Laemmle's Monica 4
1332 Second Street,
Santa Monica,
CA
90401
1332 Second Street,
Santa Monica,
CA
90401
10 people
favorited this theater
The Monica Twin opened as a two-plex in 1970 with the opening of “Oliver!”. It was built and has always been operated by Laemmle who used to alternate between foreign films and Hollywood studio product.
In the mid-1980’s they converted the largest of the the two big screens into three small auditoriums and they started to be strictly art house from then on.
It is still operating and is very popular amongst the trendy Santa Monica crowd.
Contributed by
B Erickson
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Recent comments (view all 23 comments)
Here is a 2008 close-up view.
I believe the Laemmle family that operates this theatre chain were cousins to the Carl Laemmle family, with no direct ties or financial interest in Universal Studios.
Thanks meheuck for the Laemmle info. Have you checked the cincy site for Heucks and Peoples Theaters or my updates on the Valley Theater here? Until soon, Hank
1982 Photo
An article about the Monica I & II was published in Boxoffice of September 21, 1970. There were four interior photos. The Monica I originally seated 737, and the Monica II seated 471. The architect for the project was Stanley Borbals.
I am here for a holiday matinee. The theater is very clean and well-maintained.
Here is a photo taken yesterday:
http://tinyurl.com/yahkh5m
May 2010 photo I took from the parking garage across the street:
View link
Another screen that was ruined by chopping it into smaller not very good theatres. I grew up seeing films here when it was the Monica 1 & 2 theatres. Laemmle ran both Art and Hollywood films here with great success.
The first two Monicas described in this 1970 trade article:Boxoffice