Fox Covina Theater
211 N. Azusa Avenue,
Covina,
CA
91722
211 N. Azusa Avenue,
Covina,
CA
91722
3 people
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On the north side of the theater (west side of Azusa Ave,) there was a Marie Callender’s, with the original architecture style of the Marie’s. I remember frequenting this Marie Callender’s when I was young and it didn’t have indoor restrooms. You had to go outside and they were located on the side of the buildings. This was the early 80s. I also remember at this time, that my parents stopped frequenting this theater for awhile. It was due to reports of two young children being abducted from the theater.
On the north side of the theater (west side of Azusa Ave,) there was a Marie Callender’s, with the original architecture style of the Marie’s. I remember frequenting this Marie Callender’s when I was young and it didn’t have indoor restrooms. You had to go outside and they were located on the side of the buildings. This was the early 80s. I also remember at this time, that my parents stopped frequenting this theater for awhile. It was due to reports of two young children being abducted from the theater.
Saw “Big Wednesday” there in May 1978. As surfers, we were all stoked and made the drive out to the Fox for the film. First and only time I was there.
It a Home depot parking lot now.
I remember it on the West side on N. Azusa.
Checking through Google Earth addresses it appears that the shopping center this was may have been demolished. Was this theatre on the east or west side of N. Azusa?
According to the Boxoffice article about its opening in the June 30, 1969, issue, the Fox Covina was designed by L. Perry Pearson and Paul Wuesthoff of the Los Angeles firm Pearson & Wuesthoff, which was soon to become Pearson, Wuesthoff, & Skinner.
As far as I’ve been able to discover, this firm designed most of the theaters built by National General in the west and southwest from about the mid-1960s into the 1970s. They also provided architectural plans for expansions carried out at many NGC theaters in the region during this period.
I worked here for a couple months back in ‘87, my second part-time job after moving to California. Disliked one crappy co-worker, a little bitch who shall remain nameless. Another employee introduced me to “Rocky Horror”, playing out at the GCC Montclair Plaza. As I recall, we were running LETHAL WEAPON and THE ARISTOCATS during my tenure. During breaks, there was little else to do but sit in the auditoriums watching films. After quitting, I later saw Timothy Dalton’s two Bond outings at this place. In the 90s, they showed Hindi(!) movies, as well as Hollywood fare. THE EDGE(1997)was probably the last flick I caught here.
Thanks for the additional info, Joe. Always appreciated…
When the Fox Covina was multiplexed with an addition in 1972, the total seating capacity was upped from 814 to 1,316, according to an item in Boxoffice Magazine, November 20, 1972.
I was surprised to find out that it was opened in June, ‘69. I’m positive that I saw “MacKenna’s Gold” there, so it must have just opened. Saw quite a few films there through the years, but have to admit that once management allowed the place to go down hill, it really went down hill.
Still, I have pleasant memories of the theater in its prime and of seeing many first run releases there. Some of the bigger movies were “The Exorcist” and “The Omen” (the night after my dad and I saw the latter, a girl was apparently kidnapped from the rear of the theater and never found…kind of freaked me out).
It was at the Fox that I saw several martial arts movies during their early ‘70’s heyday, including “Lightning Swords of Death” (re-edited Japanese Baby Cart flick) and “Return of the Dragon”.
The theater was also the first place I ever saw the game Pong, the great-great-grandfather of today’s electronic games (what passed for state of the art distraction has changed a bit…)
Yeah, I ran this one. Lived in Covina when I went to college. Son grew up there.
This Theater was later run by Socal Cinemas, Who Also ran the Wescove and The Eastland Theaters in the Covinas in the Late 80’s early 90’s
Here is a November 1983 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/27scgw
A Los Angeles Times article of August 27th, 1972, mentioned that the Fox Covina had first opened on June 29th, 1969 and that at that time it seated 814. The 1972 article was headlined “Covina to get new showplace” and probably announced the expansion of the house into a triplex. The theatre was located in the Oak Tree Plaza shopping center, and was operated by National General Cinemas.