Avon Theatre

But there was also a spooky old abandoned, derelict apartment building on the north side of the street in those years. I’m thinking a couple of blocks west of the Chinese, so, west of the Avon as you were remembering. I think it had a specific name, too, but I’m totally blanking on that. But it was a pretty well known abandoned structure back then, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find pictures.

ChasSmith; no I don’t think so, it’s been along time but the Avon was not a corner theatre, for one thing, however, it did run 16mm Bell and Howel projection. As I recall, if standing in front the theatre on the street and facing the theatre; to your right would be Grauman’s Chinese theatre with a big white spooky looking Hotel either between the Avon and the Chinese theatre or directly to the left of the Avon. Across from the Chinese theatre was a 1st run Loew’s house (on Hollywood blvd,of course).

During this era/time you could open a theatre with less restrictions if it had 50 or less seats or perhaps it was less than 50 seats (49 seats). This ordinance was perfect for this type of theatre (Gay) and made good Business Sense. Low investment to test a new and unknown market vs. high investment for a larger and nicer house with Higher Risk that you would or could be raided at any moment. Remeber Vince Miranda’s Pussycat porn houses running deep throat were getting raided like crazy all over during that era so there was Very High Risk in opening a Gay theatre so a 50 seat house fit the bill. Looking back I can now say it took Shan Sayles lots of balls to start the Continental Theatre chain, which is another story of it’s own lol.

This was a Great little theatre next door to Grauman’s Chinese Theater, home to the hand & footprints of the Hollywood Stars,
located at the northeast corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Orange Drive, just west of Highland Avenue.

The Hollywood, Avon theatre along with the San Francisco, Nob Hill (Adult theatre still in existence and doing very well) and the LA, Park where among the first Gay theatres in American and had a direct impact on gay social evolution and acceptance of gays in the United States. Many of Hollywood’s whos who attended screenings at the Avon under cover of Private Membership.

Because obviously those aren’t true ads.

If it was not a true theatre then why did they run ads?
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This was one of those retail adult stores turned into a theatre. It was not a true theatre, just a adult store.