Los Angeles Theatres

Navigating Your Tour of Historic Los Angeles Theatres

On a Mobile Device: If you're missing the right column navigation bar or links at the top you can go to the bottom of any page and click on "View Web Version." Still can't find what you're looking for? Send me an email at counterb@gmail.com. See you at the movies! -- Bill Counter

Downtown L.A. Historic Theatres

The survey page gives a rundown on the 20 major surviving theatre buildings in the Downtown Theatre District. There are links to pages about each of them for more detail. You might also want to consult alphabetical rundowns on pages for Hill St. and farther west, the Broadway Theatres, Spring St. Theatres and Main St. and farther east. Those pages give you more detail, including discussions about all the theatres that have vanished. In addition, there's a downtown alphabetical theatre list with alternate names and a theatre list by address.

Historic Hollywood Theatres

Hollywood wasn't just about the movies. Starting in the mid 20s it was also a center for legitimate theatre and musical revues at four newly built playhouses. You'll find an alphabetical list of the theatres in the district on the Hollywood Theatres overview page that includes a bit of data on each and links to pages for more details. Down below this list there's also an alternate name directory. Also of possible interest is a separate page with a list of theatres by street address.

Westside Theatres

The Westside started booming with retail and housing in the mid 20s and the theatres followed. Many theatres along Wilshire Blvd., in Beverly Hills, and in other neighborhoods became prime venues for everything from small foreign films to major roadshows. It's a huge territory. The Westside Theatres overview page gives you both a list by neighborhood as well as a survey arranged alphabetically. Also see the list of Westside Theatres: by street address and the Westside Theatres: alphabetical list page which includes alternate names.

Westwood and Brentwood

Westwood Village was the third significant theatre district to evolve in Los Angeles, after Downtown and Hollywood. With the construction of the UCLA campus beginning in the late 20s there was a chance to develop a unique shopping and entertainment district for faculty and students. By the 1970's the area had evolved so that Westwood had the largest concentration of first run screens of any neighborhood in Los Angeles. The Westwood and Brentwood Theatres overview page will give you a tour of the area.

Theatres Along the Coast

Santa Monica had a vibrant theatrical life even in the days when it was a small town isolated from the rest of Los Angeles. And that's just the beginning. The Along the Coast section will give you links to discussion of theatres in Ocean Park, Venice, Hermosa Beach, San Pedro, Long Beach and other communities.

[more] L.A. Movie Palaces

This section fills in all the other areas of Los Angeles County. Hundreds of terrific theatres were being built by the studios and independents all over the L.A. area in the 20s and into the 30s. You'll find coverage of theatres north and east of Downtown as well as in Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, the San Gabriel Valley, Pomona, Whittier, Long Beach and many other far flung locations. Some of those listings have been upgraded and appear on this site, many other links will take you to pages on an older site hosted on Google. The index page has links to all these theatres organized by area.

Searching by theatre name

If you don't find it in the right hand column, head for the Main Alphabetical List, which also includes the various alternate names each venue has used. This list includes those pages recently updated for this site (in bold face) as well as the write ups on an older website. For a narrower focus you'll also find separate lists for Westside and Downtown. As well, there are lists by name on the 10 survey pages for more limited areas like Pasadena, North of Downtown, Long Beach, etc. that are listed on the [more] Los Angeles Movie Palaces page.

Searching by address

If you know an address or street head to either the Main Theatre List by Address, the San Fernando Valley List by Address, the San Gabriel Valley, Pomona and Whittier List by Address or the Long Beach List. If what you're looking for isn't there, you should find a link to take you to a more localized list by address for Downtown, Westside, Hollywood, etc. Also see the survey pages for more limited areas that are listed on the [more] Los Angeles Movie Palaces page.

1927 - Exotic destinations: Grauman's Chinese | Mayan Theatre |

1948 - 1951 - Skouras-ized older theatres: California - Huntington Park | El Portal | Fox Westwood Village | Mesa Theatre |

La Mirada Theatre + Pacific La Mirada 6 + AMC LM 7

There have been three theatres at the intersection of La Mirada Blvd. and Rosecrans Ave. The big house just south of Rosecrans, now a performing arts center, opened in 1962 as the Stanley-Warner La Mirada. In 1975 Pacific opened the La Mirada 4 in the adjacent mall. It later morphed into a 6-plex and hasn't survived. In 1992 Krikorian Theatres opened the La Mirada Movies 7 at the end of a strip mall on the same property. It's now the AMC La Mirada 7.

The La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts

14900 La Mirada Blvd. La Mirada, CA 90638 | map |

Opened: December 20, 1962 as the Stanley Warner La Mirada, a project of Stanley-Warner Theatres. The initial film was "Barabbas" with Anthony Quinn. The original address was 14900 Luitweiler Rd. The 2024 image is from Google Maps.

Stanley Warner was the company operating theatres formerly owned by Warner Bros. It had been spun off into a separate company in 1953 as a result of consent decress stipulations. Among other locations, the circuit had the Warner Hollywood, the Warner Downtown, the Warner Beverly Hills, the Warner in San Pedro, the Warner Huntington Park, the Stanley-Warner Topanga and the Wiltern Theatre. In 1967 the circuit was acquired by the Glen Alden Corporation, which already owned RKO Theatres. The combined entity was called RKO-Stanley Warner.

Website: lamiradatheatre.com | Tech Specs PDF

Architect: Drew Eberson designed the original building. He had also done the Topanga theatre for Stanley-Warner. It's unknown who did the 1977 stage addition.

A rendering that appeared in the February 14, 1962 issue of Motion Picture Herald. Thanks to Michael Coate and William Kallay for including it on their From Script to DVD page about the La Mirada. It's part of the site's 70mm in Los Angeles coverage.

A main floor plan of the building with its added stagehouse. This and the other drawings appearing here are from the theatre's 2022 Tech Specs PDF.

A plan of the balcony and booth levels.

Seating: 1,262 with 815 on the main floor and 473 in the balcony. In addition, they can seat 26 in the pit.

Projection: Originally they had Norelco DP70 35/70 machines with Ashcraft Super Cinex lamps.

Throw: 88'

The December 20 ad in the Orange County edition of the L.A. Times. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating this. Visit his site: Movie-Theatre.org

Another page from the Times February 20 OC edition. Thanks, Mike.

Pacific Theatres took over in March 1968 when they acquired the Southern California assets of Stanley-Warner.

Closing as a film house: August 19, 1975. Pacific Theatres was the last operator. Their new 4-plex in the adjacent mall opened the next day.

The City of La Mirada purchased the building in 1976, added a stagehouse, and reopened in 1977 as a performing arts center. The theatre is operated for the city by McCoy/Rigby Productions. Since 1994 that organization has produced the majority of the Broadway shows that play the house.

A stage plan. Click on the image for a larger view.

Stage specs:

Proscenium: 46’ wide x 26’ high

Stage depth: 28'

Road power: One 600 amp and two 400 amp 3-Phase cans with Camlocks located off left

Loading: 14’x14’ rollup door at stage level, off left

Loading Dock/Storage area: Off left -- 35’ x 33’

Pit: 48’W x 13’D – approximately 580 sq. ft. -- 3' below stage for seating, 8’ when uncovered

Pit capacity: 19 Musicians w/conductor podium or two rows of chairs for audience seating

Grid height: 59' to underside -- batten high trim: 56'

Counterweight rigging: 43 sets with 56' battens, 800 lb. capacity, operated S.R. at stage level

Permanent electrics: lines 7, 17, 27, 40

Pinrail: stage right, on a bridge about 25' up

Grid access: downstage left and upstage right

House curtain: guillotine style

Dressing rooms: Eight total at stage level with 28 mirrors -- two of those are star rooms

Green room: downstage right

Rigging problems already only a year after the reopening. Knoxville Scenic had done the installation. Thanks to Bob Foreman for locating this October 5, 1978 article from the La Mirada Review. For a wealth of tech information on theatres old and new see his terrific site Vintage Theatre Catalogs.

A section drawing from the theatre's tech packet.

Interior photos:

The outer lobby. Photo: La Mirada Theatre - 2022 tech PDF

The main lobby. Thanks to Dave Greim for sharing his 2023 photo.

The balcony level lobby. Photo: La Mirada Theatre - tech PDF

A look to house left. Photo: Dave Hunter - 2023

Checking out the balcony and the ceiling slot. Photo: Dave Hunter - 2023

A look onto the stage. Photo: Dave Hunter - 2023

The green room. Photo: La Mirada Theatre - tech PDF

A look to stage right. Photo: La Mirada Theatre - tech PDF

Toward stage left. Photo: La Mirada Theatre - tech PDF

More exterior views:

The lobby end of the building. Photo: Dave Hunter - 2023

The entrance. Image: Google Maps - 2024

A stagehouse view. Photo: Dave Hunter - 2023. Thanks for the photos, Dave!

From above. Image: Google Maps - 2024

More information: See the Cinema Treasures pages about the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Thanks to Ron Pierce for his research. The From Script to DVD site has a page about the La Mirada by Michael Coate and William Kallay.

Pacific's La Mirada 4 / 6:

15200 Rosecrans Ave. La Mirada, CA 90638 | map |

Opening: August 20, 1975 as a four screen complex in the "Beautiful NEW enclosed La Mirada Mall" on Rosecrans Ave., just east of La Mirada Blvd. The 1975 photo is of unknown provenance.

An August 20, 1975 opening day ad. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating this.

Seating: 1,500 originally in 4 auditoria. Capacity of the two screens added in the 1980 addition is unknown.

Architects: Unknown.

A pre-opening view of the entrance. Photo: Boxoffice - 1975

The snackbar and lobby. Photo: Boxoffice - 1975

One of the auditoria. Photo: Boxoffice - 1975

Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Dallas Movie Theatres for sharing the three Boxoffice magazine photos on the site's page for the La Mirada 6.

Two additional screens opened in 1980 and were adjacent to but not connected to the initial four. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating this June 13 opening day ad. At least one of the two added theatres was 70mm equipped.

Closing: Pacific closed the six-plex in 1990. The buildings of the enclosed mall were demolished to build the present open-air big box center.

More information: See the Cinema Treasures page about the La Mirada 6. Thanks to Ron Pierce for his research. The From Script to DVD site has a page about the 6 plex by Michael Coate and William Kallay as part of their 70mm in Los Angeles coverage.

The AMC La Mirada 7

15296 Rosecrans Ave. La Mirada, CA 90638 | map |

Opened: June 19, 1992 as the Movies 7, a project of Krikorian Premiere Theatres. This photo appears on a Discover La Mirada page about the theatre.

Seating: 606 total

Website: amctheatres.com...classic-la-mirada-7

Christopher Crouch has the history on the Cinema Treasures page about the theatre:

"Located on the end of a large strip mall, the structure is L shaped; lobby in line with the other storefronts and theatres running behind the mall. Typical of Krikorian’s unorthodox approach, the complex features numerous abnormalities, such as auditorium three, which houses a movie palace sized screen in a relatively shallow theatre (resulting in problematic picture quality).

"Movies 7, along with Krikorian’s pre-stadium chain, was sold to Regal in 1996 and eventually closed in 2002. After sitting vacant for two years, the theatre was partially renovated and reopened by Interstate Theatres (now Starplex Cinemas) as a discount house. Taken over by AMC December 16, 2015. It was closed for renovations in June 2018, reopening July 12, 2018."

The main lobby of the La Mirada 7. Photo: Christopher Crouch - 2007

The inner lobby. Photo: Christopher Crouch - 2006

A booth view. Photo: Christopher Crouch - 2006. Thanks for sharing these! Twelve of his photo appear on the Cinema Tour page about the theatre.

A 2023 shot from Brenda I. on the Yelp page about the theatre.

More information: See the Cinema Treasures and Cinema Tour pages about the La Mirada 7.

Pacific's The Grove Stadium 14 / AMC The Grove 14

189 The Grove Drive Los Angeles, CA 90036 | map |

Opened: This 14 screen neo-deco style complex opened March 15, 2002 as The Grove Stadium 14 with Pacific Theatres as the original operator. AMC got it in 2021. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

The theatre is in Rick Caruso's The Grove shopping center on 3rd St., just east of the Farmer's Market at 3rd and Fairfax. The Gilmore Drive-In was once on the site.

Website: amctheatres.com...amc-the-grove-14

Seating: 2,983 originally, now 2,488. All theatres are on the main floor. Houses 1 and 2 also have entrances on the second floor, up the grand staircase.

In June 2022 auditorium #1, originally with a capacity of 390, was renovated in black box style to become an Imax house. With new recliners installed it's down to 209.

Auditorium #2, branded as an "XD" house in the Pacific era, is now the "Dolby Cinema" venue with recliners and a capacity of 222. It originally was 403.

Auditorium #3, originally with a capacity of 296, has been branded as the "AMC Prime" house, now fitted with recliners for a capacity of 163.

As of 2022 the seating in the other houses hadn't been changed since the opening of the complex. Capacity numbers, including handicap spaces: 4 - 235, 5 - 180, 6 - 180, 7 - 180, 8 - 141, 9 - 140, 10 -139, 11 - 139, 12 - 139, 13 - 139, 14 - 282. Thanks to Jonathan Wells and RidetheCTrain for the research.

The Grove's auditorium layout. Original image: Google Maps - 2024

Architects: Perkowitz+Ruth of Long Beach with Marios Savopoulos heading the project for them. Thanks to Joe Vogel for the research.

Part of the Pacific Theatres ad on opening day, March 15, 2002

The theatre closed in March 2020 as a result of Covid restrictions. In April 2021 Pacific announced that they had no intention of reopening any of their Pacific or ArcLight branded houses. AMC got the lease later in 2021 and reopened it August 13 as AMC The Grove 14.

In October 2023 Taylor Swift put in an appearance for the world premiere of her concert film "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour."

Interior views:

The vista from the front doors. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

The bar on the east side of the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

The bar as seen from the top of the grand staircase. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Ticket kiosks on the west side of the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

The west side as seen from upstairs. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

A closer look at the private cafe area upstairs. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Looking toward the upstairs entrances for auditoria #1 and #2. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

A view to the entrance doors from the bottom of the stairs. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

A peek toward the inner lobby. The entrance to #1, the Imax house, is around the corner to the left. The entrance to #14 is on the right, just beyond that lit display case. Take a right at the snack bar for the long, long inner lobby leading to the other auditoria. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

The entrance to auditorium #1 to the left of the snackbar. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Auditorium #1, the Imax house. Originally with 390 seats, it now has 209 after being rebuilt for recliners. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Across the back of #1. There's an entrance at the top from the lobby's 2nd level. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

#1 as seen from down front. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

The neo-deco snackbar. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Along the right end of the bar. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Looking back toward the snackbar. The red signage on the right near the second column is for auditorium #2, at the time branded as an "XD" house. The entrance to auditorium #3 is out of the frame to the right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

The 2024 view of the entrance to auditorium #2, now the Dolby Cinema house, and auditorium #3, the AMC Prime venue. Photo: Bill Counter

Looking west down the inner lobby from in front of the entrance to auditorium #3. On the left it's 4 through 8. The entrance to #9 is straight ahead in a little rotunda. On the right it's 10 through 13. That wall on the right is the house left side of auditorium #14. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

One of the auditoria when it was a Pacific Theatres operation. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

The rotunda at the end of the inner lobby with #7 and #8 to the left, #9 straight ahead, #10 to the right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Auditorium #9. Capacity is 140, unchanged since the complex opened in 2002. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

The rear of auditorium #9. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

The view back toward the main lobby when coming out of #9. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Auditorium #14, entered from the right side of the main lobby, just before the snackbar. It's a 46' wide screen in this one. Capacity is 282, unchanged since the theatre's opening. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

The rear of auditorium #14. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Several more exterior views:

2002 - Thanks to Ken Roe for sharing this photo of his on Cinema Tour.

2010 - The west end of the building. At the right it's 3rd St. Photo: Bill Counter

2019 - A vista across the fountain during the Pacific Theatres era. Photo: Bill Counter

2024 - Signage on the 3rd St. side of the building. We're looking west toward Fairfax. Image: Google Maps

2024 - Looking south across the tracks. Photo: Bill Counter

More information: See the Cinema Treasures and Cinema Tour pages about the complex.