Seville Theatre

6407 West Blvd., Inglewood, CA  90302 | map |

Opening: February 1924. It's in the 1925 L.A. city directory. The feature advertised on the marquee in this postcard, "The Guilty One," was a June 1924 release with Agnes Ayres. "Going To Congress" with Will Rogers was a two-reel short released in May 1924. The card is from the site HipPostcard.

Seating: 786 is a number that was used in a lawsuit filed in the 1920s. 830 is the number appearing on the Cinema Treasures page about the theatre, presumably from a Film Daily Yearbook. 

 

The project was announced with this illustration in the Los Angeles Evening Express issue of November 17, 1923. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this for a Facebook thread about the theatre on Ken's Movie Page. The copy from the Express that appeared below: 

"Building is Radical Departure From Construction of Playhouses in So. Calif. -- The accompanying photograph is that of the new Seville Theater, which is being erected on the corner of Sixty-fourth street and Redondo boulevard, Fairview Heights, upon which the Los Angeles Investment Company has built and sold 1500 homes in less than two years. 

"The theater is to have a seating capacity of 1000 seats and is to be of strictly Spanish design, which, according to the builders is a radical departure from theater designing and construction in Southern California."

The theatre was initially owned by Fae Robison and her husband Bernard F. Robison. It was in a residential area on the west side of the street, a block north of Hyde Park Blvd. West Blvd. is three blocks west of Crenshaw.

Bill Gabel has the report on the opening, coming from sources unknown:

"...the Seville Theatre opened on February 8, 1924 with a program consisting of 'Judgement of the Storm' starring Lloyd Hughes, a Snub Pollard comedy and 'My Boy Will.' The Seville Orchestra was conducted by Charles Beresford, and Lucille Ricksen and other stars appeared 'In Person.' Soon after opening an Estey organ was installed. Programing silent movies, Tuesday nights were taken over by 'High Class Vaudeville.' 

 

"Designed and built by a local company General Construction Company in a Spanish Mission style, there was a large Mission style bronze bell on the...exterior which was illuminated at night. There were vines and foliage, and the lobby floor had an unusual treatment with the effect of 'stepping stones with moss in between.' The theatre had 'mechanically controlled' air conditioning."

Joe Vogel comments: 

"The Seville Theatre was where organist Gaylord Carter was working in the mid 1920s when he was 'discovered' by Harold Lloyd, an event which led to his employment as chief organist of the Million Dollar Theatre downtown and his first touch of fame."

A 1926 L.A. Times ad. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.  

The Robisons closed the theatre in mid-1927 as they could only get product on a timely basis from several exchanges. It was later picked up by West Coast Theatres.

 

The Robisons prevailed in a 1929 restraint of trade lawsuit against several film distributors and West Coast Theatres after the Seville was placed in a zone that relegated it to second run product, unlike nearby competitors. Details of the lawsuit are in a compendium of Federal Trade Commission Decisions on Google Books.  

 

An April 7, 1933 L.A. Times article about Fae Robison being awarded $35,000 in her lawsuit against West Coast Theatres (by this time called Fox West Coast) and a number of distributors. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.  

 

 

 

A December 1935/January 1936 program for the theatre that was located by Ken McIntyre. The other listings: January 3-6 | January 7-11 |

 

Running Disney's "Pinocchio" in 1946. "First Run in Inglewood (As a Re-Issue)." Thanks to Ken for the February 7 ad. 

 

 

Lizabeth Scott and other luminaries attend a premiere for "Shoe Shine" in 1949. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the April 14 story.  

 

Closing: It looks like 1951 might have been it for the Seville. 

 

 

The Inglewood theatre listings on January 20, 1951. Thanks to Ken for locating this. He comments: "Ads seem to run out at that point."

The building was used by Stegs Restaurant Supply in the late 1950s and 1960s. It evidently sustained earthquake damage in the 70s.

Status: It's been demolished. There's now a church on the site.  Joe Vogel notes that it dates from 1994.

The church building now on the site. That's 64th St. on the right. Photo: Google Maps - 2020

On the left we're looking south on West Blvd. The Seville was on the corner, facing left. Photo: Google Maps - 2020

More information: See the Cinema Treasures page about the Seville Theatre for some nice research by Bill Gabel, Ken McIntyre and Joe Vogel.  

The Seville gets a mention in the Sam Gnerre's 2017 Daily Breeze article "Inglewood's commercial landscape was once dotted with movie theaters."

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