130 W. Main St. Alhambra, CA 91801 | map |
Opened: 1917 as the
Alhambra Theatre. It was on the south side of the street with the entrance just east of 2nd. In the 1923 city directory the theatre was listed with a 118 W. Main address. The photo is from the
Los Angeles Public Library collection. "Mother" was a 1927 release with Belle Bennett and Crauford Kent. "Hair Trigger Baxter" with Bob Custer and Eugenia Gilbert was out in September 1926.
This was the second of three theatres to be called the Alhambra. An earlier building at 101 E. Main opened as the Alhambra then, with the opening of this new theatre, was renamed the
Superba Theatre. The last of the three was the
Alhambra Theatre that opened in 1924 at 702 W. Main.
Architect: Harley S. Bradley.
Thanks to Joe Vogel for the research. He notes:
"There is an article in
the magazine Builder & Contractor, issue of December 25, 1916, which
announces the plans for construction of a theatre in Alhambra, for J.D.
Morgan, designed by architect Harley S. Bradley...."
Seating: It was noted as having around 600 in a 1924 newspaper article. The later count was 500 after reseating.
An April 14, 1923 ad that appeared in a Pasadena paper. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a post on the
America in the 20s Facebook page.
A 1923 ad. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for spotting it for a thread about the theatre on the
Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. That Mr. Lewis that was noted as the manager was O.W. Lewis, also mentioned as the theatre's lessee in the article below. In 1924 he would go on to open his new
Alhambra Theatre at 702 W. Main.
It was renamed the Plaza Theatre in March 1924, reopening in April under the management of C.F. and Clarence Fidler of Pasadena. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding the news.
It's listed as the Plaza in the 1925 city directory with a 130 address. It's the Granada in the 1927 through 1939 directories. In 1947 it became the Coronet Theatre.
A
July 1958 ad for Brigett Bardot in "The Light Across the Street" running with Jean Renoir's
"Only the French Can" that was located by Ken McIntyre. The Academy Theatre in the ad was the one in Hollywood
later known as the
Holly Theatre.
The Edwards circuit renamed it the Capri Theatre in 1963.
The ad in the February 20, 1963 issue of the Pasadena Star-News for the reopening of the theatre as the Capri. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating it.
Closing: The Capri closed following damage from the February 9, 1971 Sylmar earthquake.
Status: It was demolished in late February 1971.
1920 - A view east on Main St. Thanks to Joe Vogel for locating this in the
Los Angeles Public Library collection. He notes that the next street is 3rd and the theatre is in the white building in the center of the image another block farther down, on the southeast corner of Main and 2nd.
1950 - Thanks to Granola for locating this parade view for a post on
Cinema Treasures.
2019 - Looking east across 2nd St. The Capri was once just beyond the corner. Photo: Google Maps
More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Capri for fine research and reminiscences from Joe Vogel. Cinema Tour also has a page, where they have it listed as the Coronet.
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