Brookhurst 4 Cinemas
2229 Ball Road,
Anaheim,
CA
92804
2229 Ball Road,
Anaheim,
CA
92804
4 people
favorited this theater
The Brookhurst Theatre closed in early May of 2003 after more than 42 years of continuous operation. It first opened in April of 1961 in a new neighborhood center built away from the downtown area. In addition to its opening attraction, an advertised 70mm demo reel was shown and then a month later it played its first feature in 70mm Todd-AO, “Can-Can”, making it the first theater in Orange County to screen 70mm. The operator was Vinicof Theatres of Los Angeles who also built a snack shop near the entrance of this ultra-modern theater, complete with a covered drive-through area for cars to drop off patrons.
Over the years the Brookhurst Theatre, always an independent, was converted to four screens and its exterior was changed from the way it once was. In its original form, the 944-seat cinema could be considered Orange County’s first modern theater and predated Edwards Theatres entry into the county. In later years it was mostly forgotten because no one remembers it in its prime as a large 70mm, single-screen venue situated in a quiet part of Anaheim. Also forgotten is the Brookhurst Loge, a very small but plush theater with all-loge seating, which was built next door in a separate building in 1970.
In the fall of 2003, with its signage removed, the Brookhurst remained vacant awaiting its fate. Rescued by the TriStone Cinema Group, it re-opened in December 2009 as a discount movie theatre. It was closed again in spring of 2011.
Contributed by
Ron Pierce
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 18 comments)
According to the 4/24/61 Boxoffice Magazine, the Brookhurst Theatre was built for $300,000. The news piece also mentions that the opening manager was Jack Geller, “former acting school operator in Hollywood”.
After being divided in to four screens, the Brookurst was operated by the folowing companies:
American Family Theatres 1992 – 1997
Globe Theatres 1998 – 2003
Interstate/Starplex Cinemas 2003 – 2006
I went to the the Brookhurst Theater through the mid 60’s, I saw some great movies there. It brings back good memories. I remember the girl that worked at the refrestment counter, Frances Baur. She was real attractive and had such a great personality. She was a graduate of Magnolia High School. I think she is living in Cario, Egypt, everything checks out that is her. I never thought that the theater had 900 seats. I wonder if that is after they turned it into a multiplex? I just remember it as a single theater.
BallRoad
Here is a 1983 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cyfjc4
The Brookhurst is scheduled to reopen as “Brookhurst 4 Discount Cinemas” on July 3, 2009.
Yes, Brookhurst has reopened under TriStone Cinema Group, the same operators of Temeku 7 Cinemas in Temecula and Terra Vista 6 Cinemas in Rancho Cucamonga.
Here is the website for the discount theater. Status should be open and function should be “movies-second run”.
http://www.brookhurst4.com/
Photo of one of the auditoriums of the Brookhurst.
View link
Proved to be a short run; the Brookhurst has been closed once again.
I was there on opening day. The theater was beautiful with gold curtains the carper was blue the wood trim was walnut. The screen was oval. They played wounder full stereo music before the movie started. The lights would Dem the curtains slowly open it was an experience.To bad the new theaters don’t have beautiful curtains any more.