Temple Theatre

234 S. Brand Boulevard,
Glendale, CA 91204

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Pacific Theatres

Architects: Arthur George Lindley, Charles R. Selkirk

Firms: Lindley & Selkirk

Functions: Workshop

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: U.S. Cinema, Regency 2 Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Pacific's Regency Two

The Temple Theatre is located on the first floor of the Masonic Temple building, which was constructed in 1928 to the plans of architect Arthur George Lindley of architectural firm Lindley & Selkirk. Construction was completed in 1929. It opened as the Temple Theatre in 1934. It was renamed U.S. Cinema on March 21, 1980 and this closed in 1985 when it reopened as Regency 2 Theatre, operating into the 1990’s.

Contributed by William Gabel

Recent comments (view all 17 comments)

William
William on September 25, 2007 at 6:00 am

Yes, the Temple Theatre was later known as the US Cinema and when Pacific Theatres operated it as the Regency 2. The Sands Theatre would later be known as the Regency 1 under Pacific Theatres operations. The Sands Theatre was an indendent theatre and was operated by a former projectionist.

drb
drb on December 13, 2008 at 9:51 am

I poked my head in and chatted with one of the A Noise Within people, and she said the original movie theater was right behind the red, theater-looking doors on the first floor, just past the mini-lobby with a chandelier inside the entrance doors, with staircases to each side of the lobby going to the other floors. My significant other, who grew up in Glendale, can’t remember ever having to go up stairs or an elevator to get to the U.S./Regency 2, although his memory of it is hazy, since he usually went to the Capitol or Roxy. (Actually, he’s vaguely remembering that before the Sands became the Regency I, it’s possible that there were briefly two theaters, Regency I and II, both inside the Masonic Temple building, possibly creating the small theater space now used by A Noise Within, although he’s really not sure about that.

So anyway, is it certain that the main theater was located on the upper floors?

And why isn’t the Regency 2 name even listed as an a.k.a. for this? It was called that for some time, and was the only name I ever knew it by (although I never went there, as it had the reputation for being a dump). I thought the most recent name of the theater was always used as the primary name, but it’s not even listed at the top.

AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LISTING FOR THE SANDS/REGENCY 1?? It’s still standing at 210 S. Brand just down the block from this, now used as a restaurant/banquet hall, but it completely disappeared from Cinema Treasures. I’m positive it used to be listed, but it’s been deleted. Why??

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on December 13, 2008 at 10:00 am

I’ve seen that banquet hall marquee many times. I always wondered if that was a theater.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on April 25, 2009 at 9:08 pm

I drove by the Masonic building the other day. There is an old ad for the California Bank on one side wall. Here is a 1940 photo from the USC archives:
http://tinyurl.com/cvnwnz

William
William on June 15, 2010 at 5:54 pm

This theatre was also known as the Regency 2 Theatre when Pacific Theatres operated it. The theatre was located on the ground floor of the building.

drb
drb on November 6, 2010 at 8:51 pm

Interestingly enough, there’s no sign of a theatre yet in these photos from the California State Library. It claims these are circa 1927, and let’s hope the links work:

View link
View link

BillCounter
BillCounter on March 7, 2011 at 7:26 pm

The earliest Glendale city directory listing I can find for the Temple Theatre is 1940.

An interior view on Flickr by Gamma-Infinity:

View link

And the theatre space that was the Temple is definitely on the main floor

drb
drb on August 16, 2011 at 4:03 am

Here’s a .pdf of the restoration proposal for the building:

http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/government/packets/HPC_032210/6a.pdf

It gives the history: The Masonic Temple was built for in 1928 for the Unity Lodge, which was founded in 1905 and grew over the years through various consolidations, building an earlier lodge on the same Brand Boulevard site in 1914. The subject building was designed by Arthur George Lindley of the local firm Lindley & Selkirk, which also designed the Alexander Theater in 1925. The property was listed as Glendale Register No. 15 in 1997.

[…]

In 1934,‘ a movie theater, the Temple, was built inside the Mason’s auditorium at the lower floors, with theater use continuing under different names through the early 1990s.

Former Masonic Temple Building: Historical Background Architect, Arthur G. Lindley. Contractor: J.v. McNeil Company

Construction Chronology May, 1928: Excavation begun. January, 1929: Substantial completion.

Building Data: Building contains 55,376 gross square feet of space, of which approximately 48,643 square feet is rentable. It initally contained three lodge rooms, one banquet/auditorium space, a ground floor auditorium, a bowling alley, cafe, billiard salon, related member and guest meeting rooms, lounges and storge rooms and an apartment. The two-story high banquet/auditorium and lodge rooms between the First and Seventh Floors are all located adjacent to the north wall of the building. See building section, Sheet HP-4.

The building was also known as the “Unity Temple”. Arthur Lindley seems to have visually “unified” the various floors of the main façade of the building by designing continuous vertical ribbons of windows. To give greater grandeur and height to the building, which stands 105 feet at the top parapet, he designed a series of steps, chamfering the edges, which recede back and toward the center.

When completed, the former Masonic Temple was the tallest building and had the largest auditorium, the fastest elevator and the largest enclosed space in the City of Glendale.

So, 1934 then. No real info on the proposed use of the former movie theatre space, just a little bit about the lobby.

And Bill’s page on the Temple

https://sites.google.com/site/losangelesmoviepalaces/temple

also links to the full “The Monolith” Flickr set

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gamma-infinity/sets/72157624847055981/with/6047583715/

which includes these recent interior views showing the Temple/US/Regency 2’s auditorium and balcony:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gamma-infinity/5738633147/sizes/l/in/set-72157624847055981/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gamma-infinity/5545864582/sizes/l/in/set-72157624847055981/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gamma-infinity/5546059092/sizes/l/in/set-72157624847055981/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gamma-infinity/5546149118/sizes/l/in/set-72157624847055981/

and this is the old projection room being used as a wig department for the Noise Within theatre group:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gamma-infinity/5027464671/in/set-72157624847055981

Roxy_Employee
Roxy_Employee on September 13, 2011 at 6:19 am

Had a few shifts working there under PT It was on the ground floor Had a small concession area & a small ticket booth (aka box) to sit in & sell tickets The managers office was up stairs One manager I can recall was “Monica Bradley” She was one of the managers there under PT She got teansfered to “The Eagle Rock Plaza” All these theartres got axed either coverted or destroyed I think at one time there was 7 theatres on brand blvd That was during the 80’s All these old pictures bring back memories of when I lived & worked in glendale

rivest266
rivest266 on November 30, 2019 at 2:53 pm

This reopened as the Regency 1 by Pacific Theatre on March 22nd, 1985. Closed 1996.

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