Port Theatre

2905 East Coast Highway,
Corona Del Mar, CA 92625

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Port Theatre Remodel

Viewing: Photo | Street View

The Port Theatre opened in 1950 and has a unique nautical exterior fitting to its location close to the Pacific Ocean. It had been an independent for most of its life, playing first-run movies. From 1989 until its closing in 1998, it was operated by Landmark Theatres as an art house.

The Port Theatre had a local and loyal customer base but unfortunately it sits at the side of busy Pacific Coast Highway and has no off-street parking to make it convenient for out-of-area patrons. To bring the theater back, a heavy investment would be required including the addition of an air conditioning system and repair of the roof. Its large balcony seats 350.

The Port Theatre is located a few miles from the historic Lido Theatre and Balboa Theatre in Newport Beach.

Contributed by Ron Pierce

Recent comments (view all 34 comments)

RonP
RonP on May 10, 2009 at 5:15 pm

I finally found mention of the opening of the Port in the Santa Ana Register from Monday, September 5, 1949: “New Theater Opens In Corona Del Mar” The small article went on to say that it had opened the day before and described the theater, such as its Cycloramic screen, seating, owners, etc. The Santa Ana Register usually covered theater grand openings in a big way and of the 16 theaters advertising in the Register the Port was not one of them, at least until 1950. The same week the weekly Newport paper announced the opening in more glowing reports, mentioning the delay caused by the parking problem. 60 years later the parking problem on Pacific Coast Highway hasn’t improved and when I went there I usually had to park in one of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Chuck1231
Chuck1231 on February 12, 2010 at 5:17 pm

Photo of the Port Theatre Box Office

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Port Theatre marquee

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Chuck1231
Chuck1231 on February 12, 2010 at 9:56 pm

A couple more photos of the Port Theatre.
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RoadsideArchitecture.com
RoadsideArchitecture.com on February 16, 2010 at 8:20 am

The news is not good. Here’s what the “renovation” looks like so far:
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Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on August 8, 2010 at 2:35 pm

It just looks like so many theatres built near the Ocean.East or West coast.

coweyhere
coweyhere on November 25, 2010 at 11:51 pm

A photo from November 2010:

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CSWalczak
CSWalczak on February 2, 2011 at 9:19 pm

According to a a newsletter recently sent by the councilwoman who represents the Corona Del Mar area, the seismic retrofitting and other improvements are progressing and that she expects the theater to reopen by the end of 2011: View link

CTCrouch
CTCrouch on February 3, 2011 at 12:54 am

Great that councilwoman Gardner made the effort to keep everyone informed and the Port in the news; not so great that she throws in the “count me out” and “I’d just as soon watch it on my tv” comments, in reference to food service being added.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on February 8, 2011 at 3:55 pm

The new facade looks like soundproofing material,well at least they are fixing it up.

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