Bundy Theatre
3414 Pico Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90404
3414 Pico Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90404
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This opened on December 31st, 1941. Grand opening ad posted.
It was on Pico near Centinela. Fox West Coast Theatres listed in Santa Monica in their books and newspaper ads.
Was this theatre at Pico and Centinela, or Pico and Bundy? The Santa Monica – Los Angeles city line is at Centinela.
The theatre’s correct address is 3414 Pico Blvd.., Santa Monica, CA. The site has the wrong address at the top of this theatre page.
The theatre’s correct address is 3414 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA.
This is from the LA Times on January 31, 1963:
SANTA MONICA-The State Division of Highways has filed condemnation proceedings against property at 3414 Pico Boulevard for the Santa Monica Freeway right of way. Located on the property is the Bundy Theater, which closed on January 8. The state took possession two days later. The structure is under the surveillance of the State Police to discourage vandals from damaging the building. The trial date for the condemnation proceedings has not yet been set.
The Division of Highways will use 3,000 square feet of the 48,000 square foot parcel, owned by Bundy Theater Venture, a partnership composed of Fox West Coast Theaters Corp., George Bourke, David Bourke, Maxie Lee Bourke and Maxie Lee Bourke Fox.
Construction of the freeway segment between Sawtelle Blvd. in West Los Angeles and the west portal of the Olympic Blvd. tunnel under Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica is scheduled to begin in the summer.
Here is a September 1943 story from the LA Times:
A youthful asserted holdup gang led by a 14-year-old boy gunman yesterday was captured by Santa Monica police in a wild 80-mile-an-hour chase that followed a holdup of the Bundy Theater in Santa Monica. According to police, the gang, led by Johnny Alvaro, 14, obtained $39 from E.B. Abrams, manager of the theater, and fled in a car said to have been stolen.
Santa Monica police officers gave chase as their radio told them of the robbery and the car’s description answered that of the machine reported at the theater. Alvaro’s companions were booked by Santa Monica police as Joe Bergin, 17, driver of the car, Henry Ford, 21, and Joe Berrard. Berrard admitted, police said, that he and Alvaro held up the theater manager. The gun used by Alvaro was owned by Ford, police said.
Alvaro admitted firing five shots at the pursuing police automobile before the bandit car overturned on a sharp curve outside the Sepulveda tunnel. One shot narrowly missed one of the officers. One boy was arrested in the car and the other three were rounded up by civilians and police as they were hiding in brush-covered hills. Alvaro gave his address as Ninth and Grand Ave., Los Angeles.
The book was $40. Wife was with me, so no go. Nice photos.
There is a very nice version of the LOC photo in a new book called “Historic Photos of Los Angeles”.
This 1944 map shows the Pico and Bundy area before much of it was obliterated for the Santa Monica Freeway:
http://tinyurl.com/4bqm37
Demolished for the construction of the Santa Monica Freeway, I remember seeing Forbidden planet there several times.
Another work of art lost to progress.
A 1943 photo of the Bundy Theatre)+@field(COLLID+fsa)):displayType=1:m856sd=fsa:m856sf), from the Library of Congress online collection.
Described as “Theater on the highway from Los Angeles, California to Santa Monica where many large aircraft plants attract the midnight movie crowd.”
The marquee reads:
OPEN ALL NIGHT TO 5 AM
“I LIVE ON DANGER"
"WINTER CARINVAL"
COLOR CARTOON
It was razed when the last half of the Santa Monica Freeway (10) opened, around 64 or 65.
This was no longer standing when I arrived in the area in 1979. When was it closed and demolished?
The Bundy opened in 1941. The architect was S. Charles Lee.