I remember going to the Pan Pacific Auditorium as a child for events like Ringling Bros Circus, Auto Shows, Sportman’s Show etc. The movie theatre I did not go to until before it closed. They showed 2nd run double features at a cheap, cheap price.
I worked at the Mann Village, Westwood when it played there. It was supposed to open on July 9th along with the rest of the openings but ended up at Mann’s Westwood (then triplex) all three screens that week. Warner did not want to pull FIREFOX yet from the Village. The next weekend TRON moved to the Village in 70mm and FIREFOX to the triplex. I’m sure Disney was not happy, but Warner and Paramount back then had priority. That was back when Ted Mann was owner of the chain.
Another screen that was ruined by chopping it into smaller not very good theatres. I grew up seeing films here when it was the Monica 1 & 2 theatres. Laemmle ran both Art and Hollywood films here with great success.
This was one of the best theatres in L.A. when PLITT operated it. The large auditorium was fantastic. I went to the first showing of Jaws opening day June 20, 1975 at this theatre. Like the AVCO Westwood, it was ruined when they cut up the main theatre into smaller.
I always thought of that walk up type of seating as a balcony. There were a couple theatres I grew up with; Cinema on the Mall (SM) and Plitt Century Plaza (Century City) that had that type of seating. I’m pretty sure they considered them balconies, but I guess I am wrong.
Was there a theatre in the same area at one time called the Plaza? I remember seeing ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT in '86 at a theatre near the Paris which was showing A ROOM WITH A VIEW at the same time.
Great photos, glad to see the theatre still open and doing business. I remember seeing WHITE NIGHTS at the Ziegfield back in November 1985 and thought it was a great theatre then. I love walk up balconies like the Ziegfield has and the Plitt Century Plaza had. Most of the theatres I visited in my visits in ‘85, '86 and '87 in NYC are now sadly gone. Hopefully it will remain. L.A. has so few big screen single houses, but I guess I have no room to complain since NYC only has this screen remaining.
I’m happy to hear the positive comments. I hope to make it this weekend to see X MEN. I’ve actually been trying to get to the 6 Plex to see TRUE LEGEND. I don’t think the trailers being shown mean they are booking the films. Studios attach trailers to high profile films to be seen. My weekend visit to Arclight I noticed both GREEN LANTERN and HP7 are booked to show there.
On Movie Tickets.com it is listed as The Chinese Theatre. Wouldn’t it be better to still call it Grauman’s Chinese? What else other than X-MEN is booked for this Summer? I’d like to go but not really into comic book movies. I feel I should go as much as possible before they change it to EVENT Center.
Most of Regency’s chain is made up of previous Mann theatres. I bet they will take over Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village also.
I remember going to the Pan Pacific Auditorium as a child for events like Ringling Bros Circus, Auto Shows, Sportman’s Show etc. The movie theatre I did not go to until before it closed. They showed 2nd run double features at a cheap, cheap price.
I worked at the Mann Village, Westwood when it played there. It was supposed to open on July 9th along with the rest of the openings but ended up at Mann’s Westwood (then triplex) all three screens that week. Warner did not want to pull FIREFOX yet from the Village. The next weekend TRON moved to the Village in 70mm and FIREFOX to the triplex. I’m sure Disney was not happy, but Warner and Paramount back then had priority. That was back when Ted Mann was owner of the chain.
Another screen that was ruined by chopping it into smaller not very good theatres. I grew up seeing films here when it was the Monica 1 & 2 theatres. Laemmle ran both Art and Hollywood films here with great success.
Went to this drive in quite a few times in my childhood. I remember it quite fondly.
This was one of the best theatres in L.A. when PLITT operated it. The large auditorium was fantastic. I went to the first showing of Jaws opening day June 20, 1975 at this theatre. Like the AVCO Westwood, it was ruined when they cut up the main theatre into smaller.
I remember seeing a Woody Allen DF (I believe at this theatre) back in 1987. The description seems accurate.
I always thought of that walk up type of seating as a balcony. There were a couple theatres I grew up with; Cinema on the Mall (SM) and Plitt Century Plaza (Century City) that had that type of seating. I’m pretty sure they considered them balconies, but I guess I am wrong.
Was there a theatre in the same area at one time called the Plaza? I remember seeing ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT in '86 at a theatre near the Paris which was showing A ROOM WITH A VIEW at the same time.
Great photos, glad to see the theatre still open and doing business. I remember seeing WHITE NIGHTS at the Ziegfield back in November 1985 and thought it was a great theatre then. I love walk up balconies like the Ziegfield has and the Plitt Century Plaza had. Most of the theatres I visited in my visits in ‘85, '86 and '87 in NYC are now sadly gone. Hopefully it will remain. L.A. has so few big screen single houses, but I guess I have no room to complain since NYC only has this screen remaining.
I’m happy to hear the positive comments. I hope to make it this weekend to see X MEN. I’ve actually been trying to get to the 6 Plex to see TRUE LEGEND. I don’t think the trailers being shown mean they are booking the films. Studios attach trailers to high profile films to be seen. My weekend visit to Arclight I noticed both GREEN LANTERN and HP7 are booked to show there.
I changed my profile from BRADE41 to BRADE48.
On Movie Tickets.com it is listed as The Chinese Theatre. Wouldn’t it be better to still call it Grauman’s Chinese? What else other than X-MEN is booked for this Summer? I’d like to go but not really into comic book movies. I feel I should go as much as possible before they change it to EVENT Center.