2570 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90006 |
map |
Opened: 1913. The
building is on the south side of the street on the southwest corner of
Pico and Berendo. That's two blocks west of Vermont. The Victoria is the
city directories from 1914 onward. In the 1921 directory the
address is given as at "Pico sw cor Berendo."
This image is from the 1921 two-reeler "Cleaned and Dry" from Warner Bros / Federated Film Exchanges. Thanks
to Silent Film Detective John Bengtson for spotting the Victoria in the film and getting screenshots. It was directed by Jack L. Warner and
stars Monte Banks, Florence Gilbert, William Blaisdell and Alice
Belcher. See the
Historic L.A. Theatres in the Movies post for four additional views.
Architect: Frank L. Stiff. Joe Vogel did the research:
"The house that would become the Victoria Theatre was the subject of an item in the March 15, 1913, issue of Southwest Contractor & Manufacturer. The item said that plans and specifications for a brick store, office, and theater building, 57x140 feet, to be built at the southwest corner of Pico Boulevard and Berendo Street, had been filed on March 7. Frank L. Stiff was the architect."
Seating: 700
The theatre, "in thickly settled first-class neighborhood," trying to rent some of its second floor office space via this August 15, 1915 ad. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this as well as all the other clippings below.
The Victoria got a mention in this November 30, 1919 "Club Briefs" column.
The theatre was sold in 1920 by theatre broker Jack Cloyd. Unfortunately this February 22 story doesn't let us know who the buyer or seller were.
The Vic was one of many theatres in the area mentioned as running Paramount films in a big "Paramount Week" ad from September 3, 1922.
A tale of a burglar in the neighborhood was reported in this July 1928 story.
Confusion of the Victoria with the
Sun Theatre at 1408 Pico. It's a story from December 21, 1943.
A May 29, 1954 listing in the L.A. Times. Ken McIntyre notes that there were no ads in June.
Closing as a film house: 1954 was the end. Bruce Kimmel has noted that it ran until November 1954. It's not listed in the 1956 phone directory.
It got a booking for something resembling a theatrical event, an adaptation of "The Diary of Anne Frank," in April 1957. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this item as well as the clippings below.
In 1957 the theatre got an extensive remodel when it was
turned into a ballroom and meeting hall called Victoria Hall. This story about a real estate exhibit appeared in July 1957.
Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this August 1957 story about a dance organized by the "cool Emissaries" at what they were calling the Victoria Ballroom and featuring the Jazz Monitors. The photo is by noted Black photographer Harry Adams.
An October 1957 ad for the hall as a venue for wedding events. That Alpha Hall in Bell was the former
Alpha Theatre.
A January 17, 1963 ad for a banquet by the African-Asian Businessmen of Los Angeles.
In use as a boxing venue in July 1967.
It was called the New Victoria in this September 5, 1975 blurb about a play called "The Devil in Me" that was running then.
The Victoria, "a new venue" was in use in 1981 as a hall for rock shows. This item appeared on November 19.
Status: The Victoria was later gutted for use as retail space. It was a mattress store and fashion shop for years, then a market. As of 2025 it's a 99-cents-and-up store called Beto Mart and Optica El Rey, an optician.
Thanks to Ken McIntyre for all his research about the theatre!
More exterior views:
c.1956 - We're looking east from Vermont with the Victoria down there in the shadows on the left. Sorry about the watermarking. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the shot when it was offered for sale online. It looks like the readerboard says "Hall," as in Victoria Hall.
2007 - The building as a mattress store and fashion shop. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for sharing this photo he took on the private Facebook group
Photos of Los Angeles.
2011 - The entrance after the transformation into a market. Photo: Google Maps
2011 - The rear of the building in a Google Maps view. We're looking north on Berendo toward Pico.
2023 - The former theatre is on the right in this view looking east from Google Maps.
2025 - Pico and Berendo. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this photo and the others appearing here.
2025 - Photo: Sean Ault
2025 - A marquee detail. Photo: Sean Ault
2025 - The ladder looks like fun. Photo: Sean Ault
2025 - Altered a bit over the years. Photo: Sean Ault
2025 - A peek inside. Photo: Sean Ault
2025 - The back of the former theatre. Photo: Sean Ault
2025 - An exit door detail. Photo: Sean Ault. Thanks!
The Victoria in the Movies:
Another shot from "Cleaned and Dry." (Warner Bros / Federated Film Exchanges, 1921). Thanks to John Bengtson for the screenshot. See the
Historic L.A. Theatres in the Movies post for additional views.
The theatre appears in the blaxploitation film "Petey Wheatstraw"
(Generation International Pictures, 1977) with Rudy Ray Moore. No, you
don't need to watch it. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the theatre in the film. Cliff Roquemore directed.
The auditorium as seen in "Petey Wheatstraw." The floor had been leveled
for use as a ballroom and catering hall. The Victoria Theatre sequence
of "Petey" on is
YouTube. Thanks to Sean Ault for finding it. See the
Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for a daytime street view of the theatre.
The Victoria on Video: Sean Ault notes that we stroll by the Victoria during a long walk down this stretch of Pico on the "Massive Attack - Unfinished Symphony" video. It's on YouTube.
More information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Victoria. Thanks to Joe Vogel for his research. Cinema Tour has a page with a 2002 exterior photo.
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I went to the Victoria theater before television to see news before WW 2
ReplyDeleteYes... You do need to watch Petey Wheatstraw & any other Rudy Ray Moore movie you can find. The fun kind of train wreck.
ReplyDelete