Cine-Mex Theatre
Miles Avenue,
Indio,
CA
92201
Miles Avenue,
Indio,
CA
92201
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The Aladdin Theatre opened in June 1948 (although no mention is made in Film Daily Yearbooks 1950 & 1952).
It had a change of name to MKA Cinema in 1980 and it was later re-named Cine-Mex Theatre screening Spanish-language films. Closed in 1988 due to not complying with earthquake safety requirements. It suffered damage by a fire in October 1990 whilst in the middle of a remodelling project. It was ordered to be demolished and the owners said they intended to re-build…..
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
The Aladdin Theater was the victim of a major arson fire in approx.1958/59. The auditorium was completely gutted and was rebuilt a few months later. The theater managers were a couple with the last name of Van Gortel. The theater (along with the Desert Theater, and the Indio Drive-In) was owned by Robt. L. Lippert Theaters. My father owned a pharmacy in the Aladdin bldg. at the time. If I remember correctly, the projectionist was Ralph King. The theater was equiped with Motiograph projectors rather than Simplex.
The Aladdin was a great small theater in a good neighborhood when I lived just down the street on Tahquitz in the early-mid ‘70s. It was the ONLY nearby indoor theater. The Desert on Fargo was already showing Spanish movies and the only other nearby theater was a VERY small theater in Palm Desert which had been converted from office space, I think. Palm Springs, of course, had numerous indoor Theaters. Most of those closed during the summer, though. I believe the Plaza stayed open all year.
I remember going there one evening to find the “second” billed movie already playing. When I asked what happened to the other (Rancho Deluxe), the manager said it was so bad and so many people complained, that they pulled it. To this day, I haven’t seen Rancho Deluxe even though it’s been on TV numerous times.
The “Images of America” series book Indio, by Patricia Baker Laflin, says that the Aladdin Theatre opened in June, 1948.