Los Angeles Theatres: Alex Theatre: projection booths + attic

The downstairs booth:

In 2026 a new main floor booth was constructed for the installation of 35/70 machines for the run of Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," opening July 16. This was a six week project undertaken by Taylor Umphenour of Film Leader Co. and Miles Williams, the artistic director of the Alex. Taylor, a longtime projectionist and large-format film advocate, designed the booth, provided the equipment, and supervised the equipment installation.

Theatre tech Justin Dennis also worked on the installation. This Allen J. Schaben photo of him appeared with "To screen Christopher Nolan’s 70mm ‘Odyssey,’ L.A. theaters raced to resurrect a nearly lost craft," a July 17 story by Eloise Rollins-Fife for the L.A. Times.

Projectors: 2 Simplex 35/70s

Sound format: "The Odyssey" is DTS

Lamps: Xetron

Platter: Christie Autowind 3

Proscenium dimensions: 27' high x 46' wide

Screen size: 21'6" x 46'. It's flat as it has to fly.

70mm image size: about 19' x 42'

"The Odyssey" was the theatre's first first-run engagement since it closed as a regularly operating film house in 1991. Thanks to Edwin Gomez for spotting the news about the booking. See Michael Coate's In70mm article "'The Odyssey': The 70mm Presentations."

For more about Simplex 35/70s see our page about the booth at the Fox Wilshire/Saban Theatre. There's also a set at the Writers Guild Theatre. Our page for that venue also has many photos.

Under the new booth floor deck in early June. It's a shot from an interview with Taylor Umphenour and Miles Williams that was shared on Instagram by The Wrap on July 16. The image is from Taylor's Film Leader Co. Thanks to Edwin Gomez for spotting the footage. A six minute expanded version of the interview is on YouTube.

The framing up for the walls in early June. Image: Film Leader Co. / Taylor Umphenour / The Wrap

Another framing view. Image: Film Leader Co. / Taylor Umphenour / The Wrap

Looking through to the observation windows in the back wall of the booth. It's an image from "100 year old movie palace is reborn...," a video segment appearing on Facebook from latimes.404.

Porthole work. It's another shot from "100 year old movie palace is reborn...," a video segment appearing on Facebook from latimes.404.

Drywall going up on the house right end. Image: Film Leader Co. / Taylor Umphenour / The Wrap. Thanks, Taylor!

A June construction photo by Los Angeles Magazine senior editor Chris Nichols. He discussed the new booth in "The Odyssey Brings First-Run Movies Back to the Alex Theater," his July 10 story. Also see his Facebook post about the Alex. Chris is the author, with Adriene Biondo, of the 2024 Angel City press book "Bowlarama: The Architecture of Mid-Century Bowling."

A look through the unfinished booth from the house right door. In the upper left, note the windows in the back wall. Photo: Chris Nichols

A construction view from the inner lobby. From here one can look into the booth and see the operator getting ready for a show. In this shot we're looking through the new booth's back windows and front projection ports. On the screen it's the credits from "National Treasure," being projected from the upstairs booth. Thanks to Chris Nichols for sharing his photos!

Working on top. The booth doesn't go all the way up to the balcony soffit. Image: Film Leader Co. / Taylor Umphenour / The Wrap

The back of the house a couple days before the reopening. It's a shot appearing in a short video clip from ABC 7.

Taylor Umphenour between the two Simplex 35/70s. It's a July 14, 2026 photo by Tiensirin Tienngern that appeared with the "'The Odyssey' Marks the Rebirth of One of Los Angeles’ Oldest Movie Palaces," Jeremy Fuster's story on Yahoo News that they picked up from The Wrap. Thanks to Gary Meyer for spotting it. Also see the video on Instagram of the interview Taylor did with The Wrap. An expanded version of the interview is on YouTube.

Checking threading on machine #1 before a test run. It's a shot appearing in a short video clip from ABC 7.

Taylor Umphenour, left, and Miles Williams, head of the Alex, seen in a July 14 photo by Tiensirin Tienngern. Behind them the screen is masked for the 2.21 to 1 ratio for "The Odyssey." The photo is another that appeared with the Wrap's story "'The Odyssey' Marks the Rebirth...."

The front of the booth on opening day for "The Odyssey." Note at the time of this shot only machine #1, on the right, was set up for DTS and rollers for feed from the platter. Thanks to Tyler Purcell for sharing this photo in a July 16 Facebook post that also includes other views plus a review.

The platter on the left end of the booth. It's a view through the windows on the back of the booth. Thanks to Chris Nichols for sharing this photo as well as a dozen others in a July 17 Facebook post.

Another angle on the Christie platter. It's a shot from a thirteen second video clip shared on Facebook by First Date Guide on July 17.

Between the decks. Straight ahead it's the back side of Simplex machine #1. It's an image from Taylor Umphenour's Film Leader Co. that appears in the video interview Taylor and Miles did for The Wrap. It's on YouTube. Thanks, Taylor!

The backside of machine #1. Photo: Chris Nichols - July 16

Threading up machine #1. Image: First Date Guide - July 16

Threading around the PTRs - They're "particle transfer rollers" to pick up dirt. Image: First Date Guide - July 16

Ready to thread the DTS head. Below that it's the head for 4 or 6 channel mag. Image: First Date Guide - July 16

Several frames from "The Odyssey." Note the DTS timecode on the right to sync the audio.

The traveler opening on the Universal logo. It's an image from "100 year old movie palace is reborn...," a July 16 video interview appearing on Facebook from latimes.404.

Looking in as Alex threads up for the next show. Photo: Tyler Purcell - July 16, 2026.

One of the flown speaker systems for the stage channels. It's an image from Taylor Umphenour's Film Leader Co. that appears in the interview Taylor and Miles did for The Wrap. It's on YouTube. Thanks, Taylor!

A shot of the screen, as masked for "The Odyssey." The image appears in the interview from The Wrap that's on YouTube.

The upstairs booth:

Peeking in the house left door. Photo: Mike Hume - Historic Theatre Photography - 2018

Screen size: 21'6" x 46'

Projection throw: 110'

Film projectors upstairs: 2 Simplex XL with Xenon lamphouses, 4K lamps. Film is run reel-to-reel.

It's unknown what machines the Alexander had when it opened. In June 1938 they got Simplex E-7s and a new Simplex sound system. By the 60s they had XLs.

Soundheads: Simplex SH -1000s with Kelmar analog and Dolby Digital readers. There are also DTS digital readers atop the XLs.

Lamps: ORC Optimax consoles

Processor: Dolby 650

Stage Channels: 3 JBL 4648 LF speakers, 3 JBL 2446 HF horns, 2 JBL 4642 dual subs

Surrounds: 14 JBL 83340A speakers

Digital: In 2019 an installation of digital projection equipment included a Barco 4K DP4K-32B projector with high contrast lens a Barco Alchemy V2 server + an AJA FS2 scaler. This was funded by grants totaling $120,000 from the Ahmanson Foundation and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.

At the time, the theatre noted that the upgrade allowed them to run new films available only digitally and enhanced the their "ability to remain a vital player in a competitive marketplace and provide a top-notch movie-going experience." That equipment was removed in 2021 when Glendale Arts lost their management contract. The new management team acquired a replacement machine, an installation supervised by Mark Wojan.

The type of equipment that was installed at the Alexander on June 22, 1938. They were the recently introduced Simplex E-7s and Simplex SH-1000 soundheads:

The photo is one that appeared with "Projection Notes," a three-page article in the July 1938 issue of International Photographer. Thanks to Mike Hume for locating this and making it available as a PDF for the page about the Alex on his Historic Theatre Photography site. The article also discusses the recent installation of E-7s at the Chinese and the addition of a custom heat filter behind the heads in both theatres. There are also 1913 booth shots of the American Theatre on Broadway in downtown L.A. and the College Theatre at 5th and Hill.

The projector at the Alex was modified to allow the addition of a Simplex preview attachment by moving the location of the oil reservoir and pump. It's now at the top and to the side of the head, seen hiding behind the top support for the front shutter. The soundhead was modified by putting the flywheel out in front of the motor instead of the normal position between the motor and the soundhead. The article notes that this was the first Simplex sound installation for Fox West Coast and the largest of 100 installations the Simplex team had already done for other circuits.

A 60s look at the booth. Equipment included Strong Futura lamps, Simplex XL projectors, Ampex mag sound and Simplex optical sound. The photo appeared with "Special Event for Historic Birthday," a 2017 article by Nestor Castiglione about the theatre's 92nd birthday celebrations that appeared in the Crescenta Valley Weekly. Thanks to Mike Hume for locating the article.

A look across the booth and out the far end into the auditorium. Photo: Mike Hume - Historic Theatre Photography - 2018

The audio rack is on the far left. After the photo was taken a big hulk of a digital projector was also installed in the too-small booth. Like the two 35mm machines we see here, it's also on casters. For actual operation, the 35s would be tilted downward about 20 degrees.

A look across one of the followspots to the audio rack on the left wall. That's a Dolby CP 650 processor on top with a Component Engineering monitor amp beneath. Below the computer it's a DTS digital processor and two Kelmar exciter supplies. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

The view out the left spot port. Photo: Mike Hume - Historic Theatre Photography - 2018

Another peek out the left spot port. It's a photo that appeared on the Alex website when Glendale Arts was operating the theatre.

The view down to the stage. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

The theatre's Barco 4K DP4K-32B projector, a 2019 installation made possible by grants totaling $120,000 from the Ahmanson Foundation and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation. Included in the package are a Barco Alchemy V2 server and an AJA FS2 scaler. Thanks to Nina Crowe of Glendale Arts for the photo.

A look across the booth with the two 35mm consoles shoved together at the right and the Barco unit at the center. The mysterious hallway at the left goes down to the lighting control room. The 2019 photo is courtesy of Nina Crowe at Glendale Arts.

Bill Hogan of the Alex Film Society exploring the capabilities of the new equipment. The theatre noted at the time that the upgrade allows them to run new films available only digitally and enhances the theatre's "ability to remain a vital player in a competitive marketplace and provide a top-notch movie-going experience." The 2019 photo is courtesy of Nina Crowe at Glendale Arts.

A look across the booth, here with the two 35mm units separated so you can actually get in to thread. Note the tilt. That doorway beyond the followspot goes out into the auditorium as a second exit. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

Down the hallway on the left end of the booth to the lighting control area. The Alex's master electrician Jazzy Birdsong was setting some auditorium lighting levels. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

A look alongside the ORC Optimax Xenon console behind projector #2. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

One of the two Simplex XL projectors with a Simplex SH -1000 analog optical soundhead below and a DTS digital pickup on top. The XL is a model that was introduced in 1950. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

The booth backwall with a ladder up to a boxed-in space above the booth. From there there's roof access. Around the corner to the left of the door there's a hallway leading to the pyramid room and attic over the auditorium. Photo: Mike Hume - Historic Theatre Photography - 2018

The hall extending out from the right (south) end of the booth. The attic access ladder is just around the corner to the left. On the right just out of frame is the doorway to the pyramid room. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

The attic:

Looking into the pyramid room, the attic space above the theatre's entrance doors. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

Part of the ceiling slab of the pyramid. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

Looking down onto the top of the coffered ceiling that's above the theatre's entrance doors. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019

We're house right in the attic above the auditorium. The catwalk leads to the ceiling slot lighting position. Both the catwalk and the lighting position date from the 1993 renovation. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

Production manager / stage supervisor Rafael Posada and theatre sleuth Mike Hume on the the catwalk for the lighting position. We're looking toward house left. A bit of the auditorium can be seen through the slot. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

A wider view along the catwalk. Photo: Mike Hume - Historic Theatre Photography - 2019

A view through the ceiling slot. Photo: Mike Hume - Historic Theatre Photography - 2018

Looking toward the proscenium wall from the lighting position. That ladder near the center of the image goes down into the area behind the sunburst that's above the proscenium. To the right and left can be seen the winches and cable reels for the speaker stacks. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

Looking along the house right side of the attic toward the proscenium wall. There's a door that goes into the stagehouse, but not ending up anywhere normally useful. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019