institute of Chicago, and can be viewed there by qualified scholars. (I believe they can be seen only by appointment.)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Sunshine Brooks Theater on Dec 8, 2004 at 9:26 pm

Street names appear to have changed in Oceanside since the 1930s, but there were two theaters planned for that city in 1936. One, for a company called Palomar Operating Company, was to be located on Hill Street between Temple and Michigan.

The other, to be built for Inter-Counties Investment Company, of Anaheim, was in a remodeled building at Hill and Third Streets.

Both theaters were to be designed by Clifford A. Balch, with engineer Floyd E. Stanbery.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Avenue Theatre on Dec 8, 2004 at 8:35 pm

The theater on Third Street, near Crawford Avenue (the former name of Downey Avenue) was proposed in 1925. The plans were prepared by the architectural firm of Schilling & Schilling, of Long Beach, and the owner was to be a Mrs. Ada B. Adams of Downey. Mrs. Adams intended to lease thee theater to a Mr. L.R. Matthews, who was named as the operator of the Downey Theater on Crawford Avenue. (The Downey Theatre is probably the theater later known as El Teatro.) Mrs. Adams was also the owner of the Meralta Theatre, which she leased to Pearl Merrill and Laura Peralta, the operators of the Meralta Theatre in Culver City, and of the Downey Theatre.

As I said, I have no confirmation that Mrs. Adams' Third Street theater was ever built. If it was, it may not have lasted long, what with three other theaters already in operation in what was then a fairly small town, and the building may have been converted to some other use, and its origins as a theater eventually forgotten.

The Downey Theatre of that time itself appears to have been constructed in 1919 or 1920, from plans by architect Harry Haden Whitely.

The theater on Paramount Boulevard would have been rather small, at 400 seats, and was supposed to have been built at 12409 Paramount Boulevard in an area then called Hollydale, since annexed to the City of Downey. I have checked my source and found that it was proposed in 1946.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Avenue Theatre on Dec 8, 2004 at 7:53 pm

Poking around the L.A. Public library web site, I’ve come across references to five theaters that were proposed for Downey in the 1920s, and I know that at least three were built. A fourth may have been built, as well, but it was on a side street (Third Street, if I remember correctly.) El Teatro was probably one of the two I described in my comment above.

I’ve also come across a reference to another theater proposed for Downey, in the late ‘30s or early '40s, which was planned for a site on Paramount Boulevard, but I don’t know if that one was ever built.

The Meralta is listed on Cinema Treasures, but El Teatro is not.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Palace Theatre on Dec 8, 2004 at 7:34 pm

I notice that the Blade marquees at each end of this theater say “Newsreels” in the photograph above. An issue of Daily Variety from September of 1939 announced this change in policy with the headline “Palace, Broadway, becomes News Palace.” I have a vague memory of a place on Spring Street where a parking lot opened a view of the back of one of the other theaters on Broadway- either the Globe or the Orpheum, I think- and even in the 1960s you could still see there an old, faded sign advertising the News Palace theater.

By the time I began attending movies at the Palace in the early 1960s, the blade marquees simply carried the name “Palace” on them. I remember getting a good look at the interior one night about 1962, when Metropolitan used to run Keno games during intermission, and the house lights would be turned all the way up. Even then, the auditorium was showing its age,
but it was still a splendid sight with its ornate beaux-arts decor. I remember that the orchestra floor had columns to hold up the balcony. (I think that the Million Dollar was the first wide theater in Los Angeles to be built with a clear-span balcony that needed no supporting columns on the ground floor. The Palace was a few years older than the Million Dollar.)

I also recall the rather plain lounge and restrooms in the basement. They extended under the sidewalk of Broadway, and the ceiling was of glass brick. You could hear the pedestrians walking above. It was quite a difference from the plush lower level lounge in the Los Angeles Theatre across the street.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Garmar Theater on Dec 8, 2004 at 7:11 pm

The Center is listed here, but there are no comments on it yet.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Palace Theatre on Dec 8, 2004 at 6:49 am

The Palace opened on September 30th, 1916. The architect was H. Alfred Anderson, of Long Beach. The original design featured a facade of pressed brick inlaid with decorative tiles. The original owner was E.W. Bollinger.

In 1921, Anderson prepared plans for an expansion of the theater, including raising the ceiling and adding balcony seating.

Further alterations took place in 1929, this time designed by the firm of Merrill and Wilson. The front of the theater was remodeled and a new marquee installed. The leasee of the Palace at this time was Pacific National Theatres.

H.A. Anderson returned to the Palace to design alterations to the lobby and install another new marquee in 1942.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Colorado Theater on Dec 7, 2004 at 5:29 pm

In 1971, both the Colorado and the Crown (originally the Raymond) theatres were being operated by Loews. On February 10th of that year, the Colorado was one of four houses in the Los Angeles area showing the re-engagement of “Five Easy Pieces,” which had just won three Oscars. The Crown was showing two X-rated movies. I think that the Crown was very near to being closed by that time, and when it was finally closed, Loews pulled out of the Pasadena market altogether, selling the Colorado to Laemmle, which had made a considerable success with their Esquire Theatre, right down the block from the Colorado.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Loma Theatre on Dec 7, 2004 at 5:49 am

Southwest Builder and Contractor of May 20th, 1921 Says that this theater was being designed by Frank Rasche, and that the owners were James C. Allen and Edward H. Helt. It was to be leased to Turner, Dankin and Langley.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Regency Lido Theatre on Dec 6, 2004 at 5:51 pm

If this is the same Lido Theatre that opened on Lido Isle in October of 1939, than it was designed by Clifford Balch. The original owner of the theater was the Griffith Company, the building was 60' x 119', and it had 750 seats.

There were two Balch-designed theaters in Newport Beach. The other, on Central Avenue, was called the Newport Theatre, and was remodeled from an existing building at about the same time the Lido was built.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Granada Theatre on Dec 6, 2004 at 6:57 am

Southwest Builder and Contractor of October 2nd, 1925 announced the plans for the Granada Theater at Ontario, designed by L.A. Smith. The owner of the new theater and office building was Dr. C.L. Emmons, and the theater was to be be leased to West Coast Junior Theaters. The estimated cost was $200,000.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Oriental Theatre on Dec 6, 2004 at 6:46 am

There are mentions of Meyer and Holler’s plans for the Granada Theatre in Southwest Builder and Contractor as early as the issue of April 15th, 1921. The theater must have been open by 1924, as the Hollywood Citizen of March 11th, 1924 carries an article about the new air systems which had been installed in both the Granada and the Apollo, making them the best ventilated theaters in the city.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Fox Arroyo Theatre on Dec 5, 2004 at 7:57 pm

I remember passing by this theater. It was designed in the Churrigueresque style popularized by the Panama-California Exposition held in San Diego in 1915. If I recall correctly, it is a two story building, with either offices or apartments on the second floor. Its location is on the very southern edge of the rather bohemian but little-known Mount Washington district of Los Angeles, an area of rugged hills and canyons filled with a remarkable variety of houses in styles that range from late Victorian to modern. It is not too far from the Heritage Square project, where a number of early Los Angeles houses have been restored and assembled into a sort of architectural museum. It also has good access to the Pasadena Freeway. This one might be a good candidate for some sort of restoration project if it came on the market.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Star Theatre on Dec 5, 2004 at 4:11 pm

The newspaper Hollywood Citizen, on January 14th, 1921, informed readers that West Coast Theaters had leased the Apollo.

I have been struck by the remarkable resemblance between the Apollo’s facade and that of the Cooper Building in the eastern Los Angeles suburb of Alhambra, which contained a theater then called the Granada, which later became the Coronet, and then (c1964) the Capri, before it was demolished following an earthquake in 1971. Many Los Angeles commercial buildings of the era were similar, but the similarity between these two is remarkable enough that it seems as though they might have had the same architect.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Fox Dome Theatre on Dec 5, 2004 at 5:45 am

There were two Dome Theaters at this location. The first was mentioned in Southwest Builder and Contractor, issue of 9/16/1921, on the occasion of the construction of a pier near the theater. Then the SB&C issue of 2/1/1924 tells that: “ Venice Improvement Company and West Coast Theaters… propose to expend immediately more than $1,000,000 for a 2000 seat theater to replace the Dome Theatre destroyed by the recent conflagration….”

The Los Angeles Times of 4/9/1924 ran an article about the new theater, saying “Work will be started tomorrow.” Then, an article in the Santa Monica Outlook of 6/30/1924 says “Thousands welcome new Dome Theater at Ocean Park.” That must be a record construction time. They were probably anxious to get the place open before the height of the summer season, and start making back that huge sum they spent on it.

There are also mentions of the Dome in SB&C issue 2/21/1936, saying that Clifford Balch had made plans for alterations to this theater.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Starland Theatre on Dec 5, 2004 at 4:18 am

Los Angeles is the correct location for this theater. No part of North Broadway is in the Highland Park district of Los Angeles. It runs from downtown, past Chinatown, skirts the eastern edge of Elysian Park, crosses the Los Angeles river, bends eastward and runs through the Lincoln Heights district of the city, ending at Mission Road, a few blocks south of that street’s intersection with Soto Street. If it actually ran northward, it would reach Highland Park, but it becomes and east-west street and heads instead toward the El Sereno district.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel commented about Tally's Electric Theatre on Dec 5, 2004 at 12:46 am

The Broadway Theatre in the 400 block was called Tally’s “New” Broadway, because he had an earlier Tally’s Broadway Theater in the 800 block. That theater was demolished in 1929, to make way for an expansion of the May Company Department Store.