673 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101 | map |
The news: It reopened as a Landmark Theatres operation on December 19, 2022.
Opened: February 5, 1999 as the Laemmle Pasadena Playhouse 7. It's on the north side of the street between El Molino
Ave. and Oak Knoll Ave. Nearby are the Pasadena Playhouse and the former United Artists. Since December 2022 it's been the Landmark Theatres Pasadena. Photo: Bill Counter - January 19, 2023
Phone: 626-514-2801 Website: www.landmarktheatres.com | on Facebook
Seating: It's now 371 on the 7 screens after Landmark's remodel and installation of recliners. The counts are screen one: 39, two: 76, three: 75, four: 40, five: 47, six: 48 and seven: 46. It was 1,191 total when it was a Laemmle operation. The capacities were 116, 253, 253, 116, 135, 159 and 159.
It's always been a first run house specializing in foreign, indie and other interesting
product. Laemmle Theatres owned the building but sold it in February 2021 to Arash Danialifar of GD Realty Group for $7.3
million to help keep the circuit afloat during the
Covid-19 shutdown. The Pasadena Star News
had the February 2 story. They then did a
lease-back to reopen in April 2021 after pandemic restrictions eased.
In
October 2021 the Pasadena Weekly had expressed concern about the
theatre in their story "Iconic Laemmle Theatre Has An Uncertain Future." The developer had been granted approval to gut the building
and redevelop it into a multi-tenant space that did not include a
theatre. Pasadena Now had the news in "Playhouse 7 Not Included in Developer's Plans for Building Revamp," a December 14, 2021 story by Keith Kalayag. Thanks to Maria Sahakian for spotting it. There was also a December 16 update: "Commission Approves Final Design..."
In a February 2, 2022 L.A. Times column Mary McNamara asked "Should the Laemmle Pasadena be saved? Definitely. Can it be? It's complicated."
Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting the story. Greg Laemmle noted at the time that options included an extension of the lease-back deal, a new lease at
much higher rent or perhaps finding a new Pasadena location. Mary
notes:
"If the worst-case scenario comes to pass and the chain has to leave Pasadena entirely, well, as Laemmle points out, the Glendale location, opened in 2018, is in no danger of closing, and it has more modern seating. 'For years, people drove from Glendale to Pasadena,' he says. 'It takes the same amount of time to drive from Pasadena to Glendale.'"
Landmark Theatres announced on May 26 that they had signed a long-term lease on the complex. Deadline shared the news in "Landmark Takes Over Laemmle Theatres' Pasadena Playhouse 7," a story by Anthony D'Allesandro. Landmark VP Michael Fant negotiated the deal with building owner Arash Danialifar's GD Realty Group. Danialifar commented:
"It is extremely gratifying to be able to continue to serve the community with an arthouse theatre. We are invested in supporting the arts in the Pasadena Playhouse Village area."
The Times followed up with "Landmark Theatres takes over...," a May 27, 2022 story by Ryan Faughnder that offered more background on both circuits. Laemmle's lease-back deal was extended through June. The Royal and NoHo properties have also been sold. The circuit's
Claremont location had a buyer and was in escrow but Laemmle later called off the sale. The circuit's last day of operation at the Playhouse 7 was June 29, 2022
Status: Landmark did a soft opening for the theatre starting December 19, 2022. The renovation included new reclining seats, a new snackbar and also a full bar.
The new look for Landmark:
Getting ready on the afternoon of the soft opening. Photo: Bill Counter - December 19, 2022
The evening of the "official" opening, January 26, 2023. Photo: Bill Counter
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, left, chats with Landmark Theatres CEO Kevin Holloway prior to the ribbon cutting in the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - January 26, 2023
Time for speeches by Kevin Holloway, left, and Victor Gordo. Photo: Bill Counter - January 26, 2023
A view to the street. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2023
Looking in toward the auditoria. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2023
From the west end of the inner lobby, near the entrances for screens 6 and 7. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2023
From the east exit doors. 1 and 2 are on the right, the hall toward the outer lobby down there on the left. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2023
A peek into house 1, capacity 39 after re-terracing and the installation of the new recliners. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2023
The rear of auditorium 1. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2023
Auditorium 2, now with a capacity of 76. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2023
The interior during the Laemmle era:
Looking in from the entrance doors. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
The bar. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022
One of a series of posters on display in the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
The view back out to the street. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
Looking west in the inner lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
A view east. Take a right where the customers are to head to the outer lobby and Colorado Blvd. The doors straight ahead lead to the walkway along the east side of the building. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2022
A peek into the stripped-out outer lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - August 2022
Auditorium #1. The decor in all 7 was pretty much identical. The capacity in this one was about 120. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022
Auditorium #2. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
Auditorium #5. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
Auditorium #5. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022
Auditorium #7. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022
Auditorium #7. Photo: Bill Counter - 2022
More exterior views:
The theatre in 2007. Photo: Bill Counter
A 2012 photo by Michael Locke appearing on a TimeOut page on the Playhouse 7.
The theatre in 2019. Photo: Bill Counter
A view from the west. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
A facade view during the last month of operation as a Laemmle house. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2022
A closer look at the entrance. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2022
The walkway on the east side of the building. That's Vroman's bookstore on the right. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2022
Looking back toward Colorado Blvd. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2022
The north end of the building. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2022
Along the west side, looking toward Colorado Blvd. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2022
The signage at dusk. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2022
This shot was taken the day of Landmark's soft opening. The facade had been painted and the Laemmle neon had been removed from the marquee but was still up there on the top of the vertical, covered by a "Landmark Theatres" banner. Photo: Bill Counter - December 19, 2022
A view from the east. New signage covering the boxoffice said "Now Open!" Photo: Bill Counter - December 19, 2022
More Information: The Cinema Treasures page on the Playhouse 7 has a few comments. The Cinema Tour page features 13 photos from Adam Martin and Scott Neff, including interior views.
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