1 Casino Way, Avalon, Catalina Island, CA 90704 |
map |
Opened: May 29, 1929 with the Douglas Fairbanks film "The Iron Mask." Thanks to Nile Hight for the 2016 photo of the Casino Building, one of eight appearing in a post on the
Belle Epoque to Art Deco Facebook page. He notes: "That's Los Angeles rising in the background."
Phone: 310-510-0179
Website: www.visitcatalinaisland.com |
photo gallery |
Architects: Sumner M. Spaulding and Walter I. Webber. John Gabriel Beckman did the murals. The site
Ask Art has a bit about Mr. Beckman and the Avalon murals. Beckman also worked on the Fox Fullerton and the Chinese.
Seating: 1,184
This underwater deco confection is on the ground floor of William Wrigley Jr.'s monumental Casino Building -- with the ballroom above it. It's still owned by the Wrigley family and operated by their Santa Catalina Island Co. Construction was managed by David M. Renton, who did many other projects for Mr. Wrigley.
The building, which originally cost $2 million, received a restoration in 1994. The Casino was built to replace an earlier dance pavilion on the site, the Sugarloaf Casino, named for the Sugarloaf rock formation it sat on. Much of that rock was removed for construction of the new building. There's never been a gambling operation in the building. In Italian the word Casino means gathering place.
The theatre was profiled in a May 10, 1930 article in the trade magazine Exhibitors Herald-World:
“Overlooking the bay of romantic Avalon, metropolis (for it is that) of Santa Catalina Island stands the latest of William Wrigley Jr.’s magnificent gestures to wholesome pleasures, a building of steel and stone which yet has all the gossamer unreality of a fairy queen’s palace. It is called the Casino and it houses a fully equipped motion picture theatre and ballroom. The architecture of the exterior is of a Mediterranean pattern, a style that is followed throughout the foyers and corridors inside. It is within the theatre itself that all traditional manners are flung aside to create an original environment in the essential Catalinian spirit-that of make-believe.
"The walls of the theatre, which is located on the first floor, start converging toward the center of the ceiling and stage, almost but a few feet from the floor, and upon them is painted an impressionistic representation of Man unfettered amid a boundless Nature. It is allegory. It is history. And it may be hope. One assumes that it is also Catalina. The auditorium, thus brightly painted in an original allegory and of atmospheric design, is broad and long, but it contains no pillars.
There are about 1,300 seats, over 200 of them being luxurious three-wing back loge chairs. Seating is by the American Seating Company. The lighting is indirect, being projected upward from a false half-wall just inside the wall bearing the murals, which are thus illuminated. The ballroom is located above the theatre. It is estimated that 2,000 couples can dance there at the same time. The Casino cost $2,000,000. The architects were Webber and Spaulding." Thanks to theatre historian Cezar Del Valle for the find. He included the piece in a
Theatre Talks post about the Avalon.
On the Cinema Treasures page for another Avalon theatre, the
Riviera, Ken Roe notes:
"Tom White, a Hollywood promoter who held the lease on Avalon’s Riviera Theater, leased the new Avalon Theater in 1929 and also signed on as general manager of the Casino operation. His lifestyle proved too flamboyant, and his association with the Casino ended in December 1929. Art LaShelle, who had managed the Riviera and Avalon Theater’s for Tom White, stayed on to manage both theatres and facilities until 1939....Western Amusement Company, which operated a number of theaters on the mainland, obtained a lease on both the Avalon and Riviera Theaters in 1949. The company closed the Avalon Theater during the winter but kept the Riviera Theater open all year until it was converted into a bowling alley in 1961."
Stage: Yes, it's not just a film house. There's a stage with full fly capability. The dimmer system is a Frank Adam / Major installation with house lights on a board in the booth and stage lights on the board backstage. The master on the booth board can be controlled by a motor allowing operation at the booth front wall or from backstage.
Pipe organ: Still in place and used regularly. It's a Page 3 manual 16 rank instrument.
Booth: Projection is now digital but the theatre retains 35mm capability for special events. Scroll down the page for lots of booth photos.
Status: Open all year with first run films.
Tours: The theatre can be visited daily as part of the Catalina Island Company's
Behind the Scenes Casino Tour.
The entrance:
The view south along the entrance colonnade. It's a photo that appeared in the May 10, 1930 issue of Exhibitors Herald-World with this caption: "A corridor of the Casino leading to the theatre, which is located on the main floor of the building. The design here is of Mediterranean motifs, in common with the exterior, but unlike the auditorium."
The west side of the building with entrances to the theatre and ballroom. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
The boxoffice. The theatre entrances are on either side of the boxoffice. The doors leading to the ramps up to the ballroom are out of the frame to the left. Photo: Nile Hight -
Belle Epoque to Art Deco Facebook page - 2016
Looking up at the sea-themed mural above the boxoffice. Thanks to Sandi Hemmerlein for the 2016 photo. It's one included in the Avoiding Regret photo essay about her tour of the building "
Come Gather Round All Ye Islanders at the Catalina Casino" where there are many more fine views of both the theatre and the ballroom above. The other two chapters of her Catalina adventure are "
The Island Where the Buffalo Roam" and "
The House of Chewing Gum and Roses." Also visit the
Avoiding Regret Facebook page.
A detail of the boxoffice metalwork. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - 2016
South along the entrance colonnade. Thanks to Chiffonade for her 2006 photo on
Flickr.
A closer look at the mural at the south end of the colonnade. Photo: Chiffonade -
Flickr - 2006
A colonnade light fixture. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
Another one of the eight tile murals. Photo: Chiffonade -
Flickr - 2006
A detail of the mural in the photo above. Photo: Chiffonade -
Flickr - 2006
Looking north toward the Ballroom entrance doors. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
The Ballroom's entrance doors on the north end of the colonnade. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
A detail from the nural on the north end of the colonnade. Photo: Chiffonade -
Flickr - 2006
Lobby views:
Looking to house left. Photo: Chiffonade -
Flickr - 2006. Thanks!
A lobby ceiling fixture. Thanks to former Cinema Treasures contributor Hollywood 90038 for the 2009 photo.
A lovely look to house left in 2014 from David Prasad on
Flickr.
Looking toward house left in the lobby with a peek into the auditorium. It's a photo Nile Hight borrowed for his 2016 post about the building on the
Belle Epoque to Art Deco Facebook page. It's from the Catalina Island Company's web page about the
Avalon Theatre.
A detail of the sign above the entrance to the center aisle. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
The house right end of the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
The auditorium:
A 1929 view of the auditorium from the
Los Angeles Public Library collection. The photo made an appearance in the May 10, 1930 Exhibitors Herald-World article with this caption: "Auditorium of the theatre looking toward the stage. Observable here is the manner in which the walls, short way from the floor, begin to converge, quickly becoming the ceiling, forming a sky-like canopy."
A luscious wide angle view of the auditorium that appeared on an earlier version of the Catalina Island Company's page about the
Avalon Theatre.
A vista down the center aisle. Photo: Hollywood 90038 - c.2009
The auditorium under different lighting. It's a 2013 photo that appears on the Catalina Island Company's Avalon Theatre
photo gallery page.
A closer look at the proscenium and organ grilles from the Catalina Island Company website's Avalon Theatre
photo gallery page. The painting on the asbestos is called "Flight of Fancy Westward."
A closer look at the Botticelli-inspired girl atop the proscenium. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - Avoiding Regret - 2016. Sandi comments: "Apparently the acoustics are so good—and the auditorium is
so sound-proof—that a full band could be playing for a room full of
dancers upstairs, and it would never interrupt the sound of the movie
being projected below."
A view of the house left wall from a 360 degree panorama by Carel Struycken. It's on the site
Spherical Panoramas where you can pan around and zoom in on details.
A postcard showing a section of the house left wall. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for sharing the card from her collection.
The house right wall. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
A look back from onstage. It's a photo that appeared in the May 10, 1930 issue of Exhibitors Herald-World. Thanks to Cezar Del Valle for locating it for a post about the Avalon on his
TheatreTalks.wordpress.com site.
Another back wall view. It's a 2018 photo from Pancho Ds included with a post on the Facebook page
Projectionists International. Thanks to Woody Wise for spotting it.
A postcard view of the back wall. Thanks to Hank Zeletel for posting it on
Cinema Treasures.
A closer look toward the booth ports. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - Avoiding Regret - 2016
A detail of the back wall mural. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - Avoiding Regret - 2016
A look along the back wall. Photo: Hollywood 90038 - c.2009
One of the 1929 vintage end standards. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - 2016
Backstage:
A detail of the counterweight system lockrail. Note the unique racheted locking tension blocks. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - 2016
The Frank Adam / Major dimmerboard. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - 2016.
A perhaps 40s booth view. The Brenkert projectors and Brenkert Enarc lamps seen here are still in the booth. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for finding the trade magazine photo for a post on
Cinema Treasures.
Before the theatre went digital they were using a platter system plus a Xetron console (with a 2Kw lamp)
with a Century SA on it. The soundhead was a Century R3 with a red LED
retrofit. This equipment was in addition to the Brenkerts. In a 2005 post on the
ECN Electrical Forum their contributor Mxslick, who serviced the booth, noted
that the Brenkerts still ran beautifully and were used only a few times a
year -- occasionally for nitrate prints at their Silent Film Festival.
The left end of the booth after automation with the Xetron console and Century projector in place. Photo: Mxslick - ECN
Electrical Forum - 2005
Mxslick is the gentleman who at the time was
servicing the booth. His photos, along with many comments, appear in
four parts on the ECN Electrical Forum: |
Part 1 - booth dimmerboard |
Part 2 - dimmers and fuses |
Part 3 - motor generator set & controls |
Part 4 - projectors |
A look inside one of the Brenkert heads. It's an RCA 1040 soundhead. Photo: Mxslick -
ECN Electrical Forum - 2005
Tour time in the booth. On the left it's an Eastman 16mm machine. The two Brenkert 35s are used occasionally, such as for an annual silent film festival. On the far right it's the theatre's digital projector. Thanks to Pancho Ds for posting the 2018 photo on the Facebook page
Projectionists International.
A closer look at the #2 Brenkert Enarc lamphouse. Photo: Pancho Ds -
Projectionists International - 2018
Looking in between the #2 Brenkert machine and the digital projector currently used. Photo: Pancho Ds -
Projectionists International - 2018
One of the control stations. We're at the left side of the booth next to the Century projector, the machine in daily use before the house went digital. Photo: Pancho Ds -
Projectionists International - 2018
The Frank Adam / Major board on the right end of the booth for controlling house lights. Another board is backstage for the stage lights. Photo: Mxslick -
ECN Electrical Forum - 2005
Another view of the board with a bit of the digital projector on the left. The large switches on the right are for the arc lamps. Photo: Pancho Ds -
Projectionists International - 2018
The controls for the booth exhaust fans and the DC generator voltage, located on the right end of the board. Photo: Mxslick -
ECN Electrical Forum - 2005
Some of the branch circuit fuses for houselights. The panel is in a room behind the dimmerboard. Photo: Mxslick -
ECN Electrical Forum - 2005
Contactors and fuses for several of the house light and stage circuits, in the room behind the board. Photo: Mxslick -
ECN Electrical Forum - 2005
The Westinghouse motor-generator set to provide DC for what originally was a complement of seven arc lamps. Photo: Mxslick -
ECN Electrical Forum - 2005
The DC switchboard. The multiple knife switches for each arc allow different amounts of ballast resistance to be cut in or out. Photo: Mxslick -
ECN Electrical Forum - 2005
The Brenograph effects projector in 2005, when it was still operable. That's a pole-mounted hand feed arc followspot beyond. Photo: Mxslick -
ECN Electrical Forum
Another view of the theatre's Brenograph, no longer in use. It's a c.2013 photo that appears on the Catalina Island Company's web page about their
Behind the Scenes Casino Tour.
A Simplex E-7 with an Ashcraft lamphouse on display in an area adjacent to the booth. Photo: Pancho Ds -
Projectionists International - 2018
Another porthole view. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - Avoiding Regret - 2016. Thanks, Sandi!
The Ballroom:
Looking toward the bandstand. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
A ceiling detail. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
Across to the south wall. All the doors open to the promenade outside. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
On the promenade looking toward Los Angeles. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
More exterior views:
c.1910 - An early postcard view from the collection of Brent Dickerson showing the harbor before either of the Casino buildings had been constructed. The card appears with the third of Brent's four chapters about Catalina in his epic adventure "A Visit To Old Los Angeles." |
San Pedro / Catalina Part 1 |
Catalina Part 2 |
Catalina Part 3 |
Catalina Part 4 |
1928 - A view of the bay from William Wrigley's home showing the first Casino building on the site. The present building was constructed in 1929. It's a photo from the California Historical Society collection appearing on the
USC Digital Library website.
c.1929 - A water view from the
Los Angeles Public Library collection.
c.1929 - The entrance from above. It's a photo that's in the
Los Angeles Public Library collection.
c.1935 - Thanks to Brian Michael McCray for sharing this card from his collection.
c.1935 - A postcard from the site
Penny Postcards from California that appears on their page of cards from Catalina.
2016 - A look down on the Catalina Casino Building. Thanks to Sandi Hemmerlein for the photo. It's one included in her Avoiding Regret photo essay about her tour of the building "
Come Gather Round All Ye Islanders at the Catalina Casino" where there are many more fine views of both the theatre and the ballroom.
2018 - The Casino from the south. Downtown is off to the left. It's a photo from Pancho Ds post on the Facebook page
Projectionists International.
2018 - The building from the north. Photo: Bill Counter
2018 - The west side of the building. Photo: Bill Counter
Other Catalina Theatres: See the listing about the
Riviera Theatre, which closed in 1961. There's also a discussion about other theatres on the island including the Strand and the Bandbox.
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