Fox Compton Theatre

Just a parking lot now.

I remember The Compton – which was completely different from the Compton Symphony Theatre (which ceased to be in 1933). As noted, it was at 136 E. Compton Bl, which, if you were facing east and standing at the intersection of Compton and Willowbrook Av, was on the right side of the street. (I never remember the theater actually being open; I think Fox abandoned it at the end of the 1950s at the dawn of the “white flight” from Compton). It was in the block just before the major department stores, which included a JC Penney’s (which had the most exquisite mezzanine) and the JJ Newberry’s store (which had wonderful hardwood floors). I think people confuse the two theaters because Tamarind was a nearby cross-street for both. (That entire area was completely demolished in the 1970s, so all of this is from memory). There was a Bank Of America branch and the Compton Raceway (slot car racing) across the street. I once saw an interview with James Coburn in which he mentioned that, during his youth in Compton, he was hired to change the lettering on the marquee at the Compton Theater, which he did for a number of years.

The 1932 edition of Film Daily lists the Symphony Theatre in Compton with 832 seats. In 1944 F/D lists 4 names for Compton: Big Top (no seat count), Fox Compton (618 seats), Symphony (no seat count), Fox Tower (1000 seats). In 1955 F/D lists two theatres Fox Compton and Fox Tower. The theatre could have been part of the West Coast chain which would later become Fox West Coast Theatres.

The Symphony and California theaters were advertised in the LA Times as being in Compton in 1924. Without addresses, there’s no way to tell if these were akas or completely different theaters.