No trace of the theater today. It’s apparently been used only for parking for the last 50 years, unless something was built on the space and then torn down in the interim. The location is across the street, more or less, from the Ports O'Call shopping area.
A picture theater for negroes only to be as elaborately beautiful as any theater in the city and to seat 1700 persons will be built by Adolph Ramish, according to the announcement of that enterprising citizen yesterday. The new theater will be situated at Twenty Third and Central Streets, and the architect will be John Paxton Pirenne.
All the entertainers who surround the picture bill will be negroes as also will be all attaches and attendants of the house. Films of first quality will be shown, as is done in other first-class neighborhood houses.
The LA Times reported at length on the Lakewood on 10/27/85. Manager Jose Duarte and Pussycat President were quoted on the battle to keep the theater open. On that day, about twenty people were watching adult films on one screen while an R-rated film on the second screen drew zero patrons.
I think we’ve established that the Symphony building was replaced by Desmond’s in the early twenties. Subsequently the building that is at that address now is not connected with the original theater.
The Rialto Theater building was destroyed by fire today with a loss estimated at $1,000,000. The three-story building, located in the center of the business district, housed six stores and numerous offices, in addition to the theater. The adjoining Fox Theater was damaged to the extent of about $10,000. The origin of the blaze has not been determined.
Mr. Skouras was evicted from the penthouse on 8/7/54, according to the LA Times:
THEATER OFFICE FIRE ROUTS CHARLES SKOURAS
Fire in the general offices of Fox-West Coast Theaters Corp. early yesterday briefly routed Charles P. Skouras, president of the company, from his penthouse bed before the blaze was controlled by seven Los Angeles fire companies.
Spokesmen for the theater chain said that damage was confined to offices at 1825 S. Vermont Avenue, in a sub-basement beneath the Boulevard Theater at 1611 W. Washington Boulevard. Skouras and his wife were awakened after a janitor discovered the fire at 4:30 a.m. The theater executive returned to bed after firemen assured him that there was no danger to his residence structure atop the theater.
Here is an article in the LA Times dated 12/13/31:
FIRE HITS STRAND THEATER
The Fox Strand Theater, 1035 South Pacific Avenue, San Pedro, suffered $5000 loss by fire yesterday morning when cleaning fluid knocked over by a stage hand ignited. The theater was empty.
The stage hand suffered burns about his hands and arms. The structure under the stage was charred and the sound machinery disabled, while smoke damage was heavy.
There’s a “theatorium” visible in this 1910 photo. I don’t know if this is an earlier version of one of the known theaters on the Pike: http://tinyurl.com/2rd5nk
Here are some photos from July 2007. This may or may not be the theater:
http://tinyurl.com/ynsgh5
http://tinyurl.com/2eoa8w
http://tinyurl.com/ysnwbr
http://tinyurl.com/yr9zmd
Here are some July 2007 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/25wnq2
http://tinyurl.com/yq5ly4
http://tinyurl.com/2y47vd
http://tinyurl.com/2g8f7a
http://tinyurl.com/ytbve4
http://tinyurl.com/27s8sh
Only 100?
No trace of the theater today. It’s apparently been used only for parking for the last 50 years, unless something was built on the space and then torn down in the interim. The location is across the street, more or less, from the Ports O'Call shopping area.
It’s a bank parking lot now.
I called him, no response. I guess he doesn’t want to sell. The theater was advertised as Tally’s Criterion on 10/22/33 per the LA Times.
The Valuskis Downey was advertised in the LA Times on 10/22/33. No address given, however.
The Madrid Theater in Canoga Park was advertised in the LA Times on 10/22/33. Clearly not the successor to the Canoga listed here.
Advertised as McKinney’s Playhouse in the LA Times on 10/22/33.
Advertised at 4411 in 1933. Maybe there were wheels on the bottom of the theater.
Brief in the LA Times dated 6/22/26:
A picture theater for negroes only to be as elaborately beautiful as any theater in the city and to seat 1700 persons will be built by Adolph Ramish, according to the announcement of that enterprising citizen yesterday. The new theater will be situated at Twenty Third and Central Streets, and the architect will be John Paxton Pirenne.
All the entertainers who surround the picture bill will be negroes as also will be all attaches and attendants of the house. Films of first quality will be shown, as is done in other first-class neighborhood houses.
The LA Times reported at length on the Lakewood on 10/27/85. Manager Jose Duarte and Pussycat President were quoted on the battle to keep the theater open. On that day, about twenty people were watching adult films on one screen while an R-rated film on the second screen drew zero patrons.
A preliminary search through the LA Times archives shows nothing at that address. I’ll keep looking.
I think we’ve established that the Symphony building was replaced by Desmond’s in the early twenties. Subsequently the building that is at that address now is not connected with the original theater.
By 1919, Miller’s Theater was called Ray’s Garden, for reasons unknown.
From the LA Times, dated 10/21/28:
FLAMES DESTROY ILLINOIS THEATER
The Rialto Theater building was destroyed by fire today with a loss estimated at $1,000,000. The three-story building, located in the center of the business district, housed six stores and numerous offices, in addition to the theater. The adjoining Fox Theater was damaged to the extent of about $10,000. The origin of the blaze has not been determined.
Mr. Skouras was evicted from the penthouse on 8/7/54, according to the LA Times:
THEATER OFFICE FIRE ROUTS CHARLES SKOURAS
Fire in the general offices of Fox-West Coast Theaters Corp. early yesterday briefly routed Charles P. Skouras, president of the company, from his penthouse bed before the blaze was controlled by seven Los Angeles fire companies.
Spokesmen for the theater chain said that damage was confined to offices at 1825 S. Vermont Avenue, in a sub-basement beneath the Boulevard Theater at 1611 W. Washington Boulevard. Skouras and his wife were awakened after a janitor discovered the fire at 4:30 a.m. The theater executive returned to bed after firemen assured him that there was no danger to his residence structure atop the theater.
Opening date was March 31, 1949. Seating at the opening was 1008. Construction cost was $400,000.
Here is an article in the LA Times dated 12/13/31:
FIRE HITS STRAND THEATER
The Fox Strand Theater, 1035 South Pacific Avenue, San Pedro, suffered $5000 loss by fire yesterday morning when cleaning fluid knocked over by a stage hand ignited. The theater was empty.
The stage hand suffered burns about his hands and arms. The structure under the stage was charred and the sound machinery disabled, while smoke damage was heavy.
I don’t think it’s listed on CT. It probably came and went in a few years.
The State is on the far right:
http://tinyurl.com/yqvsr9
Here is a view from behind the theater:
http://tinyurl.com/yqvsr9
I wish I could have seen it in its heyday.
There’s a “theatorium” visible in this 1910 photo. I don’t know if this is an earlier version of one of the known theaters on the Pike:
http://tinyurl.com/2rd5nk
Here are the photos from the CASL:
http://tinyurl.com/39mlx3
http://tinyurl.com/2qutnc
http://tinyurl.com/3dcr2y
http://tinyurl.com/39dh3d
http://tinyurl.com/2rcg4t
http://tinyurl.com/2oglqy
http://tinyurl.com/2k2pct
http://tinyurl.com/36hmoz
http://tinyurl.com/2aw66q