Uptown Theatre

Grand relaunch ad for the September 15, 1936 rebranding as the Uptown Theatre under new operators is in photos along with the original opening ad

“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, page 628, lists a “Pasadena Theatre” in Pasadena, California, as having a three manual Smith theatre pipe organ.

No other details, such as # of ranks or installation date, are given.

I could not find a “Pasadena Theatre” listed on this site right now (April 2014) but this has a fairly close name. However, according to Lost Memory, the “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” (listed on its own page) apparently had only about 350 seats, and most three-manual theatre organs had at least ten ranks.

The largest known Smith organs were both 4 manuals and 16 ranks, so that this organ in question was probably between 10 and 14 ranks, or so.

This is quite large for a little 350-seat theatre, since most theatres of this size either had a photoplayer (such as those made by American Photo Player Co, or Wurlitzer) or simply a person playing the piano, or, if an organ, nothing larger than about six or seven ranks (and thus, two manuals). Thus, I think it is unlikely that the aforementioned house is the same theatre mentioned in the book.

Does anybody know more about this instrument, or a larger “Pasadena Theatre?” in Pasadena?

Thanks!

NOTE: I also think the Egyptian/Uptown opened at the right time, and was probably of the right size, to have had such an organ, so I’m also putting this here for the time being.

I was never in the Uptown after the 1964 renovation, but I don’t think there were any significant changes to the auditorium. I saw a couple of movies there in 1962, and it looked pretty much as it does in the photos on the CinemaTour page, except for the paint job. In 1962 it was all quite dark.

The link didn’t work for me.

If the above link does not work for the Warner Egyptian signage try this one at http://www.chosenfew.com/musicvideo/egyptian.jpg
Enjoy. Jim Perry

Here is a 1983 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c2kg8v

Thanks for the photos Jim, I had posted above that I had worked in one of the stores there, I loved that theater, it was just storage, all the seats were removed and the original signs for shops and .10 cent ice cream hung in tatters from the stage… I also remember the ceiling being cracked, it looks like someone tried some restoration of it, what is the story of that?

This Pasadena theater is very endangered. Please send emails and letters to the Pasadena Mayor and City Council that you wish it to be saved from destruction. Go to www.cityofpasadena.net to find the email and physical addresses.

There has been a group of persons spearheaded by a gal named Gina who has tried to save the Raymond against a local man named Buchanan.

I wonder what the status of the Raymond Theatre also located in Pasadena is today?

I called the real estate office that had the theatre for lease and a few THSA members including myself were allowed inside to tour. The Auditorium is intact except the seats are gone. The Egytian designs still are there and the old fire curtain had painted advertisements for businessess in Pasadena during the 20’s. This is a cool little theatre. Yes the front lobby and snack bar were converted to retail space sometime ago….using it as a theatre again would be near impossible according to the city codes, need certain number of parking spaces now…the projection room has nothing left in it, the bathrooms were remodeled but in disrepair. God knows where the original sign “UPTOWN” went….I went to the movies there in the early ninties or late eighties when it was playing revival films. The for lease sign was taken down over six months ago and there has been nothing done to the theatre still.

I dont know how it is now, I worked at a computer store in the location in the early mid/90s, it had been sectioned off into shops, but that theater area remained, our upstairs storage area was the projectionist booth, nothing special, painted floor, a cover over the projection window, the theater area was beautiful in a neglected forgotten past kind of way, if I remember painted ceilings, lots of cracks, the stage area still had banners for ice cream for .10 cents. I wish I had taken a camera and explored it. What is the status of this place now?

Since the Uptown Theatre is listed in Pasadena I’m sure anyone posting on this theatre link is also aware of the Raymond Theatre in Pasadena. The Raymond is in it’s 11th hour so anyone who would like to show their support to save this historical theatre please come to a Final Design Review hearing on Monday, the 24th at 7 (All Saints Church, Sweetland Hall 132 N. Euclid). To learn more about the Raymond Theatre and its past/present history go to www.raymondtheatre.com Thank you.