Fairfax Cinemas

I remember when Cineplex Odeon took over the Fairfax it had either been closed or run into the ground as a $1 house. I think they triplexed it and the last time I was in LA it was a first run theatre. When did it go discount?

It now runs foreign films and independent films - first-run, mostly. It also hosts screens for the various film festivals that come through town.

The Fairfax briefly returned to its first-run, major studio release days after the 1994 Northridge earthquake when the movie theatres within the Beverly Center and Beverly Connection were forced to close for a time. Loews let go of the property shortly before or after its bankruptcy filing in February of 2001.

It was run into the ground as a $1 house. Cineplex Odeon took it over, remodeled and gave it new life as a first showing house. Then, Loews acquired it after Cineplex; It went back to being a $1 house. Films there were about six months old. My girlfriend used to work there between 98 and 00 during this time.

You would be amazed at how many celebrities would patronize this theater while Loews had it as a $1 house. I assume celebrities felt comfortable there since film fans usually attend first showing houses. Many industry people would spend a buck to see a flick.

On a pretty regular basis, studios would rent the theater for a day. I had worked as the projectionist during these studio screenings and audience response screenings.

Today, it is owned by Lammle Theaters, an arts movies theater chain.

The Fairfax Theatre originally opened in 1932 (July?) and it had an original seating capacity of 1,504. A Wurlitzer 2 Manual/6 Rank SP theatre organ was installed.

Still to be seen today in faded lettering on the rear of the stage house is the painted sign stating; 'New Fairfax Theatre - Glorifying the Talking Picture'

I saw a pile of films here in the spring 1981, a year when the theatre was one of several used for FILMEX.

This theatre also hosts a monthly Friday Midnight showing of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch". The movie is shown the last Friday of every month. It's compared to Midnight showings of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". There is a live performance acted out by Rainbow Carnage during the movie. This is a must see for any fan of the movie and is very fun to attend. The cast of Rainbow Carnage also performs a pre-show and makes every monthly viewing a themed event. By themed i mean guests are encouraged to wear costumes or dress according to the monthly theme.

During the late 80's when it was operated by Cineplex. The manager of the theatre hosted a few series of classic films on Sunday. Some of the series were classic widescreen musicals, Cult classics in 35mm 4-Track Stereo or 70MM 6-Track Stereo.

The current auditorium seating capacities are 172, 422, 192.

Color photos of the Fairfax Theatre, Box Office and Lobby
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/California%20Theatres/FairfaxTheatre7909Bever.jpg
Box Office
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/California%20Theatres/FairfaxTheatreBoxOfficeEntranccePar.jpg
Lobby
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/California%20Theatres/FairfaxTheatreLobbyParkLaBreaLACa.jpg

Many more photos of this theater can be seen here.

This theater was part of the Mann chain during the 1970's. The then single screen Fairfax showed 1st run Disney films at the time. The theater went independent around 1979. By the end of 1981 the main spacious auditorium would be split into a tri-plex. After a few years running 2nd run films,the Fairfax was hurting from the competition from the Beverly Center. Cineplex took over operation of the Fairfax April 11,1985. The theater was completely renovated by Cineplex and ran 1st run art films for awhile. After a few years the theater went back to 2nd run movies and stayed that way until Loews/Cineplex closed the theater.

Here is an expanded version of the photo above:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015285.jpg

The marquee has been redesigned and now says New Fairfax. If you walk down the block towards Canter's, you can still see an advertisement for the original Fairfax theater on the side of the building.

Laemmle closed The Fairfax last week. This is the message of the Laemmle website.

After five years and a thousand and one good foreign, independent and art movies (or thereabouts)

Laemmle Theatres reluctantly announces we are ending our tenancy at the historic Fairfax Theatre.

Sincere thanks to all our Fairfax customers for their loyal patronage.

The Pacific Grove Theatre complex killed this theatre. Like it did to the former (AMC)/GCC Beverly Connection 6.

The first time I saw a movie in Hollywood was at this theatre when its was part of the Cineplex Odeon family in 1989. The film: "Do The Right Thing." An unforgettable experience. Another fond memory of this place was seeing "Braveheart" for $3.00 - and DTS Digital Sound to boot - on the Friday before the Oscars (when it won Best Picture).

I seriously doubt that the Grove killed this place. It was an arthouse for the last 10 years of it's operation.

I'll miss this theatre. Hopefully another arthouse chain will sweep in and pick it up.

Having just been in LA for the recent 3-D film festival at the Egyptian, it saddens me to hear Fairfax has been closed. I lived in the area from 1981 to 1989 and attended many films there in that period. It was saddening enough when the house was split into three in 1982--but I continued to attend, as compromised as the theatre was. I was so close this time there...I went to Canter's and wanted to take a shot of the stage wall mentioned above with its "Glorifying the Talking Picture" sign. When I saw the sign had been covered over by a coat of white paint, I walked no further--that was disappointing enough. For what's its worth--Canter's is as good as ever.

Reopened as of today as a $3 Regency theatre!

The Regency Theatre chain also operates the Academy 6 in Pasadena, Lido in Newport Beach, Redondo Beach Cinema 3 (former GCC South Bay 1,2,3), along with other plex around the Southern California area. Two of the owners are former Local 150 projectionists.

http://www.regencymovies.com/index.php?theaterid=

It looks like it is going to be a mix of art and second run.

jalex...do you know the name of the theater that is where Cantor's is now? thanks

It was the Esquire Theatre. Canter's moved into the space around 1953.

There's a nice old photograph of the Esquire at the very back of Canter's if you want to know what it looked like. Canter's kept the structure of the marquee, and you can still see where the ticket booth use to be, even though it's now bricked up completely.

This is one photo of the Fairfax Theater and here is another.

The one and only time I visited this theater was to see a collection of old pornographic silent film loops entitled "The Good Old Dirty Days." The film was forgettable. The interior of the theater was not anything specially, most likely due to its remodeling. As well the parking in the area was not great. In any case I do hope this theater survives under some ownership as it is still worth preserving something with so much history.

I don't know if this is the theater, but I recently read that Nicholas Cage once sold popcorn at a Fairfax Theater so wonder if this is the one.

And the ticket kios is one of the most unusual I have ever viewed on CT.

Two photographs I took in January 2005:
Facade & Entrance
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/370858198/
Signage on rear of stage house:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/370859150/

The signage has been painted over, unfortunately.

ken mc;Thanks for the update. What a shame, and after 70+ years being there! I am so glad that I managed to capture it before it disappeared.

If it is closed, what happened to the unique ticket kios or is it still there?

And it's a shame that the signage on the rear of the building has been painted over as that is an important piece of nostalgia and that theatre.

It was pretty hard to read. I must have walked up and down Fairfax for ten years before I noticed the writing on the wall.

ken mc: Better late than never as they say.

Patsy, I was just by there the other day, but can't remember if the ticket booth was still there. I went by fast, and never got around to going back again.
I wonder what will become of the theater, it appears to be in good condition.

There are four photos on this page from the CA State Library:
http://tinyurl.com/2wadap

I don't have detailed memories of this place. But I do remember attending a couple shows when it was run by Cineplex. I caught the David Cronenberg flick "The Fly" and "Flght of The Navagator".

The theatre is still open and looks about the same as it did under Laemmle. Regency seems to be operating it as a second run art house.

I guess my page expired. If you enter Fairfax on the search engine for the CA state library, you will see the theater pictures.

It's great that LA now has a 2nd run arthouse theatre. Whenever I'd miss something great, I'd have to drive out to Pasadena to see it at the Academy 6. This theatre also seems to get some random programming too-- when the Kingdom of Heaven directors cut came out, it only played at this theatre. Strange.

Here is a photo from the CA state library:
http://helios.library.ca.gov/soca/mott-merge/2006/1992-2187.jpg

I'm the general manager of the Fairfax for Regency Theatres and must thank you, ken, for posting the link for that fantastic photo. What really amazes me is the pre-developed nature of the neighborhood as visible in the distance at the extreme left of the photo. I think those are actually dirt roads leading off Beverly (and Beverly itself might be a dirt road as well). It's also interesting to note what appears to be the original ticket booth, which suggests the surviving booth we have today is indeed a relic of Fox West's one-time ownership.

BTW, my district manager noticed the show advertised in poster case is "Sally," a film released in 1929. Could this mean the Fairfax was built before 1932?

Glad you enjoyed the photo. The "Sally" showing could have been a re-release. Do you still have the records for 1932 in your office?

Here are three more CA Library photos:
http://tinyurl.com/38qc5r
http://tinyurl.com/38vrnl
http://tinyurl.com/2quqp4

Thanks for the additional photo links, Ken.

Here's a photo link to LA City Councilman Jack Weiss' site, which features many historical photos:

http://www.lacity.org/photogallery/115_photo497.htm

(I think the photo might be the grand opening of the Fairfax...)

Sadly, we do not have the records for 1932. I suspect most of the historical material was lost between Cineplex Odeon's reign and Laemmle's reign. However, we do have a comprehensive set of blueprints for the rennovations Cineplex Odeon conducted back in the 1980s. Here are links to the scenic artist/muralist who worked on the rennovations as well (the photos revealing Fairfax restoration in process):

http://www.pauldwillner.com/paul_image_fairfax.htm
http://www.pauldwillner.com/theater_fairfax.htm

Ken, did you ever visit the theatre before it was multiplexed? I'm particularly curious about any live theatre shows that may have used the stage, fly house, and dressing rooms (all of which still survive intact today)...

The 1986 restoration/renovation of the Fairfax Cinemas for Cineplex Odeon was designed by Toronto architect David Mesbur, now of Mesbur+Smith Architects. Between 1982 and 1990, Mesbur was lead architect on some 250 projects for Cineplex Odeon, making him one of the more prolific theatre architects of the modern period.


The German fellow who runs the website You-Are-Here attributes the original design of the Fairfax Theatre to architect William C. Pennell (see the caption of this photo.) I don't know the source for this claim, but it does seem possible (though the site mistakenly claims that the Fairfax was built in 1929,which diminishes its credibility a bit.)

Pennell was for a time in a partnership with the much better-known Los Angeles architect John Austin (until 1914), and around 1920 he was in a partnership with architect L.A. Smith, who was the designer of at least 40 theatres in the Los Angeles area. I'm unable to find a death date for Pennell, but he might well have still been around and practicing when the Fairfax was built.

Thanks for the Pennell profile, Joe. Los Angeles area theatre design/construction in the first three decades of the 20th century confuses me, as the downtown theatres differ so greatly from others such as the Fairfax. Moreover, looking at the photos Ken provided links to, it seems the Fairfax was built almost as a proto-shopping mall - a stand-alone corner building with wrap-around storefronts. I don't know another theatre in LA that has as many storefronts as the Fairfax; then again, few are corner buildings. Any insights into the rationale behind such design and construction?

Last visit to the Fairfax was for the Israeli film festival a few years ago. I never saw it before it was multiplexed. Interestingly enough I first noted the old advertisement on the back wall (now painted over) for the first time in 2002 after years of walking up and down Fairfax, usually coming back from Canter's.

I lost track of this thread. To take up the question of storefronts in theatre buildings, I think that whether or not a given theatre devoted much of its frontage to shops had to do with the value of the land for retail uses, and this in turn was a function of location.

A theatre builder in a fairly busy neighborhood with lots of pedestrian traffic would be inclined to devote as much of the valuable street frontage as possible to shops. That's why most of the large downtown theatres had them. Retailers would pay very high rents for frontage on Broadway or Hill Street, as well as on Hollywood Boulevard, Colorado Street in Pasadena, Third Street in Santa Monica, or any busy suburban business district.

On the other hand, builders erecting theatres on streets with few pedestrians and more motorized traffic were less likely to devote land to shops, as the rents were apt to be too low to justify the cost of building them. As a rule, the earlier a theatre was built, the more likely it was to be built in a fairly dense business district, and the more likely it was to have many shops built as part of the project.

The Fairfax was not unique for its time. Other theatres on suburban business streets with many shops in their buildings included the Garfield in Alhambra, The Alex in Glendale, The Golden Gate in East Los Angeles, Bard's Pasadena (now the Academy) in Pasadena, the Fox Ritz on Wilshire Boulevard, the Leimert (now the Vision Theatre) in Leimert Park... I could go on for quite a while.

It's true that the greatest number of shops accompanied theatres on corner lots but, valuable though it was, the extra street frontage was probably not the main draw for theatre builders. It was probably the high visibility of the major intersections that attracted them. The opportunity to make more rent from more shops was a bonus.

Later large theatres, such as the Academy in Inglewood, the Crest in Westwood, the Tumbleweed in El Monte, and the Baldwin near Baldwin Hills Village, were usually built on the edge of or well outside the denser business districts and were almost always built without adjacent shops. By that time, nearby parking for theatre patrons was more important to builders than was access to transit or being in an area with heavy pedestrian traffic. Once you start building large parking lots around your theatre, you've pretty much ruined the location for pedestrian-dependent retail shops.

Thanks for the follow-up, Joe. Your comment about visibility makes sense in the case of the Fairfax, although the early photos Ken found at the state library site (link listed earlier in this thread) show the area as fairly sparce at the time of its opening. Nevertheless, the intersection of Beverly & Fairfax must have obviously been anticipated as a major one (particularly with Gilmore Field diagonally across the intersection from the Fairfax site, making the location more of a destination-draw for early motorists).

You mentioned many theatres with storefronts, suggesting the Fairfax wasn't unique as such. That was not the core of my query. I was specifically interested in any theatres with corner lots and/or the same number of storefronts (the Fairfax has 8; most non-corner lots would only have 4 or 5). This question of multiple storefronts has particular relevance today, considering today's nearby Grove and Beverly Center malls.

Also, I'm unclear as to whether all the theatres you mentioned still survive. I obviously know the Alex and the Academy (especially since the latter is now a Regency theatre akin to the Fairfax), but I don't know the status of the others...

Here is another photo of the Fairfax Cinemas.

This is another photo for marquee enthusiasts.

Re: the recent Marquee photo - please note the lower neon has since been repaired and is now firmly affixed onto the marquee.

Re. Ben's question last August about the screening of 'Sally' and the theater's opening date:

The Los Angeles Times carried a news story on June 2 1929 about the groundbreaking for a Beverly Boulevard Playhouse; Theater and Store Buildings Will Be Erected Within 90 Days… There's a nice artist's sketch, too.

The Fairfax Theater Company Inc was run by Gus A Metzger, Harry Srere and Charles A Nichthauser, the first two of whom also built the Roxie on Broadway in 1931. The designer was Vermont avenue architect WC Pennell.

It turns out that the other movie touted in the theatre's poster case with "Sally" (in this photo), \"Clancy at the Bat\", also dates from 1929. Apparently "You-Are_Here" got the theatre's opening date right, and Cinema Treasures has it wrong. But Metzger and his partners must have been among the pioneers of double features if they were running them in 1929.

William C. Pennell was also the architect of the Strand Theatre, built in 1921 at Vernon and Broadway. Though the L.A. library's California Index contains multiple references to Pennell having been the partner of prolific theatre architect L.A. Smith during 1920, I can find no confirmation that they ever collaborated on any completed theatre project. They were hired to design a large theatre on 6th Street in San Pedro, but that project apparently remained unbuilt.

Earlier in his career, Pennell had been in partnership with another, even more famous, Los Angeles architect, John C. Austin. During the early 1910s they collaborated on numerous projects, including several churches and a few schools with auditoriums. Their partnership had ended by 1917, when Pennell was mentioned in the press as having opened a new office. Austin went on to participate in the design of numerous Los Angeles landmarks, including City Hall, the Griffith Planetarium, and Shrine Auditorium. Pennell remains so little known that almost all the references to him in the California Index are in citations of his partners, Smith or Austin.

Back in the early 70's, the Fairfax was usually the only theater in the area to run Disney films. Our audiences (mostly kids), and the grosses, were huge. Once, during the run of Robin Hood (animated) Wendy, the cashier, oversold by nearly 50 tickets and nobody noticed. Part of the fun of going to the Fairfax had nothing to do with the film. The wide aisles were perfect for running amok and the stage (fully functional after a brief run of Oh Calcutta) was ideal for impromptu performances.

As the Assistant Manager under Eugene Wydra, part of my job was to make sure the little darlings didn't kill themselves. Thankfully, the head usher, Jay Abramson, had little use for rude kids and their obnoxious parents.

On the plus side, I learned a lot about diplomacy and crowd control. We had a great staff of smart, loyal and hard working kids who would do anything I asked. One of them, Wendy Widlus, is now with the Attorney General's office. I'm sure the others have gone on to bigger and better things.

Celebs liked the Fairfax. Natalie Wood often brought her daughter, along with several neighborhood kids, and couldn't have been nicer. John Lennon came in shortly before I left. He was with a pretty Asian girl (NOT Yoko) and seemed disappointed that only a couple of us recognized him.

There seems to be some question about when the theater was built. Down in the basement, there was an enormous "air circulator" that was installed and certified in 1930.

Here is a 1943 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/22386q

That is another copyrighted photo.

From today:
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff204/hollywood90038/FairfaxCinemasApr25200803.jpg

I was just watching a Three Stooges short called Three Little Pigskins from 1934 and you can see the Fairfax Theatre sign sticking up over and behind the football stadium. I assume the scene was shot at Fairfax High School.

Actually, the shot of the theater sign is from Gilmore Stadium which would have been where CBS and the Grove stands now.

Here are some October 2008 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/5485fk
http://tinyurl.com/464f4o

I've been there a few times and there's a strange musty smell in the theater. Has anyone else smelled it? I'm glad the building is intact. I wish they wouldn't have installed those horrible sliding aluminum windows on the front. Yuck.

A one handed photo taken Friday night. It is what it is:
http://tinyurl.com/6lon9w

This theatre is in such sad shape. During a rainy day, I recently went to see the film Milk. Unfortunately, it was also raining inside the theatre. 70% of the auditorium was caution taped off because of the rain. Partway through the film, a tile fell from the ceiling. The sound is really dreadful - especially the dialogue. Not crisp at all - we had to really strain to discern what was being said.

Even as a discount house - it's not at all worth it. Head to the Academy in Pasadena.

The last time I was in this theater was for the Israeli film festival a few years ago. It sounds like the theater has gone downhill since then. Too bad. This area has been gentrifying, especially Fairfax between Beverly and Melrose.

Here are some photos taken yesterday. The old ads are gone from the back wall.
http://tinyurl.com/ce5pnf
http://tinyurl.com/d5zwyp
http://tinyurl.com/c87obw

Here is a 1982 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/or5tfs

Thanks for the photos.

In July 2009, as nearby Farmers Market celebrates its 75th Anniversary, news of proposals were released to possibly demolish the 80 years old Fairfax Theatre, and build a 71-unit condominium building with retail and parking on the site. The proposal made by the building's owners of 10-years, B & F Associates of Santa Monica, stated that there were plans to retain the original theatre facade in the proposed redevelopment, which will need city council approval.

Regency Theatres, who are the current operators of the Fairfax Cinemas, were unaware of the proposals until they were announced.

Would be sad to lose the Fairfax.

Here is a circa 1940s photo from the LAPL:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics35/00067272.jpg

Here is another LAPL photo circa 1930s:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015284.jpg

There is a Facebook group for this theatre now:
http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=128831043933&ref=mf

CURBED

"...--"Based upon preliminary research regarding the site, it has been
determined that the Fairfax Theater is not listed on the Federal, State or Local Register of Historic Buildings or Places. The building is not the work product of a master architect nor is it the masterpiece of the architect who designed it. It is a poor example of the architecture of the time and style. No notable events occurred at the theater..."

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2010/01/set72157623066965269_stylefontsize_9px_textalign_centerclick.php?o=0

I've seen a movie there, so am familiar with the theater. It is NOT a poor example of a Roaring 20's movie palace!

"It is a poor example of the architecture of the time and style."

So why are they saving the facade?

A set of 11 photographs of the Fairfax Cinemas, taken in November 2002, during a visit to Los Angles that I organised for the Cinema Theatre Association(UK):
Exterior:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/4269276321/
Outer lobby:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/4270021750/
Inner foyer:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/4269279685/
Main auditorium:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/4270025020/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/4270026508/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/4270027964/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/4270029310/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/4270031116/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/4270032512/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/4269290493/
One of the small 200 seat auditoriums:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/4269291637/

From the LA Times today:
http://tinyurl.com/yaeo66p

Closed for the next nine days, for repairs due to the recent rains in Los Angeles. I wonder if the owner will use this as the excuse to kick everyone out and start turning the building into condos.

What are the two smaller theaters carved out of? Was the main auditorium cut up into the three auditoriums, or were the two smaller ones carved out of other areas of the theater?

The two smaller theaters are the back of the old theater, turning the front into the main auditorium. Now there's a long hallway that runs between the small auditoriums to reach the main. They also had to extend the projection room out over the small theaters to serve the main auditorium. It's an interesting solution to turning a single screener into a multi-screen facility -- one that avoids the problem of throwing off the symmetry by dividing it down the middle. Plus they still have one good sized screen.

Ahhh, thanks so much, very interesting. So the smaller theaters are actually the two back corners of the real auditorium. That's what I couldn't figure out, as the main theater looked "normal", it's just that it's "shorter" now. It does keep the aesthetics of cutting a theater up. Best of both worlds...

The original Fairfax theatre was a long house back before the triplexing. The theatre being built back in 1929, only got limited remodeling during the it's life with Fox West Coast Theatres. When CinemaScope can out, the theatre's screen did not get larger. Like wider theatres, it got smaller with the masking coming down from the top.

Looks like the Fairfax will be closed until at least 2/25. All the previously-booked Midnight shows up to that point have been moved to the Academy in Pasadena. While that's a shame on its face, it might be a good thing that Regency is feeling out the market for Midnights in Pasadena. With the Rialto no longer operating, the area hasn't had this type of show in the last few years. And if the Fairfax does indeed end up closing, then it would be nice to not have to lose ANOTHER theater showing older films on 35mm in Los Angeles.