State Theatre
770 E. Colorado Boulevard,
Pasadena,
CA
91101
770 E. Colorado Boulevard,
Pasadena,
CA
91101
10 people
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Here is a 1942 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/3eyn9t
thank you
bbtommix: While in Pasadena make sure you tour the Gamble House located at 4 Westmoreland Place if you are into architectural design besides theatres. http://www.gamblehouse.org/
Does anybody have any updates, I was plannig a trip to pasadena this weekend and was kust wondering if it still there
The State was a great little theater. I went in ‘99 before it closed along with the Colorado and Esquire. I went to see the Oscar winning German Film, “Character”. It’s sad it coulden’t be a theater again.
Here’s the State Theatre in early 1996: View link
Until 1955, the aging State Theatre with an old box-like rectangular marquee and fading facade was a 2nd-run house. Departing once from usual fare, perchance it booked a double-bill of two 1953 foreign films: “Mr. Hulot’s Holiday” (French) and “The Little Kidnappers” (British). Full-house audiences retained that pairing for more than 40 weeks, and, according to the State’s tuxedo-wearing manager Mr. Szabo, that afforded a complete re-model and new marquee, the remains of which seen at the top of this page.
Since the State Theatre is listed in Pasadena I’m sure anyone posting on this theatre link is also aware of the Raymond Theatre in Pasadena. The Raymond is in it’s 11th hour so anyone who would like to show their support to save this historical theatre please come to a Final Design Review hearing on Monday, the 24th at 7 (All Saints Church, Sweetland Hall 132 N. Euclid). To learn more about the Raymond Theatre and its past/present history go to www.raymondtheatre.com Thank you.
Now why didn’t I think to look under Oroville? Thanks.
Oroville State Theatre. It’s still standing, and it’s been largely restored (I don’t think they’ve finished restoring the balcony yet.) I’ve actually never been to the Oroville State, even though it’s only about twenty miles from where I live.
There is (or was) a State Theater in Oroville, which should be added if it’s not under another name. The picture is from the UC Davis Collection:
View link
To Dwodeyla. the reason I have not looked at those is because we need a theatre local to the inland empire of california. Pomona, Ontario, San Dimas etc. Any Suggestions
Pasadena has one of the best historic preservation offices in Southern California. I mourn the loss of the State as much as anybody else here, but preservation laws never regulate use. You can’t make an owner keep or convert their building to it’s historic use no matter how significant it is. It might be amusing to see barns and blacksmiths among the Gaps and Starbucks of our various “Olde Towne” areas but for the most part, cities can only have a say in historic facades and then only on surveyed and designated buildings. The VAST majority of cities don’t even have that much protection. The owner of this building submitted a plan to restore the historic 1918 terra cotta facade and the city felt that was an acceptable remodel. He donated the sign to the Museum of Neon Art http://neonmona.org/ and offered the space up for rent. It’s a real bummer that it’s a sandwich shop and a nail salon. Here, look at all the good work the Pasadena preservation office is up to: View link
Completely screwed up indeed; thanks for the update, Manwithnoname.
I am thinking now that, given the original name of the theatre, and the look of the original facade, the archtectural style of the State must have been that particular subset of Italian Renaissance called Florentine.
to Jonathan9, there have been a lot of potential locations for you in the Treasures News section, including these two most recent:
http://cinematreasures.org/news/12493_0_1_0_C/
and this one: http://cinematreasures.org/news/12491_0_1_10_C/
Any reason why you’ve chosen the two you did so far?
I very much suspect the State has officially been converted into and reopened as retail space, Jonathan; my suggestion would be to look elsewhere. Best of luck…
Could this theatre possibly be bought abd converted into a live performing arts stage. My theatre company is looking to acquire an older movie theatre to renovate into a live theatre performance space.
An article in the magazine Architect and Engineer, November 1917, names the architect of the Florence theater as O.P. Dennis. (Oliver Perry Dennis.)
The State was originally called the Florence. There is a mention of the Florence in the Los Angeles Times of 12/27/1928, pt.III, p.14; “Turner, Dahnke & Langley Theater Chain will be the operators of the Florence Theater, Pasadena.”
Southwest Builder and Contractor Magazine of 8/30/1935, p.54 col.2 has a notice that manager James Edwards “…will make repairs and remodel the Florence Theater….” in Pasadena.
My own first visit to the State was in 1960. At that time, the original facade was still largely in place, and above the marquee was a very nice bit of classical design, which was of either plaster or cast stone, with an arch and bas-relief detailing. This was covered up by a big plaster box a few years later. The interior of the theater was already fairly modern and plain by the time I first saw it. The auditorium ceiling was a shallow barrel vault, with indirect lighting from a cove along the sides, and there were six or eight standard octagonal theater chandeliers. Any detailing around the screen had probably been lost to the installation of the CinemaScope screen in the 1950s.
According to an article in the Pasadena Star-News at the time of the State’s closing, the neon marquee dated from 1956. However, in 1960, it already looked older than that, and I suspect that it might have been installed with the remodeling by James Edwards in the 1930s.
Without the marquee tear the facade down too, who cares.
I’d have to imagine the former State space has officially become retail space by now. Out of curiosity, just how dramatic does ‘earthquake retrofitting’ tend to be? Is it a standard, all-purpose procedure for all properties which require it and, in either the opinion of those who live in areas where earthquake retrofitting is common or with a general knowledge of what it entails, is it sometimes used as an excuse by landlords to gut their property for other uses?
I remember seeing Citizen Kane here in the 90’s. It was definitely in pretty bad shape then, but at least it was open. I had no idea it was so old!
It is indeed strange that the Raymond gets so much attention, while this place slipped away quietly.
In Pasadena’s defense, although their downtown is filled with Starbucks outlets and Gaps, at least they’ve successfully revitalized that section of town, quite rapidly. In the late 80’s it was a ghost town, save for a few peep show arcades and pawn shops. In just a few years it became the mecca it is today.
Pasadena ought to be ashamed!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THey say they have great historic buildings, but REALLY they just have great historic building exteriors. For the most part all of there nice old buildings have been gutted for dumb stores and stupid, useless things like crateandbarrell. IT’s a shame!!!!!!!!!
The State Theatre was located at 770 E. Colorado Blvd..