Drove by this afternoon and marquee reads “NOW HIRING” “OPENING SOON”; windows and doors covered with brown paper and some rolloff Dumpsters in the parking lot.
Sorry but I made a mistake in the above description – just checked my notes and the name it had while running Chinese films was the Kuo Hwa, not New Moon. Brain freeze on my part!
I have a nighttime photo of the marquee from ‘92 when it was showing Spanish-subtitled films. Later it was being used as a legitimate theatre with Spanish language plays and vaudeville until one play that had some nudity got the place shut down! It’s been closed these last few years and the marquee has been removed. Oh well…
Went to the “Mad (etc) World” screening and had a great time – the movie was 70mm and stereo (even in the Shirelles song!) for the first time in ages. Got to meet Edie Adams (told her she was one of the funniest performers ever; she said “Well, it was all those years at Juillard!”), Stan Freberg and Marvin Kaplan. Stanley Kramer’s widow and Billy Bob Thornton introduced the film. Only downside? It was the shorter version of the film. But the clarity was amazing! Right before the end of the last chase you can see a big “Nixon for Governor” banner. Still Hollywood’s finest theatre IMHO.
After the Pussycat sign was removed, the old “Monica” lettering was visible for a few weeks until the new sign was installed. The theater appears VERY briefly in the drag race scene in the AIP flick “Hot Rod Gang” (freeze framing helps).
The Academy kept the Streamline Moderne look through 1982 (I recall the last film run was “Partners” with Ryan O'Neal), then it was closed for awhile for the remodel and the entire facade was stripped back to where the original gothic facing was exposed. Supposedly this was to be restored but it was so badly damaged from the last remodel and earthquake retrofitting that it was covered up again the way it is now.
Drove by this afternoon and marquee reads “NOW HIRING” “OPENING SOON”; windows and doors covered with brown paper and some rolloff Dumpsters in the parking lot.
Since last posting, building has been repainted beige.
Sorry but I made a mistake in the above description – just checked my notes and the name it had while running Chinese films was the Kuo Hwa, not New Moon. Brain freeze on my part!
Recently in use as a church.
I have a nighttime photo of the marquee from ‘92 when it was showing Spanish-subtitled films. Later it was being used as a legitimate theatre with Spanish language plays and vaudeville until one play that had some nudity got the place shut down! It’s been closed these last few years and the marquee has been removed. Oh well…
Exterior was covered with black vitreous glass but has been stripped back to brickseveral years ago.
Was renamed “Mazatlan”.
Edwards Drive-In (Monrovia) “There Goes My Baby” outside only, marquee renamed “Paradise Drive-In” showing “Cat Ballou”
Went to the “Mad (etc) World” screening and had a great time – the movie was 70mm and stereo (even in the Shirelles song!) for the first time in ages. Got to meet Edie Adams (told her she was one of the funniest performers ever; she said “Well, it was all those years at Juillard!”), Stan Freberg and Marvin Kaplan. Stanley Kramer’s widow and Billy Bob Thornton introduced the film. Only downside? It was the shorter version of the film. But the clarity was amazing! Right before the end of the last chase you can see a big “Nixon for Governor” banner. Still Hollywood’s finest theatre IMHO.
Footage of this theater appears in the documentary “East Side Story”.
After the Pussycat sign was removed, the old “Monica” lettering was visible for a few weeks until the new sign was installed. The theater appears VERY briefly in the drag race scene in the AIP flick “Hot Rod Gang” (freeze framing helps).
The Academy kept the Streamline Moderne look through 1982 (I recall the last film run was “Partners” with Ryan O'Neal), then it was closed for awhile for the remodel and the entire facade was stripped back to where the original gothic facing was exposed. Supposedly this was to be restored but it was so badly damaged from the last remodel and earthquake retrofitting that it was covered up again the way it is now.
Not demolished – Building and marquee are painted gray and in use as Pyong Kang Korean church.
Building was converted into a small store in the late ‘60s. Art Deco facade still visible.