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Uploaded on: July 13, 2025

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Alex Theatre 216 N. Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA

Image - One of the beautiful proscenium incarnation designs that appeared over the years.

Richard Jensen writes on July 17, 2001 at 7:54 pm - As a teenager in Glendale in 1937-38 I watched the Alexander Theater newspaper ads for the words: “Tonight: Major Studio Feature Preview”, which signaled that a studio would screen a new picture to gauge the public’s reaction. Usually, the studio sent cars to pick up cast members of the picture along with producers, etc. Postcard-size questionnaires were handed to customers after the screening, asking for written comments on the film.

I obtained many autographs on those evenings—some stars, some contract players who became stars. Sometimes the stars (Alice Faye and her then husband Tony Martin) would sneak out a side door, but we tried to be waiting for them. They usually were good natured about signing for us.

One night a studio guest was the great silent screen star Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., with his wife Lady Sylvia Ashley who later married Clark Gable. Mr. Fairbanks and his wife both graciously signed our books. I recall only a few who refused to sign autographs — Darryl F. Zanuck, Don Ameche, Brian Donlevy and Man Mountain Dean, a famous wrestler of the day.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -