South Coast Village Cinemas
1561 W. Sunflower Avenue,
Santa Ana,
CA
92704
1561 W. Sunflower Avenue,
Santa Ana,
CA
92704
6 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Regency Theatres (Official)
Additional Info
Operated by: Regency Theatres
Previously operated by: Edwards Cinemas, Regal Entertainment Group, United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.
Functions: Movies (Independent), Movies (Revival)
Previous Names: UA Cinemas 1-2-3
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
714.557.5701
Nearby Theaters
The UA Cinemas 1-2-3 was opened by the UA chain on December 22, 1971. It was renovated in 2007.
Contributed by
jerry fairall
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
Opened in 1972 as a first run theatre, converted to art/independent/revival in the 80’s. Formerly an Edwards Theatre, later as part of Regal Entertainment Group, the property is located directly across the street from South Coast Plaza (facing Nordstroms). The theatre was allowed to fall in to disrepair, under REG, and closed in January 2007. Regency Theatres picked up the lease, remodeled, and reopened the theatre in March 2007.
The theatre has a no frills, purely functional, layout. A large auditorium (formely 500+ seats, but slightly less after the remodel) on one side, two smaller auditoriums on the other. The small lobby is divided by a peninsula style concession stand, that doubles as the venue’s box office. Following the remodel, lounge furniture was added to the lobby.
Previous to Edwards ownership, this theater was owned by the United Artists Theater Chain for many years.
I’ve been told some of the upstairs support areas still have UA logo carpeting (30+ year old carpet).
Noticed in my weekly email from Regency on forthcoming showtimes that the South Coast Village will be featuring reserved luxury seating with swivel tables staring in April. I can see that working in the large auditorium, not so much in the two little ones. Should be interesting.
With the 40th anniversary of “Grease” over the weekend, I was reminded by an old newspaper ad that this is where I saw the film as a seven-year-old opening weekend back in 1978. According to the ad, the film showed on two of the three screens, probably for the rest of the summer, if not the year.
This opened as the UA Cinemas 12-3 on December 22nd, 1971. Grand opening ad posted.
Hard to believe the South Coast Village Cinemas turned 50 on Dec. 22.
How this little three-screen theater in the heart of the toney, Segerstrom-controlled South Coast Metro area survived five decades while all of its nearby contemporaries (SCP III, the Town Center & Bristol IV) fell under the wrecking ball decades ago is anyone’s guess.
I want to say it & the Big Newport are now the longest-operating theaters in Orange County.
Kudos to UA, Edwards (then Regal) & Regency for keeping things going amid the multiplex craze, DVD/streaming era & a global pandemic.
Long live the Village.
As 2021 closes out, the five oldest operating cinemas in Orange County are:
Big Newport - Newport Beach 2/11/69 South Coast Village - Santa Ana 12/22/71 West Grove Cinemas - Garden Grove 7/11/75 Woodbridge 5 – Irvine 2/8/80 University 6 – Irvine 6/29/84
Arthur Hiller’s 1982 comedy “Author! Author!” starring Al Pacino, Dyan Cannon & Tuesday Weld opened at the Village (then the UA 1-2-3) 40 years ago this weekend (June 18, 1982).