Strand Theatre

12905 Philadelphia St. Whittier, CA 90601 | map | 

Opened: The Whittier News reported that the opening was August 2, 1922, according to research by Ron Pierce. We get a bit of the theatre's vertical in this 1929 photo of the Whittier Pacific Electric station next door. Thanks to Paul Ayers for sharing this image from his collection as a post for the Trolleys Streetcars & Interurbans Facebook group.  

The Strand was on the north side of the street one building east of Comstock Ave. Before street renumbering, the address was 122 W. Philadelphia St. The old numbering system started at the corner of Greenleaf and Philadelphia.

Seats: 480 was the number in the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook, according to Ron Pierce. 

In his 2023 article "History of Whittier Movie Theaters" on the Whittier Museum blog Nicholas Edmeier noted: 

"The Whittier News distinctly called it a 'beautiful, little theater' and described it as an 'Egyptian picture house.'"

There were legal troubles early in the theatre's life. Ron Pierce has the report: 

"The Oxnard Daily Courier reported in September of 1922 that the current three managers, who had leased the building in May, were suing the previous manager, who had sold them the business and equipment. On December 29, the Courier reported the dispute was settled in favor of the defendant, Mark Hansen, an Oxnard theater man."

 

The team operating the Strand was Truman C. Berry, J.H. Gwin and E.C. Siler. They also had the Scenic, a house that had opened in 1921 and was later renamed the Roxy Theatre. 

 

An April 21, 1927 ad for the Strand and the Scenic that appeared in the Whittier News. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.

Although it started as an independent operation, the Strand was later run by West Coast Theatres and operated by them until about 1930. They're the firm that morphed into Fox West coast in 1929. The Strand is in the 1924, 1928 and 1929 city directories.

Closing: Presumably it closed around 1930. There seem to be no city directory listings for it after 1929.

Status: The building was remodeled long ago. At least the front of the building is still there. The current tenant at 12905 is a tattoo and piercing parlor. That storefront was the entrance with the auditorium set way back behind the four shops of the building.

What's in back now is a low building that has either been chopped down from its height as a theatre or is newer construction. Joe Vogel reports that the county assessor's office gives 1902 as the building's initial construction date with a big remodel in 1950.

Looking west on Philadelphia toward Comstock Ave. The Strand entrance, now with an address of 12905 Philadelphia, was at the storefront just to the right of the yellow-ocher colored building, a former IOOF lodge hall/Pacific Electric station. Photo: Google Maps - 2019

A view into the alley a half block from Comstock looking north behind the storefronts to where the auditorium once was. Photo: Google Maps - 2019

The back of the building. As Joe Vogel notes, the auditorium end of the building has either been chopped down or replaced entirely. On the left we're looking back down the alley to Philadelphia St. On the right there's a bit of the lodge hall visible along Comstock. Photo: Google Maps - 2019 

More information: See the Cinema Treasures page about the Strand for all that is known. Joe Vogel and Ron Pierce have done some fine research.

The Los Angeles Public Library has a c.1940 photo of the lodge hall/Pacific Electric station.

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