Rivoli Theatre

the location given for this theater is an error...west american ave was about three miles north of the Rivoli...it was located at 525 American ave....before American Ave was changed to Long Beach Blvd in 50's.

the rivoli had already passed its prime by the late 50's...but earlier than that they did special shows that attracted a lot of kids....Halloween shows with 3 horror movies.....New Years Eve shows that ran until 1 in the morning(fun when your only seven, getting to stay up that late with your parents is great.

When 20,000 Leagues under the Sea came out in 1954 we all stood in a line that wrapped around the block to see the next show.

I grew up in the Rivoli theatre when I was a kid in mid 70's it was a bit run down but i loved it. all seats at the time we're .49 cents
at night me and my brother would come down and borrow the movie posters as the cases we're not locked a sad day when it was torn down I asked the workers if i could have the "R" from the marquee he said no. it was torn down to make way for the defunct L.B. mall which lasted only 10 yrs. the rivoli was a cool spot with a manager named Miss Strange. it will always be in my memory :)

Awarding of the contract to W.J. Burgin for construction of the Rivoli Theatre was announced in Southwest Builder and Contractor issue of August 7th, 1936. The owner of the building was named as L.T. Edwards, and the plans were prepared by structural engineer F.E. Stanbery (no mention is made of Stanbery's usual partner, architect Cliff Balch.) The building was to be of reinforced concrete construction, and the estimated cost was $45,000- a tidy sum in that depression year.

For 49 cents the movies I saw at the Rivoli in the early 70's included Poseidon Adventure, Evil Knievel, Oliver, Billy Jack, and Let It Be. The auditorium floor as usually sticky or slippery and a friend who was with me pointed out a huge but dead cockroach on the floor. I remember sitting in a seat where the springs were poking through the fabric and into my behind but hey what do you expect for a 49 cent ticket. Wasn't the Rivoli a Pacific Theatre for a time?

During the 50's and 60's the Rivoli was operated by Cabart Theatres as a prime first run house along with the State in downtown Long Beach. It often played films day and date with the Towne in North Long Beach.

Could the Rivoli have been the Mission in 1929? I don't see any other listings for Long Beach Blvd or American Avenue:
http://tinyurl.com/qklue

I have no address for the Mission. I find it listed in the 1929 Film Daily Year Book with 875 seats. I believe the Rivoli was a completely new construction in 1936 (see Joe Vogel comment above). It was quite modern and plain, with a balcony.

OK, thanks.

The Rivoli can be spotted in the movie, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," as it is was visible in shots from in front of the Police Station (the local YMCA), just south of Cormier Chevrolet.

I think the last time I went there was in the 70's for the unbelivable double bill of "Gone With The Wind" and "How The West Was Won." Went in at about 1pm and got out about 9pm.

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I'm doing a Documentary film about the old movie theaters in Long Beach as part of my cable TV series "I Remember Long Beach".
I would like to talk to anybody who has stories or pictures of any of the old theaters. I was A manager at the old Plaza Theater (Spring and Palo Verde) in the 70's. If you have any stories to tell or pictures please let me know. Dennism432@verizon.net

The Rivoli is on the right in this 1955 photo.

Here is a December 1959 ad from the Long Beach Independent:
http://tinyurl.com/ps42fm

To answer Dennis Pierce's question, Yes Pacific Theatres operated the Rivoli Theatre along with the Towne and State Theatres in Long Beach around 1969.