620 Lincoln Blvd. Venice (Los Angeles),
CA 90291 | map |
The news: The property is scheduled for redevelopment. See details lower on the page.
Opened: August 17, 1951 with a preview of the feature "Meet Me After the Show," a 20th Century Fox film starring Betty Grable. The photo of opening night is one of a set of six by a Mr. Sandusky in the USC Digital Library collection taken that night by the Los Angeles Examiner. The regular bill starting the day after the opening was "The Frogmen" and "Strangers on a Train."
The building is on the east side of the street about 13 blocks north of Venice Blvd. Lincoln Blvd. as it goes through Venice is also Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway.
Architect: It was a
fairly standard Fox West Coast Skouras-style building. The architect of
record is not known. Presumably Fox West Coast's in-house designer Carl
Moeller had a hand in it.
A January 21, 1950 Venice Evening Vanguard article about the acquisition of the property. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this for a 2023 thread about this venue and the older
Venice Theatre on the private Facebook group
Photos of Los Angeles. Note the comment that Fox may have planned a larger theatre were it not for the anti-trust stipulations that they were operating under.
They
were going to call it the Crest Theatre. The "company architects" were
finishing plans and ready to get bids for the project in May 1950.
Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the Evening Vanguard article for a 2022 post for the
Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group. The full article includes a bit more development news.
A drawing of the theatre's facade in the Herald Examiner collection of the
Los Angeles Public Library. Ralph Morris gets the credit by the Library for photographing it.
An August 17, 1951 opening day ad for "The Truly Perfect Theatre." Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating it.
Seating: 1,003 - all
on a single level
The Fox
Venice ran conventional Hollywood movies until 1973 when it became a daily change revival house under the management of Cumberland Mountain Cinemas, headed by Rol Murrow.
Landmark Theatres took over the operation in 1979. Thanks to Richard Orton for sharing his discount card on a post on the
Venice, Ocean Park and Santa Monica Facebook page. He had only used 7 admissions but his card expired in November 1981.
Beginning in 1984 Rafigh Pooya operated the house under the name Fox International running films from India and elsewhere.
Some listings for the theatre in May 1987. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this for inclusion on a thread about the theatre on the
Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.
Closing: It closed in mid-1987, allegedly due to asbestos issues.
An item that appeared in January 1988 that discussed Pooya's problems with his landlord and asbestos. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this.
After being closed for nine months, Pooya's lease ran out in April 1988. This item appearing that month was located by Ken McIntyre.
"The Fox Venice Theater, which in recent years has become an important venue for first-run foreign films in Los Angeles, officially closed last week--months after the last movie was shown. 'We tried until the very last, but sometimes you have no control over these things,' said film maker Rafigh Pooya, whose lease on the theater at 620 Lincoln Blvd. expired. The theater was closed last June after health inspectors found that samples of the soundproofing material on the walls and ceiling contained large quantities of amacite, one of the more hazardous forms of asbestos.
"Pooya, who had revived the theater as a showcase for high-quality art films from Europe and the Third World seldom distributed in the United States, had accused the building’s owners of 'dragging their feet' in making repairs. Albinas Markevicius, a Santa Monica real estate developer who is among the building’s several owners, said that a cleanup of the asbestos, which began last month, should be completed in another two weeks. 'We intend to try to lease the building soon,' he said. 'We have no preference as to whether it remains a theater, as long as (the building’s use) is in compliance with zoning laws.'"
Later use: Despite the alleged asbestos issues, the building was repurposed as a swap meet called the Fox Discount Store. It remained fairly intact but with a flat floor.
Redevelopment: Plans for the property were announced in 2019. In that
version of the project Trader Joe's was to be the primary tenant. The
plan was to leave only the pylon and front wall and demolish the
rest. The site Real Deal discussed these initial ideas in their January 2019 story "Two-Buck Chuck time: Venice set to get first Trader Joe's."
The
article noted that at the time the property had been recently purchased
by the boutique firm Roque & Mark Real Estate. That version of the
redo was to have been designed by Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh.
A rendering from DFH Architects appearing with the Urbanize article. Sharp discussed the new plans:
"Last
week, an entity affiliated with Santa Monica-based Roque & Mark
Realtors submitted an application to the Los Angeles Department of City
Planning to revamp the mid-century building, which was converted from a
movie theater into an indoor swap meet roughly 30 years ago. The
project, which is being designed by DFH Architects, calls for razing
existing retail space along the northern side of the property, which
would be converted into an outdoor seating space and new angled parking.
The lost space would be offset by a 3,508 expansion on the southern
side of the building, adding new retail in an area which was previously
occupied by a nursery. The resulting structure would include 15,822
square feet of commercial floor area.
"In
addition to the modifications to the building, plans call for
converting the existing theater lobby facing Lincoln Boulevard into an
891-square-foot cafe, with outdoor seating under the Fox's marquee sign.
The theater's mezzanine level is slated to be converted into 3,163
square feet of office space. The property owners also intend to restore
the 'FOX' pylon sign by adding neon light accents and lit channel
graphics similar to its historic appearance..."
Interior views:
Thanks to the Ronald W. Mahan Collection for sharing this early auditorium view. It's a photo taken by Western Photo Co. that was once in the Grosh Scenic Studios collection. Ron comments: "Simple but elegant! Very unusual to see what appears to be an ante-proscenium lighting position in the ceiling for lighting the curtain."
A detail from the photo. Thanks, Ron!
Looking in from the front doors. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
Across the lobby from house left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
Looking through the merchandise toward the screen. Photo: Bill Counter - 2010
Down the house left aisle. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
A wiggly plaster detail. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
The proscenium. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
The front of the booth. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
More exterior views:
The 1951 opening of the theatre. The photo in the
Los Angeles Public Library collection is by Ralph Morris, a popular commercial photographer working from 1939 until 1981.
A view of the opening night crowd under the typical
Skouras-style marquee of the Fox Venice. It's a Ralph Morris photo in the
Los Angeles Public Library collection.
"A Hatful Of Rain" with Eva Marie Saint and Don Murray playing the Fox in 1957. The film was a July release. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the image to share as a comment on
Ken's Movie Page on Facebook.
Thanks to Michael Hayashi for this 1957 look at the theatre, a post of his on the
Venice, Ocean Park and Santa Monica Facebook page. Note the guys up working on the Fox lettering on the tower. "Perri" was an August release.
Robert F. Kennedy campaigning on Lincoln Blvd. on June 4, 1968, two days before his assassination. It's a photo taken for the Santa Monica Outlook that's in the collection of the Santa Monica History Museum. It appeared as a post on the SMHM Facebook page.
The Fox Venice playing the November 1968 release "Yellow Submarine" along with Alan Alda in "Paper Lion." It's a
Los Angeles Public Library photo.
Joy Bang makes the mistake of going to a show in "Messiah of Evil" (International Cine Film Corp., 1973). The title on the marquee should have warned her that bad things might happen. "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" was a 1950 film with Jimmy Cagney,
Barbara Payton and Helena Carter. Thanks to Greg Flewin for this screenshot. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for a Fox snackbar view and auditorium shots done at the Encore/Continental on Melrose.
A 1982 look at the Fox Venice playing a double bill of "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Bridge on the River Kwai." That must have been a long evening. Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for the photo. It also appears with Steven Sharp's April 26, 2021 Urbanize article "
Renovation in the works for Venice's Fox Theater," where they credit the image to the City of Los Angeles.
A 1983 photo by Mike Sergieff taken for the Herald Examiner. It's in the
Los Angeles Public Library collection.
A c.1988 shot by Mike Sergieff for the Herald Examiner that's in the
Los Angeles Public Library collection. Note that the Fox lettering is gone from the tower.
Thanks to Martin for this fine c.2005 view of the building. It once appeared on his vanished site You-Are-Here.com.
A view south on Lincoln Blvd. Photo: Bill Counter - 2010
The former theatre from across the street. Photo: Bill Counter - 2010
The area where the boxoffice had been. The original front doors of the theatre had been removed. Photo: Bill Counter - 2010
Another view from the south. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
The north side of the complex. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
The tower. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
The redevelopment progress report: nothing happening. Photo: Bill Counter - July 8, 2024
Other businesses were open but the gates were down at the theatre. Photo: Bill Counter - July 8, 2024
The Fox Venice in the Movies:
At the snackbar in "Messiah of
Evil" (International Cine
Film Corporation, 1973). It's a tale about a mysterious
cult in a strange California seaside town. The film, also known as "Dead
People," was
directed by Willard Huyck and stars Joy Bang, Michael Greer and Marianna Hill.
Thanks to Greg Flewin for the screenshot. The six minute long theatre scene is on
YouTube. See the
Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for two exterior views plus auditorium shots from the film that were done at the Encore Theatre on Melrose.
Stephen Nathan is a worried producer pacing the Fox Venice lobby during
the big premiere of his work in "The First Nudie Musical" (Paramount,
1976). The book,
music, and lyrics for the movie are by Bruce
Kimmel. See the
Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies
post for sixteen more shots from the film including another lobby shot and many views of Hollywood
theatre signage.
More
Information: See the
Cinema Treasures page on the Fox Venice for lots of stories and links to
additional exterior photos.
Pat
Hartman's Virtual Venice site has a great article on "
The Fabulous Fox Venice" detailing its history as a revival house.
For more general Venice history, the place to go is Jeffrey Stanton's amazing
Venice History Site. Don't miss
his
Movie Making in Venice and Ocean Park section. Mr. Stanton is the Author of "Venice, California - Coney Island of the Pacific."
Also check out
the website
Venice History.
Thank you!
ReplyDelete.. Rol Murrow, President
.. Cumberland Mountain Theaters
.. Fox Venice Theatre, 1973-1979
Anyone know who owns this property and contact info?
ReplyDeleteDid you look at the text? I note that Roque and Mark Real Estate of Santa Monica are the owners.
DeleteThe original neon signage was on exhibit/storage somewhere locally in Santa Monica or Culver City. I remember reading about in the LA Weekly ages ago. I don't remember where - perhaps the Museum of Jurassic Technology.
ReplyDeleteOkay, the marquee neon lights are with the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Delete