Fox West Coast Theatre

The architects for this theater were Meyer & Holler.

The classical nude statue in the niche on the facade was saved and installed atop a fountain with a commemorative plaque honoring the theatre, in the courtyard of the hotel that now occupies the site.

To finish the above statement... The last film to play was "Footlight Parade".

It was a very rainy night to send this theatre a going away party.

This was the biggest movie theatre in Downtown L.B. After it closed down some bums broke in to sleep inside and made a mess out of the whole place.

The West Coast Theatre opened on July 7th 1925. In 1928 it was purchased by Fox West Coast Theatres. Until the depression darken the lives of thousands, the Fox presented vaudeville shows charging only 25 cents for matinees & 50 cents for evening performances. Once the depression moved in the stage shows were dropped. In 1933, on the day that Long Beach was hit by a devastating earthquake, the theatre happened to be closed in preparation for a premiere & was empty. Of sound construction, the theatre suffered not one bit of damage. The next day it was inspected and cleared to open, it would be the only movie house downtown as the others were closed for repairs. During the 1940's, the Fox never closed it's doors, operating around the clock, with lines around the block. During the 1950's, the West Coast was revamped with a new CinemaScope screen, new curtains and sound system. The West Coast opened "The Robe". With the stage redraped & the once glamorous gold satin waterfall curtain adjusted to accommodate the wide screen of CinemaScope. By the early 70's, the popularity of shopping centers & small screens had wooed a new generation of TV oriented youth who weren't interested in the glamorous atmosphere of the older Fox Theatre . Downtown Long Beach, in decline, no longer provided a pleasant environment for the movie goer. By 1974, the Fox West Coast, due to low box office receipts, was dropped by Mann Theatres.

Part 2 to the Fox West Coast

A rock promoter leased the theatre & others in the others in the chain with the idea of creating a circuit of acid rock & hippie oriented entertainment centers. After one year of operation, the theatre, suffering from the ravages of abuse & neglect, was closed & lay dormant for two years. During that time a religious organizational meetings were held there. When the sect was disbanded, the theatre's doors were closed again, this time for one year. The last operator of the Fox was the small chain called J. Bueno Theatres Corp. and plays host to Mexican movies & occasional stage shows. After surviving the depression, earthquakes, World War 2, TV, 3D. The Fox shined for one last time on the evenings of November 9th & 10th of 1985. They hosted a Fanchon & Marco Revue. This recreation of the legendary stage shows that once lived on many legendary theatres around this country. This featured a organ prologue, stage show followed by the Hearst Metrotone Newsreel of "The Long Beach Earthquake of 1933". And to finish the night with "Footlight Parade"

"FAREWELL TO THE FOX"

The Fox West Coast Theatre was located at 333 E. Ocean Ave.

The style of the Fox West Coast Theatre was Spanish Renaissance and the statue that once graced the facade was "Bulova, Goddess of Time".

The Fox West Coast Theatre was razed January of 1987.

When the building was being demolished I went downtown to talk to the demo crew and they said that none of it was being saved from the wrecking ball. Being a female - and offering a bottle of Chivas - I talked the foreman into giving me the Fox sign which I have still (the neon tubes are long gone) and it pleases me to know I have a little piece of this historical building.

The fox west coast abeutiful large theatre I saw a decent amount of films there in the early '80's before it went spanish. I took photos of the front a couple days before it was pulled down. it's nice to see the statue in the courtyard of the hotel but a shame that every theatre in long beach except the art are all gone.. P.S. to lisa in LB if you ever plan on getting ride of you sign let me know..johnbosleylb@hotmail.com

I used to go to the Fox on Friday nights through 1975 and 1977 or so. I really didn't know Long Beach as it was a very un-familiar and far away place to me at 12 years old. We were there for Rev. Brant Bakers Shekinah Fellowship. Believe it or not, I really enjoyed those nights out there even though I resented my parents for making me attand a religious function or "church." Who would have figured that I now live in Long Beach and drive by the old location almost daily. Well, I learned alot from Brant Baker and his Shekinah Fellowship.

This picture is partially duplicated above, but you get a better shot of the West Coast and the adjacent Imperial (from the LA Library):

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014919.jpg

One more:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014913.jpg

From the UCLA Digital Collection:

http://digital.library.ucla.edu/sclee/servlet/SCLeeServlet?ITEMID=0021201&FULLSIZE=y

http://digital.library.ucla.edu/sclee/servlet/SCLeeServlet?ITEMID=0021203&FULLSIZE=y

http://digital.library.ucla.edu/sclee/servlet/SCLeeServlet?ITEMID=0021205&FULLSIZE=y

http://digital.library.ucla.edu/sclee/servlet/SCLeeServlet?ITEMID=0021204&FULLSIZE=y

It should be noted that the auditorium looked quite different for most of the theatre's life than it does in the UCLA Archive photos. It was given a Moderne remodeling, and that is what survived by the time the theatre closed. I don't know how the lobby and mezzanine spaces looked by then. I have somewhere a newspaper clipping showing the auditorium shortly before demolition, and it was attractive, but nothing like the wild Italianate-On-Acid appearance it had when first built!

Architect should be S. Charles Lee.

He did the first remodel of the theatre. The theatre opened July 7th, 1925. The pencil drawings from UCLA are said tobe dated 1931.

Well S. Charles Lee's first theatre as a architect was the Tower Theatre on Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. Which opened on Oct. 1927, which is some two years after the West Coast's opening date. During his career he was commissioned to do remodel designs for many of the Fox West Coast Theatres in California. So some of the pencil drawings might be just drawings and not finished designs that were completed. He did many designs that Fox West Coast never used for the remodels.

Here is a 1926 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/rbra4

Here is a 1920 interior photo:
http://tinyurl.com/h54j2

The lobby:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014918.jpg

In 1965 I saw "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" here during it's second run. On the marquee it said in BOLD letters: "Filmed in Long Beach". My grandmother, who owned a shop in the State Theatre (Jergins Trust Building) at 34 South Pine, said the cars that came around the corner during the filming in 1963 were not going slow but that they tore around the corner with squeeling tires about 4 times at high speed. At that time, you could still see the scuff marks on the street where the cars hit the street at the bottom of the hill.

Here are additional photos from the LAPL, which says the architects are Meyer & Holler:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014910.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014909.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014911.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014915.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014916.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014917.jpg

C.T. members may be interested in learning more about the Long Beach Fox and ALL of the L.B. (now gone) theaters...
My dear friend JOSEPH MUSIL was once manager of this beautiful theater and often speaks, most tenderly, about it when giving various theater presentations at his AMERICAN MUSEUM OF THEATRICAL DESIGN, especially the "Farewell Show" he produced.
In all of my six decades of cinema/theater experiences, I have never come across anyone so dedicated to this art. Joe is a living icon regarding consummate knowledge of countless theaters especially in southern California.
Joe's long-time friend RON MAHAN is currently producing an extravaganza about THE THEATERS OF LONG BEACH with many never-seen-before pictures from Joe Musil's personal collection.
This will be a reservations only, FUND RAISER program presented with recorded narration and music of the era.
The grand premier is planned for later this year at Mr. Musil's NON-PROFIT museum; STRAND THEATRE.
The AMTD museum and theater is located in the fabulous 1925 Santora Arts Building in historical downtown SANTA ANA at 207 N. Broadway, and is open for guided tours; for appointments call: 714-667-6959

A new website is presently under construction with a link from www.santoraarts.com info-to-know: salonofthetheatres@yahoo.com
and I'll gladly add your private name to "Showplace" Newsletter.

In closing, I'll just add the nicest comment from an overseas visitor from the Theater Historical Society's 2005 Conclave; "This place gave the best presentation of the entire tour of theaters!"

If C.T. member lisainLongBeach (Feb '04 letter) is still out there, please write to me at salonofthetheatres@yahoo.com as I have several questions for your about the Long Beach Fox. Thank you.

Simon, I'm sending you an email, OK? Lisa

Here are three more photos from the LAPL:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014912.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014914.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014920.jpg

The West Coast can be seen just east of the Municipal Auditorium in this photo from the USC archive:
http://tinyurl.com/3968al

You can also see the United Artists Theatre, one block away in that picture.

Nothing but hotels and office buildings on that stretch of Ocean today.

Only if we could get the Way Back machine up and running again. :)

Bad carburetor. Any day now.

I'm selling the FOX sign (see above post from LisainLongBeach) from this theater. It's basically the letters FOX that were on the marquee at the front of this theater (shown on the photo above).

There were only a few items saved when this great theater was demolished and this FOX sign is one of them. It originally housed neon lights. The fittings are still there if you want to restore it to its original coolness.

Each letter is approx. 30" tall and 30" wide.

I also have 3 original articles from the LB newspaper with articles and pictures of the theater being demolished (3 consecutive dates).

This historic piece of FOX theater and Southern California history can be yours for only $300!

I will send a picture if you email me.

Lisa...Could you please send me a picture of the FOX letters..please send to the following email address. JWMESSICK@AOL.COM thanks Lisa

C.T members might like to know, The Mighty Wurlitzer from the Fox has been playing almost every weekend for the last 50 years this year at Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo Ca. The Fox might be gone, but its voice can still be heard.

From the LA Times, 12/22/29:

LONG BEACH, Dec. 21-A lone bandit robbed the West Coast Theater of $1200 here tonight and escaped after a score of theatergoers had chased him several blocks. The robber intercepted manager Lester Fulton as he left the box office with a bag of money, on his way to the office of the theater on the second floor.

The bandit took the bag from Fulton and then forced him into the office and locked the door. While Fulton was attempting to telephone the police from his locked office, the robber walked down the steps and out through the lobby to the street.

Miss Beatrice Lyndon, cashier, who had turned the bago over to Fulton a few minutes before, recognized the money sack in the hands of the bandit, who calmly walked past her. Miss Lyndon instantly became suspicious and called to several men in the entrance of the theater. The bandit heard her and started to run. The men chased him for two blocks, but he escaped.

Another robbery in July 1952:

A woman carrying a knitting bag and wearing a decorative bandana over her head held up the cashier of the West Coast Theater in Long Beach and escaped with more than $100, Long Beach police reported.

Miss Betty Courim, 20, told officers the woman walked up to the ticket window Saturday night, placed the knitting bag on the counter and said, "I have a gun in this bag. Give me all the bills". Miss Courim said she handed over the cash, and the woman stuffed it into the bag, then hurried away. The woman was about 35 or 40, slender and was wearing a "shortie" coat.

It's nice to see that California had it's share of crime.

This is from the LA Library in 1986, before the demolition of the Fox. If the link doesn't work, let me know, as it shows up fine for me.
http://tinyurl.com/cerkml

This is a 1983 photo. Adult theater "The Movie" is next door.
http://tinyurl.com/cd4ygr

Here is a 1980 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/de29hc

1982 Photo

Here is a December 1959 ad from the Long Beach Independent:
http://tinyurl.com/quwyfo

This is another 1983 photo.

Here is a photo circa 1920s from the LAPL:
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00081/00081582.jpg