Los Angeles Theatres: Dayton Theatre

509 W. Avenue 28 Cypress Park (Los Angeles), CA 90065 | map |

Opened: Around 1913. The Dayton Theatre is in the city directories beginning that year with the address as 509 W. Ave. 28. In 1921 it was listed as "Dayton av cor av 28." Sections of both Dayton Ave. and Pasadena Ave. were later renamed Figueroa St. The building is on the northwest corner of 28th and Figueroa, south of Highland Park. In the 2019 Google Maps image that's 28th on the left and on the right we're looking north on Figueroa.

The theatre is mentioned in "Down Memory Lane," an article about theatres north of downtown appearing in the October 1991 issue of the Tom B'hend publication Greater L.A. Metro Newsreel. The article envisioned a streetcar ride by the neighborhood's theatres. After going by the Division Theatre they approach the Dayton:

"The 'E' car continued east to 28th St. and turned south to Dayton (which is now known as Figueroa). Just north of Dayton, facing on the east side of 28th was the small store front DAYTON theatre. Featured here were westerns and action films at 10 cents. The front of this nickelodeon displayed colorful posters to attract patrons. A piano accompanied the silents here. Closed before sound debuted, the narrow brick building still stands today, after being a bar and later an office machine sales company."

Closing: The Dayton's last city directory listing was 1929.

Status: The building survives on the corner of Avenue 28 and Figueroa. The City's Zimas database gives it a 1908 construction date.

The article in the October 1991 issue of the Metro Newsreel: