Fox West Coast Theatre

Simon, I’m sending you an email, OK? Lisa

C.T. members may be interested in learning more about the Long Beach Fox and ALL of the L.B. (now gone) theaters…
My dear friend JOSEPH MUSIL was once manager of this beautiful theater and often speaks, most tenderly, about it when giving various theater presentations at his AMERICAN MUSEUM OF THEATRICAL DESIGN, especially the “Farewell Show” he produced.
In all of my six decades of cinema/theater experiences, I have never come across anyone so dedicated to this art. Joe is a living icon regarding consummate knowledge of countless theaters especially in southern California.
Joe’s long-time friend RON MAHAN is currently producing an extravaganza about THE THEATERS OF LONG BEACH with many never-seen-before pictures from Joe Musil’s personal collection.
This will be a reservations only, FUND RAISER program presented with recorded narration and music of the era.
The grand premier is planned for later this year at Mr. Musil’s NON-PROFIT museum; STRAND THEATRE.
The AMTD museum and theater is located in the fabulous 1925 Santora Arts Building in historical downtown SANTA ANA at 207 N. Broadway, and is open for guided tours; for appointments call: 714-667-6959

A new website is presently under construction with a link from www.santoraarts.com info-to-know:
and I’ll gladly add your private name to “Showplace” Newsletter.

In closing, I’ll just add the nicest comment from an overseas visitor from the Theater Historical Society’s 2005 Conclave; “This place gave the best presentation of the entire tour of theaters!”

In 1965 I saw “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” here during it’s second run. On the marquee it said in BOLD letters: “Filmed in Long Beach”. My grandmother, who owned a shop in the State Theatre (Jergins Trust Building) at 34 South Pine, said the cars that came around the corner during the filming in 1963 were not going slow but that they tore around the corner with squeeling tires about 4 times at high speed. At that time, you could still see the scuff marks on the street where the cars hit the street at the bottom of the hill.

Here is a 1920 interior photo:
http://tinyurl.com/h54j2

Well S. Charles Lee’s first theatre as a architect was the Tower Theatre on Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. Which opened on Oct. 1927, which is some two years after the West Coast’s opening date. During his career he was commissioned to do remodel designs for many of the Fox West Coast Theatres in California. So some of the pencil drawings might be just drawings and not finished designs that were completed. He did many designs that Fox West Coast never used for the remodels.

Architect should be S. Charles Lee.

From the UCLA Digital Collection:

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This picture is partially duplicated above, but you get a better shot of the West Coast and the adjacent Imperial (from the LA Library):

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014919.jpg

The fox west coast abeutiful large theatre I saw a decent amount of films there in the early ‘80’s before it went spanish. I took photos of the front a couple days before it was pulled down. it’s nice to see the statue in the courtyard of the hotel but a shame that every theatre in long beach except the art are all gone.. P.S. to lisa in LB if you ever plan on getting ride of you sign let me

The style of the Fox West Coast Theatre was Spanish Renaissance and the statue that once graced the facade was “Bulova, Goddess of Time”.

The Fox West Coast Theatre was razed January of 1987.

Part 2 to the Fox West Coast

A rock promoter leased the theatre & others in the others in the chain with the idea of creating a circuit of acid rock & hippie oriented entertainment centers. After one year of operation, the theatre, suffering from the ravages of abuse & neglect, was closed & lay dormant for two years. During that time a religious organizational meetings were held there. When the sect was disbanded, the theatre’s doors were closed again, this time for one year. The last operator of the Fox was the small chain called J. Bueno Theatres Corp. and plays host to Mexican movies & occasional stage shows. After surviving the depression, earthquakes, World War 2, TV, 3D. The Fox shined for one last time on the evenings of November 9th & 10th of 1985. They hosted a Fanchon & Marco Revue. This recreation of the legendary stage shows that once lived on many legendary theatres around this country. This featured a organ prologue, stage show followed by the Hearst Metrotone Newsreel of “The Long Beach Earthquake of 1933”. And to finish the night with “Footlight Parade”

“FAREWELL TO THE FOX”

This was the biggest movie theatre in Downtown L.B. After it closed down some bums broke in to sleep inside and made a mess out of the whole place.