The Sherman, Nuart, Rialto and Ken in San Diego are part of Parallax Theater Systems, Inc., along with others in Denver, Berkeley, Sacramento, Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. Kim Jorgensen, who had been affiliated with the Fox Venice, is the reigning executive at Parallax. “Our theaters’ programming is a bit more commercial than what the Fox Venice playsâ€, he said.
The Sherman, located strategically on busy Ventura Boulevard, is one of Parallax’s most recent acquisitions. For the most part it is devoted to film festivals. An Alfred Hitchcock retrospective included “Shadow of a Doubt†(1943), “Strangers on a Train†(1951) and the director’s first sound film “Blackmail†(1929). A three-week dance film festival included “The Red Shoes†(1948), “Tales of Hoffman†(1951), “An Evening with the Royal Ballet†(1964) and “Guys and Dolls†(1955).
Here is a profile that was in the LA Times, also in October 1977:
BRENTWOOD I & II 2524 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica 829-3366
Three months ago, proprietor Gene Rosenthal began showing older-often classic-films on one of his screens to complement the current commercial fare on the other. The result has been attendance from a cross-section of the community-senior citizens to youngsters-all drawn by programming that varies from science fiction to nostalgia.
The bill changes twice weekly and focuses on “in-depth classicsâ€, that is older films, rather then on the more current alternative movies shown at some of the other theaters. A recent Brentwood attraction was “My Man Godfrey†and “His Girl Fridayâ€. There were also a few days of Harold Lloyd films. The theater was a bowling alley when Rosenthal took it over eight years ago.
Here is a profile from the LA Times in October 1977:
PICFAIR-5879 W. Pico Blvd at Fairfax, Los Angeles 933-5609
The Picfair has been for years a popular neighborhood theater. In 1968, the Loews chain bought it and financed $100,000 worth of remodeling, including a modern marquee, new upholstery, air conditioning and other assorted accoutrements. Attendance, however, began to drop off and the theater went through a series of programming changes, from foreign films to X-rated. Recently it was taken over by Jamiel Cetin, with “great faith in its possibilities†said Cetin, “because of its location central to Century City, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and the Santa Monica Freeway.â€
The theater had developed a rowdy reputation, with occasional brawls breaking out inside. But now the customers and the fare are different. “We are moving towards a cultural policyâ€, said Cetin, “retrospectives of classic foreign and American films, festivals devoted to an era or a director as well as first-run foreign films.†Features have included Louis Malle’s “Black Moonâ€, Satyajit Ray’s “Distant Thunderâ€, “The African Queenâ€, “The Lion in Winterâ€, Nureyev and Fonteyn in the Bolshoi’s “Romeo and Julietâ€, and the Los Angeles premiere of Joel Seria’s “The Cookies of Pont-Avenâ€.
“I want to create a cultural film center for Los Angelesâ€, said Cetin, “bringing the best foreign films I can obtain, as well as musicals and ballet.â€
This is from the LA Times in October 1977. There is a kitchen store at 7456 La Jolla currently.
UNICORN-7456 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla (714) 459-4342
Perhaps the first revival theater in Southern California, the Unicorn was founded in 1964, emerging out of a film society and bookstore called “The Sign of the Sun.†“Our initial concept was to show worthy films that were neglected", said Harold Leigh, co-founder with Harold Darling. “We also wanted to revive those that had not been seen in a long time and introduce some films that normally would not have commercial attraction.â€
The Unicorn is nestled gracefully in the rear of a bookstore. Patrons-professors and students from nearby UC San Diego and Scripps Institute, surfers from Windansea Beach and conservative La Jolla couples-are encouraged to browse while waiting for the next performance. Classical and traditional folk music is played in the background. “We believe in an interesting, warm atmosphereâ€, said Leigh.
In the theater lobby you can get free popcorn (during comedy shows only) from an antique popping machine, soft drinks hand-mixed from imported Italian syrups and European chocolates. There are also exhibits of sculptures, paintings and photography by local artists.
The theater takes credit for premiering the Soviet science fiction film “Solaris†and has shown a rare documentary from Scotland called “Findhorn†and a number of Egyptian pictures. Admission is $2.25 weeknights, $2.75 weekends and $1.75 for Unicorn members, of which there are 1,000.
Two events are announced by three Spanish-language theaters-the California, Mason and Roosevelt, for the next several weeks. Starting tomorrow the first showing in America of the beautiful Adriana Lamar in “Memorias de una Vampiresa” is scheduled.
For Mexico’s Independence Day-Cinco de Mayo-May 5, Mexico’s idol Jorge Negrete has been booked in “El Ahijado de la Muerte” (Death’s Godchild).
Here is a part of a long article on Spanish-language theaters in the LA Times on December 31, 1984:
The line outside the Azteca Theater in San Fernando begins to form when the Spanish-language Mass ends at a church less than a mile away. Family after family arrived Sunday, close to 900 people eventually filing through the theater doors to see the double feature-“Nino Pobre, Nino Rico†and “Alla en Plaza Garibaldi.â€
Move passers-by cannot read what is advertised on the marquee-the titles mean “Rich Boy, Poor Boy†and “There at Plaza Garibaldiâ€-and probably have not bought a ticket from the box office in 17 years, when English-language films last played inside. But for the area’s large Latino population, the Azteca, along with six other Spanish-language movie theaters, is a regular part of life.
The huge theaters, with heavy red or gold drapes covering the screens and auditoriums triple the size found in most modern cinema complexes, each weekend attract thousands of patrons-people able to turn a double feature into a mini-fiesta, and who seem to attend the show faithfully regardless of which movie is playing.
“When we bought the Fox, it was nothingâ€, said Jorge Bueno, who heads the company that for five years has operated the 660-seat Spanish-language theater on Van Nuys Boulevard in Van Nuys. “It had been vacant for three or four months. Before that it couldn’t survive with those 99-cent action and kiddie films.â€
The Lankershim Theater in North Hollywood had previously shown adult films, a theater in Chatsworth had been vacated and thee other movie houses played host to hundreds of empty seats every night, operators said. Of the seven Spanish-language theaters in the Valley, four are run by Metropolitan Theatres Corp., which operates 30 Spanish-language and 28 English-language theaters in Southern California. The Azteca in San Fernando and the Cinema 76 in Chatsworth are independently operated. The Fox is one of nine Spanish-language theaters operated by J. Bueno Corp.
This article is from the Cedar Rapids Gazette in April 1961. There is an accompanying photo of “the old Lansing Theater” on Main Street. This could have been a typo, or an alternate name for the Lans.
In Lansing a group of citizens has already incorporated as Medical Offices, Inc. The group is capitalized at $75,000 and plans to sell $50 shares of stock. The group, headed by Ben Spinner, has purchased the old theater building on Main street and is in the process of remodeling it. The downstairs will be used by the Interstate Power Co. The upstairs is intended to house 2 doctors and a dentist. Dr. F. S. Wilson is expected to occupy the dental office and Dr. John Thornton, one of the doctor’s offices. Now the group is looking for another doctor for the remaining office. Spinner said, “Rentals from the building will assure a sound financial base for running the building.” The project is expected to be done about May 1. Some 200 persons attended a public meeting Thursday evening in Lansing at which the project was explained and the sale of stock begun.
LOS ANGELES-Helm-Hoffman Enterprises, in which Phillip Hoffman and Bob Hellman are partners, has purchased Wendell Smith’s Ritz Inglewood Theatre Corp. and will operate the 700-seat theatre on an alternate first-run and seven-day availability schedule.
ERIE, PA.-The Colonial Theatre, one of four major theatres here, built early in the century for a vaudeville house, closed its doors for the last time Sunday night, June 1. A leading motion picture theatre for many years, the Colonial had been operated by Shea’s circuit since September 1953. Closing of the theater was attributed to a loss of its lease and the decline of business “which doesn’t justify continued operation in the summer.”
Before Shea’s, the theatre was managed for many years by Vic Weschler, owner of the property. The Shea organization continues operation of its A-house here, Shea’s Theatre. Weschler is working out conversion plans for the building.
ATLANTIC CITY-“High School Confidential”, first Albert Zugsmith film for MGM release, opened here May 29 to considerable fanfare. Zugsmith is a native son of Atlantic City and he and Jan Sterling, Charles Chaplin Jr., Jackie Coogan and DIane Jergens, stars of the film, received a rousing welcome.
The opening at the Apollo Theatre was for the benefit of the United Cerebral Palsy Fund. There was a motorcade parade, testimonial lunches and dinners and an address by Zugsmith at Atlantic City High School.
There was an article in the Sunday LA Times about repertory cinema in LA. The name of theater is now Cinefamily. The website is www.cinefamily.org
Here is an October 1977 item in the LA Times:
SHERMAN 15052 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks 784-9911
The Sherman, Nuart, Rialto and Ken in San Diego are part of Parallax Theater Systems, Inc., along with others in Denver, Berkeley, Sacramento, Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. Kim Jorgensen, who had been affiliated with the Fox Venice, is the reigning executive at Parallax. “Our theaters’ programming is a bit more commercial than what the Fox Venice playsâ€, he said.
The Sherman, located strategically on busy Ventura Boulevard, is one of Parallax’s most recent acquisitions. For the most part it is devoted to film festivals. An Alfred Hitchcock retrospective included “Shadow of a Doubt†(1943), “Strangers on a Train†(1951) and the director’s first sound film “Blackmail†(1929). A three-week dance film festival included “The Red Shoes†(1948), “Tales of Hoffman†(1951), “An Evening with the Royal Ballet†(1964) and “Guys and Dolls†(1955).
Here is another 1982 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/lhl7yg
Here are some 1984 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/kpsaam
http://tinyurl.com/ngxont
Here are some more 1982 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/lqeoff
http://tinyurl.com/luc785
http://tinyurl.com/mek6d8
Here is a profile that was in the LA Times, also in October 1977:
BRENTWOOD I & II 2524 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica 829-3366
Three months ago, proprietor Gene Rosenthal began showing older-often classic-films on one of his screens to complement the current commercial fare on the other. The result has been attendance from a cross-section of the community-senior citizens to youngsters-all drawn by programming that varies from science fiction to nostalgia.
The bill changes twice weekly and focuses on “in-depth classicsâ€, that is older films, rather then on the more current alternative movies shown at some of the other theaters. A recent Brentwood attraction was “My Man Godfrey†and “His Girl Fridayâ€. There were also a few days of Harold Lloyd films. The theater was a bowling alley when Rosenthal took it over eight years ago.
Here is a profile from the LA Times in October 1977:
PICFAIR-5879 W. Pico Blvd at Fairfax, Los Angeles 933-5609
The Picfair has been for years a popular neighborhood theater. In 1968, the Loews chain bought it and financed $100,000 worth of remodeling, including a modern marquee, new upholstery, air conditioning and other assorted accoutrements. Attendance, however, began to drop off and the theater went through a series of programming changes, from foreign films to X-rated. Recently it was taken over by Jamiel Cetin, with “great faith in its possibilities†said Cetin, “because of its location central to Century City, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and the Santa Monica Freeway.â€
The theater had developed a rowdy reputation, with occasional brawls breaking out inside. But now the customers and the fare are different. “We are moving towards a cultural policyâ€, said Cetin, “retrospectives of classic foreign and American films, festivals devoted to an era or a director as well as first-run foreign films.†Features have included Louis Malle’s “Black Moonâ€, Satyajit Ray’s “Distant Thunderâ€, “The African Queenâ€, “The Lion in Winterâ€, Nureyev and Fonteyn in the Bolshoi’s “Romeo and Julietâ€, and the Los Angeles premiere of Joel Seria’s “The Cookies of Pont-Avenâ€.
“I want to create a cultural film center for Los Angelesâ€, said Cetin, “bringing the best foreign films I can obtain, as well as musicals and ballet.â€
This is from the LA Times in October 1977. There is a kitchen store at 7456 La Jolla currently.
UNICORN-7456 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla (714) 459-4342
Perhaps the first revival theater in Southern California, the Unicorn was founded in 1964, emerging out of a film society and bookstore called “The Sign of the Sun.†“Our initial concept was to show worthy films that were neglected", said Harold Leigh, co-founder with Harold Darling. “We also wanted to revive those that had not been seen in a long time and introduce some films that normally would not have commercial attraction.â€
The Unicorn is nestled gracefully in the rear of a bookstore. Patrons-professors and students from nearby UC San Diego and Scripps Institute, surfers from Windansea Beach and conservative La Jolla couples-are encouraged to browse while waiting for the next performance. Classical and traditional folk music is played in the background. “We believe in an interesting, warm atmosphereâ€, said Leigh.
In the theater lobby you can get free popcorn (during comedy shows only) from an antique popping machine, soft drinks hand-mixed from imported Italian syrups and European chocolates. There are also exhibits of sculptures, paintings and photography by local artists.
The theater takes credit for premiering the Soviet science fiction film “Solaris†and has shown a rare documentary from Scotland called “Findhorn†and a number of Egyptian pictures. Admission is $2.25 weeknights, $2.75 weekends and $1.75 for Unicorn members, of which there are 1,000.
This is an LA Times item from April 1947:
Two events are announced by three Spanish-language theaters-the California, Mason and Roosevelt, for the next several weeks. Starting tomorrow the first showing in America of the beautiful Adriana Lamar in “Memorias de una Vampiresa” is scheduled.
For Mexico’s Independence Day-Cinco de Mayo-May 5, Mexico’s idol Jorge Negrete has been booked in “El Ahijado de la Muerte” (Death’s Godchild).
Here is a part of a long article on Spanish-language theaters in the LA Times on December 31, 1984:
The line outside the Azteca Theater in San Fernando begins to form when the Spanish-language Mass ends at a church less than a mile away. Family after family arrived Sunday, close to 900 people eventually filing through the theater doors to see the double feature-“Nino Pobre, Nino Rico†and “Alla en Plaza Garibaldi.â€
Move passers-by cannot read what is advertised on the marquee-the titles mean “Rich Boy, Poor Boy†and “There at Plaza Garibaldiâ€-and probably have not bought a ticket from the box office in 17 years, when English-language films last played inside. But for the area’s large Latino population, the Azteca, along with six other Spanish-language movie theaters, is a regular part of life.
The huge theaters, with heavy red or gold drapes covering the screens and auditoriums triple the size found in most modern cinema complexes, each weekend attract thousands of patrons-people able to turn a double feature into a mini-fiesta, and who seem to attend the show faithfully regardless of which movie is playing.
“When we bought the Fox, it was nothingâ€, said Jorge Bueno, who heads the company that for five years has operated the 660-seat Spanish-language theater on Van Nuys Boulevard in Van Nuys. “It had been vacant for three or four months. Before that it couldn’t survive with those 99-cent action and kiddie films.â€
The Lankershim Theater in North Hollywood had previously shown adult films, a theater in Chatsworth had been vacated and thee other movie houses played host to hundreds of empty seats every night, operators said. Of the seven Spanish-language theaters in the Valley, four are run by Metropolitan Theatres Corp., which operates 30 Spanish-language and 28 English-language theaters in Southern California. The Azteca in San Fernando and the Cinema 76 in Chatsworth are independently operated. The Fox is one of nine Spanish-language theaters operated by J. Bueno Corp.
Here is a 1984 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/m97qvk
Here is the Fridley site for this theater:
http://www.fridleytheatres.com/spencer3.html
This article is from the Cedar Rapids Gazette in April 1961. There is an accompanying photo of “the old Lansing Theater” on Main Street. This could have been a typo, or an alternate name for the Lans.
In Lansing a group of citizens has already incorporated as Medical Offices, Inc. The group is capitalized at $75,000 and plans to sell $50 shares of stock. The group, headed by Ben Spinner, has purchased the old theater building on Main street and is in the process of remodeling it. The downstairs will be used by the Interstate Power Co. The upstairs is intended to house 2 doctors and a dentist. Dr. F. S. Wilson is expected to occupy the dental office and Dr. John Thornton, one of the doctor’s offices. Now the group is looking for another doctor for the remaining office. Spinner said, “Rentals from the building will assure a sound financial base for running the building.” The project is expected to be done about May 1. Some 200 persons attended a public meeting Thursday evening in Lansing at which the project was explained and the sale of stock begun.
This is the information on the site:
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~angell/thsa/gl-mystr.html
Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/mj57ka
This was a “mystery theater” on the THSA site. They have now identified it as the Los Angeles in 1931:
http://tinyurl.com/mt2bd6
Here is a photo circa 1970s:
http://tinyurl.com/lwlnku
Here is a recent letter in the AC Press:
http://tinyurl.com/n4x34h
From Boxoffice in June 1958:
LaHARPE, ILL.-Howard Magin has converted the Amus-U Theatre here into a bowling alley.
This is from Boxoffice in June 1958:
LOS ANGELES-Helm-Hoffman Enterprises, in which Phillip Hoffman and Bob Hellman are partners, has purchased Wendell Smith’s Ritz Inglewood Theatre Corp. and will operate the 700-seat theatre on an alternate first-run and seven-day availability schedule.
This is from Boxoffice in June 1958:
ERIE, PA.-The Colonial Theatre, one of four major theatres here, built early in the century for a vaudeville house, closed its doors for the last time Sunday night, June 1. A leading motion picture theatre for many years, the Colonial had been operated by Shea’s circuit since September 1953. Closing of the theater was attributed to a loss of its lease and the decline of business “which doesn’t justify continued operation in the summer.”
Before Shea’s, the theatre was managed for many years by Vic Weschler, owner of the property. The Shea organization continues operation of its A-house here, Shea’s Theatre. Weschler is working out conversion plans for the building.
This is from Boxoffice magazine in June 1958:
ATLANTIC CITY-“High School Confidential”, first Albert Zugsmith film for MGM release, opened here May 29 to considerable fanfare. Zugsmith is a native son of Atlantic City and he and Jan Sterling, Charles Chaplin Jr., Jackie Coogan and DIane Jergens, stars of the film, received a rousing welcome.
The opening at the Apollo Theatre was for the benefit of the United Cerebral Palsy Fund. There was a motorcade parade, testimonial lunches and dinners and an address by Zugsmith at Atlantic City High School.
There are some late 2008 photos on this site:
View link
Here is an older photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ltb42g
Here is the accompanying article, which notes that the architect was David S. Castle.
http://tinyurl.com/kshlm7
http://tinyurl.com/mb6r6b
http://tinyurl.com/mngsqw
http://tinyurl.com/lb3fcl
http://tinyurl.com/ma8r4c
http://tinyurl.com/lpwnc2
http://tinyurl.com/mlzhdo
http://tinyurl.com/mx8w2j
http://tinyurl.com/nytfrk