Before Broadway built it's vaudeville and movie cathedrals, there was Main Street where over 25 nickelodeons, vaudeville and later film theaters existed at one point or another. All that remains are two theaters.
The Linda Lea was built as the Arrow in 1924, then became the Aztec. The original Linda Lea moved from 1st and San Pedro in Little Tokyo to take over the site on Main St in the 60s to show Japanese language films, explaining the retro look for the front of the building.
Tonight the Regent screened "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers". The inside is not restored, but with fold-up chairs and a small screen, Main Street is once again showing a film.
What were the other theaters? More after the jump.
Cinematreasures.org collects data on theaters around the word and there's
a cult covering Main Street; confirming addresses, scouring photo collections
and gathering information from those who worked, or whose family worked/owned
the long lost theaters.
Patrick Crowley and Ross Melnick founded cinematreasures.org and earlier in the year Crowley wrote when asked if he was surprised at the interest of his site: "Yes, we are very surprised. When Ross and I launched Cinema Treasures, we had 100 theaters on the site. Truly, we never expected it would get so large. But it's been a fun project to work on. A lot of hard work and sacrifice... but with our users' help, we're helping everyone see the value of preserving movie theaters."
Some of those on the online Main Street beat are Ken Roe, Ken MC, Joe Vogle and William Gable; who with others are piecing together the previous tenants where parking lots and office buildings now stand. With street addresses changing, ownerships changing names of theaters, this is a list in progress. From the 2100-seat Hippodrome to the numerous 100-300 seaters that ended their life as grind houses––you can see the density of theaters that once were on Main Street.
Principal Theater 223 N. Main Street
Electric Theater (Roosevelt), 212 N. Main Street
Grand Theater 110 S. Main Street
Novelty Theater 136 S. Main Street
Linda Lea (Arrow, Aztec) 251 S. Main Street
Union 255 S. Main St
Jade 315 S. Main Street
Hippodrome 320 S. Main Street
Follies 337 S. Main Street
Muse Theatre 417 S. Main Street
Rosslyn 431 S. Main Street
Banner Theater 456 S. Main Street
Regent (No. 1) 448 S. Main Street
Estella Theater 515 N. Main Street
Galway 518 South Main Street
Moon Theater 523 S. Main Street
Star 529 Main Street
Optic Theater 533 S. Main Street
Picture Theater 545 S. Main Street
The Art 551 Main Street
The Bijou 553 S. Main St
Burbank Theater (Morosco), 548 S. Main Street
Lark Theater 613 S. Main Street
Republic Theater 629 1/2 S. Main Street
Gem 649 S. Main Street
Clune's 729 S. Main St
The California 810 S. Main Street
Millers Theatre 842 South Main St.
And looking at the site tonight there is one theatre missing. The Merced Theater near El Pueblo isn't included. Built in 1870, at what is now 418 North Main Street, it's the first theater built in Los Angeles.
Photo: California Theater at Main and 8th.
William Reagh collection
Courtesy of LAPL
Photo: Regent Theater taken 10.10.06
ViewFromaLoft
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