755 N. La Cienega Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069 | map |
Opened: 1949 as the Century Theatre, as a project of director John Claar and his Century Theatre Group. The theatre was on the west side of the street three blocks south of Santa Monica Blvd.
For a fine history visit the WEHOville page "Vanished Venues 2: Century Theatre, Civic Playhouse, Warner Playhouse." They note that backers included Frank Capra, Bing Crosby, Gary Cooper, Irene Dunne, Clark Gable, Hedda Hopper, Loretta Young, Fred MacMurray, Joel McCrea, Ronald Reagan and Barbara Stanwyck. The theatre was a conversion from a machine shop and ended up with a 35' wide x 25' high proscenium a 30' deep x 48' wide stage.
The opening show was "The Fabulous Invalid" by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this 1950 ad for the production.
Another 1950 ad located by Ken McIntyre.
In November 1950 one attraction was Jerome Moross's Ballet Ballads.
By 1951 the building was being used for productions by KTTV, according to the WEHOville article. They note that in 1953 it was renamed the Civic Playhouse after being taken over by Yiddish theatre producer Maurice Schwartz who produced some English versions of Yiddish plays.
John Carradine appeared in a production of "Tobacco Road" in 1954. Thanks to Kim Cooper for including the ad in an article about La Cienega's restaurant row for the blog On Bunker Hill. She dated a George Mann photo of a nearby restaurant/lounge called Encore by noticing a poster for this show on a telephone pole in the shot.
"Pal Joey" had a run at the Civic in 1956.
Busby Berkeley directed a production of Cole Porter's "Can-Can" starring Denise Darcel that opened at the Civic Playhouse on Christmas Day 1956. It traveled to the Hacienda Hotel in Las Vegas, opening on April 11, 1957 and running until June 6. Dancer Lizanne Truex was in the cast for both engagements. This page and two others from the program appear on An Ode To Lizanne Truex, a site devoted to her career.
In February 1957 Chico Marx and Laurie Mitchell appeared in "The 5th Season," Sylvia Regan's comedy about the clothing business. It's an Otto Rothschild photo from the Herald Examiner collection at the Los Angeles Public Library. Part of the newspaper caption: "The comedian will be making his first break from appearing with his famous brothers."
A Times ad for "The 5th Season."
A December 11, 1957 Times ad for "Pajama Tops" featuring Gloria Pall. That "2nd Year" noted in the ad didn't mean the entire run had all been at the Civic Playhouse. The show had played the Forum Theatre on Pico in 1956.
Nick Stewart appeared in "A Hole in the Head" in November 1958. In December 1958 the theatre operation was taken over by the Players Ring. They opened with Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge." Productions in 1959 included "Be an Angel" with Kathleen Freeman and "Enemy of the People" with James Whitmore and Sally Kellerman.
This 1960 L.A. Times ad located by Ken McIntyre was for a Players Ring show at the Civic. The Players Ring also was at other locations over the years, including the venue later known as the Coast Playhouse.
A July 1961 ad for "The Balcony."
Lynn Bari appeared in the play "French Postcards" in 1961. Marlo Thomas appeared in the play "Sunday in New York" at the Civic Playhouse in 1964.
Later in 1964 the theatre was taken over by jazz impresario Cy Warner who renamed it the Warner Playhouse. The opening show was "Oh, Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad."
In 1965 Paul Winfield and Sheree North appeared in the one-act play "Dutchman" by LeRoi Jones (later Amiri Baraka). It was on a double bill with the controversial play "The Toilet," also by Jones. The city attempted to shut down the theatre but the production ran 18 weeks and then moved to San Francisco. See the WEHOville article for more discussion.
East West Players moved a production of "Roshomon" to the Warner Playhouse in 1965. It's discussed in "Honoring the Past, Looking to the Future," a 1998 L.A. Times article about the group by Jan Breslauer.
The Doors played several after-hours engagements at the Warner Playhouse in May 1966. This ad appears on a Mild Equator page about the group's concert locations. Accounts differ as to what days they played but it was perhaps May 6, 7, 13 and 14.
In September 1966 a yet-unknown Yaphet Kotto opened in "The Zulu and the Zayda," a production that ran six months. Thabks to Ken McIntyre for locating this November ad.
In 1968 the Robert Guy Barrows production of Michael McClure's "The Beard" caused a lot of excitement, especially for the vice squad. One scene involved an erotic encounter between Jean Harlow and Billy the Kid. Thanks to Bruce Kimmel for locating this image. The cast varied during the run but at times included Richard Bright, Victoria Hale, Alexandra Hay and Dennis Hopper. Abe Books has the poster for the show on their site. Their comments:
"Poster for the 1968 Los Angeles premiere of the play, where it had migrated after the productions had been shut down in both New York and San Francisco for the simulated oral sex scene in the play. The cast of the L.A. production were arrested 14 nights in a row. In a letter to Stan Brakhage in September 1968, McClure complained, 'I'll have to return to L.A. for the opening of the trial of Beard, which starts September 16.' The poster was designed by Wallace Berman, publisher of 'Semina' and considered by some as the 'Father of Assemblage Art,' who also provided the photograph of his bare-breasted wife Shirley seen holding a worn pair of boots which graces the poster. Jim Morrison of The Doors attended the L.A. performance and apparently expressed interest in playing the lead in a film version, but alas that contribution to film history went unfulfilled."
The production moved to the Las Palmas Theatre after a minor arson fire in February 1968. The fire damage was repaired and the theatre continued in operation.
"Los Angeles' Two Newest Attractions.." On February 18, 1970 it reopened as a film house called the Ciné Cienega, playing "Jenny" with Marlo Thomas and Alan Alda. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating the opening day ad. The theatre's operator was Avco Embassy
Later in the 70s they ran a few art and experimental films. As seen in this 1971 Times ad, they sometimes ran revival bills. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the ad.
Another 1971 ad located by Ken McIntyre. Later in
the 70s, after Avco Embassy dropped it, the theatre went to porno.
A November 1974 ad in the Times that was located by Ken McIntyre for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. The paper stopped accepting porno ads in 1977.
Status: The building was demolished in 1987. The new structure on the site includes a nightclub called Poppy as one of the tenants.
Interior views:
A 1961 look toward the stage that the Los Angeles Public Library identifies as the Civic Playhouse.
A 1961 view to the rear of the house from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. See their site for several more interior photos.
More Information: See the Wehoville page "Vanished Venues 2: Century Theatre, Civic Playhouse, Warner Playhouse." Some data appears on the Cinema Treasures page.
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