Opened: October 21, 1925 with Rin-Tin-Tin among the stars at the debut. On the screen it was a sneak preview from Warner Bros. Miss Madalys Sims was at the organ. The owner was P. Herbold, who was locally in the tobacco business. Oliver C. Ziegfeld, a cousin of Florenz, was the manager. The theatre's name comes from the location just north of Sunset Blvd. It was on the east side of the street. Thanks to Richard Wojcik for sharing the 1972 photo in a post on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles.
Seating: 535 in later years.
Architect: Unknown
"World Preview - Personal Appearances of Your Favorite Stars." It's an October 20, 1925 ad in the Hollywood Daily Citizen that was located by Jim Lewis.
The October 21 opening day coverage in the Hollywood Daily Citizen included this photo. Thanks to Jim Lewis for locating it. The Citizen's caption:
"Interior of the new Sunset Theater which will open its doors to the public for the first time tonight. This theater is located at the corner of Sunset and Western avenues and is declared to be a model for beauty and comfort."
The October 21, 1925 article that appeared with the Citizen's auditorium photo.
The Citizen's shot of the owner.
The manager, a cousin of Flo. Thanks, Jim!
A January 1926 ad Ken McIntyre located for "We Moderns." Also see an article about the film that Ken spotted which noted that you get a great trip to London by purchasing a ticket at the Sunset.
A June 1926 ad for the Sunset located by Ken McIntyre. The theatre made it into the 1927 city directory.
As part of the
Rosener circuit in the 1940s the theatre ran
foreign films and revivals. It was part of the Rosener chain at least into the 1950s when it was then taken over by the Cohen family. They continued to book foreign films at least up to 1961.
A March 1947 premiere of the Andre Malraux film "Man's Hope." Ken McIntyre located the item.
A 1947 ad in the Times. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.
A December 1947 ad located by Ken McIntyre for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.
A "Son of the Sheik" revival in 1949 brought out the souvenir hunters. Thanks to Ranjit Sandhu for locating this item from the March 24 issue of the L.A. Daily News. It appears on the extensive Revival Cinemas page of his site about Buster Keaton's "The General".
An October 1955 ad spotted by Ken McIntyre for "Rome, 11 O'Clock" and "Justice is Done."
A July 1961 ad for the John Cassavetes film "Shadows."
By 1962 the porno wave had hit and the Sunset management started
running adult product An anonymous individual noted in comments here on this page:
"This was my family's theatre, from the 1950’s until it closed in 2003... We didn't own the building, just the theatre. I can’t remember the name of the building’s owner. My mom, my sister, a few cousins and I all did stints there in the box office and at the candy counter. A nice middle-class, wholesome family enterprise - that happened to be a porn theatre! I was a toddler when it first showed high-profile foreign films in the early ‘50s, in junior high when it became a Pussycat. I wrote a magazine article about it when I got older & really would've liked to make a documentary or written a script about growing up with it.
"The stories & memories! We had some real characters on staff, had lots of famous people pass through the doors, experienced some very funny and unique things being a part of that world. My dad's partner owned the Pussycat chain; my father owned only the Sunset Theatre, which became a part of the chain.... I'll just add that seeing the information and photos here has meant so much to me. It brings back such warm and funny memories of a unique personal history. My dad would’ve gotten a kick out of it, too."
"Shocking and Bold." It's a February 22, 1962 ad located by Ken McIntyre. They'd be doing lots of day-and-date bookings with the Lyric in Huntington Park, a theatre in the Pussycat chain.
January 9, 1964 ads Ken spotted in the Times. At the Sunset it was "Wild Las Vegas" plus other items.
"Tonight's The Night and it's FABULOUS." This April 17, 1964 ad that Ken McIntyre spotted for "The Swank Sunset" noted the debut of the art collection in the lobby.
The Sunset started advertising as being a Pussycat Theatre
in 1966.
"The first adult color science fiction film." It's a September 26, 1968 ad located by Lisa Kouza Braddock.
"Now Open All Night!" A September 5, 1972 ad for "Sweet Aquarius" and "Sextet." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this ad as well as the two below.
Mr. Cohen was looking for a candy girl in 1973.
Positions available for a candyman and a doorman in 1974.
Closing: The Sunset closed in 2003.
Status: The building was demolished soon after closing for housing and a Walgreens parking lot.
More exterior views:
c.1965 - A look at the Sunset's boxoffice. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the photo for a post on the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.
c.1966 - An Ed Ruscha shot from the collection of the Getty Research Institute. Thanks to Phillip Cutler of the Classic Hollywood/Los Angeles/SFV Facebook page for locating the shot.
There over 70,000 Ruscha items now available for browsing. A few places to start: Sunset Boulevard, 1965-2010, undated (58,167 digitized items) | Hollywood Boulevard, 1973-2005, undated (4,292 digitized items) | Santa Monica Boulevard, 1974 (4,956 digitized items) | Melrose Avenue, 1975 (3,724 digitized items) | Specifically about Sunset Blvd., see the Getty Research Institute's site "12 Sunsets." Their October 2020 Press Release discusses the project.
c.1970 - It appears a bit of facade remodeling was underway. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this one.
1977 - "Violation of Claudia" and "Baby Face." It's a photo by Tom Speropulos. Thanks to Nick Speropulos for sharing it on the Lost Angeles Facebook group. And thanks to Phillip Cutler, curator of the Classic Hollywood/Los Angeles/SFV page for spotting the post. The photo can also be seen on the site ArtPal. Also visit Tom's website: sperosphotography.com
1979 - A May photo from the Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images. Thanks to
Torbjörn Eriksson for locating it.
1979 - A look north across Sunset Blvd. toward the theatre. It's a Roy Hankey photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.
1979 - A scenic view through the palm trees from a bit west on Sunset. It's another Roy Hankey photo from the Los Angeles Public Library. The Library also has another similar shot without the palm trees.
1983 - A photo from Jay Allen Sanford's 2010 San Diego Reader article "Pussycat Theaters - a comprehensive history of a California dynasty." The version of Sanford's article now online at SDR has lost all of its photos. A better bet might be on Blogspot: "Pussycat Theater History 1" and "Pussycat Theater History 2."
2002 - Thanks to Corey Miller for sharing this marquee detail on Flickr.
2019 - Looking north on Western. The theatre was once just just beyond that Verizon location. That's Sunset Blvd. on the right. Photo: Google Maps
The Sunset in the Movies:
We get a look at the Sunset's marquee in "A Life at Stake" (Gibralter Motion Picture Distributors, 1955). We're
at the offices of a builder played by Keith Andes. He's hooked up with
Angela Lansbury as a lover and business partner and
slowly realizes that she might be trying to kill him. The film was
directed by Paul Guilfoyle and also features Douglass Dumbrille and
Claudia Barrett. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for another view of the theatre reflected in windows across the street.
A fine look at the deco marquee in a shot from "Mondo Bizarro" (Olympic International, 1966). See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post about the film for a lobby shot featuring the owner's collection of nude paintings.
We get this murky view of the Sunset running "Overexposed," a 1968 independent film by Willian Rotsler, in "The Hard
Road" (Four Star Excelsior, 1970). It's a cautionary teen-themed drama
set mostly in Sherman Oaks. We're warned about the evils of drugs and
sex, helped along by animation explaining sex and pictures of diseased
body parts. It was directed, photographed and edited by Gary Graver, who
later worked with Orson Welles. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for two shots from the film of the Tiffany Theatre on Sunset.
A serial killer played by Nicholas Worth walks by the Sunset with a friend in Robert Hammer's "Don't Answer the Phone!"
(Crown International, 1980). It's a grisly exploitation film
with a lots of semi-naked women. Also featured are James Westmoreland, Ben Frank and Flo Lawrence. The cinematography was by
James L. Carter. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for a Sunset shot a moment earlier than this one as well as exterior views of the Chinese, Paramount, Egyptian, Pantages and Cave theatres.
Charles Bukowski goes by the Sunset when he walks down from Carlton Way to get a newspaper in
the documentary "Bukowski: Born Into This" (Magnolia Pictures, 2003).
It's from footage that had been shot for a 1976 German TV interview.
Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the theatre. John Dullaghan directed the film which, in addition to archival footage, also features Linda Lee Bukowski,
Marina Bukowski, Bono, Taylor Hackford, Joyce Fante, John Bryan and
many others. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for two more shots at the Sunset plus a view of the Glendale Theatre.
We get a look at the Sunset in "XXXL: The
John Holmes Story" (2004). Thanks to Scott Michaels for providing the
shot. He notes that it's from a short stock footage clip of L.A. porno
theatres that was used for the film. Glenn Barden and Dave Hills
directed. Scott did the sound. See the IMDb listing.
The Sunset's marquee after renovations appears in the documentary "Inside Deep Throat" (Universal, 2005). The film also visits the Optic, the Art Theatre and the Monica. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for shots from those scenes.
More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Sunset. The Cinema Tour page has 16 exterior photos from 2002 and 2003.
Also visit our page on this site about 16mm Revival Houses that had opened between 1940 and 1975.
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This was my family’s theatre, from the 1950’s until it closed in 2003.
ReplyDeleteMeaning your family owned the building? Did they ever operate it themselves? Or was it always leased out to others? Did they own anything else in the neighborhood? How about some names and dates so we can fill out the story? Thanks.
DeleteWow - commenting here seems complicated, so this will be my last, but I wanted to reply to your questions. We didn’t own the building, just the theatre. I can’t remember the name of the building’s owner. My mom, my sister, a few cousins & I all did stints there in the box office & at the candy counter. A nice middle-class, wholesome family enterprise - that happened to be a porn theatre! I was a toddler when it first showed high-profile foreign films in the early ‘50’s, in jr. high when it became a Pussycat. I wrote a magazine article about it when I got older & really would’ve liked to make a documentary or written a script about growing up with it. The stories & memories! We had some real characters on staff, had lots of famous people pass through the doors, experienced some very funny & unique things being a part of that world.
DeleteMy dad’s partner owned the Pussycat chain; my father owned only the Sunset Theatre, which became a part of the chain.
I hesitate to put names because this is a new site to me, and doing this anonymously means these posts can’t be edited or deleted, apparently. Sorry to be so paranoid, but yes, these days, I am.
I’ll just add that seeing the information & photos here has meant so much to me. It brings back such warm & funny memories of a unique personal history. My dad would’ve gotten a kick out of it, too.
Well, thanks for your comment. You can always contact me at counterb@gmail.com
Delete