Opened: July 31, 1929 as McNees Theatre. The opening attraction was "From Headquarters" with Monte Blue along with several vaudeville acts. The 1947 Barton's Studio postcard is on the Library of Congress website as part of the Historic American Buildings Survey materials.
The location was on the south side of the street where Whittier meets Hadley St. An old address for the building was 1410 W. Whittier Blvd. The street got renumbered. The complex was constructed on property that was once part of the McNees ranch. Whittier Amusement Co. was the building's initial owner.
Architect: David S. Bushnell of Whittier designed the Spanish
revival themed complex of shops around a patio that led back to the
atmospheric theatre. The building had a full stage. The original construction budget was $160,000.
Several years later Bushnell designed the Wardman Theatre, now
known as the Whittier Village Cinemas. S. Charles Lee was involved in a 1947 remodeling of the Whittier.
A plot plan of the complex. It's one of 17 pages of drawings and 35 photos from the Historic American Buildings Survey data about the theatre. HABS has a Whittier Theatre overview page on the Library of Congress website with links to the data pages and images. All the photos, except for the postcard at the top of the page and a 40s aerial view, are shots taken after the 1987 earthquake.
A drawing of the house left auditorium wall. HABS notes on page 7 of their data sheets that "the interior of the theatre was meant to evoke the courtyard of a Spanish hacienda, with stuccoed walls, ornamental tile and ironwork, balconies, and tile roof projections from the auditorium's side walls."
They comment that the Whittier Daily News reported in a November 19, 1987 article that "the cloud machine apparatus that projected the atmospheric effects on the auditorium ceiling had not been working for several years, and many of the ceiling stars had disappeared."
The Historic American Buildings Survey had this to say about the theatre:
Seating: 1,016, almost all on one level. There were two small private boxes on either side of the booth but not a real balcony.
History: The February 3, 1929 issue of the L.A. Times ran an article headed "Work Started on Whittier Theater," according to research by Joe Vogel. The theatre opened July 31, 1929 as McNees Theatre.
Joe found a mention in the Los Angeles Public Library's California Index noting a November 26, 1929 report in the Whittier News that the house would be reopening soon as the Warner Bros. Whittier. It's listed that way in the 1930/31 and 1932 Whittier city directories.
A February 1930 program cover for the theatre as the Warner Bros. Whittier. It was reproduced in the October 1991 issue of the Tom B'hend publication Greater L.A. Metro Newsreel. The issue is in the Ronald W. Mahan Collection. Thanks to Ron for scanning the ad.
Warner Bros. didn't stay long. While their Vitaphone releases generated great business, as the depression deepened they ended up in receivership and backed out of leases where they could. In the 1934 directory it's just the Whittier Theatre.
In the 1950s the theatre was known as Bruen's Whittier. Hugh W. Bruen also ran the Wardman (now the Whittier Village Cinemas), the Roxy Theatre, and the Sundown Drive-In. The Roxy closed in 1968. By 1969 Pacific Theatres ended up with the rest including a mall house that had opened in 1968, the Whittwood.
"I was 28 years old when I started. It was great fun and I ran a top-notch operation. A number of theatres had first run product, we spent money of Dolby Sound, redecoration, new seats, new projection and platters. Our offices were in the 9000 building on Sunset. I operated the company for 18 years.
In its final years, the Whittier was no longer getting first run bookings and was running as a bargain house.
Interior views:
A 1988 look down the lobby with the snackbar straight ahead and the auditorium off to the left. Photo: Library of Congress / HABS
The house left wall. Photo: Library of Congress / HABS - 1988
More exterior views:
1983 - The theatre running "An Officer and a Gentleman" along with "Urban Cowboy." It's a photo from the now-vanished American Classic Images website.
1983 - A "Tootsie" view that once appeared on the American Classic Images website.
1984 - Thanks to Matt Spero for sharing this photo he took during the theatre's bargain house era.
1987 - A Whittier City Archives forecourt view via the Whittier Public Library.
c.1987 - Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this photo from his collection. The marquee copy is suggesting that we visit a nearby Pacific Theatres triplex.
c.1988 - Thanks to the Whittier Daily News for this photo that appeared with Mike Sprague's 2017 story "Decades after 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake, here are the parts of Uptown Whittier still recovering."
1988 - A view after the marquee was taken down. Photo: Library of Congress / HABS
1988 - The Gretna Ave. side of the complex. Photo: Library of Congress / HABS
1988 - Looking into the forecourt. Photo: Library of Congress / HABS
1988 - The boxoffice and entrance at the end of the forecourt. The stairs to the booth and private boxes can be seen through one of the arches on the left. Photo: Library of Congress / HABS
1988 - A look up the tower, still with its vertical sign. Photo: Library of Congress / HABS
1988 - Along the east side of the building. Photo: Library of Congress / HABS
1988 - The back wall of the stage. Photo: Library of Congress / HABS
early 1990 -Thanks to Steven Otto for sharing his photo of the building awaiting salvation. The building wasn't saved despite having an interested tenant, Old Spaghetti Factory. It was demolished in 1991.
The Whittier in the Movies:
The marquee is seen in the opening credits of "Coming Attractions" (Cinema Finance Associates, 1978). Ira Miller directed the film, retitled "Loose Shoes" for a 1982 reissue. It's a comedy structured as a series of skits and trailers.
Featured are
Bill Murray, Buddy Hackett, Royce D. Applegate, Lewis Arquette, Tom Baker and Dorothy Van. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies
post for marquee shots of the La Reina, Wiltern, Palace, Orpheum and
Rivoli in Long Beach. The Gilmore Drive-In is seen at the film's end.
More information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Whittier for many memories of moviegoing there. The theatre is discussed Nicholas Edmeier's 2023 article "History of Whittier Movie Theaters" on the Whittier Museum blog.
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It's very sad that this Whittier landmark and architectural treasure was not saved. A Walgreen's is a pitiful replacement.
ReplyDeleteToo bad there are no photos of the interior when it was in operation. I remember seeing a film there in the 1970's and the interior with the moving clouds, etc. was spectacular.
ReplyDeleteWho did this? There are no words to say, who tears down a 1,200. seat theater that is an architectural iconic landmark. What city council did this and thank God they are long gone! What else did they do to this city ? No vision, nothing but stupidity! Other cities saved their most prize downtown building for generations to come! I only lived in uptown for eight years. When I found out about this today, it made me sick! I see an performing arts center, and so much more! Just sad and a lost to Whittier!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, L.A. never saves old iconic landmarks. We always build new structures instead
DeleteThey tore down the gorgeous library uptown when I was a young girl. So sad.
DeleteI saw John Carpenters The Thing, and The Whos The Kids Are Alright documentary as Midnight movies I believe. Such a wonderful atmospheric theater. It should have been preserved.
ReplyDeleteSo so true!! Its very sad and makes me so angry.. I grew up on Gretna's Ave. Behind the Whittier Theatre. So many awesome childhood memories there. That is where i saw the first Star Wars Movie. In 1982 I believe.
DeleteToo bad someone decided to demolish this beautiful theater have many childhood memories of that place so sorry it was not saved and repaired
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriend and myself went to see A Star Is Born 1976 .. @ this Theater for some reason the venue and the film, we were swept away, I was 16 years old and had a rock n roll band at the same time,I would be in high school 10 grade,
ReplyDeleteIt’s was a long film, when you went to the movies in the 70’s it felt like you were such adults, we would kiss each other when it was the perfect time and hold hands and squeeze tight when it would get intense, she would rest her head on my shoulder and I felt like Elvis,
My high school girlfriend and going steady at Norwalk High school was just like a scene out of The Wonder Years.
I drove by that neighborhood, before the forth of July 2023 and didn’t realize it had been torn down.. it will always be with me ..
The Star Is Born 1976 ✍️ 🍿