Village Theatre

602 N. Azusa Ave. Azusa, CA 91702 | map |

Opened: December 30, 1927 as the Azusa Theatre. The initial attraction was "A Texas Steer," a December release starring Will Rogers. Silent, of course. Thanks to Elmorovivo for locating this c.1930 postcard view looking north. It was a post on Cinema Treasures. 

Ron Pierce notes that there are newspaper accounts of an earlier theatre called the Azusa that was located in the Azusa Arcade. It was managed by Earl Halberg, who moved over to manage the new theatre.

The new theatre was on the east side of the street at the corner of 6th, a long block south of Foothill Blvd. It was a project that cost $28,000. Ron comments that the Azusa Historical Society thinks it opened in 1926. The 2007 Arcadia Publishing book "Azusa" by Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo Jr. notes that the new theatre was a project of real estate operators Vosberg Brothers, Inc. and was operated by Principal Theatre, Inc.

Seating: 641  

Architect: Unknown

It was later renamed the State Theatre. Ron Pierce comments that as the State it was listed as an independent in theatre ads. When the Edwards circuit got it in the 50s the name became Edwards Azusa. In 1963 it became the Edwards Village Theatre.

 

Closing: It closed in 1972. The city wanted an earthquake retrofit and Jimmy Edwards decided it wasn't worth the proposed $60,000 cost. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this item from the August 13, 1972 issue of the L.A. Times:  

 

"The City Council has ordered demolition of the Village Theater, 602 N. Azusa Avenue, within 90 days, rejecting a proposal by the owner to use part of the building as offices. Edwards Theater Circuit, which owns the building, had asked permission to close off the theater and and use the front part of the building for offices. The building has been closed for several months."

 

Status: It's been demolished. Edwards donated the land to the city for a mini-park. 

1928 - This photo of the new Azusa Theatre appears on page 83 of the Arcadia Publishing book "Azusa" by Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo Jr. The page with the photo is included in the preview on Google Books. They were running "The Latest From Paris," a February 1928 silent with Norma Shearer, along with "We're All Gamblers," a September 1927 release with Thomas Meighan and Marietta Milner.

1948 - The State Theatre in the Movies: the image is from the nine minute short "Let's Go To The Movies," available on Internet Archive. The film was produced by RKO for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for shots of a number of other theatres seen very briefly in the film. Thanks to Joe Vogel for identifying this photo as the Village.

1963 - A view north past the newly renamed Village Theatre toward Foothill Blvd. The photo is in the Herald Examiner collection of the Los Angeles Public Library. Thanks to Joe Vogel for spotting it in the collection.

2019 - Looking north across 6th St. The park on the corner is the Village Theatre site.

More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Edwards Village. Thanks to Ron Pierce for all his research.

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