There is an interesting article in the LA Times dated 9/23/84 concerning the demolition of the theater. If you have access to the LA Times archives, there are numerous photos of the demolition. The accompanying story is too long to reproduce here. It does state that the theater opened in 1935 and was closed in 1972. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The county bought the site from the estate of car magnate Errett Cord for 10.45 million dollars in 1979. The plan at that time was to use the space for a park.
Here is a condensed (ahem) version of an LA Times story dated 5/17/96:
The Winnetka Drive-in Theater in Chatsworth, one of only two left in the San Fernando Valley, will be torn down later this year to make way for one of the largest indoor movie theater complexes in the state. On the site of the drive-in at Prairie and Winnetka avenues is to be a multimillion-dollar megaplex with shops, restaurants and 26 movie screens capable of seating 5,500 viewers, Pacific Theatres announced Thursday. It is scheduled to open in June 1997. The demise of the Winnetka Drive-in, which the company said was built in the 1970s, will leave the San Fernando Valley with only one outdoor movie theater, the Van Nuys Drive-in, also owned by Pacific Theatres.
Here is an article from the LA Times dated 7/6/42. I was glad to see that the projectionist did not get flambeed this time as they seem to have when the film would routinely explode, compelling them to leap from the projection booth.
THEATER MANAGER AVERTS FIRE PANIC
Cool, quick action of a theater manager yesterday averted a possible panic among 450 spectators at the Central Theater, 314 S. Broadway, when a small fire sent clouds of smoke billowing through the auditorium. Manager Louis Levine stepped up to the stage and announced to the audience that there was no danger and the patrons filed out of the theater in an orderly fashion.
Here is an article from the LA Times dated 8/1/32:
Struck by an exploding stench bomb which was hurled at the stage of the Arcade Theater, 534 S. Broadway, while she was dancing, Miss Henrietta Peterson, 21, was undergoing treatment at the Georgia Street Receiving Hospital for severe cuts and other injuries. The bomb was thrown by an unidentified man late Saturday night.
There was another fire on 3/31/28 which started in the Arcade and eventually destroyed over twenty buildings, including two theaters and a hotel. Maybe they should get a smoke detector.
I stopped by this theater yesterday. The church is just a tiny storefront. I would guess not more than 20 chairs inside. The theater proper seems to be some kind of warehouse. I will stop by during business hours to see what’s going on inside.
This is an excerpt from the Chicago Sun-Times dated 8/22/86. How much of the theater was saved during the conversion?
What once was the Ritz Theater – and before that a vaudeville theater – in west suburban Berwyn is developing into the 52-unit Atrium Court Condominiums.
Angled and arched avante-garde designs give the building at Roosevelt and Ridgeland a futuristic appearance. Buyers can choose one, two or three levels of customized living space. Young married couples and empty nesters are already moving in; 28 one and two-bedroom units priced from $56,000 to $99,500 have been sold. Demolition has begun.
Plymouth Place was the street where my great aunt and uncle owned a duplex. They lived on the second floor and rented out the first floor to summer people. We used to have lunch with them at the Plymouth Inn across the street. This is more than thirty five years ago, now. Time flies.
There is an interesting article in the LA Times dated 9/23/84 concerning the demolition of the theater. If you have access to the LA Times archives, there are numerous photos of the demolition. The accompanying story is too long to reproduce here. It does state that the theater opened in 1935 and was closed in 1972. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The county bought the site from the estate of car magnate Errett Cord for 10.45 million dollars in 1979. The plan at that time was to use the space for a park.
The LA Times reported the demolition of the Meralta on 12/31/78. However, the address was given as 10912 S. Downey Avenue.
Here is a condensed (ahem) version of an LA Times story dated 5/17/96:
The Winnetka Drive-in Theater in Chatsworth, one of only two left in the San Fernando Valley, will be torn down later this year to make way for one of the largest indoor movie theater complexes in the state. On the site of the drive-in at Prairie and Winnetka avenues is to be a multimillion-dollar megaplex with shops, restaurants and 26 movie screens capable of seating 5,500 viewers, Pacific Theatres announced Thursday. It is scheduled to open in June 1997. The demise of the Winnetka Drive-in, which the company said was built in the 1970s, will leave the San Fernando Valley with only one outdoor movie theater, the Van Nuys Drive-in, also owned by Pacific Theatres.
There is a photo of the Dane on this page:
http://tinyurl.com/yrtqxn
I think it was a bar.
http://tinyurl.com/ysj7wj
Here are two photos of the bus terminal at 6th and Main in 1941. I think the Lark was long gone by then:
http://tinyurl.com/yun7dx
http://tinyurl.com/ysymou
You can see ad for the Forum in this 1951 photo from the USC archive:
http://tinyurl.com/38wsle
You can also see the 613 address over the door.
Well, it does say Lark on the left side of the picture.
This was known as the Crest Theater in 1963.
Here is an article from the LA Times dated 7/6/42. I was glad to see that the projectionist did not get flambeed this time as they seem to have when the film would routinely explode, compelling them to leap from the projection booth.
THEATER MANAGER AVERTS FIRE PANIC
Cool, quick action of a theater manager yesterday averted a possible panic among 450 spectators at the Central Theater, 314 S. Broadway, when a small fire sent clouds of smoke billowing through the auditorium. Manager Louis Levine stepped up to the stage and announced to the audience that there was no danger and the patrons filed out of the theater in an orderly fashion.
Here is the PSTOS page regarding the Burien:
http://tinyurl.com/29ulqz
The LAPL states that this is the Lark, photo is undated:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015349.jpg
Here is an article from the LA Times dated 8/1/32:
Struck by an exploding stench bomb which was hurled at the stage of the Arcade Theater, 534 S. Broadway, while she was dancing, Miss Henrietta Peterson, 21, was undergoing treatment at the Georgia Street Receiving Hospital for severe cuts and other injuries. The bomb was thrown by an unidentified man late Saturday night.
There was another fire on 3/31/28 which started in the Arcade and eventually destroyed over twenty buildings, including two theaters and a hotel. Maybe they should get a smoke detector.
OK, I stand corrected. Thanks.
That should be engineer, of course. It’s kind of early.
We have an oil painting of the Flanders in our house back in Absecon. My dad was an angineer at the Flanders in the 40s.
I stopped by this theater yesterday. The church is just a tiny storefront. I would guess not more than 20 chairs inside. The theater proper seems to be some kind of warehouse. I will stop by during business hours to see what’s going on inside.
This is the correct place for such comments. We’re all interested in renovation and reuse, as opposed to parking lots.
That’s the same firm that designed Hearst Castle and the Herald-Examiner building. Julia Morgan was the lead architect, I believe.
That is a good view. Thanks.
This is an excerpt from the Chicago Sun-Times dated 8/22/86. How much of the theater was saved during the conversion?
What once was the Ritz Theater – and before that a vaudeville theater – in west suburban Berwyn is developing into the 52-unit Atrium Court Condominiums.
Angled and arched avante-garde designs give the building at Roosevelt and Ridgeland a futuristic appearance. Buyers can choose one, two or three levels of customized living space. Young married couples and empty nesters are already moving in; 28 one and two-bedroom units priced from $56,000 to $99,500 have been sold. Demolition has begun.
Dalton’s should be listed as an aka.
Plymouth Place was the street where my great aunt and uncle owned a duplex. They lived on the second floor and rented out the first floor to summer people. We used to have lunch with them at the Plymouth Inn across the street. This is more than thirty five years ago, now. Time flies.