Central Theatre

1629 S. Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90021 | map |

Opened: 1911 or earlier. It was on the west side of the street between 16th and 18th. In the 1911 and 1912 city directories it's listed as the New Central Theatre with the 1629 S. Central address.

 

Looking for "AMATUERS" in April 1911. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this and other items about the Central for a thread on the Ken's Movie Page Facebook group. 

 

A December 1912 quest for talented people. 

 

 

The Central is seen on the west side of the street between 16th and 18th in this detail from plate 10 of the 1914 Baist Real Estate Survey Map from Historic Map Works. 17th is a dead end although it reappears farther west. 

 

In the 1914 city directory the address is shown as 1631. In the 1915 directory we're back to 1629 and have dropped the "New" -- it's just the Central Theatre. It's "New" again in the 1916 and 17 directories, listed at 1629. The address is given as 1627 S. Central in the 1918, 1919 and 1921 directories.

 

Curfew problems in September 1919 with pandemonium at the police station. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for spotting the news items and ads. 

 

"Big Merger." Even the Central got a mention in this January 11, 1921 L.A. Times article about the formation of West Coast Theatres. They noted that the Central and the Rosebud Theatre were being operated by Rosebud Theatres Company. The Rosebud was three blocks down the street from the Central, at 1940 S. Central. That 4,000 seater they mention that would be built at Mercantile Place, on Broadway between 5th and 6th, never happened. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the article.

 

Closing: The date of the Central's demise is unknown. It's not in the 1923 directory.  

 

 

In December 1945 it was a garage according to this ad that Ken located in the California Eagle, a paper catering to LA's Black community. 

Status: It's been demolished. The site is now under the I-10.

 

Looking south on S. Central Ave in search of the Central Theatre. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

More Information: There really isn't any yet.

| back to top | Downtown: theatre district overview | Hill St. and farther west | Broadway theatres | Spring St. theatres | Main St. and farther east | downtown theatres by address | downtown theatres alphabetical list | 

| Westside | Hollywood | Westwood and Brentwood | Along the Coast | [more] Los Angeles movie palaces | the main alphabetical list | theatre history resources | film and theatre tech resources | theatres in movies | LA Theatres on facebook | contact info | welcome and site navigation guide |