Bay Theatre
340 Main Street,
Seal Beach,
CA
90740
340 Main Street,
Seal Beach,
CA
90740
21 people
favorited this theater
The Bay Theatre was built in 1947, with 662 seats. At one time a Fox West Coast theater, was purchased by Richard Loderhose in 1975.
After removing some of the seats, he installed a 1928-built Wurlitzer organ that he had purchased in the early-1960’s from New York City’s Paramount Theatre. It is called “the largest Wurlitzer pipe organ in any operating theater in the world today”.
The theater shows independent, foreign, classic and silent films with organ accompaniment. Seal Beach, with a population of 25,100, is mentioned in an unauthorized biography of Steven Spielberg as being his favorite place to see foreign movies while he was enrolled at nearby Cal State Long Beach in the mid-1960’s.
The theater is well maintained, with excellent projection and the vintage seating is very comfortable. The Bay Theatre was closed ‘temporary’ on August 2, 2012.
Contributed by
Ron Pierce, Ray Martinez
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Recent comments (view all 27 comments)
Here’s a June 2010 exterior photograph (sorry, Simon!):
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Contact for information on sale/operation of Bay Theatre is Rena L. Singer, 913-786-7772 or
CORRECTION…Contact for information on sale/operation of Bay Theatre, Seal Beach, CA is Rena L. Singer, 813-786-7772 or
I visited this theater last night and was disappointed to see that there was no curtain. There was also no side masking to close in for flat pictures. And there was a mark across the whole screen about a foot up from the bottom. A good point, however, is that the projection was excellent. It was focused the minute it hit the screen. As a retired projectionist, I am always critical of the projection. But the projectionist at the Bay gets an A+ from me.
I was also at the Bay Sunday night for the 6PM showing of “The Warriors”. Luckily, as a non-projectionist I tend to miss most imperfections and the Warrior print was quite good. Seal Beach was surprisingly quiet. I hope this theater can stay open. I live in N Hollywood and made my first visit since 2009. When I lived in Norwalk in the 1980s I enjoyed many movies at the Bay.
Whay a coincidence. I was also there for “The Warriors”, and was surprised at the quality of the print for such an old movie. I had no idea it was from 1979 until I read the copyright date on the end credits. I live in Virginia, but in my travels I seek out single screen theaters to visit. I guess I live in the past, but I enjoy experiencing movies the way I remember from my youth.
This theater is closing tonight. Does anyone know if it is permanent? I’ll be in LA this weekend and I was hoping to go there.
Their recording states that they will be “temporarily closed”.
Unfortunately, “temporary” usually means “permanent”. Here is their website:
http://www.baytheatre.com/table_page.htm
As of November, no news of progress on hiring new staff or reopening the place. Not promising.