Fox Westwood / Mann / Regency Village: history + exterior

961 Broxton Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90024 | map |

Also see: Fox Westwood - interior views

News: Expect the Village to become a 4-plex. Not by chopping up the existing auditorium but by adding three new screens, presumably in the small parking lot behind the theatre. The theatre is currently dark. July 25, 2024 was the last day of operation for both the Village and the Bruin under Regency Theatres management. They had been the lessee since 2010.

No permits have been issued but one has been in the works since February 2024, needing to go through many hoops before any permit is issued. Application #24014-10000-00635 (viewable on the LADBS website) is for work on the existing building as well as additions. It lists this scope of work:

"***30% PDPP FOR REVIEW OF ZONING AND THE STRUCTURAL BASIS OF DESIGN*** RENOVATION TO (E) 2-STORY THEATER. SEISMIC UPGRADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH NON-DUCTILE CONCRETE ORDINANCE. NEW CONSTRUCTION ADDITION. WORK INCLUDES: (3) NEW THEATERS - STRUCTURAL AND SEISMIC RETROFIT - RELOCATION OF RESTROOMS - NEW RETAIL, RESTAURANT, KITCHEN, BARS, PATIO AND 2ND FLOOR OUTDOOR PATIO - NEW ELEVATOR - NEW ADA LIFT - ENCLOSE OUTDOOR EGRESS COURT - DEMO (E) CMU WALLS."

The architect will be Karin J. Liljegren, head of the restoration-oriented firm Omgivning. The project's structural engineer will be Structural Focus, the same firm that recently did the Egyptian. The City's "PDPP" program, the Parallel Design - Permitting Process, helps "to expedite major projects by allowing the design and permitting processes to occur concurrently." Thanks to Escott O. Norton for locating the permit.

A group of 36 filmmakers led by Jason Reitman closed on the property in February 2024. They promised ongoing first-run film exhibition with occasional repertory programming. At the time of the sale they noted that their plans would include the addition of a restaurant, bar and gallery. They have not made any announcement about the expected timeline for a reopening. A guess would be 2026 at the earliest. The property includes the area presently leased to Starbucks as well as one currently vacant retail space on Broxton north of the theatre entrance.

The Bruin was not part of the sale. It remains as a holding of the Margaret Skouras Martyn family, the longtime owners. Until the recent sale of the Village, that was in their portfolio as well. They're evidently evaluating options for the building, which also includes several retail/restaurant spaces. They've made no announcements nor filed for permits yet. 

 

Opened: August 14, 1931 with Marie Dressler and Polly Moran in "Politics." Originally known as the Fox Westwood Village, the theatre was a joint venture of Fox West Coast Theatres and Janss Development, the developer of Westwood Village. The 2024 photo by Bill Counter was taken on July 25, the last day of operation prior to renovations. The final film was "Fly Me To the Moon" with Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum.

 

Phone: 310-208-5576  Online: Regency Village & Bruin on Facebook  

Architect: Percy Parke Lewis -- evidently his only theatre project.

Seating: 1,489 originally. It was up to 1,535 after the 1951 renovations. It's 1,341 currently. 

 

A big pre-opening mention of the new theatre, with no "Westwood" in its name, from the August 11, 1931 issue of the L.A. Times. This was part of a huge directory ad Fox West Coast ran on Tuesdays and Saturdays that listed all their theatres in the L.A. area. This was just another little neighborhood theatre for the chain. They didn't even advertise it in the Times on opening day, the 14th. The initial policy was three changes of program a week.

 

Fox did, however buy space in the neighborhood papers. This was the ad in the Venice Evening Vanguard on opening day. "Politics" had been around for a while. The Vanguard also had an ad for the Rosemary in Ocean Park, where the film was just winding up a run.

 

 

This story promising "scores of searchlights" and "parachute flares which will be shot into the sky" was also in the Vanguard on the 14th. They promised no tiresome "speeches of welcome" and no "addresses concerning the theater." Thanks to theatre historian Kurt Wahlner for locating the coverage of the opening. He curates an extensive site about the Chinese: GraumansChinese.org

The new theatre was profiled in an October 24, 1931 Motion Picture Herald article "Catering To A University Community" that included six photos of the theatre. One of the photos of the lobby appeared again in the November 21 issue as part of a photo spread on foyers. A small photo of the house left organ grille also appeared in the November 21 issue.It's all on Internet Archive.

For decades it was operated Fox West Coast and then its successor companies National General Corporation and Mann Theatres. In later years it was called the Village Theatre. While the exterior remains quite unchanged from 1931, the lobby and auditorium got the Skouras treatment in 1951. The big reopening was October 18 with the L.A. Times giving the event nice coverage that day. 

 

A January 1956 demonstration of the new Cinemascope 55 process. Both Motiograph and Century made 35/55mm projectors for the format but Fox decided to only release 35mm prints for both "Carousel" and "King and I," the only two films shot on 55mm stock. Thanks to Howard Preizler for sharing the trade magazine ad on the Friends of 70mm private Facebook group.   

The theatre was declared a City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1988. It was added to the Regency Theatres chain along with the Bruin (across the street) in 2010 after the Mann Theatres lease ended. The L.A. Times ran an April 2010 story about the transition: "2 Historic Westwood Theaters Saved From Possible Closure."

 

Regency started by calling it the Westwood Village Theatre but soon was calling it the Regency Village. The Regency feature presentation strip and policy strip are on YouTube. Manager Obet Maldonado-Perez has taken great care of the two buildings. Regency's lease on the theatre expired in 2022 and they were given a one-year extension in July 2023 at a rent of $15,195 per month, a bit less than what Starbucks was paying.  

Looking for a buyer: The property was placed on the market in January 2023. This parcel as well as the Bruin across the street had been owned by the same family for decades, what the Offering Memorandum PDF called a "multi-generational asset." The site The Real Deal noted it was in a family trust controlled by Dr. Jeffrey Seitzer of La Jolla. See the listing on Loopnet. So far there has not been any motion to sell the Bruin. Thanks to Chris Nichols for spotting the listing and Mike Hume for researching it. The broker with the listing was Newmark Capital Markets at 213-298-3593.

In January 2024 Jason Reitman surfaced as the front man for an unnamed group of investors hoping to buy the property. The news at the time was that the purchase was in escrow for a price rumored to be around $12 million. Pat Saperstein discussed the deal in her January 31, 2024 article "Jason Reitman Leads Group Acquiring the Fox Village Westwood Theater." Pat credited The Ankler's Peter Kiefer with breaking the news with "Who You Gonna Call? To Save a Theater, Jason Reitman." There was also a story in Deadline. 

Paul Rayton spotted "A big name has stepped in to save one of LA's most famous movie palaces," a nice February 9 article by Paula Mejia for SF Gate that discussed the impending sale and chronicled the history of the theatre as well as offering a discussion of movie palace architecture of the 20s and 30s. In "Los Angeles Sees Movie Theatre Resurgence..," an August 25 story in the Hollywood Reporter, it was noted that the owners were looking for upward of $17 million for the property.

New owners: A consortium of 36 filmmakers led by Jason Reitman closed on the property in February 2024.

A February 12 shot of the heroes taken by Alex J. Berliner. A cropped version appeared with Pat Saperstein's February 21 story "Jason Reitman Acquires Fox Village Westwood Theater With Filmmakers Including Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, JJ Abrams, Chloé Zhao." Also see Josh Rottenberg's L.A. Times article "Jason Reitman and a group of directors have bought Westwood’s iconic Village Theater" that includes an interview with Reitman. Zoe G. Phillips also added a recap the same day for the Hollywood Reporter.

The new owners: JJ Abrams, Judd Apatow, Damien Chazelle, Chris Columbus, Ryan Coogler, Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Jonathan Dayton, Guillermo del Toro, Valerie Faris, Hannah Fidell, Alejandro González Iñárritu, James Gunn, Sian Heder, Rian Johnson, Gil Kenan, Karyn Kusama, Justin Lin, Phil Lord, David Lowery, Christopher McQuarrie, Chris Miller, Christopher Nolan, Alexander Payne, Todd Phillips, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Jason Reitman, Jay Roach, Seth Rogen, Emma Seligman, Brad Silberling, Steven Spielberg, Emma Thomas, Denis Villeneuve, Lulu Wang, and Chloé Zhao. 

Closing: Regency Theatres closed both the Village and the Bruin on July 25, 2024. Their leases were up on both theatres. Thanks to Regency and their long-time manager Obet Maldonado for a great job of maintenance and operation. In a July 26 Hollywood Reporter story Seth Abramovitch talked about the final night and the future of the two theatres.  

Until the closing it remained a top first-run house and with the right film could perform well. The Village has always been known for its top quality sound and projection -- 35mm, 70mm and digital. It had long been a favored house for major premieres. In recent years it's been digital projection except for special runs. Regency Theatres had operated both the Village and the Bruin since 2010.  

Status: The theatre is currently dark and will soon be under renovation. See the news about their plans at the top of the page.

 

More exterior views:

c.1931 - A view taken by Anton Wagner toward the tower of the newly constructed theatre. We're looking north across the vacant lot between Gayley (on the left) and Broxton. Sorry, all we get is the tower as the rest of the theatre is blocked by the commercial building in the foreground. It's a photo on the California Historical Society website. They date it as December 1932 but it appears to be earlier. They note that in the background is "Streets of Old Monterey," a themed residential area.

Thanks to Kim Cooper of Esotouric for posting the photo on the LAHTF Facebook page. See Esotoric's page with many photos by Wagner on their Secrets of Los Angeles blog. Many more photos by Mr. Wagner can be viewed on the CHS website collected as "Los Angeles 1932-33." He was in L.A. working on a dissertation about the influence of topography on the character of a city's inhabitants. 

1931 - A stunning panorama from Pettit's Studio in the Huntington Library Verner Collection of Panoramic Negatives. On the Huntington's site you can zoom in to look at details.

The domed building in the center was one of the first to be built for the project and was initially the offices of the developers Edwin and Harold Janss. Later it was a Bank of America branch and is now a restaurant called Broxton.

1931 - A detail from the Petit's Studio photo as we look up Broxton toward the Fox Westwood Village.

1932 - A detail from a panoramic shot taken in March by C.C. Pierce looking north from Wilshire & Westwood. The full photo is in the Huntington Library collection.

1932 - An October view of Westwood Village from the Huntington Library Verner Collection of Panoramic Negatives.

1932 - A detail from the previous photo.

1932 - A look up toward the theatre from the Los Angeles Public Library Blackstock Negative Collection. That's Westwood Blvd. veering off to the right.

1933 - An extraordinary look at the theatre from the west. It's a C.C. Pierce photo in the collection of the Huntington Library.

1933 - A detail from the photo above.

1934 - Another great Pettit's Studio panorama of Westwood Village. It's in the Huntington Library collection. 

1934 - A detail from the photo above. The Huntington also has a March 1934 Petit's Studio panorama in the collection that shows mostly gas stations on Wilshire.

 

 

1934 - For a nice change of angle here's a view looking up Glendon. Thanks to Martin Turnbull for locating the image for a post on his Hollywood's Garden of Allah Novels Facebook page. 

1934 - A view southeast across UCLA's Subtropical Horticultural Orchard toward the theatre. The photo is in the UCLA Library collection. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality for including it in Noirish post #54384. The orchard, north of Le Conte Ave., can seen be seen in a 1936 aerial view also here on the page. The UCLA Medical Center now occupies the site. 

 

1935 - A shot up Westwood Blvd. from the California Historical Society's Chamber of Commerce collection that appears on the USC Digital Library website. 

1935 - A detail from the previous photo. 

 

 

c.1935 - Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this card for a post for the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.

1936 - A view from a blimp -- note the shadow at the bottom. The Fox Westwood Village is in the upper left. Across the street from the Fox the site of the Bruin is still an empty lot. It opened in December 1937. Sears has arrived. Note the tower on their new building diagonally across the intersection from the domed Janss Development Co. building. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo. 

 

 

c.1936 - A fine view up Broxton Ave. from Kinross Ave. that was taken by Bob Plunkett. Janss seems to have moved out of their domed building on the right. Note that the entrance is boarded up. The uncropped version of this postcard shot from the Ernest Marquez collection appears on the Huntington Library website. They note:  

 

"This image was received as part of a set compiled by Bob Plunkett, a Los Angeles photographer and artist who published souvenir photographic postcards under his own name as well as the business names 'Angeleno Photo Service' and 'Angeleno Post Card Co.' The credit 'Brookwell Photo' sometimes appears on images that Plunkett published, but little information about this photographer is known."

c.1936 - A Ralph Morris shot looking toward Chapman's drugs and up Weyburn Ave. to the Fox. No sign of the Bruin yet. It's a photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

1938 - A view from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. The Bruin Theatre is peeking out on the right.

1938 - A closer view from that same photo shoot. The theatre was running "My Lucky Star." It's in the Los Angeles Public Library collection and can also be seen on the website of the Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection, their item #T-055-2. 

1938 - The "My Lucky Star" closeup. Photo: Los Angeles Public Library

c.1938 - A postcard located by Ken McIntyre for a post for the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles. The Sears store on the left had opened in 1936. Bank of America had taken over the yellow-domed building originally used for the Janss Development Co. offices. Note the new tower on the dome.

 

c.1938 - A great postcard view from Obet Maldonado, manager of the Regency Village and Bruin Theatres. On the right note the new roof sign atop Ralph's.

c.1939 - A look up Broxton Ave. It's a photo that appeared on the Regency Theatres Facebook page. One of the films they were running was the 1938 release "Thoroughbreds Don't Cry" with Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.

1939 - Looking up Westwood Blvd. toward the theatre. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this one for a post for the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group.

 

 

1939 - A view from the Automobile Club of Southern California archives that appeared in their Westways magazine in October 2017. Thanks to Jonathan Raines for spotting it in another clipping in the gallery section of the website for Oakley's Barber Shop in Westwood. 

1939 - A look across the ice of the Tropical Ice Gardens toward the tower of the Fox Westwood Village. The rink was at the southwest corner of Gayley and Weyburn. It's a photo from the Regency Theatres Facebook page. 

c.1940 - Another ice skating photo. Thanks to Bill Gabel for sharing it on a post for the Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.

c.1940 - A lovely view looking across Wilshire. Thanks to Bill Gabel for finding the photo for a post for the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group.

c.1940 - An Ansel Adams photo from the Fortune Magazine collection. It's on the Los Angeles Public Library website. 

 

 

1940s - Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting this view up Broxton when it was offered for sale online. By the time of this shot the theatre had updated their readerboards with white faces.

 

1940s - A shot looking up Weyburn Ave. from Vintage Kodachrome Slides on Instagram. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a post for the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. 

1947 - A December Life magazine shot looking toward the Village during the premiere of Hitchcock's "The Paradine Case" with Gregory Peck, Alida Valli and Louis Jordan.  It ended up playing the Chinese for all of 12 days beginning October 29, 1948. The photo is one that appeared on the Regency Theatres Facebook page. 

Both theatres were running the film that night. Bruce Kimmel comments: "The film had a short run for Academy Awards consideration beginning December 30 - it was a big ol' flop and they held it until the end of 1948."

1948 - The premiere of "The Adventures of Casanova." It's one of several photos of the event by the Dick Whittington Studio that are in the USC Digital Library collection.

 

c.1948 - "The locale of the University of California's 334 acre campus and where many well known movie stars reside." It's a postcard from Elizabeth Fuller on Flickr. See her terrific Old Los Angeles Postcards album for a great collection. At last look she had 686 for you to browse. A version of the card also appears on Martin Turnbull's Hollywood's Garden of Allah Novels Facebook page where it was spotted by Stephen Russo.

1949 - A wonderful Life magazine view looking toward the theatre. It was posted by Ken McIntyre on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. Alison Martino later did a re-post.

1950 - A Nate Singer photo of the Fox Westwood with "Sundowners" and Disney's "Cinderella" on the marquee. Note the end panel: "The Place To Go." The photo is in the Tom B'hend and Preston Kaufmann Collection, part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Margaret Herrick Library Digital Collection.

1951- A shot of the reopening following the Skouras remodeling of the interior. It's a photo by Morris and Associates that's in the Herald Examiner collection of the Los Angeles Public Library. 

1951 - A closer look at the reopening premiere. On the marquee end panel: "Beauty and Luxury."  The photo made an appearance on Photos of Los Angeles.

1951 - Announcements at the reopening. That's Charles Skouras, head of Fox West Coast Theatres, on the left. Photo: Regency Theatres Facebook page

 

1950s - A postcard view up Westwood Blvd. toward the theatre. Thanks to Elizabeth Fuller on Flickr for the card. "A shopping center par excellence. Fascinating shops and swank department stores serving residential areas of Beverly Hills, Bel-Air and Brentwood."

 

 

1950s - A shot by an unknown photographer located by Bebé Bellâ for a post on the Facebook group Lost Angeles. 

 

 

 

1957 - Thanks to Martin Turnbull for locating this shot for his Hollywood's Garden of Allah Novels Facebook page. After discussing the Bank of America building he comments: "But the detail I really love about this photo are the two orange cars approaching the intersection, which makes me think we just don’t see enough orange cars on the roads these days."

 

1961 - A fine look toward the theatre from the collection of Richard Wojcik. His post on Vintage Los Angeles also includes a recent view of the intersection. He comments: "Looking north towards Wilshire/Westwood Blvd. and Westwood Village. The altering of the area's skyline began here with construction of the two hi-rises on the north corners---the Linde Medical Center (currently the Westwood Medical Plaza) and Occidental Petroleum Center (recently purchased by UCLA)."

 

1965 - "A Thousand Clowns" was a December release with Jason Robards and Barbara Harris. The image appears on the cover of Bruce Kimmel's 23rd book, a novel titled "Preview Harvey." You can read all about it on a March 2023 Facebook post from Bruce.

 

1969 - An "Easy Rider" photo that once appeared on the Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles from Michael Hayashi but has now vanished from that site. It popped up again on the Vintage Los Angeles page as a post from Alison Martino. 

 

1974 - A lovely view toward the theatre at dusk. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the image when it was for sale online. Bruce Kimmel did the research and reports that at the time of the photo the Village was running "Man on a Swing" with Cliff Robertson and Joel Grey.

 

1974 - Looking toward the Fox Westwood in December. Thanks to Lisa Kurtz Sutton for the photo on the Facebook group Westwood in the 70s and 80s.

 

 

1976 - "The Omen" with Lee Remick and Gregory Peck was a June release. Thanks to 20th Century Studios for sharing this shot in an Instagram post in 2024.

 

1976 - A December photo by Alan Light in the Richard Wojcik collection with the theatre set for the world premiere engagement of "A Star is Born," in 70mm Dolby. The photo appeared as a post on Vintage Los Angeles. The premiere was December 18. See a Times ad from that day in a post from Michael Coate on the Friends of 70mm private Facebook group.

 

 

 

1977 - A "Star is Born" photo by John Margolies that's in the Library of Congress collection.  

 

 

1977 - A boxoffice view by John Margolies from the Library of Congress collection. 

 

 

1978 - A "Saturday Night Fever" shot taken by John Margolies that's in the Library of Congress collection. The film was a December 1977 release.

 

1978 - Another "Saturday Night Fever" photo. Thanks to Meredith Jacobson Marciano for this one on Flickr.

 

 

1979 - "The Life of Brian" was an August release. Thanks to the Classic Hollywood / Los Angeles / SFV Facebook page for locating the photo for a post. 

 

 

1980 - A look down the street toward the theatre with its big yellow banner up for "The Shining," a May release. Thanks to Richard DuVal for sharing this photo he took. It's on an Images and Memories of Los Angeles Facebook post with two closer views. 

 

1980 - "Altered States" opened Christmas Day. Thanks to Michael Coate for sharing this photo from his collection. It was a post on the Facebook group Friends of 70mm.

 

1981 - "Excalibur" playing in April. Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for this photo. 

 

1981 - "Neighbors" with John Beluschi and Dan Aykroyd playing the Village. The Bruin had "Sharkey's Machine" with Burt Reynolds. Both films were December 18, 1981 releases. Thanks to Ob Askin for sharing his photo on the Mid Century Modern private Facebook group. And thanks to Stephen Russo for spotting the post. 

1982 - Thanks to American Classic Images for this fine view taken during the run of "Victor Victoria."

 

1982 - Another view from American Classic Images. 

 

1983 - A photo by James Ruebsamen from the Herald Examiner collection of the Los Angeles Public Library. It appeared with this caption: "On an average day, 108,000 vehicles swarm through the Westwood intersection of Wilshire and Veteran -- L.A.'s busiest -- and on an average night it seems as if at least that many teen-agers are on the village streets."

 

1985 - The "Rocky IV" premiere. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the photo for a post for the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group.

 

1986 - Thanks to Obet Maldonado for sharing this photo on the Regency Theatres Facebook page. 

 

 

 

1987 - A look toward the Village and Bruin theatres from the Richard Wojcik collection appearing on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. Thanks, Richard!

 

 

1989 - "Batman" mania. Thanks to Richard DuVal for sharing this photo in a post on the Cinema Treasures Facebook group that included thirteen other shots taken during the Westwood runs of the original film and its sequels.

 

 

1989 - A photo taken by Richard DuVal during the run of "Tango & Cash," a December release. See his post for the Westwood Village in the 70s and 80s Facebook group for a second shot. Thanks, Richard! 

 

 

1991 - That's Robin Hood shooting a flaming arrow (yes, real flames) toward the portion of the Sherwood Forest that's on top of the Bruin's marquee. See the Bruin shot. Thanks to Richard DuVal for sharing his two photos of the June "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" premiere as a post for the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group. 

 

1991 - "The Pope Must Diet!," an August release. It's a photo taken by John Margolies that's in the Library of Congress collection. 

 

1992 - "Batman Returns" was a June release. Thanks to Richard DuVal for sharing this photo, one of 21 in his "The Village Theatre" post on the Cinema Tour Facebook page. Also see his "The Village Theatre Part 2" post.

 

2000 - "Space Cowboys" was an August release with Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones and Donald Sutherland. Thanks to Richard DuVal for sharing his photo on the Cinema Treasures Facebook page.

2001 - A tower view from the website of Behr Browers Architects. It's on a Mann Theatre Westwood page where they discuss a 12 plex that Mann was planning c.2001 that would have incorporated the Village and Bruin Theatres as well as adding more screens.

2001 - The Fox Westwood and Bruin Theatres. Photo: Behr Browers Architects

2005 - A photo by Carol Highsmith in the Library of Congress collection. Thanks to Jonathan Raines for finding it in the collection. You can also browse the Library's website for more photos of L.A. buildings by Ms. Highsmith.

2005 - A nice view of the tower at dusk. Thanks to Oleg S. for the photo on Flickr.

2007 - Looking up Broxton Ave. toward the theatre. Photo: Bill Counter  

2007 - From Broxton and Weyburn. Photo: Bill Counter

2007 - The top of the tower. Photo: Bill Counter 

2007 - A winged beast at the front corner of the building. Photo: Bill Counter

2007 - That's the house left wall on the left. On the right, heading toward the tower, it's the booth end of the theatre. Photo: Bill Counter 

2007 - Display cases at the entrance.  Photo: Bill Counter 

2007 - The entrance area. Photo: Bill Counter

2007 - A column capital detail. Photo: Bill Counter 

 

 

2008 - "Mad Money" was a January release starring Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah. The photo by Frazer Harrison from Getty Images appeared with Pat Saperstein's February 2024 story "Jason Reitman Acquires Fox Village Westwood Theater With Filmmakers Including Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, JJ Abrams, Chloé Zhao."

2010 - The milk glass letters in the readerboards vanished decades ago but the 1931 neon remains unchanged. Photo: Bill Counter

2012 - A view of the tower with a projection promoting "The Hunger Games." The shot was taken from the Bruin's marquee. It's a photo from the Regency Theatres Facebook page. Check out their Village Theatre Vintage Photos and Regency Village Theatre sets for many more views.

 

 

2016 - "Star Trek Beyond" was a July release. Many thanks to Richard DuVal for this photo. He notes that it was wildfire smoke coloring the sky. This is one of 24 photos plus a video of the theatre in "The Village Theatre Part 2," a post on the Cinema Tour Facebook page. Also see a couple of fine smoky "Star Trek" shots in a Facebook post from Gary Watters.

2016 - Thanks to Howard Gray for this entrance view. It was once shared on the Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles but seems to have vanished from there. "Magnificent Seven" was a September release.

2016 - A look up the tower. Photo: Howard Gray

2016 - The boxoffice. Photo: Howard Gray

2016 - The entrance doors. Photo: Howard Gray

2016 - The City of Los Angeles plaque. Photo: Howard Gray. Thanks for the photos!

2017 - Thanks to Paul Wright for sharing this shot he took as a post on the page for the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group.

2017 - A "Blade Runner 2049" photo from Jonathan Raines. Thanks, Jonathan!

2017 - A fine drone view. Thanks to Austin B. for this photo he posted on Yelp.

2019 - The June releases "Toy Story 4" at the Bruin and "Spiderman: Far From Home" at the Village. Thanks to Josh Gardner for the photo. It appeared with a post by Michael Russell on the Westwood Village Improvement Association Facebook page about the 2024 closing of the two theatres. Alison Martino also shared it on her Vintage Los Angeles page.

2020 - The top of the tower's sign. Thanks to Peter Chacona Chaconas for this photo and others appearing here. They were a May post of 12 views for the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group.  

2020 - The very top. Photo: Peter Chacona Chaconas -  Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group  

2020 - The winged beasts one level up the tower. Photo: Peter Chacona Chaconas -  Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group

2020 - A detail of the frieze around the top of the building. Photo: Peter Chacona Chaconas -  Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group

2020 - The marquee copy during the Coronavirus shutdown. Photo: Peter Chacona Chaconas -  Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group. Thanks, Peter!  

 

 

c.2020 - A lovely view that was used to promote the 2021 L.A Conservancy virtual tours about the history of Westwood Village.  

 

 

2021 - "No Time To Die" playing in October. Thanks to Richard DuVal for sharing this image and many more from his visit as a post on the Movie Palaces, Theatres & Cinemas Facebook group. Also see Richard's post of 17 images taken during the film's run at the Village and other theatres around town that appeared on the Cinema Treasures Facebook page.

 

 

2021 - "Licorice Pizza," an exclusive run in 70mm that began in late November. Photo: Bill Counter 

 

 

2021 - More "Licorice." Photo: Bill Counter

 

 

2021 - A look up the tower. Thanks to Cat Whalen for including this fine shot as one of four on a Facebook post. For more photos taken during the "Licorice Pizza" run see the Facebook posts by Steve Whalen, Ben Abkaryan (on the Theatre Architecture page), Richard DuVal (on Movie Palaces, Theatres & Cinemas) and Regency Theatres.  

 

 

2022 - "Top Gun: Maverick" was on the marquee but this evening it got bumped to the Bruin across the street. It was the night of the L.A. Conservancy's "Last Remaining Seats" screening of the 1967 film "To Sir, With Love." Thanks to Mike Hume for the June 4 photo. Visit his Historic Theatre Photography site for historical data and thousands of great photos of the many theatres he's explored in the L.A. area and elsewhere. And don't miss his page on the Village Theatre.

2023 - A view appearing on Newmark Capital's Offering Memorandum PDF when the building was put on the market. Also see the listing on Loopnet. Thanks to Chris Nichols for spotting the listing and Mike Hume for researching it. 

 

 

2023 - The "Barbenheimer" smackdown. Mr. O. holding forth at the Village vs. the Lady in Pink at the Bruin. Photo: Bill Counter - July 20 

 

 

2023 - Another "Oppenheimer" view. Photo: Bill Counter - July 20 

2023 - "Oppenheimer" at night. Thanks to Roy H. Wagner, ASC, for sharing this photo he took July 29. 

2024 - The entrance on the last day of operation prior to renovations. The final film was "Fly Me To the Moon" with Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum. Photo: Bill Counter - July 25

 

2024 - The marquee remains virtually unchanged since the theatre's 1931 opening. Well, except for the fact that they no longer use milk glass letters. Photo: Bill Counter - July 25

 

 

2024 - The funereal look the day after the closing. Photo: Bill Counter - July 26 

2024 - The Bruin is also dressed for mourning. Photo: Bill Counter - July 26

 

 

2024 - Although it'll be closed for some time, the new owners are still lighting it up at night. Bravo! Photo: Bill Counter - August 11 

 

 

On the roof outside the top house right exit of the balcony: 

 

Looking down the house right exit passage. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022 

 

 

The winged beast on the corner overlooking Starbucks. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

 

 

A street view south from this level. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

 

 

 

Ornament on the north side of the tower. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

 

 

The view to the top. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

 

 

A closer look at the upper levels. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

Up in the Tower:

 

A panoramic view from inside the door that's at roof level. Photo: Mike Hume - 2022

 

 

A look up. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

 

 

 

The first ladder landing and beyond. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022

 

 

The doorway out to the walkway one level up. Photo: Mike Hume - 2022

 

 

The view south on Broxton Ave. That's Weyburn Ave. on the left. From this position the Bruin Theatre is obscured by the ornament on the left. Photo: Mike Hume - 2022

 

 

The view east toward the Bruin Theatre. Photo: Mike Hume - 2022

 

 

A closer look at the Bruin, a 1937 S. Charles Lee design. "Get Your Buns in Theaters." That's Broxton Ave. at the bottom and Weyburn on the right. Photo: Mike Hume - 2022

 

 

 

The view back over the roof of the auditorium. Photo: Mike Hume - 2022 

 

 

A look up to the next level. Photo: Mike Hume - 2022. Thanks, Mike! Visit his site for a real treat: Historic Theatre Photography

 

 

Robert Redford up at the base of the Fox sign in 1965. This shot is from a 1 1/2 minute home movie clip featuring him climbing the tower. The footage was shot by Roddy McDowell. Thanks to Alison Martino for sharing it on Instagram. 

 

Looking up at the sign. Image: Roddy McDowell - 1965

 

 

Redford unscrewing light bulbs on the "X" as a prank. Image: Roddy McDowell - 1965

 

 

Redford exiting the tower via the door at roof level. Image: Roddy McDowell - 1965. In an "Inside the Actor's Studio" interview Redford recalled his interest in climbing tall buildings in Hollywood and elsewhere. He mentioned the Fox Westwood caper and noted that he went back with friends to see the sign, then only partially lit. 

 

 

Around the back:

 

1933 - The slope of the stage roof and the mechanical room are seen from the west in this detail from an extraordinary image by the C.C. Pierce studio that's in the collection of the Huntington Library.

 

 

1934 - A view south through UCLA's "subtropical horticulture orchard" toward the unplastered back of the building. That's the mechanical room over on the right. It's a detail from a photo in the UCLA Library collection.  

 

 

2022 - A fine aerial view of the stage end of the building from the Newmark Capital Markets Offering Memorandum PDF that was assembled to promote the sale of the building. Note the two smoke vents. The first storefront this side of the tower as well as the parking lot behind the theatre were part of the property that was sold in 2024.  

 

2024 - A look toward the house right exit passage. At the left are retail/restaurant spaces along Broxton Ave. Photo: Bill Counter  

 

2024 - Down the house right ramp. The door at the lower center is an exit into this area for patrons who have come out the side exits from the balcony. The exit doors from the front of the main floor are below that lower light fixture. The organ chamber door, requiring a ladder, is seen in the center. Photo: Bill Counter

 

 

2024 - Protrusions on the corner of the building suggest that more construction was originally planned. Possibly a full-height stagehouse and two floors of dressing rooms. Stage level is about 6' lower than the parking lot seen on the right. Photo: Bill Counter

 

2024 - The back of the stage with the mechanical room on the right. There had once been a stage loading door on the back wall in the corner beyond that black SUV. Photo: Bill Counter

 

 

2024 - The look along house left toward Gayley Ave. The cars on the right edge are lined up for In-N-Out. Photo: Bill Counter

 

 

2024 - Another exciting shot of the mechanical room. Photo: Bill Counter

 

 

2024 - The house left balcony exits. The Photo: Bill Counter

 

 

 

2024 - Down the ramp to the front exits house left. Photo: Bill Counter 

 

 

2024 - Expect added auditoria to be constructed in the parking lot behind the theatre. Image: Google Earth

 

The Fox Westwood in the Movies: 

 

Looking north on Broxton toward the Fox Westwood in the two-reeler "What Price Taxi" (Hal Roach/MGM, 1932). Thanks to Chris Bungo for the screenshot.

Here we get the Weyburn side of the theatre in "What Price Taxi." 

We also get some nice views of the theatre in "Thundering Taxis" (Hal Roach/MGM, 1933). Here again we're looking north on Broxton. Chris Bungo done a fun compilation on YouTube of eighteen minutes of then-and-now shots from the "Taxi Boys" series, including many vintage views of Culver City. For the Fox Westwood shots from "Thundering Taxis," start at 8:32. The theatre views from "What Price Taxi" start at 12:47. Thanks, Chris!

We see the Fox Westwood in the 1933 Hal Roach Studios two-reeler "Beauty and the Bus" starring Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly. The screenshot appears in the terrific Arcadia Publishing book "Location Filming in Los Angeles" by Karie Bible, Marc Wanamaker and Michael Medved. It's available on Amazon. Thanks to Jonathan Raines for spotting the photo.

A washed up star thought dead comes back to take revenge on the director and actors doing a remake of what had been his greatest triumph in Robert Florey's "The Preview Murder Mystery" (Paramount, 1936). Everyone thinks the screening at the Fox Westwood is going well but at the end, when the lights come up, the star is found dead. Reginald Denny, Gail Patrick, Frances Drake and Rod La Rocque are featured in the film. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for a couple of interior views that were shot elsewhere and a look at the Chinese from the beginning of the film.  

 

 

We get this shot of a truck turning behind the theatre in the 17 minute short "Coffins On Wheels" (MGM, 1941). It was part of their "A Crime Does Not Pay" series. Kids were going a little fast down the hill on Weyburn Place and their car overturns when trying to avoid the truck. The unscrupulous used car dealer who sold the car knew it had bad brakes. Joseph M. Newman directed. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality for spotting the theatre. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for another shot of the Fox. 

"Ransom!" with Glenn Ford and Donna Reed (MGM, 1956) has a scene in front of the Fox Westwood Village. Here, director Alex Segal, squatting down on the left, surveys the action prior to filming. The photo is one of many rare views from the Arcadia Publishing book "Location Filming in Los Angeles" by Karie Bible, Marc Wanamaker and Michael Medved. There's a preview to browse on Google Books. Thanks to Jonathan Raines for spotting this one. 

We get a look at the Fox Westwood in the Jerry Lewis film "The Errand Boy" (Paramount, 1961). He's working for Paramutual Pictures and is given the task of being a spy to find out why the studio is hemorrhaging so much money. We go inside for a preview but the interiors aren't of the Fox. See the Historic L.A. Theatres In Movies post for that interior view, a visit to a faux Chinese, and several nice aerial views of Hollywood. Thanks to veteran L.A. projectionist Mike Schleigel for the tip on this one.

Richard Gere spends a lot of time wandering around Westwood in Paul Schrader's "American Gigolo" (Paramount, 1980). Here we get an establishing shot of Westwood with the Fox Westwood Village Theatre at the left. The film also gives us a look at the Bruin's entrance and there's get a shot of the Egyptian as Gere cruises Hollywood Blvd. See the Theatres In Movies post for those.

 

 

Susan Sarandon is at the boxoffice near the end of "Loving Couples" (20th Century Fox, 1980). It's actually about straying couples. Also featured are James Coburn, Shirley MacLaine, Stephen Collins, Sally Kellerman and Nan Martin. Jack Smight directed. The cinematography was by Philip H. Lathrop. Thanks to Stephen Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatres in the film and getting the screenshots. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for five more shots from this nice breakup scene at the Village. 

We're in lots of exotic places like Berlin, Switzerland and on Wilshire Blvd. in John G. Avildson's surprisingly good thriller about the oil business "The Formula" (MGM, 1980). The film stars George C. Scott, Marthe Keller, John Gielgud and, of all people, Marlon Brando as an oil tycoon. Here near the end of the film we get a look, at the right, of the tower of the Fox Westwood from Brando's office window. Earlier, we catch George C. Scott leaving the Vagabond. See the Historic L.A. Theatres In Movies post for shots from the Vagabond scene.

 

 

 

We see the Fox Westwood along with four other Westwood theatres plus a finale at Grauman's Chinese in Vernon Zimmerman's "Fade to Black" (American Cinema, 1980). It's a tale of an unhappy film buff on a killing spree. Thanks to Colonel Mortimer for the screenshot. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for shots of the other theatres from the film. 

We get a drug deal in front of the theatre spotted from a police helicopter by Daniel Stern and Roy Scheider in John Badham's "Blue Thunder" (Columbia, 1983). On the marquee it's "Mommie Dearest." The film also stars Malcolm McDowell, Warren Oates and Candy Clark in a tale of a new police helicopter being developed for sinister uses. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for several shots of Burbank's Pickwick Drive-In.

Steve Martin goes to the Village Theatre for the premiere of "Chubby Rain," his film-within-a-film in Frank Oz's "Bowfinger" (Universal, 1999). Here we're finding the only remaining seats are in the front row. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for a dozen more shots at the theatre.

We get a 1970 "Love Story" shot of the marquee in "The Kid Stays in the Picture" (USA Films, 2002), a documentary by Nanette Burstein and Brett Morgen about producer Robert Evans. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for another Fox Westwood shot as well as a 60s view of the Warner Hollywood from the film.

Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate walks by the theatre on her way to the Bruin in Quentin Tarantino's epic "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" (Sony, 2019). See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies pages for 20 more Westwood shots as well as views of the Cinerama Dome, the Pantages, Vine, Vogue, Ritz/Pussycat and Grauman's Chinese from the film.

 

A fine premiere view in "Fool's Paradise" (Lionsgate, 2023). A man with mental issues and unable to speak is dumped downtown because there's no money to pay for his treatment in a psych hospital. He's picked up because he's a plausible double for an alcoholic movie star. The film features Charlie Day, Adrien Brody, Jason Sudeikis, Kate Beckinsale, Ken Jeong, Ray Liotta, Edie Falco and Jason Bateman. Mr. Day wrote and directed. The cinematography was by Nico Aguilar. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for a shot at the Los Angeles Theatre, used for the lobby at the premiere. For the auditorium they used the Palace.

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

More information: See the Regency Village Theatre page on Cinema Treasures for a nice history of the building as well as over a hundred photos. Good photos, including nice shots of the interior, are on Cinema Tour. 

 

For over 40 shots of the marquee with different films playing, plus some interior views, check out Richard DuVal's "The Village Theatre" and "The Village Theatre Part 2," posts on the Cinema Tour Facebook page.  

 

Don't miss all the fine photos in "The Former Fox Movie Palace in UCLA's Backyard," Sandi Hemmerlein's Avoiding Regret photo essay. Visit Mike Hume's page about the theatre on his wonderful Historic Theatre Photography site.

 
On the Regency Theatres Village and Bruin Facebook page check out their Village Theatre Vintage Photos and Regency Village Theatre sets. Wikipedia also has an article on the theatre.

The UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection has two backstage photos they identify as the Fox Westwood but the height of the stagehouse and the fairly elaborate rigging installation makes it obvious that they are of some other theatre: across from stage left | closer view of dimmerboard and rigging

The Fox Westwood/Village Theatre pages: back to top - history + exterior views | interior views |

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