Esquire Theatre
419 N. Fairfax Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90036
419 N. Fairfax Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90036
5 people favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 36 comments
This opened on May 27th, 1937. Grand opening ad posted.
The only part that still looks like a theater is the restroom area on the second floor.
Well I’ll be damned. Go ahead and laugh, but I lived in L.A. for 17 years and ate in Canter’s a number of times without ever knowing it had been a theater. But now I do, thanks to the latest photo upload. Amazing.
Here is another night shot:
http://tinyurl.com/ye7ulo4
What remains inside of this theater, if anything>?
Here is a photo taken last night:
http://tinyurl.com/cmv9l3
Here is a February 2009 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/bqqqzy
This is a March 1940 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/cktbrh
If you put 420 N. Fairfax in the Google search, you will be in the right spot. If you put in 419 N., it shows you a location several miles away, for unknown reasons.
Here is a Wiki photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cojcz3
A couple of photos from last Saturday night:
http://tinyurl.com/6qoyv3
http://tinyurl.com/5mc992
Way to take one for the team!
I went to Canters on Friday night, strictly for research purposes. My dedication to CT knows no bounds.
http://tinyurl.com/6p6l4l
Also, I should point out that the Google Maps link at top will not display the correct location of this building until Cinema Treasures gives it the correct address of 419 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036.
419 N. Fairfax is not in the City of West Hollywood, but within the corporate limits of the City of Los Angeles. Everyone I know has always called that area the Fairfax district.
The area is West Hollywood, which is not part of the city of Los Angeles.
The pastrami is good. Also the Danny Thomas, either salami or bologna. They also have a triple decker with ham, turkey, coleslaw and Russian dressing.
That whole “do we list it under the neighborhood or the city?” thing has made it difficult to find theaters at times.
I’ve never been to Canter’s, but I want to. What do you recommend there, Ken?
Right. The Fairfax area is not considered part of Hollywood. I mentioned that back in September 2005. I go to Canter’s at least once a week, and have been for about twenty years.
According to their website, the Esquire became Canters in 1953.
http://cantersdeli.com/
Also, they don’t give their location as Hollywood, but L.A. They proudly proclaim, “always open in the heart of Los Angeles.”
Here is a February 1944 ad:
http://tinyurl.com/3y88qw
Here’s another ad from July 1945. Admire the intrepid Angeleno who dared to see an obscure French film instead of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland:
http://tinyurl.com/2fo5l3
Here is the ad I was describing above:
http://tinyurl.com/2g74re
Here are some recent photos:
http://tinyurl.com/2vtjto
http://tinyurl.com/2n367t
http://tinyurl.com/2ztjzg
http://tinyurl.com/2joda2
http://tinyurl.com/2r8dpr
http://tinyurl.com/2s7pw8
Here is an ad from the LA Times dated 12/20/51. The graphics are interesting – too bad there’s no way to copy them here.
Lautrec’s Paris of the Gay 90s – The beauty, the glory, the excitement of Goya, Gauguin, Bosch, Carpaccio and Grant Wood – as never before seen!
“Pictura” – Adventure in Art
featuring Vincent Price
Narration by Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck, Martin Gabel, Lilli Palmer, Harry Marble
Goya music by Andres Segovia
World Premiere sponsored by L.A. County Museum
Esquire Theater
419 N. Fairfax Phone YO 8114