Los Angeles Theatres: Park Theatre

6504 Pacific Blvd. Huntington Park, CA 90255 | map |

Opened: The first theatre on the site opened in the 20s if not earlier. The location is on the east side of the street between Gage Ave. on the north and Zoe Ave. on the south. In this 20s view looking north on Pacific toward Gage the Park is in the middle of the block. Thanks to Joe Vogel for finding the shot in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

The Park is just a few storefronts north of the California Theatre, which opened in 1925. In the next block to the south is the Warner Huntington Park. The Park is the only one of the three still in business. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

Website: www.metrotheatres.com

Architects: Unknown

Seats: 850 currently as a twin.

In the 80s Metropolitan Theatres demolished the original theatre and replaced it with a new twin with one auditorium upstairs and one down. Some facade elements were uncovered and saved.

Status: Open as a first run house. In 2024 Metropolitan Theatres filed for bankruptcy protection. The news was covered in "Iconic movie theater chain files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy," a March 1 article in TheStreet. Thanks to Garan Grey for spotting the story by Kirk O'Neill:

"Metropolitan Theatres files for bankruptcy -- Iconic movie theater chain Metropolitan Theatres Corp. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to reorganize its business affairs, which will include restructuring and possibly rejecting theater leases, company president David Corwin wrote in a bankruptcy declaration.

The Los Angeles-based movie theater chain on Feb. 29 filed its Subchapter V bankruptcy petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles listing about $26.5 million in assets and liabilities. The debtor said in court papers that the financial distress caused by the temporary closures of theaters during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 continued after theaters reopened as the in-person movie-viewing business remained slow in the ensuing years.

"Longtime movie theater operator closed locations -- The slowdown in theater business coupled with significant lease obligations and business expenses negatively impacted the company's financial stability. The company in 2022 shut down two poorly performing theaters in Aspen, Colo., and Hailey, Idaho, to reduce its losses...

"Metropolitan Theatres was founded in Los Angeles in 1923 [sic] during the silent film era with one theater, the Broadway. The company grew over the next two two decades to become the dominant downtown Los Angeles movie theater operator by the late 1940's, court papers said. The company currently operates 16 theaters and 87 screens, including two IMAX auditoriums in California, Colorado and Utah."

In addition to the Park Twin, the company manages the Egyptian for Netflix. Other California locations include the Fox Arlington, Fiesta 5, Metro 5, Paseo Nuevo Cinemas and Hitchcock Cinema in Santa Barbara, the Camino Real Cinemas and Fairview Theatre in Goleta, the MetroLux Theatres in San Clemente and the Calexico 10 in Calexico.

1920s - A detail from the Library's photo that's at the top of the page.

1939 - The Park is on the far left in this photo from the Downey Conservancy on Flickr. The California was running "Five Came Back" with Chester Morris and Lucille Ball. Thanks to Jason Vega for spotting the photo in the Conservancy's collection.

1953 - A photo taken in May by Joseph Fadler for Southern California Edison that's in the Huntington Library collection.

1953 - A detail from the photo by Joseph Fadler. The Park was running "A Place in the Sun," a 1951 release, along with Jennifer Jones and Karl Malden in "Ruby Gentry." Allen Hollis notes that "Off Limits" with Bob Hope was at the California, along with Van Johnson and Janet Leigh in "Confidentially Connie."

1953 - "Two Terrific Thrillers." A detail from another shot by Joseph Fadler in the Huntington Library collection. The main feature was "Gung Ho!," a 1943 release with Robert Mitchum and Randolph Scott. It appears that "King Kong" was the second feature.

1953 - A fine Christmas shot taken by Ernest Specht. Thanks to Jim Staub for sharing this on a Facebook post. He notes that this is half of a stereo pair shot through the windshield. He was a show horseman -- Note the hood ornament in the lower left. At the Park it was the May release "Thunder Bay" with Jimmy Stewart along with "Mississippi Gambler," a February release with Tyrone Power and Piper Laurie.

1955 - A view appearing in the 2007 Arcadia Publishing book "Huntington Park" by James Kinsey. He notes that the California is running "Seven Year Itch" with Marilyn. At the Park, farther down the street, it's Richard Widmark in "Hell and High Water." Thanks to Jason Vega for spotting the photo. The book is available on Amazon. There's a preview on Google Books.

1958 - A fine front of the streetcar view. To the right of the amber lights is the marquee of the California advertising "Run Silent, Run Deep," a March release with Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster along with "Cross Up," starring Larry Parks and Constance Smith, a film originally out in 1954 with the title "Tiger By The Tail." Down the block the Park Theatre was running "Snow White." Thanks to transit historian Sean Ault for sharing this photo from his collection.

1961 - A November 11 view south taken by Joseph Fadler for Southern California Edison as part of a street lighting study. Thanks to Leonard Wynne for locating the shot in the Huntington Library collection and sharing it on the Lost Angeles Facebook group.

1961 - A detail from the shot by Joseph Fadler. The California and Warner are down the street beyond the Park. The Park had "King of the Roaring 20s: The Arnold Rothstein Story" with David Janssen, Jack Carson, Diana Dors and Mickey Rooney. The co-feature was "The Pit and the Pendulum."

c.1962 - The theatre was running "Ben Hur" in this photo from the Sean Ault collection.

1963 - A December view south on Pacific with the Park's signage in the center of the image. Beyond are the verticals for the California Theatre, the Columbia clothing store and the Warner Theatre. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating the photo.

1963 - A December shot looking north with the Columbia Outfitters vertical in the center of the image. Off to the left are the California and the Park Theatre. It's another image from Sean Ault.

c.1970 - A view south on Pacific. The first marquee on the left is the Park Theatre. The California's vertical can be seen farther down the block. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for finding the photo in a Huntington Park High School yearbook.

c.1970 - Another look south on Pacific. That's the California's stagehouse in the upper center of the photo with the Park Theatre this side of it. In the upper right the top of the stagehouse of the Warner is visible. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for the find.

1983 - Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for this January photo of the theatre.

c.1985 - A Christmas view north with the California on the right edge. The vertical and roofline of the new Park Twin can be seen several doors farther down. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for spotting the photo on a City of Huntington Park social media post.

2007 - The 80s vintage twin theatre. Photo: Bill Counter

2018 - The Park Twin is on the left in this view looking south toward the California Theatre. The white tower in the next block is the former home of the Eastern Columbia department store. The tower and vertical of the Warner can be seen farther down the block. Thanks to Hugo Ruiz for sharing his photo.

2022 - A look at the facade from Google Maps.

2023 - A fine telephoto shot by Luis Sinco for the L.A. Times. That's the Park on the left, the brown brick facade of the California Theatre in the center and the vertical of the Warner down the street. The Times used the photo with a story in their March 11 issue about a migrant suing the city after his detention.

2024 - Looking north on Pacific. Photo: Sean Ault

2024 - The boxoffice. Photo: Sean Ault

2024 - Checking out the signage. Photo: Sean Ault

2024 - Surviving elements from the original 1920s facade. Photo: Sean Ault. Thanks, Sean!

Interior views of the replacement twin theatre:

The entrance from Pacific is on the right. Stairs and an elevator are to the left end of the bar. Thanks to Adam Martin for his 2010 photos. This is one of 39 he took that appear on the Cinema Tour page about the Park.