Vista Theater

The Vista is one of Los Angeles' very finest movie theaters,and one of my personal favorites, for a number of reasons:

The interior has a lavish fantasy cosmic "Egyptian"-style decor that stops just this side of camp with reassuringly subdued lighting before the flick rolls, making it a very visually appealing environment.

A number of alternating rows of seats have been removed, providing enormous legroom and a comfortable distance from the sounds of popcorn munching behind you. The seats are comfortable, but short of Starship Enterprise envelopment. Cup holder, of course.

Thoroughly revamped sound system usually amped up to visceral levels makes listening a treat. Someone programs in arcane "classical" music before the curtain goes up that is always a treat to get you ready. Quite the mellow vibe.

Crowd is usually remarkably civilized. Maybe it's a reflection of the local film industry craftspeople and creatives in the area. Or maybe, because of the distances between seats, you don't hear as may comments.

Food remains utterly indifferent, and the theater's only negative in my mind. The usual assortment of overpriced and oversized candy bars and undersized hot dogs. Ask for lots of extra "butter," however, and you'll get it in sopping amounts (which is, I think, a good thing).

One parking hint: loads of room to the WEST on Hollywood Boulevard, on both side of the street. The North side in well-lighted. Watch the crossing signal carefully, though --- it's a complex 3-way cross with very impatient drivers attempting to wait out the lights without killing someone in the suddenly ill-lit crosswalk.

This theatre has a history going back to the mid 20's, as the Bard's (Bard's was a local showman, who built about 4 theatres in LA. All of the theatres have a Egyptian style inside. The Vista seated in 1939 around 638 people. The three other theatres are the Fox Adams [1100 seats] @ Crenshaw & Adams Blvd., Fox Academy [1700 seats](Pasadena)now a 6plex & one Glendale theatre. Now the Vista runs day and date with the theatres down Hollywood Blvd.. In it's long history the Vista has run 2nd, 3rd run films, the classics under the Landmark chain and porno in the mid 70's.

When Sid Grauman opened his Hollywood Egyptian Theatre in Oct. of 1922. With this Hollywood would become the second theatre district of Los Angeles. Locally Egyptians suddenly appeared in Pasadena, Glendale, Arcadia, Maywood, Pomona, Alhambra and Los Angeles. With a design from L.A. Smith, the Vista got it's start. When it opened on Oct 9th of 1923 at a cost of around $70,000. It was known as the Bard Hollywood Theatre. This theatre wound become part of a local theatre chain. Run by Louis L.Bard. Bard's first theatre opened in 1920, was located Downtown Los Angeles. Known in its early years as Bard's Hill Street Theatre, it became the Towne in the 1930's. And later before being razed as a Pussycat Theatre. He also leased the smaller & older College theatre across the street. Bards would open his next theatre at Adams & Crenshaw Blvds. That theatre was first known as the Bard's West Adams Theatre, then the Fox Adams during its Fox West Coast years. Then after World War II as the Kabuki. Most recently as the Apollo West, a black cabaret theatre. During this time he opened Bard's Glendale, Bard's Colorado in Pasadena (which would later be called the Academy), Bard's Garfield in Alhambra and then his last the Olympic in Downtown Los Angeles. In 1938 the 20th Century Lites, Inc. company put up the present marquee replacing the original marquee from 1923. Using flashing neon, the new marquee cost $1000 dollars. Around that time it was part of the Fox West Coast chain.

L.A. Smith, the designer of the Vista and many of the other Bard Theatres worked extensively in this area. His first theatres were situated in the southern section of Los Angeles and give little promise of the highly stylized movie houses of the middle twenties which he design. By 1925 he supplied plans for most of the Fox West Coast Theatres, among them are South Pasdena's Rialto, The Highland of Highland Park and the Beverly of Beverly Hills. All unusual and all have had long and successful runs as theatres. The West Adams, Vista, Pasadena Bards, Glen, Garfield, all Egyptian in styling were done for the Bard circuit. With Balch & Stanberry, his successors, he designed such large theatres as the Fox Riverside and San Bernardino's Fox Theatre. Before bankruptcy forced him out of the theatre design field, some forty theatres came from his drawing board.

I've been researching L.A. Smith and have compiled a list of his work in Los Angeles. In addition to the theatres, he did apartment houses, factories and warehouses. I am trying to attribute the Lido Apartments (1926) in Hollywood to him. Does anyone have further information on Smith or an affiliated architect named F.A. Brown? Thank you.

This was the second movie theatre I attended as a kid. I lived in Moreno Highlands at this time and used to walk to the theatre from my home with my sister and other friends from grammar school. It was a long walk. The picture cost a dime and my parents would also give each of us a nickle to buy a grab bag of candy at the candy store next door. The films always included a couple of features, usually of the "B" variety a newsreel, coming attractions and a serial. I don't remember any of the films except one very scary one which we saw when I was about seven. My sister remembers this and told me she had nightmares about it for awhile after. The only serial I remember was a Rin Tin Tin series. We also got a cartoon.
RickyofL

07/21/04 Wednesday Bill Sims
Like most of the beautiful movie theater buildings in downtowl L.A., Vista attracted its share of transients, homeless and alcoholics. I finally had to stop going there, because, even for me, things were getting to be a bit too much.

Are you sure you're talking about the same Vista?

In the last 5 or 10 years, they have restored the interior, the facade and neon sign, they show first-run movies and even offer Toblerone at the snack bar... It's a REALLY nice theater in a rapidly improving neighborhood.

As mentioned, the most unique aspect to this spot is the legroom. You can stretch out your legs completely and not even touch the seat in front of you! Unheard of!

I must disagree with the poster who loved the loud sound. I find it irksome and always ask them to turn it down.

The Vista Theater is one of the last remaining single screen theaters in Los Angeles. And it is one of the nicest theaters in Los Angeles with lots of charm. The lobby is small but nice with kitschy Egyptian decor. And of course, the auditorium does have lots of leg room. The surrounding area is now really improved with lot of great restaurants and clubs nearby as well as access to a Red Line station. A film at the Vista Theater accompanied by a trip to any of the nearby restaurants and/or clubs is a great night-out.

There are some gorgeous shots of the interior on the new DVD release of "The Mummy Legacy Collection". Film Historian Rudy Behlmer hosts the accompanying documentary from the theater.

I worked as projectionist at the Vista from '82 to about '84 or 5, during the Landmark years. They really struggled to find the right way to program that place, and we never did very good business. But that was (and still is) a fun place to see a movie. We had a brand new, beautiful silver screen which gave an ultra-bright, clear picture. I had a great time working there, the staff was terrific and we were all good friends. I'm thrilled to see that the Vista has found it's true niche as a friendly neighborhood first-run house with great picture and sound! But if you're planning to go and see the latest new blockbuster du jour, see it fast! They only show a film for a week or two.

Opened as Bard's Hollywood Theatre on 9th October 1923, the opening movie was "Tips" starring Baby Peggy plus vaudeville on the stage.

The original seating capacity was given as 838, which today has been much reduced due to larger seats and the removal of alternate rows of seats throughout the length of the auditorium.

The exterior of the building is in a pretty Spanish Revival style of architecture, which was to be the theme for the entire building. However during its 1922 construction, King Tutankhamen's Tomb was discovered in Egypt and from the entrance lobby into the auditorium the building is decorated in an Egyptian style, that became the 'in' style of the time.

The theatre was re-named Vista in the late 1920's.

I am ashamed to admit that being an avid theater/film buff (more theater than film these days) yesterday was my first visit to the Vista. It was my 16 year old daughter, who had passed it many times heading to the Dome, who suggested we bypass the Dome and see "Phantom of the Opera" here instead. The first thing that made the experience unique is their apparently recent embrace of the "footprints in cement" honor which includes names such as Peter Bogdanovich, Ryan & Tatum O'Neal, Laszlo Kovacs, Ray Harryhausen & Forrest Ackerman, Elvira and others. There are slabs commemorating certain films such as the 30th anniversary of "House of Dark Shadows". The next thing that impressed me, because we were at the first show, was the $4.75 admission price. Merry Christmas! The same show at Arclight would have been $11. This was followed by our tickets being taken by a guy in a full Phantom outfit. Terrific! What a pleasure it was to stretch out with so much legroom that with legs fully extended I was nowhere near the seat in front of me. I've never seen anything like that anywhere. The interior is gorgeous and it was wonderful to hear appropriate music before the feature instead of ads or dead air. Presentation was flawless and the sound excellent for this musical. I did not find the volume to be too loud and I am sensitive to things like that. The Vista plays many films day and date with Arclight and this showing was well over half full on Christmas Eve. We WILL be back!

The correct address for the Vista is 4473 Sunset Drive. This is a side street off the intersection of Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards.

A photo of the Vista Theater can be seen here:
http://you-are-here.com/theatre/vista.html

I believe that stevebob is correct that the Vista is on Sunset Drive rather than Sunset Boulevard, as the theater is east of Hillhurst Avenue, which is where the street name changes. Sunset Boulevard bends south at Hillhurst.

For many years in the '70s, this business was owned and operated by the same person that owned the very gay Nob Hill Cinema in San Francisco, a legendary character who made Variety front page with winning a counter-law suit while being sued by the union many a year ago. He was responsible for the careers of many adult film legends, gay and straight. The Vista was sold to Mike Thomas who owned the Strand in SF for cash, and a lot of it. This owner also owned the long-gone Paris gay theater and made John Holmes first film, which was gay, by the way. Also the legendary "Song of the Loon."
It can be witnessed in its former '70s 'glory' in "The Back Row," if you can find it.

Does anyone know why the "Vista Cafe" adjacent to the theatre remains closed, and is only used for movie shoots???

Some Vista Facts I've picked up along the way:

The Vista is built on the original location of Silent film director D.W. Griffith's biggest and most expensive movie - Intolerance (1916). This set is now the theme and look of the Hollywood & Highland mall is based on.

Cult movie director Ed Wood used to have an office in the building.

I saw the free premier of "ED WOOD" here, hosted by Tom Lykis and KFI am 640. One of the actresses from the movie, in horror costume,
wanted to sit in the seat next to me, but it was broken.

My very first encounters with the Vista Theater happened back in the early 1960's. A bunch of my college friends and myself would get all boozed up and hit the late night porn flicks at the Vista. They were pretty tame by today's standards, featuring the likes of the immortal "Temptest Storm" with her spinning pasties. It was enough to send a pack of over sexed college boys into a midnight trance.
In a later era we use to go and watch the arty flicks at the Vista with dates that talked about Bergman and James Joyce. I think I like old "Tempest" better. The place was kind of run down, and a Bergman film is depressing enough.
I rediscovered the Vista in the year 2000, when I took a bunch of my 12 Step recovery buddies to see the Russell Crowe spectacular: "Gladiator." They were a bunch of thugs, fresh out of prison from drugs, in a program called IMPACT. They had never seen anything like it.
My retirement from 39 years of government and military service, has been blessed by this old movie buff seeing such films from "De Lovely" last year to "Sin City" this year. It is the great bargain in town with senior prices at $4.00 a head. Tomorrow, my friend Trip and I are going to see the new Star Wars.
Check out my photos and writings on my AOL profile: michaelcunniff@aol.com Also, my new web page: http://hometown.aol.com/michaelcunniff/

I was wondering where sinclair got his info about the Vista's ownership. Who is the mysterious owner in the '70s who won the countersuit against the union? Is it Shan Sayles?

Dear Filmy McFilm: Yes. You are correct!

You seemed very well-informed, sinclair. I'm a journalist working on a piece about the Vista. Any chance I could talk to you about it?

Sure, McFilm - tell me how. This ain't the forum.

I agree. I can't figure out if there's a "contact another member" thing on this website, so how about you send me an e-mail at wombat8500@aol.com and we'll get the ball rolling that way? And if anybody else reading this post has keen historical or technical info about the Vista (and you're not just making it up), feel free to let me know.

When first opened as Bard's Hollywood Theatre (architect Lewis A. Smith) it had a small style D, Wurlitzer theatre organ 2Manual/6Rank, Opus #701 that was shipped from the Wurlitzer factory in North Tonawanda on 15th September 1923. The organ was later broken up for parts.

There were proposals in the 1970's to put an organ back into the Vista, but these seem to have come to nothing.

MEMBERS: Facts from a retired Local 150 man. When I first joined the Local at 25 in 1968 you could work any 16mm house without a license. A still active member named Lou H. and I were assigned to Continental Theatres for 3 months in the fall of 1968. Shan was not the owner period. The whole circuit was owned by a woman and Shan fronted her. No woman is going to acknowledge owning skin houses as they were called. Her name was VIOLET SAWYER. I met her and Shan in court. The case was based on the fact that Violet felt that she should not pay union scale for 16mm or flatly put not even use Union men! The scale was 3.50 per hour. The shifts were 9:30-5, 5pm-11:30 and 11:30-4:30am. This chain owned the following theatres where I had to work: VISTA, APOLLO ARTS, PARK and PARIS. The D.M. was "WILD" BILL RICKARD. He hated unions, projectionists and people in general. He carried a snub nose 38 revolver in a shoulder holster. Now about the Paris. This was once a legendary FOX house near BARNEY'S BEANERY on Santa Monica near La Cienega. TO BE CONT'D.

The APOLLO ARTS was on Hollywood near Western. The PARK was across from MCARTHUR PARK at the southeast corner on Alvarado. Yes, it was all-male. No, the PARIS WAS NOT PERIOD!!! Shan wanted to do something no one in Los Angeles had ever done historically. He got a construction crew and made the first multi-plex in LA history. The main auditorium was untouched! What he did was this. He put a partition in the middle of the balcony from bottom to top of the stairs. He then put sound proof wallboard across the whole balcony railing all the way up to the ceiling. He then put a screen on each side. They were about 12 feet wide and 10 feet high. Next, he created a PARIS CARD CLUB FOR MEMBERS ONLY. The left balcony screen was the Club Only and was all-male. The right balcony screen was hetero. Both showed hard core porno. The auditorium remained open to the public and did not show hard core porno. Yes, the famous SONG OF THE LOON played in the major auditorium. I was dating the cashier, Connie who was a film grad from UCLA and trying to get into directing which for a woman then was almost a dream. cont'd.

This was a long time ago and I did 23 years for the Local and left at age 48. I went to C.S.U.N. and graduated with a degree in Social Work and I have remained in Gerontology on a part-time basis due to a mobility problem. I am now 62. Lou H. works for Laemmle and has been their chief for 20 plus years. Ironically, Wild Bill Rickard worked for a time in the valley as a theatre manager in the 70's where I saw him outside his theatre one night. I called the Local but forget the theatre or the chain. He retired from that valley theatre. Many members back then did not want to work skin alone porno. There was another house on Santa Monica further east from the Paris. It had the world exclusive engagement of DEEP THROAT which actually had been shot in 16mm in 1964 with a young LINDA LOVELACE who died in her 40's. I believe the theatre was the MONICA. I do not believe that Violet Sawyer added it to her chain but I can't remember for sure. Young guys in the late 60's and 70's like me had no moral problem with adult entertainment but most 150 men were out of the moral 30's and 40's and had serious scruples about SEX in film!!

MEMBERS: I went downtown this summer for something. I carry a small camera because Auto Club says they come in handy for accidents and proof of guilt. I came home by way of Sunset. When I got to the Vista which is alive and well and looks great I took the camera and took a good shot. I have a site on WEBSHOTS where members see theatres I have pics of that I feel are important. I will find the picture over the Holiday as well as a picture I took in 1968 of the Vista Projection Booth. I will put both on my site with the address you just click on and you can see some great theatres. I hope I contributed good solid facts to you all!!

MEMBERS: Click on this and go to my site and see the VISTA 2005 and the VISTA BOOTH 1968. This is a BRENKERT carbon arc lamphouse. I don't remember what company made the 16mm projector. As I recall the reels held 45 minutes of film. We played a tape with music continually because the skin films had no sound and there was no hardcore. Eventually, Mr. Sayles built a booth downstairs and I believe the projector was a Cinemacanica with 2 hour reels. This is after getting the union out of the booth.

http://community.webshots.com/user/arpichat

GOING BACK ALMOST 40 YEARS REQUIRES ALOT OF CONTEMPLATION ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN A BOOTH FOR 15 YEARS AND EVERY SINGLE HOUSE IS GONE. THE MONICA WHICH I MENTIONED ABOVE WAS OPERATED BY PUSSYCAT THEATRES WHICH WAS SOLELY OWNED BY A MAN WHOSE LAST NAME I COMPLETELY FORGET BUT HIS FIRST NAME WAS VINCENT. I MET HIM AT AN INDEPENDENT NEGOTIATION BECAUSE HE WAS NOT A MEMBER OF NATO. SEVERAL CHAINS NEGOTIATED SEPARATELY BACK THEN BUT HELL LOCAL 150 NEVER GOT THE BACKING OF THE IA BECAUSE OF SOME GRIEVANCE THEY HAD AGAINST 150 AND THIS IS WHY WE HAD NO POWER BECAUSE WE WERE THE ONLY MOVIE UNION THAT DIDN'T GET STUDIO REPRESENTATION!! I BELIEVE VINCENT PRODUCED A FILM CALLED THE DIRTY BASTARD FROM CHICAGO WHICH ACTUALLY STARRED THE 1940 SERIAL ACTOR REED HADLEY!!

I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT VINCENT'S LAST NAME WAS MIRANDA.

Nice recent photos:

http://www.photoeditinc.com/pr/740524464/Photo%20Edit_THE201MN_053_001.jpg
http://www.photoeditinc.com/pr/740524464/Photo%20Edit_THE201MN_051_001.jpg
http://www.photoeditinc.com/pr/740524464/Photo%20Edit_THE201MN_052_001.jpg

TC: I CLICKED ON ALL 3 OF YOUR HTTP'S AND A PAGE COMES UP SAYING NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

Here is a modern photo of the Vista Theater.

CALLING ALL THEATRE / MOVIE ENTHUSIASTS!!!

T'he Los Angeles Theatre' on South Broadway, LA is playing host to the UK television show 'Dead Famous LIVE'. We are currently looking for people who would like to come along as part of the studio audience.

'Dead Famous LIVE' is a studio entertainment show all about Hollywood History and the paranormal. We will be welcoming celebrity guests on to the show and investigating famous locations around Hollywood which are rumoured to be haunted including the Los Angeles Theatre itself.

This is an invaluable chance to get access to the Los Angeles Theatre, the place where Charlie Chaplin's 'City Lights' premiered in 1931 and to have a thoroughly great day out! (And its free!!)

We're transmitting 'Live' back to the United Kingdom so expect it to be exciting and fun!

We will be filming on three days from 11th - 13th November between 11.30am - 4pm. If you are interested in coming on one or all of these days then email me for tickets!

george.hughes@twofour.co.uk

I look forward to your responses!

An expanded view of the photo at the top of the page:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater3/00015504.jpg

Do you remember when the owner of the Silent Movie theater tried to show "Birth of a Nation" a few years ago? It looks like the film had a successful run at the Vista, albeit not in 1915 when the film premiered. The photo is from the Brice Torrence collection:

http://www.hollywoodphotographs.com/detail.asp?im=%2D1&cat=43&offset=176&ID=2139

Night view from the LA Library collection:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater3/00015505.jpg

A photo from 1986:

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics19/00029365.jpg

Here is another photo of the Vista Theater.

I used to visit the Vista back in the 80's when they showed 2nd Run Double Features at a decent price. I'm glad it is succesful as a first run theatre now. Single screen theatres are so rare.

1983:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028704.jpg

1980:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028722.jpg

It's great to see all these pictures posted! Seeing these brought
up a memory I had from when I worked there in the early and mid 80's.
If you look closely at the photos from various era's, you'll notice
that the Vista has had several different rooflines over the years.
The original facade had a very ornate plaster relief along the
roofline, and this was lined and highlighted with neon, which must
have looked beautiful at night! If you look at the 80's pictures,
this has been mostly sheared off, leaving an asymmetrical profile,
and no neon. The photos from present day show a sort of reconstruction of the original roofline, but sans neon.
I was outdoors with the manager one day, and he told me how the
original facade had been damaged in an earthquake, knocking
the ornate plasterwork down, and shattering the neon.

The marquee and hopefully the auditorium was featured in Quentin Tarantino's 1993 movie, "True Romance".

I stumbled across this blog while researching a film I am trying to locate. The film was shown
@ the Vista in 1993 and was titled "112th & South Central: Through the Eyes of the Children".
It was a documentary directed by Jim Chambers about the LA uprising of '92 and was told
from the perspective of children and students living in South Central LA at the time. I am
trying to find out if any copies of the film exist, in DVD or VHS format or if the film is every
shown (PBS, cable). Does anyone have any info or rememberance of this great documentary?
Thanks.

jspencer620

There's plenty of information on this film on the usual search engines. It doesn't look like it's available on DVD at present.

Go to www.imdb.com for any and all film quests. Jim is listed there, JSpencer.

A recent night view of the Vista theater can be seen here.

This is another photo of the Vista theater in LA.

Here is a closeup view of the Vista theater.

Everybody loves a revival:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics50/00059885.jpg

Extensive footage of the interiors and exteriors of the Vista can be seen in the 1980 adult film "The Dirty Picture Show".

http://www.beachwoodcanyon.org/HISTORY.htm

This site give information about the famous sign in Hollywood that used to read Hollywoodland and mentions the Vista Theater. 1924 - The "Hollywoodland" sign is constructed at a cost of $21,000 atop Mt. Lee. Thirteen 50-foot letters and four thousand 20 watt light bulbs pronouncing, in classic advertising phonics, "Holly"... "wood"... "land"... Hollywoodland." 1949 - The Hollywoodland Sign, originally built to last only 18 months, is in total disrepair (and all the light bulbs have long-since been stolen). The City begins removing it but is halted by a public outcry as the citizens have come to love the symbol. Instead, the sign is refurbished and shortened to "Hollywood." 1978 - The second restoration of the sign begins, led by prominent celebrities and city officials. Cost is $27,000 per letter using sheet metal and a steel framework. The public contributes significantly. 1998 - January 7 - The Hollywoodland Homeowners Association kicks off the 75th Anniversary of Hollywoodland with a gala screening of "Titanic" at the Vista Theatre, newly restored to its 1920's splendor. Many attend in period dress - one gentleman wearing a vintage tuxedo with seaweed filigree.

Here is a photo dated 1980 that shows the Vista Theater.

Photo of the Vista Theater today at:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/hwdVistajan212007003.jpg

Here is a photo of the October 1923 grand opening, via the LAPL:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics37/00068072.jpg

OMG! Just discovered this site. I worked at the Vista from August, 1980, until sometime in 1982. My tenure there was just after Mike Thomas Inc. had taken over the theater and ended when Landmark took it over. I started in concessions and ended in the projection booth...running an old Victoria 8 for most of the features, and a rickety old 16mm on occaission. Lived just around the block from it, for three more years after departing, and it always seemed like home. I am of mixed feelings when I see the photos of it's refurbishment, but I am happy to know that it is a venue for film enjoyment still--even tho I now live 3,000 milkes away.

Great theater- Stood in line with a bunch of friends in '98 or '99 for the re-release of "Gimmie Shelter"-awesome!

This is a 2007 close up view of the Vista Theater.

Does anyone know who or what (company) currently owns the Vista (2007)? Or a different way to contact that person that the above phone number?

I used to like to come here in the mid nineties and they showed first run double features, not second string stuff. I had a terrible crush on the manager at the time, Conrad who was Switerland...he actually showed me the projection booth and the apartments upstairs, what a mess. Looked like no one had occupied them in 30 years. He was very kind. I never saw him after about 95' I think he went back to Switerland....just by chance if you may see this and remember the tall 16 year old girl who's mother walked out on Interview With a Vampire, write me vcarville@yahoo.com

You can see the interior of the theater in the video in the early 1990s "Burn Hollywood Burn"

INCHES Playing at the Vista Theate...

http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/services/gallery/qp/Inches.htm

Here is a night view of the Vista.

Who is the moron who wrote, "A largely unheralded theater in Los Angeles' historic Los Feliz area, the Vista's exterior is an island of style in a street of prevalent decay", in the header text??? First of all, it's not in Los Feliz (she-it, the Los Feliz theater isnt even in Los Feliz!), its in East Hollywood. And second, WHAT STREET OF PREVALENT DECAY???? East Hollywood??? Where the average home is in the $600,000 range??? Hey, there are just as many craftmas in East Hollywood as in the westside....'cept the westside has more BUMS living in its streets!!!

I believe they filmed part of "The Man With Bogies Face" in the upstairs offices at the Vista. When I was a kid I used to sneak up on the roof and alter the big billboard on the roof.

Cnichols writes,"offer Toblerone at the snack bar... It's a REALLY nice theater in a rapidly improving neighborhood."

What does that mean??? I've been living there for 40 years and the change I have seen is that guys like Charles Bukowski, Lawrence Tierney, Tom Waits and Beck have moved out because yuppies and silly scenesters have moved in (and they REALLY hated yuppies). You call that "rapidly improving"???? Please use , "rapidly being discovered by clueless poseur hipsters who buy their hot rods from Ebay instead of building them".....LOL!!!!!

A controversial film was playing at the Vista in September 1947. Note the different show times for men and women:
http://tinyurl.com/3deudx

a sampling of some of the offerings at the Vista when Landmark was booking the theatre:

1 9 8 3 (incomplete)

PREMIERES
Wolf Gremm’s FABIAN
Marc Huestis’ WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SUSAN JANE
Ed Pincus’ DIARIES
Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ
Jean-Luc Godard’s MADE IN U.S.A.

FESTIVALS AND TRIBUTES
“Dial M for Mystery”
Contemporary Gay Cinema
“Screen Dreams”
“Buried Treasures” – featuring premieres of
John Huston’s PHOBIA
Fritz Lang’s TIGRESS OF BENGAL
Ettore Scola’s ROCCO IN CHICAGO
Claude Whatham’s SWEET WILLIAM
Ivan Passer’s CRIME AND PASSION
Ingmar Bergman
Bette Davis
Wim Wenders
Dance Festival
Tennessee Williams
Preston Sturges

SPECIAL EVENTS
Robert Israel accompanies Albert Parker’s THE BLACK PIRATE and Erich von Stroheim’s BLIND HUSBANDS
Tribute to Vivian Blaine

1 9 8 4 (incomplete)

PREMIERES
Victor Schonfeld’s THE ANIMALS FILM
Philo Bregstein’s WHOEVER SAYS THE TRUTH SHALL DIE
King Hu’s A TOUCH OF ZEN
David Cronenberg’s STEREO
David Cronenberg’s CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
David Cronenberg’s ITALIAN MACHINE
Eldar Ryazanov’s BEWARE OF CARS
Eldar Ryazanov’s IRONY OF FATE
Eloi de la Iglesia’s EL DIPUTADO
Tom Huckabee & Kent Smith’s TAKING TIGER MOUNTAIN
Mai Zetterling’s SCRUBBERS
Robert Epstein & Richard Schmiechen’s THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK
Michael Raeburn’s THE GRASS IS SINGING a/k/a KILLING HEAT

FESTIVALS AND TRIBUTES
Federico Fellini
“Czech it Out!” – Czechoslovakian films, featuring premieres of
Jiri Menzel’s SHORTCUTS
Oldrich Lipsky’s THE MYSTERIOUS CASTLE IN THE CARPATHIANS
Vaclav Vorlicek’s HOW TO DROWN DOCTOR MRACEK
Ladislav Smoljak’s RUN WAITER, RUN
Martin Holly’s SIGNUM LAUDIS
Zoro Zahon’s THE ASSISTANT
Christopher Isherwood
“A Tribute to L.A.” – 24 films salute the host city of the 1984 Olympics
“Summer Camp”
Best of the 1984 New York Gay Film Festival – featuring premieres of
Amos Guttman’s DRIFTING
George Katakouzinos’ ANGEL
Rosa von Praunheim’s CITY OF LOST SOULS
Phillipe Vallois’ RAINBOW SERPENT
Edward Fleming’s MIRROR, MIRROR
Tuija-Maija Niskanen’s THE FAREWELL
“A World of Dance”
Alfred Hitchcock
“Japanese Cinema” – featuring premieres of
Yoichi Takabayahsi’s IREZUMI – SPIRIT OF THE TATTOO
Nagisa Oshima’s CRUEL STORY OF YOUTH
The San Francisco Gay Erotic Film Festival
Jean Cocteau

RESTORATIONS AND REVIVALS
Michael Todd’s AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS – original roadshow version, technicolor print
Sergio Leone’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST – original uncut version

SPECIAL EVENTS
“The Hollywood Hall of Shame” – Harry and Michael Medved in person to introduce infamous films

1 9 8 5 (incomplete)

PREMIERES
David Stevens’ THE CLINIC
Ji-Shun Duan & Junya Sato’s THE GO MASTERS
Patrice Chereau’s L’HOMME BLESSE
Nikita Mikhalkov’s WITHOUT WITNESS
Renato Castellani’s LIFE OF VERDI
Wim Wenders’ TOKYO
Daniel Schmid’s TOSCA’S KISS
Francois Bei & Gerard Vienne’s THE CLAW & THE TOOTH

FESTIVALS AND TRIBUTES
Joan Crawford
Derek Jarman
“Nagisa Oshima Rediscoveries”
Opera Festival
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Tennessee Williams
“Australian Film Festival” – featuring premieres of
Michael Pattinson’s MOVING OUT
Scott Hicks’ FREEDOM
Bruce Beresford’s BARRY MACKENZIE HOLDS HIS OWN
Kevin James Dobson’s SQUIZZY TAYLOR
Michael Thornhill’s BETWEEN WARS
“Ozu/Mizoguchi”
“Heroes and Legends”
“Great Ladies of the Silver Screen”
USC student films

RESTORATIONS AND REVIVALS
Hideo Goyoshin’s GOYOKIN
Pier Paolo Pasolini’s OEDIPUS REX

Here is a 1970 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/37h9yx

This website has photos of the Vista Theater. Click on the smaller photos to expand them.

Here is another photo of the Vista Theater.

That freakin sound system at The Vista is AMAAAAZING! Saw "Sweeney Todd" here in December and there's a low frequency organ note as the studio logos come up that made the floor in this theatre VIBRATE. AWESOME!!!

WOW My Grandfather would roll over in his grave if he saw his theater now LOL.....ah but I love it!!! Thanks for posting this photo.

Randall Bard
Vancouver BC

To the left of the theatre, in the January 2 photo, is a small retail store called "Vista Express". What do they sell?

Print shop I think

Finally made it to the Vista to see "There Will Be Blood" and it is truly a class act. Every other row has been taken out to provide tremendous legroom. Great Sound. Flawless Presentation. Wonderful character with the Egyptian motif. Wonderful old movie theatre smell. And to top it al off, cheap ticket prices!! Forget the Arclight! If it is playing here this will be my choice.

Could someone please provide more information regarding the neighborhood parking for the Vista, for those of us from out of town (actually out of state) who will be visiting the Vista for the first time soon? Street names to look for (or avoid), available parking lots, or whatever you suggest. Thanks very much!

The Vista Theater is one short block to walk along Sunset Boulevard, from the Vermont/Sunset station on the Metro Red Line.

Did I mention that my grandfather Lou Bard built this theatre?
Rand

A recent photo of the Vista at night can be seen here.

Is anybody aware of a list that might exist of films that have premiered at the Vista since it's opening? Or does anybody remember any films that have premiered there? I am working for a fashion designer who is interested in designing a dress that incorporates the titles of films that have premiered at the Vista so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Tif: Prior to the period when Landmark ran the theatre (documented in meheuck's comment of November 16, 2007, above) I don't think the Vista presented any premiers- unless they were premiers of porn movies during its long years as a porn house.

I have a vague recollection of the Vista showing Russian movies during the early 1960s, but before that it was operated for ages by Fox-West Coast Theatres as a neighborhood house, and Lou Bard's circuit which opened the theatre also operated it as a neighborhood house, unlikely to have been chosen as a venue for a big premier.

This .pdf file from the L.A. Library gives a brief history of the Vista and the Bard Circuit, though it makes no mention of any premiers.

I noticed that in a comment of May 22, 2005, above, alaskaman says that he saw the premier of Ed Wood at the Vista. That movie was released in 1994, so there may have been some other premiers after the brief period covered in meheuck's comment.

OK I do have info
I'm Lou Bards Grandson

OPENING NIGHT


(FRONT OF MARQUEE)-GRAND OPENING-HOLLYWOOD'S NEWEST THEATRE
TUESDAY OCTOBER 9 (1923) VOD-VIL FEATURE PROGRAM

(SIDE OF MARQUEE)-BABY PEGGY IN TIPS

By the way his daughter Gloria George just passed away last week suddenly.

Randall

My wife took this picture today when she was driving around on Sunset Boulevard. She probably should have rolled down the car window first, but I give her an A for effort.
http://tinyurl.com/6hd27t

The sky looks blue...somethings not right ;-)

(Dec. 3, 1924 LA Times)
THEATER SAFE ROBBED
V.J. Rosen, manager of Bard's Theater at 4473 Sunset Boulevard, reported to police yesterday that yeggs had forced the small safe in the office of the theater and had obtained $100.

yegg (yeg)
n. Slang
A thief, especially a burglar or safecracker.

An absolute gem that should be on the "must see" list of every movie loving visitor to LA. Bargain priced, staff that really care, extremely comfortable seating - with leg room that has to be experienced to be believed, and real showmanship presentation. Puts the "famous" Hollywood screens to shame.

I just noticed that the Vista is featured in a scene from the 2003 television movie, "Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt." The movie is posted on YouTube; the Vista shows up in part 6 of 10.

It's a lovely theater that I hope to see next time I am in LA.

From the LA Times, 12/3/24:

Police blame sneak thieves for the the theft of a money sack containing $100 in currency from a safe in the office of Bard's Hollywood Theater at Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards. The theft was reported yesterday by a theater employee who said the thief entered the place while the attendants were out for a moment.

Thanks. That's interesting.

It's strange that the robbery store appeared twice in the same paper on the same day....I like the yeggs comment.

The Vista is looks like a very unique theatre.

Here is another 2008 photo.

Thanks everyone for a great read! I'm not particularly interested in movie house history, but I couldn't stop reading about this iconic theater until I got to the very end, the 2008 post about someone stealing $100 out of the safe.

Does anyone know the time period when it was a gay porno house? I didn't know it was straight porno before that. And I had heard rumor that it was vaudeville in the beginning; it was great to see that confirmed.

The Vista was the first gay porn theater I went to. I don't remember what year it was now. I was in the dark, dank theater for less that 30 minutes when some shadowy character touched my leg, and I ran out like a scared rabbit. That corner was so sleazy back then, with the peep show place across the street. Friday and Saturday nights, that side street, Sunset Place, was a virtual parking lot of guys cruising in their cars.

Twenty years ago my partner and I bought our current house in Los Feliz just five blocks away from the Vista. It was shuttered for a while (I think right after the gay porn gig), then someone reopened it as a regular movie theater. It was hard going at first. Clearly, the new owners didn't have money left over for renovations after the purchase. We went once, but the movies were second class and it still reeked of it's previous manifestation. But it was interest to watch the old building slowly transform and upgrade as ticket revenues allowed for some new paint, a classic facade by piecemeal, better movies. At one point, instead of springing for all new seats, they cleverly removed every other row. So even though you were sitting on hard plastic seats you could at least stretch your legs.

It was when Tim Burton's 1994 movie "Ed Wood" had its world-wide opening at the Vista that the old place regained it glory. After severing ties with its seedy past and a painfully long renovation period, the Egyptian faces along the walls are beautiful, the sound is amazing, the neighborhood feel is warm, the bathrooms are fine. My partner and I go there over Arclight whenever we can.

And I can still point out the very seat where that creepy guy touched my leg.

This is a May 2009 photo.

Here are some 1982 photos:

Photo1

Photo2

Photo3

1983 Night Photo

I've been seeing pictures at the Vista for about 10 years. It's by far, my favorite place to catch a flick.
There is a segment that they have always shown right before the feature begins, and still do. It's basically an animated montage reminding the patrons to buy snacks and to be courteous to one another. Anyone who frequents the Vista will know what I'm talking about. It's super dated, and the music is amazing. I'm trying to track down the persons/company who created this piece for a personal project. If anyone has any leads, please e-mail me ...thanks! Davepweinstein@yahoo.com

Really one of my favorite places to see a movie in LA. The perfect neighborhood theatre. I would choose it over the Arclight any day (plus for the price of one movie ticket at the Arclight you can get a ticket, soda and popcorn and more legroom at the Vista!).

I saw The Night Porter at the Vista in 1979. Use to go to the Onyx all the time in the 80's. There was a lady there named Fumico who lived upstairs over the theatre with her mom if I remember correctly. I rented a video at Action Video on Hyperion that showed ED Wood being interviewed in his office above the Vista.

I forgot to add that there is a giant blow up of a photo (or there was at one time) inside the theatre of an opening in the 1920's where there are hundreds of people spilling out into the street in front of the theatre.

I think that's the LAPL photo from 4/20/07.

I had pictured it differently but I think your right.

Sounds like a unique theatre. It looks unique, too. Are there any photos of the interior?

http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/2151.html

Two exterior photographs I took of the Vista in June 2009:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/achangeinscenerymovies/3724516690/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/achangeinscenerymovies/3723713711
I hear the interior is amazing. Haven't had the chance to go inside yet, though the inner geek in me wants to try and make it for "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"......

Here are some photographs of the Vista Theatre that I have taken:
Scanned photos from 1999:
Exterior
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/3723847963/
Foyer:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/3723849347/
Auditorium side-wall:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/3724658328/
Two photographs of the auditorium I took in June 2005:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/3724692664/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/3724694372/

Spring 2009:
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff204/hollywood90038/699.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff204/hollywood90038/702.jpg

Here is the Vista at night.