UCLAN / Metro / Crest / UCLA Nimoy Theatre

1262 Westwood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90024 | map |

The News: The theatre reopened as the Nimoy on September 17, 2023. Visit the page about the theatre on the UCLA Center for the Art of Performance site as well as the CAP Event Calendar. 

 

Opened: It opened as a neighborhood film house called the UCLAN Theatre on Christmas Day 1940 with the films "They Drive by Night" and "He Stayed For Breakfast." It was a 20 cent admission anytime. The theatre is on the east side of the street a bit more than a block south of Wilshire. Photo: Bill Counter - September 17, 2023

Online: cap.ucla.edu | cap.ucla.edu/ucla-nimoy-theater | Crest Memories | facebook.com/CAPatUCLA

Architect: Arthur W. Hawes destined the original building. The planned construction of the theatre had been announced in the April 12, 1940 issue of Southwest Builder and Contractor. A building permit had been issued April 9. Thanks to Joe Vogel for finding the SB&C item.  

BAR Architects of San Francisco and L.A. did the 80s renovation for Disney/Pacific Theatres. Joseph Musil was the lead designer for that project. BAR also designed the 2021-2023 remodel for UCLA.

Seating: About 700 originally. 460 when it closed as a film house. 299 is the new capacity following the UCLA renovations.  

History: The theatre was a project of Frances Seymour Fonda, the second wife of Henry and mother of Peter and Jane Fonda. The initial operators were the small Dietrich and Feldstein circuit.

An item appearing in the April 13, 1940 issue of Boxoffice. Thanks to Comfortably Cool for locating this for a post on Cinema Treasures.  

 

 

A December 1940 pre-opening ad spotted by Mike Rivest. Visit his site: Movie-Theatre.org

 

The big opening day listing in the Times: December 25, 1940.

World War II brought success for the house as a neighborhood theatre for the UCLA crowd. As in nearly every theatre, one of the big draws during the war years was including the latest newsreels as part of the program. In the late 40s the UCLAN began running many foreign films. 

 

A November 1949 ad for "Devil In The Flesh." Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating it for a post on Cinema Treasures. Also see the terrific photo they found that was taken the next week. 

 

 

 

The UCLAN running "The Red Shoes" in May 1951. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the ad. The film was an October 1948 release. 

 

Rene Clement's "Forbidden Games" playing the UCLAN in 1954. Thanks to Gerald DeLuca for locating this March 12 ad for a post on Cinema Treasures. 

 

Bergman's "Summer Interlude," here retitled "Illicit Interlude," playing in 1954. Thanks to Gerald DeLuca for posting this Christmas Day ad on Cinema Treasures. No mention of the director's name in the ad.

The Fonda family sold the building in 1955. At the time it was still being run by the its original operators. An item in a February 1955 issue of Boxoffice noted: 

"The building housing the Uclan Theater in Westwood has been bought by Morris Lehrmand and Paul Raful from the estate of Frances Seymour Fonda, late wife of actor Henry Fonda. The UCLAN, operated on lease from the Dietrich and Feldstein circuit, is unaffected by the sale." 

 

Yes, the UCLAN was getting some fine product in 1956. Thanks to Scott Pitzer for sharing this ad. 

It was renamed the Crest Theatre sometime around 1956 when Robert Lippert began operating the house. 

 

 

 

Bergman's "Smiles of a Summer Night" got a U.S. release in December 1957. Once again they didn't put Bergman's name in the ad. Thanks to Brade48 for locating this for a post on Cinema Treasures. 

 

Fellini's "Nights of Cabiria" playing the Crest in 1958. Thanks to Gerald DeLuca for posting this January 17 ad on Cinema Treasures. 

 

A November 1958 ad.

Lippert was out as the operator in 1959. This July 1959 L.A. Times article discussed the acquisition of the Lippert houses by ElectroVision. 

A 1959 listing in the Times of the ElectroVision theatres. Many of the theatres listed were formerly operated by Fanchon and Marco's Southside Theatres chain. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the Times items.  

 

 

A May 1960 ad. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it. 

 

 

Godard's "Breathless" playing the Crest in 1961. Thanks to Brade48 for the ad, a post on Cinema Treasures.  

 

 

Antonioni's "L'Aventura" playing in 1961. Thanks to Gerald DeLuca for locating the July 21 ad. It was a post on Cinema Treasures.

 

The theatre was later operated by Fred Stein's Statewide Theatres. Loew's had it in the late 60s and early 70s calling it the Loew's Crest. 

 

A 1971 ad during the Loew's era. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it. 

 

General Cinema had it after Loew's left in 1972. Fred Stein and his son Robert took it over from General Cinema with their new company Century Cinema Circuit. When they headed into bankruptcy in late 1976, Seattle-based Sterling Recreation Organization bought some of their assets, including the lease on the Crest. 

 

 

"Close Encounters" was the first film to play the theatre under SRO management. This December 14, 1977 ad was a find by Mike Rivest. 

 

 

In 1983 SRO gave it a renovation, equipped the theatre for 70mm presentations, and renamed it the Metro. Thanks to James Stegall for sharing this ad announcing the June 3 reopening as a post on the Friends of 70mm Facebook page.

 

Pacific Theatres got it in 1985 when SRO left the southern California market. In 1987 they went back to the Crest name calling it Pacific's Crest.

 

 

"..the Thrilling Dimension of THX" and a "New Super Wide Screen" were two of the new treats at the slightly remodeled theatre. Thanks to Michael Coate for this November 25, 1987 reopening ad. They hadn't done the big deco interior renovation at this point although the marquee and facade work had been completed. See a "Three Men" photo taken by Richard DuVal. 

The Disney/Pacific deco renovation:

 

In 1988 Pacific, in partnership with Disney, did a renovation designed by Joe Musil. Thanks to the Ronald W. Mahan Collection for sharing this January 1988 rendering Musil did for the new facade. Musil later worked with Pacific and Disney on the re-do of the El Capitan.

 

The auditorium was reconfigured, the screen was brought forward, new proscenium and sidewall treatments were devised and the facade became fancier and deco in style with the redo. All of the surviving deco decor is from that remodel. Theatre explorer Steve Gerdes notes that the neon array up the tower was mentioned in a January 5, 1992 L.A. Times article. They credited the design to Raul Rodriguez, a veteran of 30 years work designing Rose Parade floats. 

The sidewall murals were designed and painted by Disney scenic artist Bill Anderson. He's mentioned in  "CAP UCLA's New Nimoy Theater..." a September 2023 article by Jim Farber in SF Classical Voice. CAP co-programmer Meryl Friedman is quoted: 

 

"It seemed kind of hilarious to consider Disney’s architectural elements from the 1980s as historic. Nevertheless, one of the saving graces of being force-fed into keeping those murals — as good as they ended up looking after they were taken down and cleaned — is that they actually help with the acoustics.."

 

The lobby ceiling mural was designed and painted by Bruce Tunis.

 

 

 

A 1988 rendering for the lobby ceiling. Thanks to Bruce Tunis for sharing this image, as well as the two below, as comments on a post about the theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres Facebook page.

 

The canvas laid out in Bruce's backyard in May 1988. 

 

Finishing the lobby ceiling. Bruce Tunis comments: "I'm in the back, with my friend Buzz, who was a great help in finishing this. The ceiling was painted on one large muslin. We helped wallpaper it to the ceiling on a 90 degree windy day with no windows in the front of the theater. It was an experience, not to misstep and fall off the scaffolding."

 

A June 10, 1988 reopening day ad following the deco remodel. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating it. 

 

Floorplans reflecting the 80s renovations and the new position of the screen. The dashed line behind the screen represents a THX-style baffle wall with openings for the five stage speaker systems. These plans were prepared for the UCLA Draft Initial Study, available as a PDF.

It's also been known as the Westwood Theatre and the Westwood Crest. It was renamed the Majestic Crest when it was operated as an independent by Robert Bucksbaum from 2003 to 2010. Bucksbaum put it on the market in 2008. In April 2008 it was declared a City of Los Angeles Cultural-Historic Landmark. Well, except for the stage, curtains and concession stand, that is.

Crack reporter Kevin Roderick had the story of the August 2010 sale to Bigfoot Entertainment on LA Observed: "Majestic Crest in Westwood sold." See Patrick Goldstein's post for the L.A. Times: "Robert Bucksbaum on Selling the Crest Theatre." Bigfoot is a Venice-based international firm involved in film and TV production and financing. Also see a 2010 Times article "Indie filmmaker Bigfoot..."

It was operated for Bigfoot by Carmike Cinemas, a large chain headquartered in Georgia. Bigfoot was a major shareholder in Carmike Theatres. It was their only California site. They were advertising it as the Bigfoot Crest. The theatre was upgraded in late 2010 with improved digital projection and 3-D capability.

Carmike closed the Crest in early October 2011 and Bigfoot put it up for sale in December 2011. According to a story on LA Curbed, the asking price was $4.5 million, or at the time it was available on a lease for $16,000 per month on a triple net basis.

In 2013 it was resurrected from the dead with a program of revivals and special events. Curbed L.A. had a May 20 story. Bigfoot still owned the property but a new team (including some of the old players) got a lease. They were doing revivals, HD screenings of opera and ballet, and special events. In December 2014 they ran "The Interview," a film most of the major chains were afraid to touch. 

The theatre closed again the end of 2016 when the group's lease was up. They still have a Facebook page up. A January 2017 post on the page noted: "Alas, our lease ended and the owner is in charge. We had fun bringing the Crest back to life and programming with the community, and trust good things ahead for the Crest!"

The theatre was on the market all during 2017. In 2018 the "for sale" signs came off the marquee and the listing on Loopnet noted that it was "off market." The listing at one time had noted that the asking price was $5,875,000. There had been several interested parties (including with the Actors Hall of Fame) but deals had fallen through. David Thind of Coldwell Banker Commercial was the broker for the deal with UCLA that was announced October 25, 2018.

The UCLA renovations: The acquisition of the building for UCLA was spearheaded by Kristy Edmunds, then the head of the Center For the Art of Performance. This live performance venue was renamed in honor of the late Leonard Nimoy. It's a project that was initially funded by Nimoy's widow, Susan Bay Nimoy, plus a large donation from an anonymous source. Projected uses include theatre events, music, lectures, film and experimental programming. 

 

Carolina Miranda's October 25, 2018  L.A. Times article "Westwood's Crest Theatre to be reborn.." had the news. Westwood Patch also had an October 25 story via California News Wire Services: "UCLA to Reopen Crest Theatre..." Another story about the acquisition appeared on the UCLA Newsroom site. Thanks to Joe Pinney and Michelle Gerdes for spotting several of the stories. 

 

BAR Architects was the project designer. The UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture had a March 2019 article: "BAR Architects Chosen for UCLA Nimoy Theater Renovation." Tech consultants were the Shalleck Collaborative from Berkeley. Signmakers was the contractor for the marquee and vertical sign renovations. Others on the team included Holmes Structures, Interface Engineering, Kpff Consulting Engineers and Shawmut Design and Construction. Estimated construction cost was around $11 million.

 

A 2019 Draft Initial Study, available as a PDF, included an early auditorium concept drawing with the side wall murals behind the wooden grilles, a look that was later modified. There's also a 2019 facade and signage drawing from BAR Architects. Updates were discussed during a November 2021 Zoom meeting featuring Kristy Edmunds, Brett Steele, Jennifer Poulakidas, Sarah Sullivan, Marco Perez, Doane Muller and Marla Mayer of UCLA. Also commenting was construction manager John D'Amico. In a BAR Architects Facebook post with photos of the opening it was noted that Zach Prowda was the firm's principal on the five-year project.

 

 

The revised scheme for the auditorium decor. The rear section is stadium-style seating with the front in a flat "flexible" configuration. Parts of the 1980s side wall murals were reinstalled but the 80s proscenium was removed. This 2021 image from BAR Architects appears on "UCLA Nimoy Theater - An old theater for a new time," a UCLA Center For The Art of Performance page describing the project. More renderings from the architects: exterior | lobby | new upstairs salon and lounge area | greenroom |

 

Floorplans of the revamped space. BAR Architects - 2019

 

 

Sections showing the new stadium-style seating configuration. BAR Architects - 2019

 

The theatre was profiled in "Westwood's Crest Theatre reopens as the Nimoy, CAP UCLA's ambitious new performance space," an article by Jessica Gelt that was spotted by Donavan S. Moye in the September 1, 2023 issue of the L.A. Times.

 

Edgar Miramontes became the artistic director of CAP UCLA in 2023. Meryl Friedman and Fred Frumberg are co-programming directors. The production manager is Bozkurt "Bozzy" Karasu. 

 

Lobby views: 

 

Looking in on the day of the grand opening, September 17, 2023. Photo: Bill Counter

 

 

The new bar. That's Kristy Edmonds waiting to get a coffee. Until earlier in 2023 she was head of the UCLA Center for the Art of Performance and was responsible for getting UCLA to acquire the building and headed the construction project. Photo: Bill Counter - September 17, 2023

 

 

An inner lobby light fixture. Thanks to Chris Nichols for sharing this opening day photo and seven others in a Facebook post.  

 

 

The view to the street. Photo: Bill Counter - September 2023

 

 

The message above the exit doors. Photo: Bill Counter - September 2023

 

 

An outer lobby ceiling detail. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for sharing this September 2023 photo. See her Facebook post for 29 additional opening day photos she took.

 

 

 

Looking in from house left at the second floor restrooms. Photo: Bill Counter - September 2023

 

 

 

A view from house right of the lounge in front of the restrooms. It's in the former projection booth area. The gentleman is pointing toward one of the two doors leading to the back of the seating area in the auditorium. The other is just out of the frame to the right. Photo: Bill Counter - September 2023

 

 

The auditorium: 

 

A New Orleans-style marching band was one of the groups helping UCLA celebrate the completion of the project with opening day performances. At this point much of the crowd was out in front enjoying free Persian ice cream or on the buffet line next door at Fresh Corn Grill. Photo: Bill Counter - September 17, 2023

 

 

A bit of the blacklight effect showing on the house left end of the back wall mural. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - September 2023 

 

A peek down the house left aisle. In the upper right note one of the spotlights with a UV filter to highlight the murals when the houselights are down. Photo: Bill Counter - September 2023

 

The Pantages on the house left wall. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - September 2023 

 

 

The lobby end of the house left aisle. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - September 2023 

 

 

The Earl Carroll and El Capitan back in the corner. Thanks to Sandi Hemmerlein for the September 2023 photo. Don't miss her Avoiding Regret article "The Crest Has Transformed Into UCLA's New Nimoy Theatre..."

 

The center of the back wall mural. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - September 2023

 

 

A look to house right. Photo: Bill Counter - September 2023 

 

 

 

The Carthay Circle and part of Westwood on the house right mural. Photo: Chris Nichols - September 2023. Thanks to Chris for sharing this shot and seven other opening day views in a Facebook post.  

 

 

A detail of the lighting and ornament house right. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - September 2023. See her Facebook post for 30 photos she took on the theatre's opening day.  

 

 

 

 Another group entertaining on opening day. Photo: Bill Counter - September 2023

 

 

 

The East LA Chicano band Las Cafeteras doing an opening day set. The seating in the upper section is fixed. The seats in the lower section are removable and the risers slide back under the crossaisle  leaving the lower area with a flat floor that can be set up with portable seating, cafe tables, or left open. Photo: Bill Counter - September 2023

 

 

Lobby construction views - 2022- 2023:

 

A peek in toward what had been the snackbar area during the UCLA renovations. Thanks to Steve Whalen for sharing his March 2023 photo on the LAHTF Facebook page.  

 

 

A front door view of the house right side of the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - May 2023

 

 

Looking over to house left. Photo: Bill Counter - May 2023

 

 

The view to the entrance doors. Photo: Bill Counter - May 2023 

 

 

The house left end of the lobby after paint and railing installation. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

The house right stairs and the new elevator. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

 

The outer lobby ceiling. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

Work continuing on the bar area. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

Top of the house right stairs. The co-ed restroom is through the door on the far left. The door with the red tape is the new balcony lounge, in the former booth area. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

The restroom. Those are the toilet rooms on the left. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

 

The lounge at the back of the seating area. We're looking toward house right. The door on the left goes to the area behind the last row of seats. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

The lounge after the paper over the carpeting was removed. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

Auditorium construction views - 2022 - 2023:  

 

 

UCLA's renovations were well underway in June 2022 when this shot was taken from the booth. It's a photo that appeared in a post on the CAP UCLA Facebook page.  

 

 

A sidewall detail from the previous photo. This plasterwork dates from the 1980s renovations designed by Joe Musil for Pacific Theatres and Disney.  

 

A June 2022 side wall view. The Joe Musil murals had been removed and will be reinstalled after restoration work. It's a photo that appeared in a CAP UCLA Facebook post. 

 

 

A closer look at the proscenium taken from the previous photo. It too, dates from the 80s renovation. Initial renderings show that it will not be incorporated into the new auditorium configuration. 

 

 

A view to the rear of the house that appeared on a CAP UCLA Facebook post. On the left note the 80s proscenium and several spotlights still in place.

 

 

Trenching the floor. We're looking along the house right wall toward the rear of the auditorium. It's one of 5 photos with "Work on UCLA Nimoy Theater Progresses as 2023 Opening Nears," an August 15, 2022 post by Elvis Herold on the CAP UCLA blog. They commented: "Underground Systems for Optimal Sound -- A 12'-deep trench was dug under the theater’s original floor for the installation of the main ductwork, which will contain all of the theater’s HVAC, electrical and plumbing. Having these systems operate deeply underground will minimize any vibrations and noise, creating optimal performance conditions."

 

 

Rebar installed for a new concrete slab. We're looking toward the back exits. Note the remains of the 80s vintage deco proscenium hanging in the upper center of the image. Photo: CAP UCLA - August 2022. They commented: "At the beginning of construction, the much loved murals were de-installed and saved for later re-installation. All of the seats were permanently removed and the theater’s auditorium stripped down to a shell that is being converted to a state-of-the-art space for live performance. Some of the major structural work has now been completed..."

 

 

New floor slab done at the front of the house. We're looking along the house left wall toward the screen end of the building. Photo: CAP UCLA - August 2022

 

 

A view from the booth looking along the house right wall. Photo: CAP UCLA - August 2022. They commented: "Raked Floors for Optimal Viewing -- The Nimoy auditorium will feature fixed seating on a raked floor in the rear and movable seating in the front, allowing for flexibility in configurations (cabaret, dance, etc.) and up to 299 seats."

 

 

More scaffolding going up for work on the ceiling. Photo: CAP UCLA - August 2022. They comment: "Preparing the Ceiling and Roof -- The next step in the auditorium is to configure the ceiling for the lighting and sound systems for live performances. A massive scaffolding structure has been set up in the auditorium to allow this work. Once this is done, the fixed seating will be installed and the space will begin to look much more like a theater!"

A look down from the top with risers getting constructed for the stadium-style upper section of seats. Thanks to the CAP UCLA Facebook page for sharing this photo and the one below in a March 7, 2023 post. 

 

 

A view to the back wall. Photo: CAP UCLA Facebook page - March  2023 

 

 

Looking in along the house right aisle. Photo: Bill Counter - May 2023

One of the 80s deco pylons. Photo: Bill Counter - May 2023

 

 

 

Along the crossaisle to house left. Photo: Bill Counter - May 2023

 

 

 

Toward the stage from the house left end of the crossaisle. Photo: Bill Counter - May 2023

 

 

The view to house right from a corner of the stage. The floor for the front section is flat and seating will be "flexible." The section above the crossaisle is stadium-style. Photo: Bill Counter - May 2023 

 

 

Looking down the house right aisle from the lobby. The 80s vintage deco plasterwork on the right is getting restored and repainted. The open door is the exit to the alley. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

 

Back toward the lobby along the reinstalled house right mural. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

 

Seating in the upper section. Moveable seating goes in "the pit." Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

The vista to house left. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

The house left aisle. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

The view to house right from near the top. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

 

The tech area. At each end there are doors into the lounge, the former booth. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

 

The view to the stage. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

Looking in from the end of the house left aisle. The doors at the top go into the new upstairs lounge and on to the restroom behind it. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

  

 

A peek in from the house right aisle after the sidewall scaffolding was removed. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

The reinstalled house left mural. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

One of the sidewall fixtures. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

House left, back closer to the Pantages. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

The left aisle from the top. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

 

House right from the top. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

House right from the pit. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

A plaster piece not yet installed. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

Looking back to the top. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

The tech area at the top. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

Sidewall lighting completed. Jason Williams for this photo that appeared along with "CAP UCLA's New Nimoy Theater Hopes to Live Long and Prosper," a September 12, 2023 SF Classical Voice article by Jim Farber. 

A September 2023 view from the stage with all of the seating deployed. The Jason Williams photo appears with the "CAP UCLA's New Nimoy Theater..." Classical Voice article.

 

 

Backstage:

 

Backstage right. The doorway on the left is to the greenroom/dressing room area. Straight ahead leads to either the back exit or the house right aisle. Part of the stage is seen through the open door on the far right. Those doors also lead to the house left aisle. Photo: Bill Counter - July 2023

 

 

In the greenroom. The door to the left goes to a changing area, on the right it's a toilet room and a shower room. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

Stairs upstage right to electrical and mechanical rooms. On the left it's the back wall of the building. At the top on the left it's an equipment loading door to the alley. Take a right at the top of the stairs and there's a door to the main electrical room. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

Looking into the main electrical room on the second floor stage right. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

Emergency power equipment upstage center. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

 

Stage dimmer system and branch circuit panels. On the right it's a bit of the HVAC room. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023  

 

 

HVAC equipment upstage left. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

Back down the stairs to stage right. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

A peek back onto the stage. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2023

 

 

  The Crest as a film house:

The outer lobby in 2007. Photo: Bill Counter

Another outer lobby view.  Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

A view of the bar. Thanks to Mark Peacock for his 2010 photo. It originally appeared on the LAHTF Facebook page. Also see his Vintage Theatres photo set on Flickr.

The Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation is actively involved in the study and preservation of the vintage theatres in the L.A. area. The group frequently supports events and offers tours of various historic theatres. www.lahtf.org | LAHTF on Facebook

Looking along the bar. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

The entrance to the house right aisle. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

 

The house right sidewall in 2007. Photo: Bill Counter

A left sidewall view. The proscenium and screen were originally farther toward the back wall. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

A look across to the the Pantages on the house left wall. It's a 2014 Franck Bohbot photo, part of his stunning Cinema Series of 36 (mostly) California movie palace photos. Mr. Bohbot's photos of the Crest and other California theatres also appear on a 2014 post on Messynessy Chic. This photo and a lobby view also appear with a 2015 National Geographic article "A Night at the Cinema: Reviving the Glamor...."

Thanks to Franck Bohbot for this 2014 photo from the rear of the auditorium. In addition to being on the Cinema Series of his website FranckBohbot.com, the photo can also be seen as part of a 2014 Huffington Post article "13 Hypnotic Photos of Empty Movie Theatres Turned Suburban Temples."

Another look toward the screen. Thanks to Mark Peacock for the 2010 photo on the LAHTF Facebook page.

The Carthay Circle on the house right sidewall. Thanks to Martha Boswell for the photo on the LAHTF Facebook page.

A house right sidewall detail. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007 

The house left front exit. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

The rear of the auditorium. Thanks to Franck Bohbot for the photo, part of his 2014 Cinema Series.

A 2010 view of the rear of the auditorium taken by Don Solosan during an LAHTF "all about" tour of the theatre. The photo appears on the LAHTF Facebook page.

 

 

A wider view to the rear taken by Steve Sann. Thanks to the CAP UCLA Facebook page for sharing this one in an August 2022 post.   

The house right side of the backwall. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

Another proscenium view. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

A June 2020 view taken during an unauthorized visit by a group of urban explorers.  

In the booth, before the UCLA renovations: 

A 2009 booth view by Pamela Smith that appeared on the Crest Facebook page. The theatre kept film capability after the installation of a Christie digital unit. It's over there behind the Simplex XL. The reflection you're seeing is from the platter. The booth once had a Century JJ 35/70mm projector.

A look farther left with a view of the Christie digital unit beyond the Simplex XL. It's another 2009 photo by Pamela Smith from the Crest Facebook page. See the Projection Booth set for 10 more. And there are a few more booth views more in the Crest's other Facebook photos and albums. The Christie projector was replaced with a 4K Sony unit in 2010. What we're not seeing here is the Century JJ2 35/70 over beyond the Christie unit. Pamela comments: 

"I started working there in late 2006 and that 35/70 was still in the booth, pushed over in the corner and it was never used while I was there. Sad to see it go to waste. I loved working there! It was sad to be there after Bigfoot purchased the theatre and Carmike Cinemas operated it, then it shut down. And then it had a short resurrection as a makeshift house programming a random assortment of things. I had a monthly 'celebration' series for awhile and even did Kurosawa and Spielberg tributes. Lots of amazing memories!"

 

Thanks to Pamela for this platter shot she included in a 2023 post of four booth views on the Cinema Treasures Facebook page. She notes that at the time she was making up a print of "Star Wars: A New Hope" for a private screening. 

 

The booth was gutted as part of the 2022-2023 UCLA renovations. 

A few more exterior views: 

1940 - The theatre in November as the UCLAN, its original name. The image, a poor Xerox reproduction of what presumably is a nice photo from the AMPAS Margaret Herrick Digital Library collection, appears in the ninety six page pdf of the City of Los Angeles Cultural-Historic Landmark Application for the Crest. Thanks to Mike Hume for locating it.

 

1949 - "West Coast Premiere." The UCLAN running "Devil in the Flesh," a 1947 film that got a US release in May 1949. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for sharing this December 2 photo as a post on Cinema Treasures. 

1963 - A photo from Marc Wanamaker's Bison Archives collection of the Crest running "Get On With It," a 1961 British film also known as "Dentist On The Job." We're at Westwood and Wellworth looking north toward Wilshire Blvd. The photo appears in Mr. Wanamaker's 2010 Arcadia Publishing book "Westwood." There's a preview on Google Books which includes page 43 where this photo appears. 

1963 - A detail from the photo above that appears on page 88 of the 2008 Arcadia book "Theatres in Los Angeles" by Suzanne Tarbell Cooper, Amy Ronnebeck Hall and Marc Wanamaker. Most of the photos in the book are from Mr. Wanamaker's Bison Archives. Don't have a copy yet? There's a Google Books preview to browse.

1973 - A fine view east toward Century City. The Crest, just right of center, is running "Save The Tiger" a February release with Jack Lemmon and Jack Gilford. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality for spotting the photo on eBay and posting it as Noirish post #50878. 

1973 - The Crest during the run of "O Lucky Man!" with Malcolm McDowell, a June release. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for the photo on the Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles. Thanks to Tom Southall for pointing out that on the far right side of the photo we're seeing a bit of the UA Westwood.

1980 - Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for this "Melvin and Howard" shot. 

1983 - "War Games" was the film that reopened the house as the Metro after SRO gave it a remodel. The reopening was June 3. This July photo is from the American Classic Images collection.  

 

 

c.1985 - Looking south from Wilshire. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the photo when it was for sale online.

1987 - A Metro view that appeared on the Crest Facebook page. "Benji the Hunted" was a June release.

 

 

1987 - "Three Men and a Baby" was the November 25 reopening attraction after Pacific had redone the facade and marquee. By this time they had also installed a larger screen and a THX-certified sound system. Thanks to Richard DuVal for sharing this photo he took as a post for the Westwood Village in the 70s and 80s Facebook group. 

 

 

1988 - "Big Business" was the reopening film in June after the Disney/Pacific Theatres deco interior renovation was completed. Thanks to BAR Architects for including the photo on a page about the project on their website.

c.1988 - The Crest running a revival of "The Ten Commandments." It's a photo from the Bill Gabel collection that once appeared on Photos of Los Angeles. 

 

1990 - A photo by Richard Du Val taken during the run of Warren Beatty’s "Dick Tracy," a film that opened June 15. Thanks to Michael Coate for sharing this in a post for the Friends of 70mm private Facebook group. He noted that 160 theatres in North America were running the film in 70mm and that this release marked the debut of the short-lived Cinema Digital Sound process with 8 theatres running it in that format. Michael adds that the Roger Rabbit animated short "Rollercoaster Rabbit," also in 70, was part of the program. Also see two daytime "Dick Tracy" shots taken by Elisa Leonelli that are in the Claremont Colleges Digital Library collection: image #1780 and image #1781.

 

Louis Eales commented: "We had to staff every screening at the Crest because the track would blow out surrounds. During the intermission we would replace whatever speakers blew out. Later we were able to replace the surrounds as soon as JBL started shipping the next generation surround." See an article about CDS on the site In70mm.

1990 - "Dick Tracy" at night. Thanks to Bill Gabel for sharing this photo from his collection.

1995 - Thanks to Michael Part for his photo. He wrote the script for Disney's "A Kid in King Arthur's Court." He added the shot as a comment to the posting of a 2017 photo on the non-public Facebook group Mid Century Modern Los Angeles.  

 

 

 

2003 - Thanks to Kevin Gooding for sharing this photo he took. It was a post on the LAHTF Facebook page.

 

2004 - A great view of the marquee at night. Thanks to Don Solosan of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation for his photo. 

 

 

2007 - Running "3:10 To Yuma."   Photo: Bill Counter

2008 - A signage view. Thanks to Don Solosan of the LAHTF for his photo.  

2009 - A look at the facade. Photo: Ken McIntyre 

2009 - Looking south across the entrance. Photo: Ken McIntyre. Thanks, Ken!

2009 - The soffit at night. Thanks to Pamela Smith for the photo on the Crest Facebook page.

 

 

2009 - "2012" was a November release. Thanks to Richard DuVal for sharing this photo he took. 

2011- A look at the facade taken during the run of "Season of the Witch." It was a post from Ken McIntyre on Photos of Los Angeles.

2011 - A shot of the Crest signage with the new "Bigfoot" neon added. It's a photo that once appeared on the Crest Facebook page. "Deep Gold" was an April release from Bigfoot. 

 

 

2011 - This shot taken during the run of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" popped up on the All Movie Theatres Facebook page. The film was a May release. 

 

 

2011 - "The Smurfs" was a July release. Thanks to Tony Joe Stemme for sharing this nice shot in a post about the theatre on the Cinema Treasures Facebook page.

2017 - Thanks to Jonathan Raines for this photo. The theatre closed at the end of 2016.

2017 - Life on the streets. It's a Jonathan Raines photo.

2017 - A June photo by Robert Rosenberg. It was a post on the non-public Facebook group Mid Century Modern Los Angeles. Thanks, Robert. He laments that at the time of his photo the theatre had been closed for six months.

2018 - The theatre in limbo in March. Not even a "for sale" sign on the marquee. Photo: Bill Counter 

2018 - A look north on Westwood Blvd. in March. Photo: Bill Counter 

c.2018 - Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor BillinGlendaleCA for this Google Maps view he posted as Noirish post #50879. We're looking east toward Century City with the theatre in the center.

2018 - The south side of the building. Photo: Bill Counter

 

2020 - The mechanical room at the left and, at the center, what appears to be a two-part enclosure that held the original speaker system. Photo: Bill Counter 

2020 - UCLA as sloppy property manager. It's a photo from Kevin Roderick on Instagram. Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting the post.

  

 

2022 - The marquee and facade work underway as part of the UCLA renovations. Thanks to the CAP UCLA Facebook page for the update. This image is a detail from one of the two photos they shared on October 19. 

 

2022 - A view from the south. Photo: Bill Counter - November 12 

 

 

2022 - A tower detail. Note the lettering uncovered from the brief Bigfoot ownership era. Photo: Bill Counter - November 12 

 

 

2022 - The tower from the south. Photo: Bill Counter - November 12

 

 

2022 - Old signage on the south wall. Photo: Bill Counter - November 12

 

 

2023 - With the scaffolding down, and a bit more deconstruction, it was possible to see the original 1940 concrete pylon inside the 80s tower additions. The work on the marquee and vertical is being done by Signmakers. Photo: Bill Counter - January 27

 

 

2023 - The Signmakers crew getting the new "NIMOY" lettering up on the vertical. Thanks to Cat Whalen for sharing her May 19 photo on the LAHTF Facebook page.  

 

2023 - A wider view of of this phase the work. Thanks to Mike Hume for this May 20 photo. Visit his Historic Theatre Photography site for thousands of photos of the many theatres he's explored.  

 

 

2023 - The "NIMOY" letters getting installed above the readerboards. Photo: Bill Counter - May 24

 

 

2023 - A closer look. Photo: Bill Counter - May 24

 

 

2023 - "UCLA" installed atop the vertical. Photo: Bill Counter - May 24

 

 

2023 - A soffit view. Photo: Bill Counter - May 24 

 

 

2023 - Progress on the entrance. Photo: Bill Counter - June 19

 

 

 

2023 - "UCLA" installed atop the readerboards. And more neon trim installed with yellow and blue as the color scheme. Photo: Bill Counter - June 19

 

 

2023 - New yellow horizontal bands installed on the front of the vertical and neon outlining the "NIMOY" letters as well. Photo: Bill Counter - June 19

 

 

2023 - Some of the blue tubing in place at the top of the vertical. Photo: Bill Counter - June 19

 

 

2023 - More neon in place at the top. Photo: Bill Counter - July 7

 

 

2023 - New digital readerboards in place. Photo: Bill Counter - July 7 

 

 

2023 - Sign work continuing with the readerboards lit with a night city view. There evidently were issues with the 25 or so horizontal bands that had been installed up the edge of the vertical sign. They were up a few weeks earlier but at the time of this shot they had been taken down. Photo: Bill Counter - July 20. See Mike Hume's July 21 post on the LAHTF Facebook page for two closer views plus a short video clip.

 

2023 - Work happening on the marquee soffit. Yes, you're looking at neon tubing covered with aluminum foil. Photo: Bill Counter - August 12

 

 

2023 - A shot by Misha Gravenor that appeared with "Westwood's Crest Theatre reopens as the Nimoy, CAP UCLA's ambitious new performance space," a September 1 L.A. Times article by Jessica Gelt that profiled the new operation. Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting the story. 

 

 

2023 - A photo by Jason Williams that appeared along with several interior views in "CAP UCLA's New Nimoy Theater Hopes to Live Long and Prosper," a September 12 article by Jim Farber in SF Classical Voice.  

 

 

2023 - Still work to do on the back of the vertical. That white pylon in the center is what was there prior to the vertical getting augmented during the Disney/Pacific Theatres renovations in the 1980s. Photo: Bill Counter - September 17 

 

 

2023 - Getting ready for opening day festivities. Photo: Bill Counter - September 17

 

 

2023 - The crowd starting to gather and inspect. Photo: Bill Counter - September 17

 

 

2023 - A view from north of Wilshire. The "Expect Delays" issue is related to construction of a new subway stop near the intersection. Photo: Bill Counter - September 17

 

The Crest in the Movies:

The Crest is one of a half dozen theatres to get a marquee shot included in the title sequence of "Entourage" (Warner Bros., 2015). The film, directed by Doug Ellin, stars Kevin Dillon, Jeremy Piven, Adrian Grenier and Kevin Connolly plus many others doing cameos. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for more screenshots.

The Crest is featured prominently for a premiere during the last fifteen minutes of "The Disaster Artist" (New Line Cinema / A24 Films, 2017). The film stars James Franco, Dave Franco, Ari Graynor, Alison Brie and Seth Rogen in the strange tale of aspiring film director Tommy Wiseau and the making of his film "The Room." James Franco directed. Thanks to Chris Willman for the tip about the Crest's appearance. The still of Franco and friends outside the theatre is from New Line. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for several interior shots from the film. 

The Crest on Video: See the short video "Insiders Peek #4: Village, Bruin, Crest" on the LAHTF YouTube channel.

More information: See the Crest page on Cinema Treasures. For additional exterior photos go to Cinema Tour. And take a peek at the nice photo spread devoted to the Crest Theatre on Cinema Sightlines. James Gordon Everett has slideshows featuring a number of fine interior views on his website. 

Don't miss Sandi Hemmerlein's September 2023 Avoiding Regret article "The Crest Has Transformed Into UCLA's New Nimoy Theatre..."

See the 96 page pdf of the City of Los Angeles Cultural-Historic Landmark Application for the Crest. Thanks to Mike Hume for locating it.

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