Strand / Surf / Marina 1-2-3

302 S. Catalina Ave. Redondo Beach, CA 90277  | map |

Opened: January 6, 1938 as the Strand Theatre. It was on the southeast corner of Catalina Ave. and Torrance Blvd. The initial owners were Mike and Abe Gore and Adolph Ramish. The 1938 photo from the Los Angeles Public Library collection comes from the MGM Art Department.

The opening day ad. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating it. 

Seating: 844 was the capacity in 1952 according to the Film Daily Yearbook. Thanks to Ken Roe for the research. As a triplex it had capacities of 223, 231 and 176 for a total of 630.

 

Architect: Unknown. 

In the early 60s as part of the United Artists circuit, the Strand was equipped for 70mm and had runs of "King of Kings" (1962), "El Cid" (1962), "Oklahoma" (1962), "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1962), "Lawrence of Arabia" (1963) and "The Cardinal" (1963).

The venue was later operated by Lippert Theatres. They twinned it in 1968 by moving the screen forward and adding a second screen behind. The theatre stayed open during construction with films shown on a screen temporarily moved forward. The rear theatre was called the Surf Theatre and had a separate entrance and boxoffice on the side of the building.

A March 7, 1968 ad located by Mike Rivest announcing the opening of the Surf.

In 1969 the remaining auditorium was chopped in half making the building a triplex with two in front, one in back. Thanks again to Mike Rivest for locating an ad. This one appeared December 24, 1969. Initially it was the Marina 1 & 2 in the front and the rear house still called the Surf. Later it was called the Marina 1-2-3. 

A 1984 ad. Thanks to Sharrye Hagins for sharing it in an Old South Bay photos Facebook album. 

Closing: The theatre closed September 30, 1987. At the end it was an independent operation run by John Klee. Earlier he had been running the La Mar in Manhattan Beach.

Status: It has been demolished and replaced by condos.

 

1949 - It looks like they got the military out to support this engagement. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Elmorovivo for finding the photo for a post on that site.

c.1970 - Looking north on Catalina Ave. toward the Marina 1 & 2. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection. 

1982 - A view of the venue with the Marina 1 & 2 in front. The entrance to the Surf, later the Marina 3, was around the side to the left. It's a photo from the now-vanished American Classic Images website.

2019 - The new condo building on the site. Photo: Bill Counter

More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page for lots of stories. Cinema Tour also has a page on the theatre. 

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