Los Angeles Theatres: Washington Theatre / Cinema 21

845 E. Washington Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91104 | map |

Opened: It was built in 1924 but the opening, as the Washington Theatre, was delayed until May 15, 1925, after Washington Blvd. had been paved. West Coast-Langley was the initial operator. The venue initially featured vaudeville along with films. It's on the north side of the street a block west of Lake Ave. Washington Blvd. is 1.2 miles north of the 210. The 1925 pre-opening photo is from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

Architect: Clarence Lee Jay, who later had an office in the building. The extent of Jay's body of work is unknown. By 1918 he was doing residential designs. In a 1923 issue of Architect and Engineer (on Google Books) it was noted that he had worked in the Hollywood office of the Frank Meline Co. and later ran the firm's Pasadena office. He had just set up his own practice in the Braley Bldg. on Raymond Ave. in Pasadena.

In 1924 he formed a partnership with Lincoln Rogers and Frank W. Stevenson of San Diego. Among other projects, the firm designed the Harbor View House in San Pedro, opened in 1926 as an Army and Navy YMCA. In collaboration with famous mausoleum designer and engineer Cecil E. Bryan, he was responsible for the Mountain View Mausoleum in Altadena (1925) and the Sunnyside Mausoleum in Long Beach (1929).

Joe Vogel notes that Henry M. Patterson worked with Jay on the Washington Theatre project. Patterson evidently specialized in churches and was the designer of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, among others. The Pacific Coast Architecture Database has listings for both Jay and Patterson.

Seating: 900, all on one level.

The Washington was one of the first "suburban" theatres in the Pasadena area and is also a good example of an early mixed-use project with the building including retail shops, second floor offices and many apartments in a three story wing along the east side of the auditorium. By 1929 the theatre was operated by Fox West Coast, the successor company to West Coast-Langley. Later United Artists Theatre Circuit had it.

A May 14, 1925 ad announcing the grand opening. The Warner Bros. production "Eve's Lover" was the feature. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating the ad for a post on Cinema Treasures. They note that the entire cast made an appearance, including Clara Bow.

A nice shot of the lobby appearing in the August 16, 1928 issue of the Pasadena Evening Post. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for sharing the page it was on as a post for the Ken's Movie Page Facebook group.

The ad that appeared in the August 16, 1928 issue of the Post.

A 1930 ad for the talkies. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.

A March 1931 schedule. Also see the inside of the schedule. "All programs are reproduced with the latest improved Western Electric System in Pasadena." Thanks to Mike DiGirolamo for including it in a post for the You Know You Are From Old Pasadena When... private Facebook group.

In 1968 it got a name change to Cinema 21. Thanks to Mike Rivest for finding the March 6 ad. Yup, they got Max's name wrong. In 1972 the theatre became one of the the first black owned cinemas in southern California when it was acquired by Ralph Riddle. It became the major Pasadena venue for blaxploitation films as well as other action fare and cheap major studio double bills.

In 1977 Metropolitan Theatres took over the lease and the format changed to Spanish language features. By the 80s, the theatre (and the neighborhood) were in decline. The theatre closed in 1989 after running adult films at the end.

Closing: It was used as a rehearsal studio in 1991 and 1992 but the owner of the building was unwilling to invest in sufficient improvements to make the building viable as a concert venue. The building's apartments (including ten illegally converted from office space on the second floor) were vacated in 1993 after mold-related complaints.

It sat for years after closing with many complaints about its condition. Gagik "Gary" and Jacqueline Buickians acquired the building in 2006 for $1.5 million. In 2009 it was noted that the city had backed out of what once was a possible theatre/subsidized housing project due to lack of action by the building owners.

In 2010 it received city landmark status -- evidently covering only the exterior. Since then it underwent an extremely slow renovation process. Pasadena Heritage noted that some work on the building was halted at one point due to lack of permits.

The Pasadena Star-News had an October 29, 2017 story: "Restoration of Pasadena's historic Cinema 21 is nearly done, but it may never be used as a theater." It discussed the restoration of the building and the adjacent apartments but noted the theatre space itself may get put to other uses as it's unlikely they'll find an interested operator. Thanks to Linda Hammonds for spotting the story.

Status: The theatre's auditorium is now covered and unused. New columns have sprouted in the former seating area to support a new roof.

Interior views:

A fine 1925 trade magazine spread on the new theatre. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Comfortably Cool for finding it for a post on that site's page about the theatre.

The lobby c.2005. Thanks to Thal Armathura for this and other vintage interior views appearing here. They appear on a 2010 Avenue To The Sky post "Washington Theatre Landmark! - Interior Tour Held!" He notes that the photos were from a "long ago" tour held to determine the merit of the architectural features remaining in the building. Also see Thal's 2009 post "The Washington Theatre..."

Looking into the lobby in 2018. Photo: Bill Counter

A view toward the stage. Photo: Thal Armathura - c.2005

The house right organ grille. Photo: Thal Armathura - c.2005. He notes that the theatre once had an ArtCraft organ, installed in 1926.

A detail of plasterwork above the proscenium. Photo: Thal Armathura - c.2005

A side wall panel and original sconces. Photo: Thal Armathura - c.2005

Deco end standards. Photo: Thal Armathura - c.2005

A view to the rear of the house. Photo: Thal Armathura - c.2005. Thanks for the photos, Thal!

The house right wall, as seen from the parking lot behind the theatre. The concrete zig-zag is what was the bottom of the proscenium. Photo: Claudia Mullins - January 2020

Along the right wall. The square holes cut in the seating risers are for foundations for columns to support a new roof -- the owners have no projected use for the area. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2020

The ruins of the orchestra pit, musicians room and dressing rooms. Photo: Claudia Mullins - January 2020

Another look into the basement. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2020

A view back toward the booth. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2020

The house right end of the lobby. Take a right down there where the light is coming in and you're at the entrance. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2020

On the house left end of the lobby looking out through a retail space to the street. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2020

Looking back toward the house right end of the lobby. The auditorium is through the doorway to the left. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2020

A view toward the former stage. Note the new columns and roof. The old floor slab has been removed. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2020

The remains of the proscenium. This and the terrazzo in front are the only things vaguely historic still on the site. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2020

More exterior views:

1924 - The construction crew posing for a photo by Harold A. Parker that was commissioned by Patch Realty. Note the attached apartment block that's underway at the rear. The photo is in the Huntington Library collection.

1924 - Another wonderful construction view by Harold A. Parker. Thanks to Barry Kazmer for posting it on the now-defunct Google platform Picasa. He noted that the signs are for firms involved in the project: the contractor Willard Bell, Hammond Lumber, and Hogan Finance and Mortgage.

1924 - The theatre nearing completion. Note the unpaved street. Thanks to John Steven Fode for locating the photo. He added it as a comment to a post about the theatre by James F. Staub on Facebook.

1937 - The theatre's grand reopening. Thanks to Thal Armathura for the photo, one appearing with "The Washington Theatre...," a 2009 post about the theatre on his blog Avenue To The Sky. Joe Vogel found a July 31, 1937 item in Boxoffice: "A thirty-day shutdown has been ordered for the Washington Theatre, Pasadena. Crown City Theatres, operating the house, has planned a $20,000 improvement budget, which will include a new floor, marquee, seats, and other items." Note all the classy black Vitrolite added to the facade.

1940 - A view from the collection of the Pasadena Museum of History. Thanks to Matt Hormann for including the photo with his 2010 Hometown Pasadena story "Cinema in Despair: The Washington Theatre." Matt noted that the admission at the time was 9 cents. The article is no longer online.

early 1970s - A photo by Elliot M. Gold from the Pasadena Museum of History collection. It appeared with Matt Hormann's now-vanished Hometown Pasadena story "Cinema in Despair: The Washington Theatre." Matt noted that on the marquee were "Joe Kidd" and "Sometimes a Great Notion."

1983 - Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for this photo.

c.2005 - Inspecting the ticket lobby. Thanks to Thal Armathura for the photo. It appears with his 2010 Avenue To The Sky post "Washington Theatre Landmark! - Interior Tour Held!"

2006 - A fine boxoffice view from Creeplord on Flickr.

2006 - The west end of the marquee. It's another photo from Creeplord on Flickr. Also see his view of the rear of the building.

2007 - A facade detail from a7bat on Flickr. Also see the full 20 photo set.

2007 - The ticket lobby before demo. Thanks to a7bat for the photo on Flickr.

2008 - Looking west in a photo from Ken McIntyre.

2009 - Thanks to Corey Miller for this entrance detail on Flickr. It's one appearing in his "Theatre Signs" album. Also see his marquee end detail.

2010 - Thanks to Deanna Bayless for sharing this photo.

2011 - The rear of the building before demolition of the theatre's back wall. The auditorium is the brick structure on the right. It doesn't currently look very prime, but the name of the street we're looking down is called Prime Court. Photo: Google Maps