Rosemead Theatre

9021 Valley Blvd. Rosemead, CA 91770 | map | 

 

Opened: 1938 as a conversion of an existing building. Thanks to Cinema Tour for posting the 1939 photo from Theatre Catalog on their page about the theatre. 

 

The Rosemead was operated by the Edwards circuit. It was on the north side of the street just east of Rosemead Blvd. An earlier address, before renumbering, was 1629 E. Valley Blvd. The 9021 number is a guess as to the location of the theatre with the current numbering system.

Architect: S. Charles Lee. Thanks to Joe Vogel for the research. In the Los Angeles Public Library's California Index he found a card referring to the August 19, 1938 issue of Southwest Builder and Contractor that noted Edward Goral had received the contract from the Edwards circuit to remodel an existing building at 1629 E. Valley Blvd. into a theatre designed by S. Charles Lee.

Seating: 713 was the number in the 1950 Film Daily Yearbook, according to Ken Roe. 

Closing: It closed in the early 1950s. Cinema Tour offers a 1953 date. Evidently the area was too sparsely populated at the time to generate enough business.

Status: It got remodeled into a market. And that was demolished in the late 80s or early 90s. There are newer buildings on the site.

 

 

The building's demolition. Thanks to George Helmer for sharing his photo in a post on the You Grew Up in Rosemead California if you... Facebook page. George's comment: 

 

"Found in my photo collection a photo of the 1938 Rosemead Theatre that was in the process of being torn down. I took this photo I believe in the late 80s or early 90s. It was located at 9029 Valley Blvd., no where Carls Jr. is located." 

Thanks to Chris Nichols for spotting the post.

 

Looking east on Valley from Rosemead Blvd. The theatre was over on the left, perhaps just beyond the second building where there's a Carl's Jr. Lots of contributors discuss it on Cinema Treasures but nobody is able to quite pinpoint where it was. Photo: Google Maps - 2019.

More Information: Cinema Tour also has a page.

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