Los Angeles Theatres: Towne Theatre

4425 Atlantic Ave. Long Beach, CA 90807 | map |

Opened: Milt Arthur opened the modernistic Towne Theatre on September 28, 1946. It was on the west side of the street just north of San Antonio Dr. This neighborhood on the north end of town is called Bixby Knolls. The Towne was several blocks north of the Crest Theatre, which opened four months later.

Thanks to Elmorovivo for locating this 1946 photo for a post on Cinema Treasures. They were running "The Big Sleep." The shot made an appearance in the December 7, 1946 Boxoffice article that's reproduced lower on the page.

Architect: Hugh Gibbs. Thanks to Joe Vogel for the data. He notes that it was originally going to be called the Vogue, a name that appears on some of the architect's early renderings for the project. He adds that Gibbs later worked on the Long Beach Convention Center project.

Seating: 1,308 originally, later 1,200. There was no balcony.

The Cabart Corporation, which had the Cabart Theatre and others in Long Beach, had its headquarters at the Towne. The firm, owned by C.A. Caballero and Milt Arthur, was affiliated with Fox West Coast. Fanchon & Marco were also involved in some of their theatres. The Towne advertised "Metropolitan Glamour" and initially had a sit down fountain-style snack bar. The theatre also had a small stage used for special events.

A September 27, 1946 ad that appeared in the Long Beach Independent. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating it. Visit his site: Movie-Theatre.org

A September 28 opening day ad. It was another find by Mike Rivest.

The Towne got a big spread in the December 7, 1946 issue of Boxoffice. Thanks to Joe Vogel for locating the article. It's reproduced at the bottom of the page.

A December 31, 1950 ad in the L.A. Times for the Towne and other Cabart Theatres. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.

Closing: A 1977 roof collapse caused the theatre's closure. Ron Mahan comments:

"The roof collapsed on January 25, 1977. According to the Long Beach Press-Telegram, the roof failure was listed as a 'new break in the (roof) beam.' On December 17, 1976, an oil tanker exploded in the Los Angeles harbor. The explosion could beard over 40 miles away, breaking many windows. It was suspected that the blast may have damaged the roof of the Town Theatre."

Pacific Theatres was the final operator. They said they were going to do repairs but the theatre didn't reopen. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Dallas Movie Theaters for the data.

Status: It's been demolished.

Interior views:

A lobby photo showing the dramatic expanse of glass at the entrance. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating the trade magazine photo for a post on Cinema Treasures.

A view toward the house right end of the lobby from the article about the Towne in the December 7, 1946 issue of Boxoffice.

A look toward the screen. It's a photo located by Dallas Movie Theaters for a post on Cinema Treasures.

A fine view of the booth. The equipment includes Simplex E-7 projectors, Simplex SH-1000 soundheads, Simplex amplification and Peerless Hy-Candescent lamps. At the far end of the booth is a Brenograph style slide and effects projector. And note the cue meter on the front wall to the right of machine #2. The lower magazines are preview magazines, allowing the running of picture and soundtrack on separate 1,000 foot reels. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for posting the photo on Cinema Treasures.

More exterior views:

1950s - A view north from the collection of David Smith that he shared on the private Facebook group Growing Up In Long Beach. Thanks, David!

1965 - A photo from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. It's a photo by Howard D. Kelly in the Library's Kelly-Holiday Mid-Century Aerial Collection. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for spotting the photo when it was posted on the Library's Photo Collection Facebook page.

The caption on the Library's website: "Aerial view of the Towne Theater (upper right), located at 4425 Atlantic Boulevard in Long Beach, north of where Atlantic Boulevard crosses N. San Antonio Drive; numerous businesses line Atlantic Boulevard and dozens of neatly lined dwellings are seen nearby. Photograph was taken for Pacific Drive-In Theaters on June 20, 1965." Michelle comments: "Wow, there is nothing left of that theatre or the other businesses on that corner. The Diner at the bottom of the photo is still there at least, George's 50s Diner."

c.1965 - A fine view taken by Richard Caldwell that he included in a post about the Crest and Towne theatres for the Growing Up in Long Beach private Facebook group.

1971 - They were running the December 1970 release "Scrooged" with Albert Finney along with the May 1971 release "Big Jake" starring John Wayne, Richard Boone and Maureen O'Hara. Thanks to the Ronald W. Mahan Collection for sharing the photo. Ron included this shot, along with many other great ones from his collection, in "Why I Love Long Beach," a video that he posted on Facebook to help the "Long Beach Gives" fundraising campaign for the Historical Society of Long Beach.

1978 - A look south on Atlantic as demolition is about to begin. That's the vertical of the Crest Theatre farther down the street. Thanks to Kevin Fleming for locating the image for a post on the Southern California Nostalgia Facebook page.

1978 - Fenced for demolition. Thanks to Kevin Fleming for locating this shot for a post on the Southern California Nostalgia Facebook page.

2018 - The redeveloped site. We're looking north on Atlantic from San Antonio Dr. The office building in the center of the image is on the site of the Towne. Photo: Google Maps

The December 7, 1946 Boxoffice article:

More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Towne Theatre for lots of discussion.

Los Angeles Theatres

Towne Theatre

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