Opened: 1920 as the El Teatro. Note the name above the entrance arches. The building is on the east side of the street between 2nd St. and what is now called Firestone Blvd, originally Manchester Ave. What is now Downey Ave. was at the time called Crawford St. The photo appeared as a post on the Downey Conservancy Facebook page. "Fifty-Fifty" was a 1916 release.
Seating: 375
Architect: Harry Haden Whitely.
The Downey Champion issue of October 9, 1919 had this page one item that was included in the Conservancy's Facebook post of the vintage photo: "Theatre Plans Being Drawn - The Dual Lane lot on Crawford St. immediately S. of the Hotel Bldg. was purchased this week by Hogan Willeford as a site for the new theatre building…. Architect Whiteley … The building will be of brick and will contain 2 small offices in front with a wide lobby in the center leading to the theatre entrance…. will occupy approx. 100' and in the rear a room will be partitioned off for an auditorium. This lot was formerly vacant. 375 seats."
The plans for a theatre in Downey designed by Harry Haden Whitely and financed by Hogan Willeford were also noted in an item in the November 7, 1919 issue of Southwest Builder and Contractor. Cards with that information are in the Los Angeles Public Library's California Index. The location or seating capacity wasn't specified.
By 1925 the venue had been renamed the Downey Theatre and was operated by L.R. Mathews. Another card in the California Index reporting data from the the Southwest Builder and Contractor issue of April 10, 1925 about a new theatre noted "Theatre has been leased to L.R. Mathews, owner of the Downey Theatre."
That replacement theatre was called the Downey Theatre when it opened at what is now 11022 Downey Ave. It was later known as the Victory Theatre and became the Avenue Theatre in 1949.
Closing: The date is unknown but the assumption is that this theatre closed when the new Downey Theatre opened in 1925. More data is needed.
Status: The building survives but has been remodeled for retail use. As of 2020 it was a fashion store and a nail spa.
George Redfox commented on Cinema Treasures: "It still has the original wood floors under the carpet. The owner let me explore the attic where you can still find the remains of the barrel roof along with two huge French skylights. There are also remains of a front office..."
2019 - The building remodeled for retail use. Photo: Google Maps
2019 - A side wall detail. Photo: Downey Conservancy Facebook page. They commented: "To this day if you look on the side of the building you can still see the outline of one of the original archways."
More information: See the Cinema Treasures page about the El Teatro for research by Joe Vogel and other contributors.
Also nearby was the Meralta Theatre, opening in 1926 at 10912 Downey Ave.
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