U.A. Long Beach Theatre

217 E. Ocean Boulevard,
Long Beach, CA 90802

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Fox West Coast Theatres, Mitchell Brothers, United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.

Architects: Clifford A. Balch, Percy A. Eisen, A. R. Walker

Firms: Walker & Eisen

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: United Artists Theatre, Mitchell Brothers Long Beach Theatre

Nearby Theaters

United Artists Theatre exterior

The United Artists Theatre Theatre was opened on April 15, 1932 with Maurice Chevalier in “One Night With You”, operated by United Artists Theater Circuit Inc. By 1941 it was operated by Fox West Coast Theatres. From December 13, 1974 it was operated as an adult theatre by the Mitchell Brothers.

It was razed many years ago.

Contributed by William Gabel

Recent comments (view all 34 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on November 19, 2008 at 7:44 pm

Here is part of an article about projectionists in the Long Beach Independent, dated 6/15/47:

Everybody knows that someone has to handle has to handle the film to get the pictures on the motion picture screen, but few know what they do or how they go about it. Wayne Swank, who operates at the United Artists theatre, got his start 30 years ago at the old American theatre on the Pike.

“We’ve come a long way since we used to sit on cracker boxes, and rewind film with one hand and crank the projector with the other”, he said. “Our projection booths are clean and fumes from the arc lights are carried off by blowers”. Operators work on six hour shifts. Before the theater opens for the day, the machines must be cleaned and oiled and film inspected for bad splices. Responsibility for the projection rests squarely on the operator. Operators are assigned to theaters by the Motion Picture Projectionists Union, Local 521.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on March 21, 2009 at 4:32 pm

This is the front page of a Long Beach paper on 1/9/53, when a Greyhound bus swerved to avoid another car and drove into the front of the theater:
http://tinyurl.com/djapzh

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on May 7, 2010 at 7:47 pm

This is a 1931 photo from the Long Beach library:
http://tinyurl.com/24oy5rh

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on June 23, 2010 at 10:36 am

Nice photo ken mc.

genegallant
genegallant on March 31, 2012 at 2:55 pm

I was an usher at the UA theater from 1967-1970 while I was in high school. Mr. Hendrix was the manager then and Mr. Fisk was the assistant. We had a great staff of young workers. I was the only guy working with several college-aged young ladies. I remember then chasing me with MY broom in the lobby during the matinee hours. Mr. Fisk would catch up playing around and give us a “dirty look”. This was my first “real job” and I took the city bus to work every day. The theater was old then and I remember having to change the letters on the marquee every Tuesday night. My future wife and I had our first date at the UA at age 15 (a matinee to see Wait Until Dark with Audrey Hepburn). So many memories and fun times with Lesley, Jody, and Shelley.

Ross Melnick
Ross Melnick on January 31, 2013 at 6:22 pm

You can catch a glimpse of this theater at 12:39 in this film on YouTube.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on June 5, 2018 at 3:52 am

Site is now an office building.

rivest266
rivest266 on November 16, 2019 at 10:29 am

Became part of the Mitchell Brothers adult cinema chain on December 13th, 1974. Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on February 23, 2021 at 1:33 pm

Opened as United Artists on April 15th, 1932. Grand opening ad posted.

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