El Rey Theatre
5515 Wilshire Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90036
5515 Wilshire Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90036
34 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 65 comments
I got to catch the Mercedes ad featuring the El Rey this evening. Narrated by none other than “The Waltons” John-Boy, (Richard Thomas).
Plenty of screen time for the El Rey.
I believe the El Rey was also the location for a Cowsills reunion show about 4 or 5 years ago, called “It’s A Family Thing 2”. A benefit show for Bill Cowsill who was then facing some health issues. Before both he and Barry passed away.
It featured Shirley Jones and some of the Bangles. The latter related I believe through marriage to the Cowsills. The first “Family Thing” was a 60’s TV special featuring them, hosted by Buddy Ebson.
And again, if anyone gets the opportunity to catch that MB ad filmed at the El Rey it will be worth your time…very classy.
Elvis Costello played a free concert at the El Rey on May 28, 2008. I arrived too late to get inside but took a couple shots of the marquee.
http://tinyurl.com/3zf36n
http://tinyurl.com/4cow3p
This theatre has quite the marquee in all of its art deco bright color glory! A must-see for anyone living in that area of the Golden State!
Lost: Your March 25, 2007 night photo of the marquee is magical. Thanks and check out that MB ad when it airs again as that is their newest advertisement! A very classy ad for a very class car by featuring that art deco theatre!
I just saw this theatre in a recent Mercedes Benz ad during the O'Reilly Factor on Fox last night! I’m sure many theatre buffs may have seen this same ad as it was the night Hillary was interviewed by Mr. Bill. I had taped the show so when this ad was shown I had to go back and hit the pause button on the remote to get the theatre name!
Does any one know what happened to Phillip Bierley the manager of the El Rey in middle sixties?
I’d be much more interested if these photos were from any April 4th pre 1980.
Here is a 1937 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/yttc8x
That’s it, Joe. I was a block away, too. I’ll check it out next time. Thanks for the photo of the Dominguez building as well. The lobby when you first walk in is spectacular. Great murals on the ceiling.
Ken: I think the nearest theatre to the 5400 block other than the El Rey and Ritz was the Four Star in the 5100 block. It’s been churched.
5410 Wilshire is the Dominguez Building, 1930, by Morgan, Walls & Clements (meaning probably just Stiles Clements, at that date.)
The El Rey looked great last night. I took a batch of pictures with my phone, but this is the only one that turned out:
http://tinyurl.com/34jhc4
I kept thinking that we had a theater in the 5400 block of Wilshire that was now a church. There’s a great old Art Deco building at 5410, but that was never a theater as far as I could tell. There was also the Fox Ritz at 5214, which is gone. If I’m imagining this theater, let me know so I can stop looking for it.
I bought it a few years ago. $20.00 was the CHEAPEST price I found for it anywhere.
NOT on DVD and you paid $20.00 for a used copy on Amazon.com.
Well “Night of the Comet” was released on DVD from MGM on March 6th, 2007 and the list price is $14.98.
NIGHT OF THE COMET is simply one of the best 1980s Cheesy Sci-fi. The dialogue in this movie is simply hilarious! Unfortunately, it is NOT on DVD. I paid $20.00 for a used copy on Amazon.com.
Here is a January 1947 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/yt5sll
The El Rey Theater, still standing, still living. I only know the performing Theater side of the El Rey, never went when they were showing movies. I performed at the El Rey in the late 1980’s. It was sort of a reunion for the group that I was a member of. That group, New Birth, aka “Wildflower” “I Can Understand It” “Got to Get a Knutt” etc. Anytime I play a Theater such as the El Rey, it always reminds me of playing the Apollo in New York. I remember that night well, the house was filled with happy fans and we had a good time. The El Rey is in a excellent location, and it a fun place to perform. I have also visted the El Rey for other concerts, and always have a good time there. Keep on Keeping on…. El Rey Theater!
My website: home.earthlink.net/~rrussell007/
In the movie Night of the Comet. The begining of the movie takes place at The El Ray. There is even a shot that takes place inside the booth.
Sorry about that:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028703.jpg
From the LAPL:
/theaters/1161/
I only saw a handful of films at the El Rey, but among them was the first run showing of Psycho, so it is forever etched in my memory.
The El Rey is down the street a bit in this undated photo from the LA Library:
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009266.jpg
I haven’t had cable for a while. The last movie channel that I used on a regular basis was the Z Channel. I must have taped a thousand movies off of that channel.
An otherwise dreadful, forgettable film from 1977 called “Fire Sale” is on Fox Movie Channel tonight, in NYC at least.
I lived on the block when it was filmed at Wilshire and Burnside. I’ve never sat through the movie, so I can’t say if it has any shots of the El Rey or not … but might be worth a look.
As a young projectionist (22) I was sent to the El Rey in late 1975 to run a double bill, the Hindenburg along with Airport 75. The small booth was entered through the upstairs lobby.