Opened: 1924 as the Egyptian Theatre. It was on the north side of the street between Atlantic and Pine. The September 1944 photo was a post on the City of Maywood Facebook page. Thanks to Jason Vega for spotting it. He did a repost on the City of Bell/Southeast Happenings page where got additional comments.
Seating: 644
Architect: Evan Jones, who also did the Meralta in Downey. Joe Vogel notes that later Jones was the associate architect with George Burnett for the Allen Theatre in South Gate. The project was announced in the March 7, 1924 issue of Southwest Builder & Contractor:
"Theater Maywood -- Mann Walker Building Company...have the contract to erect a two story theater building at Maywood for M. Needer. Plans drawn by Evan Jones, 5810 Pacific Blvd., Huntington Park. The building has been leased to West Coast Theaters, Inc. Two story 77x115 feet, brick walls, seating capacity 600; cost $50,000..." The information comes from a card in the Los Angeles Public Library's California Index.
It was running as the Fox Egyptian as late as 1936. It was renamed the Maywood Theatre sometime prior to 1944.
A 1948 look at the Maywood's snackbar. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating the trade magazine photo for a post on Cinema Treasures.
Closed: Fox West Coast / National General was the operator at the end. It evidently closed in the mid-1960s and then became a shooting range. Ken McIntyre located a mention of the theatre in the September 21, 1975 issue of the L.A. Times:
"It was billed as a marriage of culture and cinema a half-century ago when the staid Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and Art moved into the same building as the elegant Maywood Fox Egyptian Theater. On the surface, it appeared an unlikely match, but somehow the bizarre blend of Beethoven sonatas and Ben Turpin two-reelers inspired one pompous city official to brand the new theater 'a center of culture for all time.' He was wrong. Today the Fox Maywood, that all-time cultural center, is the Tri-City Gun Shop, Rifle and Pistol Shooting Range. The L.A. Conservatory has vanished."
Status: The building was demolished in the 80s. There's now a shopping center on the site. Jason Vega notes that the theatre was in front of where Fitness 19 is now located.
Looking west along Slauson toward Pine Ave. The Maywood's site has been devoured by a shopping center. Photo: Google Maps - 2017
More information: See the Cinema Treasures page about the Maywood.
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