Nickelodeon Theatre

The Nickelodeon Theatre is a long-forgotten Laguna Beach Theatre. It was listed in the Newport Balboa News Times in 1949 as the Movie Barn. One 1949 ad read “Old Time Silent Movies” and “15th episode of “Houdini” serial.” It was also listed in a newspaper church directory as holding Sunday services.

Boxoffice Magazine accounts from early-1950 say that Bill Alford was opening the Nickelodeon Theatre in Laguna Beach, which was once named the Liberty Theatre but had been closed for about 10 years. The Nickelodeon’s first ad appeared in the News Times on April 27, 1950 with the same address as the old Movie Barn.

The Film Daily Yearbook of 1950-51 lists the Nickelodeon Theatre with 240 seats but a long-time Laguna resident, and member of the Laguna Beach Historical Society, remembers that there weren’t actual seats but benches to sit on. A Laguna Beach directory from 1951 listed the Nickelodeon Theatre but by 1956 it wasn’t listed and presumed closed.

The demolition date is unknown but today the trendy Katsuya Restaurant occupies the site.

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