2917 N. Main St. Lincoln Heights (Los Angeles), CA 90031 | map |
Opened: July 2, 1926 as the San Carlos Theatre, an operation of West Coast Theatres. The building is on the north side of the street at Griffin Ave. The first film was "Sweet Daddies" starring Charles Murray and George Sidney. The stage portion of the opening program featured Billy Dooley and Frances Lee. Thanks to Charmaine Zoe for finding this 1930 kids matinee trade magazine photo for her Vintage Cinemas California album on Flickr.
Opened: July 2, 1926 as the San Carlos Theatre, an operation of West Coast Theatres. The building is on the north side of the street at Griffin Ave. The first film was "Sweet Daddies" starring Charles Murray and George Sidney. The stage portion of the opening program featured Billy Dooley and Frances Lee. Thanks to Charmaine Zoe for finding this 1930 kids matinee trade magazine photo for her Vintage Cinemas California album on Flickr.
Architect: Lewis A. Smith. The building had retail spaces adjacent to the theatre entrance and apartments above.
Seating: 1,100 was the capacity announced in a story the day before opening. 734 was the count much later, presumably from a Film Daily Yearbook.
A July 1, 1926 story about the impending opening. They were planning on changing their program five times a week. Thanks to Comfortably Cool for locating the story for a post on Cinema Treasures.
Seating: 1,100 was the capacity announced in a story the day before opening. 734 was the count much later, presumably from a Film Daily Yearbook.
A July 1, 1926 story about the impending opening. They were planning on changing their program five times a week. Thanks to Comfortably Cool for locating the story for a post on Cinema Treasures.
This was the headline and architect's drawing above a story appearing in the July 2, 1926 issue of the Eastside Journal. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. The article:
"In line with the extensive building program outlined by officials of the West Coast Theaters, Inc, the magnificent new West Coast San Carlos theater, North Main and Griffin, will be opened tonight. Rivaling in architectural beauty and theatrical importance any local West Coast Playhouse, the new San Carlos theater involves a financial investment of approximately $250,000. Eight months have been consumed in its final completion. Every element utilized in ultra-modern picture playhouse equipment has been embodied in the project.
"The architectural motif is Spanish, stressing the Moorish influence. It is stated that famous artists and sculptors have lavished their talent in an array of interior appointments. The mammoth pipe-organ and modern stage equipment places the new theater with other class A West Coast playhouses. Direct from its record-breaking premiere showing at Loew's State theater, 'Sweet Daddies,' starring Charles Murray, George Sidney, Vera Gordon and Jack Mulhall, has been selected as the initial offering.
"Stage ceremonies include the personal appearance of Billy Dooley in one of his famous stage skits, supported by Frances Lee. Bryant Washburn will be master of ceremonies. Other famous cinema celebrities who will attend are Vera Gordon, Tom O'Brien and Karl Dana of 'Big Parade' fame, Ruth Clifford, Roy Stewart, Walter Hiers, Joan Crawford, Belle Bennett, Bill Hart, Larry Semon, Pauline Starke, Lloyd Hamilton, Alice Calhoun, Adrienne Dore, Louise Fazenda, Gloria Gray, Joan Meredith, Jack Hazle (?), Dorothy Phillips and others of note.
"Two performances are scheduled for the dedicatory ceremonies. Personal appearances are announced for both shows. Announcement is made by West Coast officials that the policy control of the new San Carlos theater provides five distinct weekly changes offering photoplay successes with selected vaudeville and specialty acts."
The cover of the program for the week of October 23, 1927. It's from the site Silent Film Still Archive.
A great flyer for "Underworld," a 1927 silent release directed by Josef von Sternberg for Paramount. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting this on eBay.
"'Underworld' is here and will turn Lincoln Heights upside down! It's the best ever at the San Carlos Theatre."
A 1929 article in the Eastside Journal that was located by Ken McIntyre.
An October 1929 Eastside Journal ad for the theatre. It's another find by Ken McIntyre. Note that the West Coast chain by this time has become Fox West Coast and the theatre is being advertised as the Fox San Carlos.
An early 1930 Eastside Journal ad located by Ken McIntyre. "Sunny Side Up" and "Wall Street" were December 1929 releases.
In the 1939 city directory it was still listed as the San Carlos. It got renamed the New Lincoln Theatre in December that year. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating this December 19 ad.
It was back to the San Carlos name in ads in December 1941 although it's still the New Lincoln in the 1942 city directory.
In 1942 the theatre was advertising in the Italian language newspaper L'Italo Americano di Los Angeles. Thanks to Gerald DeLuca for locating this January 2 ad. It's one of 17 ads for the theatre in the 1942 - 1950 period from this paper that he's posted on Cinema Treasures.
From around 1944 to at least 1950 the San Carlos was running Italian language films, at least part of the time. Gerald comments:
"Immediately
after World War II, particularly in 1946 and 1947, large numbers of
Italian-language films, aimed specifically at the Los Angeles
Italian-speaking community, found a home here. A number came from the
New York distributor Esperia Films.... At times the San Carlos was
referred to as the San Carlo Theatre, using the Italian spelling."
An ad Gerald DeLuca located in the August 4, 1944 issue of L'Italo Americano di Los Angeles. He notes that this was a patriotic Italian film running not long after the liberation of Rome and that a translation of the title is "Italy Will Never Die."
A March 1, 1946 ad Gerald located in the newspaper L'Italo Americano di Los Angeles.
A February 17, 1950 ad located by Gerald DeLuca in L'Italo Americano di Los Angeles. Thanks for all the research, Gerald. In 1950 the theatre was being operated by the Edwards circuit, according to data from Ken Roe.
Closing: It was running into the 1950s but the date of closing isn't known.
Status: The building is still there and after closing, the theatre was used as a school supply store and then as an upholstery shop. The lobby is now used as a church. The auditorium has been partitioned into several areas used for garment manufacturing and storage.
Interior views:
We're looking along what had been the house right wall from the lobby end of the auditorium. The door is where the exit to the right of the proscenium had been located. From there you're out onto Griffin Ave. The gates in the added wall at the left lead to rooms partitioned from the auditorium space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
A look up at the proscenium in an area used for garment manufacturing. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
The center proscenium ornament with an area for cove lights above. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
More exterior views:
c.2009 - A view taken by Don Solosan that was part of a survey by the now-dormant Historic Theatre Committee of the L.A. Conservancy to determine the condition of surviving vintage theatre buildings in L.A. Thanks to Hillsman Wright of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation for making Don's photos available.
c.2009 - A closer look at the entrance. Thanks to Don Solosan for his photo.
2012 - Looking west across the facade toward downtown. This section of Main St. runs east/west. Photo: Google Maps
2012 - That's Griffin Ave. on the left. On the right we're looking east on Main. Photo: Google Maps
2012 - The screen end of the auditorium. Photo: Google Maps
2018 - A new paint job! The theatre entrance was on the right. That banner above the rollup door is advertising for a church group that uses the former lobby. Photo: Bill Counter
2018 - A bit of facade ornament above the door to the upstairs apartments. This is just to the left of the theatre entrance. Photo: Bill Counter
2018 - A corner view. Photo: Bill Counter
Closing: It was running into the 1950s but the date of closing isn't known.
Status: The building is still there and after closing, the theatre was used as a school supply store and then as an upholstery shop. The lobby is now used as a church. The auditorium has been partitioned into several areas used for garment manufacturing and storage.
Interior views:
We're looking along what had been the house right wall from the lobby end of the auditorium. The door is where the exit to the right of the proscenium had been located. From there you're out onto Griffin Ave. The gates in the added wall at the left lead to rooms partitioned from the auditorium space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
A look up at the proscenium in an area used for garment manufacturing. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
The house left side of the proscenium. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
A look across toward the center. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
The center proscenium ornament with an area for cove lights above. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
More exterior views:
c.2009 - A view taken by Don Solosan that was part of a survey by the now-dormant Historic Theatre Committee of the L.A. Conservancy to determine the condition of surviving vintage theatre buildings in L.A. Thanks to Hillsman Wright of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation for making Don's photos available.
c.2009 - A closer look at the entrance. Thanks to Don Solosan for his photo.
2012 - Looking west across the facade toward downtown. This section of Main St. runs east/west. Photo: Google Maps
2012 - That's Griffin Ave. on the left. On the right we're looking east on Main. Photo: Google Maps
2012 - The screen end of the auditorium. Photo: Google Maps
2018 - A new paint job! The theatre entrance was on the right. That banner above the rollup door is advertising for a church group that uses the former lobby. Photo: Bill Counter
2018 - A bit of facade ornament above the door to the upstairs apartments. This is just to the left of the theatre entrance. Photo: Bill Counter
2018 - A corner view. Photo: Bill Counter
2018 - Back behind the single story part of the building on the left is the screen end of the auditorium. The yellow banner on the corner is advising that they have garment warehouse space to rent. Photo: Bill Counter
More information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the San Carlos for some interesting research and discussion.
The San Carlos gets a mention in "L.A.'s North Broadway Area...," an article by Bruce LaLanne about Lincoln Heights theatres in the January 1993 issue of Tom B'hend's publication Greater L.A. Metro Newsreel. Thanks to Ron Mahan for scanning the article.
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