333 E. Ocean Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90802 | map |
Opened: June 6, 1925 as a project of West Coast Theatres, the circuit that became Fox West Coast in 1929. It was on the north side of the street a half block east of Long Beach
Blvd. It was just east of the Imperial Theatre, also operated by
the circuit. Just around the corner on Long Beach Blvd. was another Fox
house, the Fox Long Beach, formerly the Mission Theatre.
On the marquee in this 1925 photo by George D.
Haight it's Corinne Griffith in "Declasse," an April
release, along with "Fanchon & Marco New Stage Presentation." It's on Calisphere from the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection. Be wary of the captions with the photos from UCLA's collection. Whoever wrote them evidently thought Lee was the building's architect. A version of the photo from the Ronald W. Mahan Collection also appears on the Cal State Long Beach page about the West Coast.
Architects: Gabriel Meyer and Phillip Holler of the firm Meyer & Holler. The May 23 and July 11, 1924 issues of Southwest Builder & Contractor noted that the firm was preparing plans for the project. They were best known for their work in Hollywood for Sid Grauman at the Egyptian and the Chinese. Other theatre projects included the Fox Fullerton, the Fox Cabrillo in San Pedro, and the Granada on Sunset Blvd., a house later called the Oriental. The Pacific Coast Architecture Database has pages on
Meyer & Holler and the
West Coast Theatre.
S. Charles Lee did many sketches for a proposed art deco remodel in 1931. This facade elevation is on
Calisphere from the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection.
The look Lee was proposing for the house right organ grille area. The drawing is on Calisphere from the UCLA collection. If you look at what's indexed in the collection as "
Fox Theatre Long Beach" you'll find 11 additional drawings for the project. It was noted in the May 1, 1931 issue of Southwest Builder & Contractor as something Lee was working on that would have an estimated cost of $150,000. There were additional mentions in the issues of May 29, June 26, July 3 and July 10. It's unknown what work, if any, got done. Certainly nothing we see in his drawings in the UCLA collection was executed.
The moderne re-do it eventually got in the 40s was much simpler in scope. It's unknown who the architect was for the project. All of the interior photos on this page, with the exception of one mid-80s view in the balcony, show the original interior, not the one the theatre had for most of its life.
Seating: The original capacity listed in a 1925 Moving
Picture World article was 2,300. Later it held 2,038 -- still the
largest in Long Beach.
Pipe Organ: The instrument was a 3 manual 11 rank Wurlitzer Style 235 with piano, Opus 1002. It was installed in February 1925 and removed in 1957. It's currently at the
Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, although the console they use is from the
Metropolitan/Paramount Theatre.
An ad appearing in the Long Beach Press-Telegram on June 5, 1925 -- the day before the opening. The initial film was "Soul Fire" with Richard Barthelmess. On the great stage for the opening it was Fanchon & Marco's "The Idea of Sally." On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights each week the plan was to have Orpheum vaudeville. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating the ad. Visit his site: Movie-Theatre.org
The new theatre was profiled in a July 25, 1925 Moving Picture World Article "
Two Splendid Houses Added by Chain..." The other was the California Theatre in San Bernardino. The article notes that the theatre had a fourteen piece orchestra. The initial policy was split-weeks. Half with the "big pictures" and Fanchon and Marco stage shows, the second half with other films and Orpheum vaudeville. The magazine's issue is on Internet Archive.
The "Pulchritudinous Company" of usherettes celebrating Greater Movie Season in 1927. Thanks to Ron Mahan for finding the photo in the August 28 issue of the Long Beach Post-Telegram.
In 1929 the theatre got the Fox banner after acquisition of the circuit by William Fox and was frequently advertised as the Fox West Coast. The West Coast had a full stage and offered vaudeville along with the films until the depression deepened. It survived the earthquake of 1933 with no damage and was, for a time after the quake, the only theatre operating in Long Beach.
In the late 50s, the theatre was experimenting with an import policy featuring such fare as "Room at the Top" and "Look Back in Anger." It was later operated by National General and Mann Theatres, the successor firms to Fox West Coast, and finally dropped by Mann in 1974 as it was no longer a viable operation in declining downtown Long Beach. It then had spells as a rock venue, a church, and a Spanish language film house operated by J. Bueno Theatres.
Closing: The West Coast closed in 1985. The last film to play was "Footlight Parade" at farewell parties on November 9 and 10. The program included an organ prologue, the Hearst Metrotone Newsreel of "The Long Beach Earthquake of 1933" and a re-creation of a Fanchon & Marco stage show. The Los Angeles Public Library has a PDF of the "Farewell to the Fox" program.
Status: It was demolished in 1987. There's now a hotel on the site.
The main lobby:
A 1925 view of the main lobby with the auditorium off to the right. It's a photo by George D. Haight on
Calisphere
from the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection. They comment: "The
pylons atop the newel posts echo the giant pylons on the façade. The
coffered and stenciled ceiling is a scaled-down version of the
auditorium ceiling." A version of the photo from the Ronald W. Mahan Collection appears on the
Cal State Long Beach page about the West Coast.
The balcony level lobby:
A 1925 view of the balcony lobby. The photo by George D. Haight is on
Calisphere
from the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection. They comment: "...The
vaulted ceiling features stenciled beams with some arches filled in with
stenciled garlands reminiscent of designs by Adams. Settees and chairs
reflect the scale of the building."
The stairs to the top of the balcony. It's a 1925 George D. Haight photo on
Calisphere from the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection.
Vintage auditorium views:
A 1925 proscenium view. The photo by George D. Haight is on
Calisphere
from the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection. A cropped and fuzzier version of the photo is in the
Los Angeles Public Library collection.
A balcony light fixture detail with a nice look at the unusual indirect wall sconces. It's a George D. Haight photo on
Calisphere from the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection.
The house left organ grille area. It's a 1925 photo on
Calisphere from the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection. There's also a house right grille photo in the collection. A copy of the photo from the California Historical Society also appears on the
USC Digital Library website.
The house left wall. The photo by George D. Haight is on
Calisphere
from the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection.
A view back from the stage. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating this photo in a 1925 trade magazine for a post on
Cinema Treasures.
An undated view of an event with all women in the audience. It's a Winstead photo in the
Long Beach Public Library collection.
Later auditorium views:
A detail of a panels below one of the organ grilles. It's a 1985 Wallace MacGregor photo from the
Long Beach Public Library collection.
Theatre designer (and at one time West Coast Theatre manager) Joe Musil
in the balcony in 1985. Behind him note the deco scenery added for the "Farewell to the Fox" shows. Thanks to Bill Gabel for locating the photo for a post
on
Cinema Treasures.
More exterior views:
1925 - Looking east on Ocean Blvd. The theatre, still under construction, is easily spotted by its water tank in the center of the image. On the left it's the Heartwell building that's under construction. A bit of the State Theatre is on the far right. The photo from the California Historical Society appears on the
USC Digital Library website. There's also a copy of this in the
Los Angeles Public Library collection.
1925 - This detail taken from the photo above is in the
Los Angeles Public Library collection. Their comments: "Pedestrians mill around a Union Pacific train as it runs down Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach in this view looking east of Pacific Avenue. The railroad tracks were removed in the mid 1930s. A trolley going to San Pedro is turning the corner onto Ocean, left. Apartments and hotels are the main businesses in this stretch of Ocean. A sign, upper left, advertises the Mission Theatre." The Mission was later known as the
Fox Long Beach.
1925 - A closer look at the theatre taken from the version of the photo on the USC website. The facade is still scaffolded and the roof sign hasn't been installed yet. Note that there isn't much to see yet of the building containing the Grand Pacific Hotel and lobby of the Imperial Theatre that would soon rise this side of the West Coast. An earlier building, set back from the street and not visible here, would be remodeled for the Imperial's auditorium.
1925 - A view from farther north. This side of the West Coast's stagehouse note the sign on the roof of the
Mission Theatre on American Ave., a street later renamed Long Beach Blvd. It's a photo from the Ronald W. Mahan Collection. The
Los Angeles Public Library also has a version of it.
1925
- A detail from the Mahan Collection photo. Ron calls our attention to the scaffolding still
up on the front of the West Coast and no signage yet painted on the
water tank. Running parallel to the West Coast, and backing up to the
side of the Mission, is the earlier building that would be remodeled
into the auditorium for the
Imperial Theatre. Thanks, Ron!
1925 - A fine ticket lobby west wall view by an unknown photographer that appears on
Calisphere from the the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection. The posters in the cases are promoting singers Blossom Seeley and Bennie Fields, "Six Chinese Gladiators," presumably another stage attraction, and Edith Roberts in the film "Shattered Lives," a July release.
1925 - A detail from a panorama by Pettit's Studio looking west along Ocean Blvd. At the left side of the image note the original Municipal Auditorium, the back of the Ritz (later the Capitol, then the
Tracy), and the State Theatre. The stagehouse of the Mission/Fox Long Beach is just behind the West Coast stagehouse. It's a photo in the
Huntington Library collection. Someone put a 1924 date on the image but that's a bit too early for it.
c.1926 - It's not a panorama, but it's interesting to see this slightly later shot by Luckhaus Studio from the
Los Angeles Public Library collection. A close look over toward the Ritz reveals that it has become the Capitol Theatre and another building has arisen along the side of it. The tall building to the left of Ocean Blvd. is the Breakers Hotel, a Walker & Eisen design that opened in 1926.
1926 - The theatre running "Beverly of Graustark," an April
release with Marion Davies. The stage portion of the program was the Fanchon & Marco "Dancelogue Idea." The
Imperial, over on the left, has "The Sea
Beast," a January release with John Barrymore and Delores Costello.
It's a California Historical Society photo appearing on the
USC Digital Library website. They also have a
second version of the photo on the site. The
Los Angeles Public Library also has a copy.
1926
- The Imperial was running "The Vanishing American," a February release
with Richard Dix. The West Coast had "Skinner's Dress Suit," an April
release with Reginald Denny and Laura La Plante. The stage portion of
the program was the Fanchon & Marco "Dresden Idea." It's an Inman
photo in the
Long Beach Public Library collection.
1928 - The feature advertised on the bottom line of the marquee was William Haines and Joan Crawford in "West Point," a silent released in January. The unreadable top line is advertising the stage part of the presentation, featuring somebody's "Famous Comedians." The photo is in the
Los Angeles Public Library collection.
c.1928 - A photo from the
Los Angeles Public Library collection. In the lower left we get a view of the roof of the auditorium of the Imperial.
The image appears to be a detail from a five panel panorama in the Library's collection. Panel 1, showing The Pike, #
112254 | Panel 2, Ocean & Pine, showing Hoyt's/Strand and the State Theatre on the far left, #
112200 | Panel 3, showing 1st & Locust, Security Bank Building, #
112202 | Panel 4, showing the Mission Theatre in the lower right, #
112182 | Panel 5, a wider view of the image above, #
112203 |
1929 - A fine look east at the West Coast, before "Fox" went up on the roof sign. It's a photo in the
Long Beach Public Library collection. In case you'd like to go browsing, check out other items in the Library's
photo collection.
1929 - Looking west along Ocean Blvd. in a view from the
California State Library collection, their item #01377828. To the right of the hulk that's the West Coast Theatre (here with "Fox" added atop the roof sign) is the back of the stagehouse of the
Mission/Fox Long Beach. The Library dates the photo as July 21. The end panel of the marquee appears to read "Menjou Talks," presumably a reference to "Fashions in Love," a talkie he did with Fay Compton and Miriam Seegar that was released in July.
c.1929 - Another view west. This one, from an unknown source, once appeared on a now-vanished Flickr account.
c.1932 - Two ladies across the street from the theatre unveiling a map of Long Beach showing the new 1932 Municipal Auditorium. It's a
Los Angeles Public Library photo.
1932 - A great view with the
United Artists in the distance. The West Coast and
Imperial are on the right with the West Coast running "Stepping
Sisters," a January 1932 release. The photo was once in a now-vanished
account on Flickr. It also appears in a smaller version on the Cinema
Treasures page for the
Imperial Theatre as a contribution from Bill Gabel.
1932 - A detail from the previous photo.
1932 - A photo taken by the Inman Company on March 26 from the Cooper Arms Apartments at Linden Ave. and Ocean Blvd. Thanks to the Ronald W. Mahan Collection for sharing the photo.
1933
- Repairs are underway on the Grand Pacific Hotel and Imperial Theatre.
Meanwhile, the West Coast, which survived unscathed, is running
"Bombshell," an October release with Jean Harlow and Lee Tracy. Note
that they even have the names of the stars and a big arrow on the
hotel's scaffolding. It's a photo in the
Long Beach Public Library collection.
1945 - The marquee during the run of "Love Letters" with Jennifer Jones. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the photo for a post on the
Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.
1948 - Thanks to David Smith for sharing this slide from his collection with the
Growing Up In Long Beach private Facebook group.
1954 - In this view looking east the Imperial is running "Riders to the Stars" and "Glory At Sea." The West Coast has the early CinemaScope feature "Beyond the 12 Mile Reef." The photo appeared as a post on the Facebook page Americar The Beautiful. Thanks to Edward M. Fiore for spotting the post.
1955 - The Miss Universe parade passes in front of the theatre while it was running "Seven Year Itch." The photo appeared on a now-vanished website the Port of Long Beach had up when celebrating their 100th birthday.
1959 - "South Pacific" at the West Coast during the July Miss Universe festivities. The TODD-AO film had a 44 week roadshow run at the Egyptian beginning May 22, 1958. Thanks to the
All Movie Theatres Facebook page for sharing the image.
c.1960 - A look east on Ocean Blvd. toward the Imperial and West Coast. Thanks to L.A. transit historian Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection. George Andy Harmon comments: "Likely 1960 as the Ford billboard shows a
'61." Bob Davis adds: "The ex-Pacific Electric car has the number
assigned by LAMTA when they took over the few remaining rail lines in
1958. Last Red Car ran on this route in April 1961."
1958 - "The Vikings" have landed in Long Beach. It's a photo from the Ronald W. Mahan Collection. Thanks, Ron. He comments:
"The late Joseph J. Musil is mainly known as a theatre designer for the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills, and the Crest Theatre in Westwood, to name just a few. Almost right out of high school he became the advertising artist for the Fox West Coast to produce the custom designed and built 'false fronts' to showcase a major movie release. This is one of more than a dozen he did just for the Fox West Coast. Joe was also commissioned to build 'false fronts' for the Rivoli and Egyptian Theatres."
1968 - A Jeffrey Nisbet photo looking west on Ocean Blvd. with The Movie and the West
Coast on the right, behind the bus. It's a photo from the
Long Beach Public Library collection.
1968 - The Imperial as an action house and a week of softcore at the West Coast. It's a photo from the
Los Angeles Public Library collection.
1983 - A look east from the now-vanished American Classic Images website. On the far right note the new addition of a porno house called The Movie.
1983 - A closer look at the facade that once appeared on the American Classic Images website.
1985 - Time for the "Farewell to the Fox." Thanks to Matt Spero for sharing his photo.
1985 - A last look at the statue of Venus in place on the facade. Thanks to Ron Mahan for sharing this from his collection.
1987 - Thanks to Augie Castagnola for funding this demolition view. That's Ocean Blvd. over on the right. The photo appeared as a post on the
Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.
1987 - Another demo view. The clearing of the block also meant the demolition of the Imperial, to the left of the West Coast, and Mission/Fox Long Beach, around the corner on Long Beach Blvd. on the left of the image. It's another photo that was located by Augie Castagnola for his post on the
Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.
2013
- The "Goddess of Time," the statue that was on the facade. It got
saved and is now outside the hotel complex built on the site. Thanks to
Jeff Zimmer for his photo, a post on
Facebook.
2018 - The Westin hotel now on the site. On the left edge of the image it's Long Beach Blvd. Photo: Google Maps
The West Coast in the Movies:
The
back of the theatre is over on the right in this shot of Spencer Tracy
with the satchel of money in the final chase sequence of "It's A Mad,
Mad, Mad, Mad World" (United
Artists, 1963). Also seen in the
film are the Roxy Theatre, the State Theatre and the Rivoli on Long
Beach Blvd. See the
Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for those shots.
We
get a partial view of the closed Imperial and West Coast in
"Cobra" (Cannon, 1986) when Sylvester Stallone and Brigitte Neilsen turn
off Ocean Blvd. in an attempt to evade some killers. George
P. Cosmatos directed this film about an L.A. policeman who has
his own violent ways of dealing with criminal types. Also featured
are Reni Santoni, Andrew Robinson, Lee Garlington, Brian Thompson and
John Herzfeld. The
cinematography was by Ric Waite. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for a fuzzy view of the Jergins Trust/State Theatre building later in the chase plus some earlier Main St. action.
More information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the West Coast for many interesting tales. Bill Gabel has contributed lots of research to the page.
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