D'Anton Cinemateque
9055 Santa Monica Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90069
9055 Santa Monica Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90069
1 person
favorited this theater
I know of this theater only because I was an entertainment journalist at the time of its opening (the early 1970s), and I was assigned to write a story.
The concept was unique in its time: a classic motion picture dinner theater: food and classic movies. The opening attraction was the uncut version of the Judy Garland “A Star Is Born”. I have no memory of D'Anton’s fate. It may have disappeared quickly, or it may have thrived for a while. I do remember it being in the neighborhood of the West Hollywood Safeway market on Santa Monica Boulevard. The Safeway market is now enjoying an upscale reincarnation as a trendy Vons Pavilion market.
As I remember D'Anton’s did not have traditional movie theater seating, but seating closer to what you find in restaurants. The clientele was largely gay and lesbian, reflecting West Hollywood’s population.
How I wish I had a copy of the story I wrote at the time. Would love to see a post from someone who remembers this unique treasure.
Contributed by
Christopher Stone
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
This must have been something that was converted into a theatre like business, not a real theatre.
I have contacted the City of West Hollywood for further information about this unusual venue. Hopefully, I will have more info to post in the future.
According to an L.A. Times article from 4/29/1971, this “private club and film theater” was that week granted a zone exception to open. It was to be an 82-seat theater which was to show classic films. The address was: 9055 Santa Monica Blvd. The theater was actually called the “Cinematheque Club” — note the different spelling. Sure enough, ads over the next year or so show listings for classic movie showings, but apparently this didn’t work out so well. An ad from 9/19/1972 has at the same address David’s Tom Kat Theatre and Lounge, showing a “Super Male Film Festival.” After that date, there is no more match for that street address in the L.A. Times database — so that was probably the end of the venue as a theater. That address is currently the home of a place called Busy Body Home Fitness.
Scroll down to the West Hollywood entry and click on the photo for an exterior view:
http://tinyurl.com/ywx8dj
Is there anyway of restoration? I am curious as in finding a way to bring an old cinema to life again.
This is another theater located in the incorporated City of West Hollywood which is currently listed as being in Los Angeles. Hollywood is a district of the City of Los Angeles. West Hollywood is not.