4884 Eagle Rock Blvd. Eagle Rock (Los Angeles), CA 90041 | map |
The news: Vidiots, a non-profit video store turned film organization, reopened the theatre June 1, 2023. It's programmed with independent releases, revivals, and community events using digital, 16mm and 35mm capabilities. The building's former retail spaces feature a video rental store plus a second small screening room, also usable as a community space.
The Eagle on reopening day June 1, 2023. Photo: Bill Counter
Original opening: May 10, 1929 as the Yosemite Theatre with two days of vaudeville shows. One of the acts was the Scottish singer George Vallance, who lived in Eagle Rock. On May 12 the owners of the independent operation, J.T. Young and H.E. Allen, started running talkies. The building is on the east side of the street at Yosemite Dr.
A May 3, 1929 ad from the Eagle Rock Reporter-Sentinel advertising the two-part grand opening. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating this. Visit his site:
Movie-Theatre.org
A pre-opening photo from the Eagle Rock Advertiser. Note no marquee
letters up yet. It's from the Occidental College Archives and appears
on the site
Historypin. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality for finding this photo and several others for his
Noirish Los Angeles post #23876.
The May 10, 1929 ad in the Eagle Rock Advertiser. It's on Historypin from the collection of the Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society.
Architect: Kenneth A. Gordon (of the firm J.H. Woodworth and Son)
designed the Mediterranean style building. The seating area was said to
appear as if you were in a patio surrounded by gardens. It had a blue ceiling resembling a
sky and murals depicting the California countryside behind grilles
along the side walls. In addition to the theatre, the 9,472 s.f. building has 2,900 s.f. of retail space. Most recently 1,500 of that had been used as a ballroom dance studio.
The 2021-2023 remodel for Vidiots was designed by Wick Architecture and LAND Design Studio.
Seating: 900 originally, later down to 800. The seating as a church was only 315. A platform had been added in front of the proscenium. Following the Vidiots renovations the capacity is 271. There is now also a 25 seat mini-cinema in a former retail space.
Projection: 16mm, 35mm and digital. The latter can be everything from VHS to DCPs. The digital unit is a Christie CP 4230. There's an Eiki 16mm projector. 35mm equipment includes 2 Simplex XLs and Simplex 5 Star soundheads retrofitted with reverse scan pickups for analog optical and Dolby Digital. The lamps are Xetron XHN with IREM rectifiers. Mark Wojan rebuilt the 35s. The first use of the 35mm equipment was a May 19, 2024 screening of "Stand and Deliver." The microcinema has a Christie CP 2210. The installations, designed by Paul D. Smith, were helped immensely by a generous donation of speakers and amps by QSC. Boris IbaƱez is the theatre's tech director/head projectionist.
Screen size: 32' after the Vidiots renovations. Masking is adjustable on all four sides.
History: In 1930 the operation was acquired by John Sugar's Vox Theatres. In
1937, after a remodeling (and a change of ownership to Venicoff
Theatres) it was called the New Eagle Theatre.
A June 10, 1937 ad in the Eagle Rock Advertiser for the grand reopening of the renovated theatre. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating the ad. In one of the congratulatory ads on the page the Eagle Rock Feed and Fuel Co. noted that they had supplied the Sherwin-Williams paint for the renovation. Chas. C. Winkler noted that his firm had done all the painting and decorating.
By 1939 it was just called the
Eagle Theatre. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for this 1939 ad listing the Vinnicof locations. It was a post on the
Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. The
Sierra Theatre,
once nearby at 5058 Eagle Rock Blvd., at one point was also called the
Eagle.
A 1939 flyer. Thanks to Gerald DeLuca for locating this for a post on Cinema Treasures.
Don Hughes took over the theatre around 1950 and offered a renewed focus
on family shows. From 1976 until 1979 it was run by Walnut Properties, operators of the
Pussycat chain. It got a Pussycat style marquee and interior upgrade
but, according to Eric Warren of the
Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society,
it never ran much porno due to community opposition.
An article in the
October 1991 issue of the Tom B'hend publication Greater L.A. Metro
Newsreel noted that the local citizens picketed the house and
photographed all the customers who entered. Walnut soon was running it
as a neighborhood house with bookings of conventional Hollywood product.
Around 1980 it got another remodel and
re-emerged as an independent film house with another operator. In the
1991 Newsreel article it's noted that Metropolitan Theatres once tried
running Spanish language product at the theatre. Bruce Corwin commented
"We soon got out of there when we took in only $210 one Sunday."
Closing: The Eagle closed as a film theatre in 2000 or 2001. It
had occasional art and live performance events afterward. From around
2003 until early 2019 it was used as a church. The theatre was vacant for most of 2019.
During its later film
years the auditorium was draped. When used as a church much of the
interior was painted white and beige. There's still decorative plaster
at the proscenium and organ grille areas but other decor has vanished.
A pre-renovation first floor plan from
Westmac Commercial Brokerage. Michael
Rojas of Westmac was the broker for the property in 2019. The theatre still has a listing on
Loopnet, now shown as inactive. The proscenium had been brought forward and widened a bit. The lobby is now larger. That left retail space at the bottom is now the microcinema. The one on the right is the video store.
A new operator: Vidiots, a non-profit
video store turned film organization, signed a lease in 2019 and went through a lengthy remodel process.
The Eastsider's May 2019 story, "Film fans seek a second act...," had discussed possibilities for a rebirth of the theatre. Dino-Ray Ramos had the news in "Vidiots Sets L.A. Relaunch With Storefront and Independent Theater," a September 30, 2019 story on Deadline. Thanks to Alex Rojas and Joe Pinney for spotting it. Variety, following up with "Iconic L.A. Video Store Vidiots to Reopen in 2020,"
noted that the organization's store in Santa Monica had shuttered in
2017. Thanks for Donavan S. Moye for spotting that story.
In "An old Eagle Rock movie house awaits its next role...,"
a March 2020 story by Barry Lank for The Eastsider, Vidiots head Maggie
Mackay noted at the time that they expected a November 2020 opening.
Thanks to Jason Vega for spotting the story. Alas, the pandemic resulted
in a serious disruption of that projected timeline. The L.A. Times gave a construction update with Mark Olsen's July 19, 2021 story "Beloved video store Vidiots is set to reopen. How Rian Johnson and others are helping." It was revealed that they were still $1.5 million short on their fundraising campaign.
Reopening: June 1, 2023. Programming is a mix of independent
releases, revivals and various community events. The lobby
has been expanded and features two bars -- one with liquor and the other
a more conventional snackbar. The adjacent retail space houses a video
rental store plus the flexible microcinema.
Recent views of the lobby areas:
The donor wall inside the front doors on opening day. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
Looking into the enlarged lobby with snackbar on the left. Just beyond are the stairs to the booth and more restrooms. The real bar is on the right with the house left entrance to the auditorium down at the end. The columns mark the line of the original wall separating the lobby and auditorium. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
A view out to the street. The corridor on the left heads to the MUBI Microcinema and the video rental area. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
Down the hall to the video store. The area on the left is the Mubi microcinema. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
The microcinema, at this point not quite finished. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
The microcinema getting closer to its debut. Photo: Bill Counter - June 4, 2023
The microcinema got a redo in 2024 with the installation of risers and theatre seats. Thanks to the theatre for sharing the photo in an October "Microcinema Makeover" email.
Managing director Maggie Makay in a contemplative moment on opening day. The two ladies to the right observing the action are Vidiots co-founders Cathy Tauber and Patty Polinger. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
The photo booth in action. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
Recent auditorium views:
Down the right aisle on opening day. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
A closer look at the newly widened proscenium. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
Looking out from the house right proscenium niche. That's head operator Boris up in the booth. The seats are those that were in the building when Vidiots acquired it. Some unneeded ones ended up in the microcinema at Quentin Tarantino's
Vista Theatre. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
Backstage:
A look in from the house right exit passage. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
The motor and arbor for the top and bottom masking. Top and bottom move
in and out together and counterbalance each other. The one for the sides
was yet to be installed. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023. The
installation uses
Strong MDI motors with ten programmable stops. See a
K Series Masking Motors PDF with specs on the different units available.
Sound absorbent material added behind the HF speaker components. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2023
In
the area behind the house right proscenium niche. The rack is for the
stage channel amps. Three full range systems plus subs. Photo: Bill Counter -
April 2023. Also see
a June 1 photo of the rack with the patchbay and amps installed.
The view from the niche as seating work was getting finished. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
The back of this area. The opening was presumably a fresh air intake. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
Up in the booth:
A big expansion. Photo: Escott O. Norton - August 2022. Thanks, Escott!
Two Century soundheads and a Century projector that had been donated. They'd be investigated by installation coordinator Paul D. Smith and eventually rejected in favor of Simplex XLs and Simplex soundheads. This shot and the two below are from a short Vidiots
March 2, 2023 Facebook video clip. It's also on
Instagram.
A
peek toward the front wall between two ORCON Xenon consoles. It
turned out that these are limited to a maximum lamp size of 2Kw and thus
other equipment was acquired. Image: Vidiots - March 2, 2023
A porthole view of the new baffle wall and widened proscenium. Image: Vidiots - March 2, 2023
The stairs on the house left end of the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
The
corridor to restrooms and on to the booth. The sign painter was working
on "Restroom - For Everybody" on each door. Photo: Bill Counter - April
2023
A peek into the booth in April 2023. The door on the right leads to a storage room. Photo: Bill Counter
A
look across at the ORC consoles. In the foreground it's one of the Xetron lamps and Ballantyne bases that would be used instead. That's the lamphouse of the Eiki 16mm machine seen in the upper left.
The Christie digital projector is at the far end of the booth. Photo:
Bill Counter - April 2023
A better look at the Eiki. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
One
of the 35mm Century machines mounted on an ORC console. It's a model SA (single shutter) machine with an R3E soundhead, never converted to red LED. It's late model
equipment built in Azusa that had only been run for a few
hours. It was a donation by Jason Reitman. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
In
the unfinished area on the right end of the booth. We're looking toward
Eagle Rock Blvd. and, on the right, out toward the theatre entrance on
the corner of the building. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
Looking
toward the screen end of the building. On the wall are are relays from
the theatre's digital lighting controller to interface with the lighting
circuits going out to the auditorium. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
A view forward into the attic. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
A look back across from the right end of the booth. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
The Christie CP 4230. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
The porthole view. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
Digital
was ready to go for opening day with film capability coming later. One
of the Xetron lamps that they'll be using is seen between the two ORC
consoles. In that left rack are QSC DPA 8.8Q Network Amplifiers for the
surrounds, the microcinema, and other areas of the building. Below those
is a Dolby CP650 processor. Amps for the stage speakers are backstage.
Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
A look to the left wall. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1, 2023
A peek into the booth after the ORC/Century equipment had been removed. Two Simplex XLs with Simplex 5 Star soundheads were in place on Ballantyne bases with Xetron lamps. It was an intermission following a DCP screening of "Mildred Pierce" with Olivia, over near the Christie digital unit, running the show. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2023
A look at machine #2, at this point not quite ready to run a show. The Xetron lamphouses will get 3Kw lamps. The installation was being done by Paul D. Smith with Mark Wojan in charge of rebuilding the Simplexes. Photo: Bill Counter - November 2023
Earlier lobby views:
Church group members doing a fix up. Photo: Universal Church - 2014
Looking toward the front doors. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
Mike's photos appearing here were taken for the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation. The organization is actively involved in the study and preservation of the
vintage theatres in the L.A. area. The group frequently supports events
and offers tours of various historic theatres.
www.lahtf.org |
LAHTF on Facebook. Check out other theatres Mike has explored in the L.A. area and elsewhere on his
Historic Theatre Photography site.
A peek into the boxoffice plus a shortcut into the north retail space. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
Across to house left. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
Down the house right aisle. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
A view to house left in December 2021. Thanks to Escott O. Norton for his photo, part of a post on the
LAHTF Facebook page. He commented at the time: "The old lobby wall was where the metal columns are. It was tiny! The new concessions stand will be between the exit doors and new bathrooms are being added too! The old scary bathrooms were up a narrow and steep stairway (still visible in the back)."
A wider view of the lobby space, now pushed into what had been the back of the seating area. Photo: Escott O. Norton - December 2021. He noted: "This is the lobby extension, which will include a bar. Now this space is really usable for functions on its own, and also connects to the video store and 2nd screening area."
A wall at the entrance. It's an August 2022 photo by Escott O. Norton, one of nine in his
Facebook post documenting the progress. He commented: "This zig zag wall that I remember having poster cases was rediscovered and will be the donor wall. The lobby space has grown, a big new concessions area and bar have been added, new restrooms are taking shape, the second screening room space and video store are framed, and the projection room is huge (compared to the old one!)."
Framing for the new bar along the south wall. That's one of the entrances to the auditorium on the right. Photo: Escott O. Norton - August 2022
The new snackbar on the north wall of the lobby. We're looking toward the entrance at the corner of the building. The doors at either end of the snackbar exit onto Yosemite Dr. Photo: Escott O. Norton - August 2022
Ready for a glass of wine? The bar was coming along -- with the tile just installed in front. It's a January 2023 photo from the
Vidiots Facebook page.
The video rental area in the south storefront getting put together. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
The the screen end of the microcinema in the north storefront. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
A look across the screen frame and its movable masking. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
The housing for the microcinema's digital projector. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
The hallway up to the Eagle's lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
Looking to house left. Snackbar on the left, the real bar on the right. Stairs to the booth, and more restrooms, straight ahead. The auditorium is off to the right. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
Empty shelves. No liquor had arrived. That's the house left aisle entrance at the end of the bar. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
Tech wizard Paul D. Smith getting more equipment in. Masking motors in this case. He's the designer and "integrator" of the booth installation as well as the tech facilities scattered throughout the rest of the building. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
Looking toward the front doors with lots still to do in the month before opening. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
Earlier auditorium, backstage and booth views:
The auditorium as a church. Photo: Universal Church - 2013
A view after removal of the wall. Photo:
Westmac Commercial Brokerage - 2019
A look in from the back of the house. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
A closer view of the stage. When the house went to CinemaScope, the screen was out in front of the proscenium. Some of the platform we see was added when the house was used for live performances following its closure as a film house. The forward part was added by a church group. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
The proscenium niche house right. The guess is that the theatre never had a pipe organ. The renovation's tech wizard Paul D. Smith suggests that this area was perhaps used for supply air for heating the auditorium. At the rear of the space there's a wide opening in the back wall of the building that could have been the fresh air intake. It's a similar situation house left except there's no longer a floor in the area behind that opening. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
Looking across to stage right. Nope. Not much stage depth. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
The entrance to the stage left proscenium niche area. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
Offstage right. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
The view across to stage left. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
The curtain and masking motors used when the screen was in front of the proscenium. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
A view to the rear of the auditorium. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
A back wall detail. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
One of the ceiling grilles. This one with plywood on top for contrast. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
At the top of the stairs with the booth at the left. The cry room is down at the end of the corridor. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
A look out the window of the cry room. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
Looking forward in the attic from the access door that's in the cry room. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
The stripped-out booth. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
A closer look at the electrical gear. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019
The stripped out auditorium in July 2021 as the Vidiots renovation is underway. Left to right are Vidiots co-founder Patty Polinger, executive director Maggie Mackay and co-founder Cathy Tauber. It's a photo by Mel Melcon appearing with the July 19 Times story "
Beloved video store Vidiots is set to reopen..."
A December 2021 view. Thanks to Escott O. Norton for his photo, part of a post on the
LAHTF Facebook page. He comments: "Looking towards the proscenium with the horrible church alter platform removed. Growing up I never knew there were any interesting details, they were all covered up! While the screen will be permanently installed in front of the proscenium, the original details will be preserved. Permanent theatre seating will all be reinstalled. The main auditorium should seat about 250."
The rear of the house in December 2021. Photo: Escott O. Norton. He commented at the time: "Looking back from the screen. A portion of the rear of the auditorium will now be part of the expanded lobby/bar area. The new projection booth will have both film and digital capabilities."
Regarding the wall ornament, he added: "These are the original pilasters with matching capitals on the side walls. These will be maintained. Originally the ceiling was a sky blue and the walls between pilasters were painted with a countryside mural. Maybe someday in the future the murals can come back, making the 1929 Eagle Theatre one of the oldest operating 'atmospheric' theatres in Los Angeles!"
The rear of the house in August 2022. Photo: Escott O. Norton
A look toward the new baffle wall. Photo: Escott O. Norton - August 2022. He commented: "The original pilasters and Juliet balconies in the main auditorium are
now visible and will look great, finally some original character coming
back to the Eagle Theatre!"
A side wall pilaster detail. Photo: Escott O. Norton - August 2022. He noted at the time: "It is really coming along! Vidiots' Maggie Mackay gave me a great tour,
previewed some of the colors and finishes which will be fun."
A closer look at the baffle wall framing. Note the openings for the left, center and (behind the scaffolding) right channel speakers. Subs are down lower, a bit off-center. Photo: Escott O. Norton - August 2022
The house right proscenium niche after finishing the THX-style baffle wall and re-designed wider proscenium. Note the fiberglass soundproofing on the baffle wall. This shot and the one below are from a ten second
February 7, 2023 Vidiots clip on Facebook. It's also on
Instagram.
A look to house left. Image: Vidiots - February 7, 2023
The house right view after the screen installation. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
Looking in from behind the house left front exit. The area behind the proscenium niche on this side has no floor. Photo: Bill Counter - April 2023
More exterior views:
1930 - An Eagle Rock Sentinel photo in the collection of the
Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society. It appears on
Historypin. "Footlights and Fools" was a November 1929 Vitaphone release.
1937 - An item from the Eagle Rock Sentinel that's in the collection of the Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society. It appears on
Historypin.
1940 - A photo from the Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society appearing on
Historypin.
1953 - An Alan Weeks photo from the
Metro Archive and Library
on Flickr. They were running the April 1951 release "The Lemon Drop
Kid" with Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell. Thanks to Claudia Mullins for
spotting a post of the photo by Ken McIntyre on the
Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.
c.1955 - A lovely view north on Eagle Rock Blvd. from Yosemite Dr. The theatre? Well, just a bit of the marquee on the far right. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality who found the photo on eBay and included it on his
Noirish post #25397. It looks like some sort of adult entertainment advertised on the marquee. Note that the semaphore street lights are gone.
1972 - The Eagle running "The Hot Rock" and "Butch Cassidy." The photo is in the
Los Angeles Public Library collection.
1976 - A photo from the Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society appearing on
Historypin. Note the lettering above the readerboards redone in the style favored by the Pussycat Theatres chain.
c.1980 - A photo from the Occidental College Archives appearing on
Historypin.
1983 - Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for this November photo.
c.1989 - A shot by filmmaker and cinematographer Gary Graver.
More of his theatre shots can be seen on You Tube in "Second Run - part 1"and "Second Run - part 2." Thanks to Sean Graver for the use of the photo.
2002 - A photo of the then-closed theatre by Betty Sword from Cezar Del Valle's collection. Keep up with Cezar's latest theatre explorations via his
Theatre Talks website.
2007 - Thanks to Luke Gattuso for this shot.
c.2010 - A view of the Eagle Theatre taken by Don Solosan, part of a survey of surviving vintage theatre buildings he participated in with the now-dormant Historic Theatre Committee of the
L.A. Conservancy.
c.2010 - A marquee detail by Don Solosan. Note the oval on the side panel from the Pussycat era. Thanks, Don!
2015 - Thanks to James Staub for this photo of the theatre.
2019 - The signage was still up but the church had moved out. Photo: Bill Counter
2019 - The north side of the building. Photo: Bill Counter
2019 - Looking along the screen end of the building. Note the seismic retrofit work. Photo: Bill Counter
2019 - Along the back, looking toward Eagle Rock Blvd. Photo: Mike Hume. Thanks, Mike! See more of his fine work on his
Historic Theatre Photography site.
2023 - Getting ready to open. This was a couple of days before marquee renovation began. Photo: Bill Counter - March 7
2023 - Escott O. Norton on the lift repainting the marquee. Thanks to Escott for sharing the March 9 photo on Facebook. See his video about the first day's work on the
LAHTF Facebook page.
2023 - The new look. At least temporarily. Photo: Bill Counter - March 15
The plan is to eventually do a replica of an earlier marquee, perhaps the 1929 version. Escott comments: "It definitely a temporary solution and I look forward
to working with them on the replica! While no decision has been
finalized, it’s more likely that we will replicate the later (1940s?)
Eagle marquee with all the neon, which will be fun! Stay tuned!"
2023 - The north end of the marquee. Photo: Bill Counter - March 15
2023 - A shot by Maggie Mackay. Thanks to Escott O. Norton for sharing this and two other views in an April 4
Facebook post about the marquee upgrade.
2023 - Opening day. Photo: Bill Counter - June 1
More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Eagle for lots of fine research by Ken Roe and other contributors. There's a Friends of the Eagle Theatre page on Facebook.
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