Columbia / Jefferson / Palace / Home / Arlin Theatre

2117 W. Jefferson Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 | map |

Opened: Late 1910 or early 1911. The building is on the north side of the street just west of Arlington Ave. The 1937 photo is showing off the theatre's new name and new signage. Thanks to D. Sedman for finding the image for a post on Cinema Treasures. 

Seating: 480 at one time. 

Architect: Frank M. Tyler. The projected cost was $4,000.00. The owner of the building was Fred Siegert, who was also the first operator of the business.  

Thanks to Rina H. Rubenstein of the West Adams Heritage Association for locating the October 1910 building permit that lists Mr. Tyler as architect. She notes that Tyler is mentioned in the 2011 City of L.A. Jefferson Park HPOZ Draft Preservation Plan (available as a 126 page PDF) and adds that he "was an extremely prolific designer of classy houses in the area, as well as some commercial buildings. He lived not far away, having married into a wealthy family. Bonus trivia: his son, Walter H. Tyler, became an Academy Award-winning art director."

 

Joe Vogel notes that the City's Zimas database lists a 1930 construction date. Evidently there was a major remodel at that time. Rina Rubenstein notes that a number of permits were pulled over the years, each time with different owners.

 

The project was listed in the October 8, 1910 issue of Southwest Builder & Contractor. Thanks to Chris Nichols for locating this. He's a senior editor at Los Angeles Magazine and, with Adriene Biondo, is the author of the 2025 Angel City Press book "Bowlarama: The Architrecture of Mid-Century Bowling."

 

Fred Siegert was looking for a singer late 1910. Thanks to Chris Nichols for locating this ad in the December 1 issue of the L.A. Times.  

Fred was also a film producer and in 1911 was in a fight with the Motion Picture Patents Trust. He reported that he was "being shadowed continually by detectives." This article and photo appeared in the August 14 issue of the Los Angeles Evening Express: 

 

Thanks to Chris Nichols for locating this. 

 

Evidently Fred soon gave up operating the theatre he had built. A Mr. T.A. Russell had a listing for this address under "theatres" in the 1911 city directory. In the 1912 and in the 1914 through 1918 city directories it's listed as the Columbia Theatre.

 

 

A 1914 ad as the Columbia. Thanks to Jeff Bridges for locating it. He's got the full directory ad this came from that listed 30 theatres as a post on Flickr.

Another 1914 ad, this one a find by Ken McIntyre. 

The theatre was listed as the Jefferson Theatre in this 1918 ad for various southend theatres that appeared in the L.A. Express. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it. It was also listed as the Jefferson in the 1919 city directory. 

It's in a 1923 Paramount ad and in the 1922, 1923, 1926 and 1927 city directories as the Palace Theatre. In the 1929, 1932 and 1936 city directories it's listed as the Home Theatre.

In September 1937 it was renamed the Arlin Theatre. Thanks to Joe Vogel for the date of this last name change. He found a mention that the Home Theatre had been renamed in the October 4, 1937 issue of The Film Daily. 

 

A March 29, 1950 listing in the Times for Japanese films. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.

Closing: April 1950 was evidently the end of it. Ken McIntyre notes that ads in the Times stop that month.  

 

 

By early 1951 it had been churched. Chris Nichols located this January 20, 1951 item in the Los Angeles Tribune. 

 

 

A February 1, 1951 story in the California Eagle, a paper serving the L.A. Black community. Thanks to Chris Nichols for locating this. Evidently the church didn't stay long in this location. 

A 1954 permit application for conversion from theatre to pawn shop included this information:

Note the mention that it had been vacant for three years. Thanks for the research, Rina!

Status: The building survives and is still in use as a pawnshop. 

A few exterior views: 

2003 - A fine marquee detail by Ron Pierce appearing on the Cinema Tour page about the Arlin where he has three additional photos. Thanks, Ron!

2007 - A view looking west from Ken McIntyre. His post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group included two additional photos.

2015 - The west side of the 1910 vintage building. Photo: Google Maps

 

2022 - That's the theatre's 1937 marquee still on the building. Photo: Chris Nichols

 

2022 - A closer look at the entrance. It's a detail from the Chris Nichols photo. Thanks! He's a senior editor at Los Angeles magazine and is also the author of the Taschen book "Walt Disney's Disneyland." 

 

More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Arlin for some nice research by Joe Vogel. The Cinema Tour page on the Arlin has four 2003 facade photos.

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