California Theatre

6528 Pacific Blvd. Huntington Park, CA 90255 | map |

Opened: 1925 as the California Theatre and was operated for decades by Fox West Coast as the Fox California Theatre. It got a bit of the Skouras decorative treatment in the 40s. The 1972 photo is in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

The logo for "The Showplace of the Southeast." Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for finding an ad using it in a Huntington Park High School yearbook from the late 20s.

The theatre was triplexed around 1975 and known then as the California 3 Theatres. The main floor was left intact with a wall installed from the balcony rail up to the ceiling. The balcony was divided into 2 small theatres.

Architects: Arthur George Lindley and Charles R. Selkirk, who also did the Alex Theatre in Glendale.

Seating: 1,500 originally

Organ: It was a Wurlitzer style 216.

Status: It closed in October 2006. In 2007 the main floor was converted to retail space. The owner installed new signage advertising the balcony theatres as "California 2 Theatres" but an operator willing to operate the venue has not yet materialized. 

For leasing information contact Kristin Kim at 818-306-0398. The upstairs theatres are basically unusable unless someone renovated to provide elevator access as well as ADA compliant seating areas and restrooms.


Interior views:

No pictures have surfaced showing the theatre's original decorative scheme. This proscenium view from the Jim Lytell collection shows the effects of the 1940s Fox West Coast Skouras-style modernization. The photo appears in the 1987 booklet "Skouras-ized for Showmanship: Skouras' West Coast Theatres" by Preston J. Kaufmann, the Theatre Historical Society annual #14. It's available from THS or on Amazon.

A side wall view from "Skouras-ized for Showmanship: Skouras' West Coast Theatres" by Preston J. Kaufmann.

A look at the main floor auditorium as it appeared after the triplexing. Note the later drapery treatment as compared to the earlier version when the house first got the Skouras look. Thanks to Robert Tower for spotting the photo. It's a contribution of Bill Gabel to the Cinema Treasures page about the California.

A bit of proscenium plasterwork -- now in a closet at the back of a retail space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

A "harvest" wall panel at the landing on the house right stairs to the balcony. Fox West Coast mass produced these in the 1940s and the same designs ended up in many remodeled theatres up and down the coast. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

The house right end of the balcony lobby and the entrance to Cinema 3. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for this 2007 photo, one appearing in his terrific Los Angeles Theatres album on Flickr. 

The house left end of the balcony lobby with the entrance to Cinema 2. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

A closer look at the "gold panning" panel on the house left stairs. It's a 2007 Eric Lynxwiler photo appearing on Flickr. Also see his photo of the "harvest" wall panel.

 

The auditorium ceiling in 2007. Here we're looking out in front of the balcony rail to view the top of the retail space they were building out on the main floor. The two smaller theatres in the balcony are behind us. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for his photo on  Flickr.

A detail of the main ceiling. It's a 2007 Eric Lynxwiler photo on Flickr. 

 

 

 

It's a 2008 photo by the French team of Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre. The image appears on page 193 of their gigantic book "Movie Theaters" (Prestel, 2021). It's available on Amazon or from your local bookseller. See the "Theaters (2005-2021)" portfolio on their website for more of their fine work.

In Cinema 2, the house left balcony theatre. It's a photo by Eric Lynxwiler appearing on Flickr.

A look to the front of Cinema 2 years later, the screen now missing. Photo: Marcos Salas - 2020

The rear of Cinema 2. Photo: Marcos Salas - 2020

Looking toward the booth in the house right balcony theatre, Cinema 3. It's a 2007 photo by Eric Lynxwiler on Flickr. Thanks for all these, Eric!

A look up one of the aisles. Photo: Marcos Salas - 2020

Up in the booth: 

 

In the booth looking at a Cinemeccanica Victoria 5 projector, unused since 2006. The platter systems are long gone but the two projectors remain. Photo: Marcos Salas - 2020

 The back side of the Cineeccanica. It's an LP Associates Xenon lamp. Photo: Marcos Salas - 2020

One of the front wall control panels. Photo: Marcos Salas - 2020

A 2006 schedule, one of several still in the booth. Photo: Marcos Salas - 2020

The other machine is a Century on top of a Simplex SH-1000 soundhead. Photo: Marcos Salas - 2020

The back side of the Century. Photo: Marcos Salas - 2020

Electrical panels at one end of the booth. Photo: Marcos Salas - 2020. Thanks for all the photos, Marcos!

More exterior views:

c.1932 - A view north on Pacific from Zoe Ave. before the earthquake. That's the California's vertical sign popping up on the right. The photo appears on page 61 of the 2007 Arcadia Publishing book "Huntington Park" by James Kinsey. The page with the photo is part of the book's preview available on Google Books. Thanks to Jason Vega for spotting the photo.

1933 - A post-earthquake view of the California showing damage to the hotel south of the theatre. The hotel building has been demolished. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for spotting the photo as a post on the Huntington Park High School Sustainers Facebook page.

1937 - A shot looking north on Pacific Blvd. by Herman Schultheis. The California is advertising an "owl show" of John Ford's "The Hurricane." The photo is in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

1939 - A look at the California running "Five Came Back" with Chester Morris and Lucille Ball. The Park Theatre is on the far left. Thanks to Jason Vega for spotting the photo in the collection of the Downey Historic Conservancy on Flickr.

1951 - A look south on Pacific. The California, over there on the left, was running that great hit "Mark of the Renegade." It's a photo by Julius Shulman, who was was out photographing branch offices for Bank of America. This was his Job #1029. The set of three photos on the site of the Getty Research Institute also has a view looking north on Pacific with the theatre down a block or so.

Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Hoss C for digging through the Getty Archives to find these photos. The set is the subject of his Noirish post #31352. If you have a day or two to spare, you can also browse through more Shulman photos at the Getty.

 

 

1951 - A detail from the Julius Shulman photo. The Warner vertical can be seen down the street. 

1953 - A photo taken in May by Joseph Fadler for Southern California Edison that's in the Huntington Library collection.  

 

1953 - A detail from the photo by Joseph Fadler. The Park was running "A Place in the Sun," a 1951 release, along with Jennifer Jones and Karl Malden in "Ruby Gentry." Allen Hollis notes that "Off Limits" with Bob Hope was at the California, along with Van Johnson and Janet Leigh in "Confidentially Connie."

1950s - An undated premiere photo by Ralph Morris in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. The set includes the photo below as well as two views with a star of the film, whatever it was.

1950s - The other exterior view in the premiere night set by Ralph Morris. 

1955 - A view appearing in the 2007 Arcadia Publishing book "Huntington Park" by James Kinsey. He notes that the California was running "Seven Year Itch" with Marilyn. At the Park, farther down the street, it's Richard Widmark in "Hell and High Water." Thanks to Jason Vega for spotting the photo. The book is available on Amazon. There's a preview on Google Books.

1950s - A postcard view looking north toward the California. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for spotting it on a City of Huntington Park social media post.

1958 - A fine front of the streetcar view. To the right of the amber lights is the marquee of the California advertising "Run Silent, Run Deep," a March release with Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster along with "Cross Up," starring Larry Parks and Constance Smith, a film originally out in 1954 with the title "Tiger By The Tail." Down the block the Park Theatre was running "Snow White." Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this photo from his collection.

late 1950s - The California's vertical is over on the right. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection.

c.1960 - Another photo from the collection of transit historian Sean Ault. 

1963 - A December view south on Pacific with the Park Theatre signage in the center of the image. Beyond are the verticals for the California Theatre, the Columbia clothing store and the Warner Theatre. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating the photo. 

 

Rail service was discontinued in March 1963. Sean notes that although the streetcar power lines were removed, some of the span wires were left in place at the request of the city to use for Christmas decorations.

 

 

1963 - A December shot looking north with the Columbia Outfitters vertical in the center of the image. Off to the left are the California Theatre and the Park Theatre. It's another image from Sean Ault. 

c.1964 - A view looking north on Pacific Blvd. with the Warner on the right. The California Theatre's vertical can be glimpsed in the next block beyond the tower of the Columbia clothing store building. The photo is from the Huntington Park album of the Downey Conservancy on Flickr. Note that they still had the rails although the overhead power lines are gone.

c.1970 - A view south on Pacific. The first marquee on the left was still the original version on the Park Theatre, later rebuilt as a twin. The California's vertical can be seen farther down the block. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for finding the photo in a Huntington Park High School yearbook.

c.1970 - Another look south on Pacific toward the California. That's the theatre's stagehouse in the upper center of the photo with the Park Theatre this side of the California. In the upper right the top of the stagehouse of the Warner is visible. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for the find.

1972 - A photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

1983 - Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for this look at the triplexed theatre.

c.1985 - A Christmas view north with the California on the right edge. The vertical and roofline of the rebuilt Park Theatre can be seen several doors farther down. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for spotting the photo on a City of Huntington Park social media post.

1980s - A photo looking south on Pacific. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for spotting it on a social media post from the Greater Huntington Park Area Chamber of Commerce.

1986 - A photo from the Greater Huntington Park Area Chamber of Commerce. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for spotting it. The Chamber used the theatre for the Huntington Park Pageant.

c.1991 - Thanks to Bill Gabel for finding this one for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. 

2004 - A photo from the Hugo Ruiz collection. The theatre was still running as a triplex.

2007 - A photo taken in August showing the signage still in place. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for the photo, one of nearly 500 in his terrific Los Angeles Theatres album on Flickr. Also in his album from the same year are: wider facade view | entrance detail | stagehouse |

2007 - The theatre, closed and minus its signage. Photo: Bill Counter

2007 - A closer look at the entrance during remodeling to convert the main floor to retail space. Photo: Bill Counter 

2012 - The building with retail spaces filled up but the balcony theatres dormant. Photo: Bill Counter

2017 - The dormant "California 2." It's a Hugo Ruiz photo.  

2017 - A stagehouse view. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for his photo. 

2018 - A look south on Pacific. The Park Theatre, operated by Metropolitan Theatres, was rebuilt in the 1980s as a twin. The California is down the block with the Warner visible in the distance. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for his photo.

2020 - Excitement in the main floor retail spaces on February 24. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for his photo.

2020 - A closer look from the south. Photo: Hugo Ruiz - February 24

2020 - After the fire's containment. Photo: Hugo Ruiz - February 24. Thanks, Hugo!

2020 - A view of the fire's damage. Thanks to Jude Mel Rosales for the photo. This one and the one below she posted as comments on the You know you grew up in Huntington Park.. page on Facebook.  

2020 - A look upward at the scorched upper floors. Thanks to Jude Mel Rosales for her photo.  

 

 

2023 - A fine telephoto shot by Luis Sinco for the L.A. Times. That's the Park on the left, the brown brick facade of the California Theatre in the center and the vertical of the Warner down the street. The Times used the photo with a story in their March 11 issue about a migrant suing the city after his detention. 

More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the California Theatre. The Cinema Tour page on the California has several 2004 exterior views by Ken Roe.

Nearby: The Park Theatre is just a few storefronts to the north. A block south is the Warner, now converted into a gym. 

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