Star Theatre

529 S. Main Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90013

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Additional Info

Previous Names: Portola Theatre, Victoria Theatre, Virginia Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Circa 1937 photo. Via Jimmy Moy.

One of the many theatres which lined S. Main Street in Downtown Los Angeles. The Star was listed in the Film Daily Yearbook’s that I have for 1941, 1943 and 1950, but is not listed in the 1952 edition, so it could have closed in 1951.

It was located on the same block adjacent to the Optic, Gaiety and Art Theatres, all of which have now been demolished and a large parking structure currently stands on the sites of these former theatres.

Contributed by KenRoe

Recent comments (view all 14 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on December 4, 2005 at 8:13 am

There also was a Star Theater on Hollywood near Western. That theater may be listed here under a different name.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on February 15, 2006 at 10:01 am

Here is a map, circa 1950, that shows the Star on Main between the Gayety and the Optic:
http://www.uncanny.net/~wetzel/subwayarea.htm

Tillmany
Tillmany on August 21, 2006 at 9:47 pm

You can get a 1958 glimpse of the Star Theatre about an hour and ten minutes into Voice in the Mirror starring Richard Egan. It seems to still be in operation, but may have been shut down by that time and only revitalized for purposes of the film, much of which was shot on Main Street in Los Angeles.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 13, 2007 at 8:34 pm

Listed as the Virginia Theater in the 1925 city directory.

vokoban
vokoban on August 20, 2007 at 6:20 pm

this might be redundant, but here are some city directory listings for this address:

529 S. Main
Star [1936, 1942 City Directory]
Virginia [1925, 1930 City Directory]
Victoria [1920 City Directory]
Portola [1915 City Directory]

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on April 28, 2009 at 7:20 pm

The Star can be seen next to the Optic in this late 30s view from the USC archive:
http://tinyurl.com/d6c6uo

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on May 9, 2009 at 6:42 pm

This is a photo card, circa late 30s. Source is unknown. A note on the back says Main Street Los Angeles.
http://tinyurl.com/oh2k9o

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 21, 2014 at 9:29 pm

Here is a link with more pics of the Star Theatre.

https://sites.google.com/site/downtownlosangelestheatres/star

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