Surf Theatre
121 5th Street,
Huntington Beach,
CA
92648
121 5th Street,
Huntington Beach,
CA
92648
1 person
favorited this theater
This theater opened in 1931 but has since been razed.
Contributed by
William Gabel
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Recent comments (view all 27 comments)
So much for 1940. Of course, the caption says the theater came down in the seventies, which also appears to be incorrect.
I have learned the hard way not to trust the dates given by libraries. I’ve even found theater photos identified incorrectly.
We are paying tribute to the Surf Theater with an exhibit opening April 20th, this Sunday at the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum.
Please contact Jodi at with any information or photos.
Thanks
Here is an item from Boxoffice magazine, January 1938:
Having recently acquired Scott’s Theater, Huntington Beach, Mason Siler has changed its name to the Roxie. The house has been closed for several weeks getting a new marquee, seats, drapes, carpets and other equipment.
Is it Scott Theater or Scott’s Theater?
The entire stretch of Fifth Street from the beach to the 200 block is now part of some megadevelopment.
I asume that is why the status is demolished.
Archived stories and theatre ads from The Huntington Beach News reflect that Scott’s theatre was built by J Cleve Scott and opened on May 25, 1925. Scott was a respected banker who owned the local Princess theatre and two theatres in Long Beach. On Christmas day 1937, it was taken over by H.L. Siler, who renamed it the Roxie. The Siler family owned the Ritz (Balboa) and Lido in Newport Beach and later the Mesa in Costa Mesa. On June 5, 1941, the Roxie was taken over by the Walker family who renamed it the Surf. The Walkers at one time or another owned four theatres in Santa Ana. The Walkers installed a 50’ marquee that ran along the entire front of the building. The old marquee was only 20’ long. It appears that the Walkers ran the Surf until at least the mid 50s and was sometimes opened only seasonally and was remodeled one more time. Some of the information above was taken from the Santa Ana Register and Boxoffice magazine.
Here is a 1983 photo. The city is misidentified.
http://tinyurl.com/yb2g43r
I grew up in HB during the 50’s ad 60’s. We used to go to the Surf Theater every Saturday to watch westerns, Abbott and Costello movies, godzilla, and every B movie that hollywood made. The owner would play games with us inbetween movies. Throw candy, frizbees etc out to the audience. We had a blast. Afterwards we would go over to my dad’s drug store, Waite’s Main Drug and have hamburgers and ice cream at the counter. Hb was a great place to grow up. Lived at the beach during our teen years and now paying for it with my dermatoligists.