Academy Cinemas

Very few original features remain; you'd be hard-pressed to realize initially that this theater even pre-dates the '80s. Beware: The place was divided up rather haphazardly and projection varies wildly from theater to theater. But there aren't many discount second-run arthouse sixplexes around, so maybe we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

This theatre's original look was Egyptian, but in between that look and its present appearance, it spent many years with a Streamline Moderne look.

The photo of the Academy is actually the interior of the 1924 Warner Egyptian Theatre at 2316 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA. 91107. Currently being restored as of 01/01/03.

Artist's sketch of the Academy Theater after the 1957 remodel (LAPL collection)
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics49/00044361.jpg

The Academy kept the Streamline Moderne look through 1982 (I recall the last film run was "Partners" with Ryan O'Neal), then it was closed for awhile for the remodel and the entire facade was stripped back to where the original gothic facing was exposed. Supposedly this was to be restored but it was so badly damaged from the last remodel and earthquake retrofitting that it was covered up again the way it is now.

I lived in Pasadena in the early to mid 1960's and one of things I fondly remember about the Academy was almost every Friday or Saturday night, Warner Bros would preview one of their just finished pictures. Jack Warner and his group would always be there along with many of the stars of the picture. We'd almost always see these picture 6 to 7 months ahead of their national release. We saw THE MUSIC MAN, GYPSY, THE DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES, YOUNGBLOOD HAWKE and SPENCER'S MOUNTAIN just to name a few. This was usually the first preview, so we saw films that were not cut and had much longer running times. I remember WINE AND ROSES ran almost 2 1/2 hours when we saw it in the Summer of 62'and by the time it was released at Christmas 62', it was less than 2 hours. With GYSPY, Warner cut three of it's songs after this preview. He felt the picture was too long at 2 hours and 45 minutes. So he cut it to 2 1/2 hours. Many times during these previews, the sound would go out of sink, as the sound and film were running through separate machines. The studio would have 5 or 6 men in the booth trying to put it back in sink. After these films were finished, the audience would fill out preview cards and the Warner group would read them in the lobby. I remember seeing Robert Preston at THE MUSIC MAN preview and Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty at GYSPY. She was one of the most beautiful women I have even seen. WOW.

I was a projectionist there many moons ago...

The original interior was Egyptian and later a streamline modern. I remember the later remodel which had an interior mural that had mermaids, fish and seaweed - the mural wasn't half bad either! I remember the drinking fountains were big white shells in the lobby. I watched the theatre close and feared one day I would drive by (as we do with most Pasadena theatres) and find a wreaking crew inside. Low and behold that day happened. I remember going up to the front doors and contruction was going on inside. The owner said I could not go in. I walked past a big burly construction worker who looked very sad. I stopped to ask him what was going on inside. I can still remember his words, he said he couldn't bare another day doing this work, he said he was throwing out all the Egyptian statuary that was hidden for years behind the walls that had the sea murals. He was almost in tears. Thinking back, I wished I had looked in the dumpsters, well maybe not! Who would know, years later we would be fighting the same battle with the Raymond Theatre down the street in Pasadena!

Well, at least ONE of those Egyptian statue heads from the Academy was saved. It's owned by a friend of mine who bought it from an LA antique dealer who salvaged several of them. My friend is planning on building a home theatre in his next house, and will incorporate the head in the decor. The heads were very similar, though a bit more ornate, to the large heads that line the auditorium of the Vista, on Sunset (restored and operating), also designed by L. A. Smith.

Besides the Vista Theatre, they were used at the old Fox Adams Theatre (which when it opened was called Bard's).

I worked at the Academy around 1970. I was an usher (tuxedo style) with a flash light in hand. Remember the days when we would find you a seat? tell others to remove there feet from the front seat? or quiet the kids when they became a little to roudy? I have very fond memories of working in show business...LOL. In those days we still had premiers and stars would come out for the special night

When I lived in Pasadena in the '80s, I saw several pictures at the Academy including Ghandi. At that point, it was very much the streamline moderne look, the Egyptian stylings long gone. After the theater was divided into six screens (and even the unique features of Moderne disapeared under white stucco, I didn't go back as there were other theaters in town that were better suited to multiple screens. I did, however, continue to patronize the beauty salon on the corner until I moved to the Valley in the early 90s.

What became of the duplicate posting of this theater under the name Fox Colorado? It had a photograph of the original facade, as designed by architect L.A. Smith. Can the photo be transfered to this post, now that the other has been deleted?

The Academy Cinemas (its current name) is now being operated by Regency Theaters. Listings and showtimes can be found at its web site:
http://regencymovies.com/main.php?theaterId=8

Here is a circa-1950s view of Colorado Boulevard with the vertical sign of the Academy visible in the background.

Since the Academy theatre is listed in Pasadena I'm sure anyone posting on this theatre link is also aware of the Raymond Theatre in Pasadena. The Raymond is in it's 11th hour so anyone who would like to show their support to save this historical theatre please come to a Final Design Review hearing on Monday, the 24th at 7 (All Saints Church, Sweetland Hall 132 N. Euclid). To learn more about the Raymond Theatre and its past/present history go to www.raymondtheatre.com Thank you.

The other day a gentleman came into the theatre and told me that he loved this theatre and it was the theatre where he saw his very first movie, Huck Finn, in 1930 when he was seven years old.

i am the current manager here at the academy. since regency took over they have done alot to improve it. they put new projectors and sound equipment, new carpets and driven out the undesirable patrons that practically lived here. they are planning on remodeling the snack bar and painting the theatre too. regency cares alot about the academy and are trying to kill the bad rep that it got from previous owners. it is a art house/second run theatre with low prices. i've worked in the theatre business for 12 years and it has the most origional layout i've ever seen.

A 1931 photograph of the Fox Colorado Theatre, from the L.A. Public Library collection.

I saw "The Wake of the Red Witch" at the Academy when I was a kid... Some of the murals (if my old memory is right) were done in black light.
rduff1@antelecom.net

Zip code on this should be 91106, not 91101. Well, 91106-2310 to be precise, but you get the gist.

Glad to hear G.M.-good luck to you. Keep it alive-we've lost too much already-The State, Colorado, Esquire...

I remember driving from Orange County to see movies at this theatre before they'd be completely gone. It's definitely improved over the years... I remember seeing Happiness on an insanely tiny screen with crappy sound there, and a few years later having a pristine projection of Rasing Victor Vargas. Glad to hear they're renovating it even more!

I frequent this theatre quite regularly, to me it's amazing it's still open and lasted this long, granted i'm glad it has..but these places are the last of their kind, I just hope they can pull in enough business to keep the doors open. It seems very few even know of the existance of this theater now-days and in some ways thats what i like about it. I have an attraction to old, forgotten, inexpensive, lonely and empty places, but there are so few left. The sheep can flock to their Groves and AMC's and Arclight's where yuppies cuddle their girlfriends and you get stuck in parking structures for 40min, not me.
I'm curious as to when it was converted into a 6-plex, what year was it? Guessing the 80's sometime, it's really interesting the changes and remodeling this theater has undergone over the years, going from a classic movie palace (in the 30's) Then remodeled in (the 50's? again) ultimately to a strange archaic multiplex design, as the first poster mentioned "divided up haphazardly, projection varying screen to screen" In some ways it gives the theater an odd characteristic, with it's long hallways seemingly leading to secret chambers, quiet atmosphere and age-old atmosphere. I can see how it would attract the homeless to live in these forgotten spaces, a place to bury and hide themselves away from the harsh streets. It's a fascinating place, and i hope it can somehow stick around, until the end of the world.

Here are some April 2008 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/63pukc
http://tinyurl.com/5jwhtq
http://tinyurl.com/57kyjc
http://tinyurl.com/6lu2lg
http://tinyurl.com/6gkxca

The link to the 1950s view of the tower seems to be dead, but I think it's the same photo here:
http://www.davesrailpix.com/pe/htm/pe070.htm

Here is part of an LA Times article dated 12/15/57:

Newly renovated Fox West Coast Theaters' Academy theater and building in Pasadena will be reopened next Thursday. Modernization project, which cost $192,000, includes relocation of building entrance from Catalina Street to Colorado Blvd., installation of elevator to second floor offices, renovation of facade and installation of aluminum store fronts. The theater tower was remodeled and the marquee was repainted and relighted.

The multiplexing of the Academy took place in the mid-1980s. I used to pass by the place frequently while the work was going on. As I recall, it had not yet re-opened at the time I left the area in August, 1986, but it was probably almost ready for business by then.

Does anybody remember when "Handlebars Saloon" was a drinking establishment (bar) that was located in the same building as the Academy and was entered from the back of the building along an alley near Catalina Street? It was later converetd into "Toe's Tavern." "Handlebars Saloon" was this faux 1890's style saloon that had an interesting admittance policy. Men had to be 21 years old and wear a shirt with a collar to enter, but women only had to be 18 years old to get in! Oh the 1970's were a great time!

Here is a 1981 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/d6y53t

Thanks for posting that photo - just the way I remember it before it closed for the remodel in late '82. And yes, I remember Handlebars - that's where Barbra Streisand is discovered by Kris Kristoffersen in the '76 remake of "A Star Is Born".

1983 Day Photo

1983 Night Photo