Ritz Theatre

681 Redondo Ave. Long Beach, CA 90814 | map |

Opened: November 29, 1924 as the Ramona Theatre with Viola Dana in "The Heart Bandit." The theatre was on the west side of the street just south of E. 7th St. This 1947 photo is in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. "Down to Earth" was an August Columbia release with Rita Hayworth. "The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap," out in October, starred Abbott and Costello along with Marjorie Main and Audrey Young. 

Architects: The two story $35,000 building was designed by the firm of Seibert & Hedden, with Frank Wynkoop of Long Beach as associate architect. Thanks to Joe Vogel for the research. He notes that the data was in the July 18, 1924 issue of Building & Engineering News. The project was also announced in the July 18, 1924 issue of Building and Engineering News where their version was that Wynkoop was the lead architect. The owner was Albert T. Shaw and the contractor Alfred Butterfield.

Seating: 520

 

A page of news about the Ramona the day before the opening in the November 28, 1924 issue of the Long Beach Press Telegram. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating the page for a post on Cinema Treasures. Visit his site: Movie-Theatre.org

The theatre is in the 1925 and 1926 city directories as the Ramona. Sometime around 1930 it got renamed the New Redondo Theatre. 

 

"Reserve This Ad for Daily Program." It's a January 10, 1931 ad for the "Formerly Ramona" theatre as the New Redondo. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating this for a post on Cinema Treasures. 

It's listed as the Ritz Theatre in the 1932 city directory yet it didn't get reopened under that name until 1933. 

A May 5, 1933 ad for the reopening as the Ritz. "If I Had a Million" was a November 1932 release with Gary Cooper and Charles Laughton. Thanks to Mike Rivest for finding the ad for a post on Cinema Treasures. 

Closed: It was destroyed by fire on December 12, 1951. It was a total loss except for the four walls and a candy machine, according to the account Ken McIntyre located in the Long Beach Press-Telegram:

"Early-Morning Fire Wrecks Ritz Theater: Fireman Victim - A two-alarm fire plunged the Ritz Theater, 681 Redondo Ave., into a blazing showplace early today, leaving 'only the four walls and the candy vending machine intact' and sending one Long Beach fireman to Community Hospital in serious condition from smoke inhalation. Fire investigators said the blaze started at 2:10 a.m. in a heating system behind the stage. 

 

"No one was in the theater when the fire broke out. Owner Guy G. Black., 5351 Harco St., said that the building was a total loss. 'The roof is ruined, the screen is a wreck, the seats are either burned or water-logged, and the projection room is covered with water,' the owner declared. 'Only the four walls and the candy vending machine are intact.'"

 

 

A December 12, 1951 newspaper photo. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating it for a post on Cinema Treasures.    

 

 

 

A fine brick building is now on the site. We're looking south on Redondo Ave. with 7th St. out of the frame on the right. Photo: Google Maps - 2019

More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Ritz. Cinema Tour has a page on the theatre but no photos. 

If you're looking for the other Ritz in Long Beach, see the page here on this site about the Tracy Theatre, which was called the Ritz when it opened in 1925.

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