Opened: 1922 as the United Theatre, part of a small circuit with other houses around the L.A. area using the same name. The 1955 photo looking north toward Colorado Blvd. was taken by Alan Weeks. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating it.
Architect: Unknown.
Seating: 503. Thanks to Ken Roe for the data. The number comes from the 1950 and 1953 Film Daily Yearbooks.
Joe Vogel found a 1922 announcement for construction of a brick theatre building at 112-114 S. Central St. in Eagle Rock. The town was incorporated into L.A. in 1923 with Central St. becoming Eagle Rock Blvd.
An early 1926 L.A. Times ad for three theatres in the United circuit. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it. The Strand on Catalina later was renamed the Riviera.
In 1926 the theatre was purchased by John Sugar of Vox Theatres who also had the York Theatre in Highland Park.
An October 29, 1926 ad for the Eagle Rock and the York. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this and other items about the theatre for a thread on the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.
In the 1927 city directory they were a bit behind as it was still listed as still the United. Mr. Sugar eventually ended up with the other Eagle Theatre down the street (formerly the Yosemite) as well. Joe Vogel notes that a December 28, 1928 L.A. Times article on the sale of Mr. Sugar's three theatres also called it the Eagle Rock Theatre.
In 1929 it was in the city directory as the Eagle Theatre at 5060 Eagle Rock Blvd. In 1933 it was still advertising as the Eagle Rock. It got renamed the Sierra Theatre in 1943.
An August 26, 1943 ad announcing the reopening. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this for a Facebook post on Ken's Movie Page.
Closing: September 1957.
The last listing that Ken McIntyre could locate in the L.A. Times: September 22, 1957.
Praying for the sick in January 1958. Thanks, Ken!
Status: It's gone. The building now on the site dates from 1962.
c.1948 - A look south on Figueroa with a big crowd coming to the movies. No, that's not true. It was a ceremony to celebrate the inauguration of the #25 bus line. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection.
c.1948 - A detail from Sean's photo. The Sierra was running "Palmy Days," an October 1931 release with Eddie Cantor, Charlotte Greenwood and Barbara Weeks.
c.1948 - A closer look at the facade ornament. Thanks, Sean! .
1948 - The Sierra running "The Emperor Waltz" with Bing Crosby and Joan Fontaine along with "Angels' Alley" with Leo Gorcey and the Bowery Boys. The photo appears on page 113 of Eric H. Warren's book "Eagle Rock 1911-2011" (Arcadia Publishing, 2011). He notes that it's a Masonic Hall to the right of the theatre.
A c.1927 photo looking north toward the theatre when it was called the Eagle appears on page 114 of the book. Eric notes that the vertical sign had an eagle on top. There's a preview of the book on Google Books but the pages with the photos of the theatre aren't part of it.
1955 - A detail from the Alan Weeks photo at the top of the page. It's a triple bill of "The Black Cat," "Revenge of the Creature" and "Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki."
1955 - Another Alan Weeks photo. It's in the collection of the Metro Archive and Library on Flickr.
2019 - The site of the Sierra. You can now get an Aikido lesson and then have lunch next door. Photo: Bill Counter
More information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Sierra for all Joe Vogel's fine research.
The prime resource for historical research of the area is the Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society. They're at 2225 Colorado Blvd.
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