Wasn’t the Ritz the last name before it was a Pussycat? I looked for Ritz initially and then had to search under previous names. Perhaps this should be changed. Anyway, here is a photo I took yesterday. The sun washed out the circular sign at the top, but I could see where the church scrubbed off the Pussycat logo: http://tinyurl.com/2bnnws
OK, there’s some contradiction there between my two comments, but I think the 1973 building is in fact the Central theater location. I can’t explain the 1960 photo.
I decided to check this building out after work today. The middle business in the photo below is clothing. I asked the owner if I could browse the merchandise, subsequently I began wandering around the store. The interior has a drop ceiling, so no evidence of any theater is visible. At the very back was an entrance which looked promising as it appeared to lead to a large space. Unfortunately, the owner caught me peeking and pretty much harassed me out of her store. I did tell her that her $110 Dodger jackets were overpriced. http://tinyurl.com/ysdyko
Also remember the scene from “Save the Tiger”, a 1973 film, where Jack Lemmon and Jack Gilford go to a porn movie at the Mayan to meet with an arsonist.
Here is a 1938 photo. The pattern on the sidewalk is the same as the Tower in Compton, another S. Charles Lee theater. I may go back to this theater and see if that pattern is still there. http://tinyurl.com/yotudm
Are you pro or con, Joe?
Wasn’t the Ritz the last name before it was a Pussycat? I looked for Ritz initially and then had to search under previous names. Perhaps this should be changed. Anyway, here is a photo I took yesterday. The sun washed out the circular sign at the top, but I could see where the church scrubbed off the Pussycat logo:
http://tinyurl.com/2bnnws
For some of the “classic” theaters, people get huffy if changes are proposed absent concrete evidence. Hence the solicitation for objections.
OK, Joe, I’ll buy that. The theater was around in 1955, but gone by 1960, apparently.
OK, thanks.
OK, there’s some contradiction there between my two comments, but I think the 1973 building is in fact the Central theater location. I can’t explain the 1960 photo.
This 1973 photo shows the theater building, sans theater:
View link
The Central can be seen to the north of the Cozy in this 1955 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/369yjh
I decided to check this building out after work today. The middle business in the photo below is clothing. I asked the owner if I could browse the merchandise, subsequently I began wandering around the store. The interior has a drop ceiling, so no evidence of any theater is visible. At the very back was an entrance which looked promising as it appeared to lead to a large space. Unfortunately, the owner caught me peeking and pretty much harassed me out of her store. I did tell her that her $110 Dodger jackets were overpriced.
http://tinyurl.com/ysdyko
Any objection to Teatro Orpheum as an aka?
Is that a good wow or a bad wow? I liked the picture myself.
That’s interesting, Warren. I didn’t know that there were other papers besides the Times on the LAPL database. I have to check that out.
Also remember the scene from “Save the Tiger”, a 1973 film, where Jack Lemmon and Jack Gilford go to a porn movie at the Mayan to meet with an arsonist.
Here is a 1967 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/yr6687
Here is a photo, circa late 70s:
http://tinyurl.com/22pwpy
Here is a mid-70s photo:
http://tinyurl.com/2jk9zj
Here is an undated photo of the marquee:
http://tinyurl.com/3bco7u
The Cozy and the Central to the north can be seen in this 1955 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/369yjh
How about Norway?
Here is a photo circa 1980, when the theater was called Teatro Orpheum:
http://tinyurl.com/2zey9b
Here is a photo, circa 1970s:
http://tinyurl.com/3bm8pz
Here is a 1938 photo. The pattern on the sidewalk is the same as the Tower in Compton, another S. Charles Lee theater. I may go back to this theater and see if that pattern is still there.
http://tinyurl.com/yotudm
Status should be closed/demolished.
There is detailed information about the theater on this site:
http://tinyurl.com/24fds9
Max, there is a Pedro Vargas ad from 1959 posted on 10/13/07.
So the name is Landmark’s Gateway and the architect is David K. Mesbur, correct?