Fairyland Theatre

 225 E. Seaside Way Long Beach, CA 90802 | map |

Opened: December 28, 1912. The image is a detail from a 1914 G. Haven Bishop photo in the Huntington Library collection. We're looking east on Seaside toward Collins Way with the beach off to the right. Behind the photographer were the Wigwam Theatre (on a site later occupied by Scott's/Victor Theatre), the American Theatre in the 100 block, and the 1905 version of the Municipal Auditorium.

The theatre was a project of Helen B. and Archie C. Frist that featured both films and vaudeville. They had earlier opened the American Theatre.

Seating: 600  

 

Booth: Three Edengraf machines. The booth was 10' x 18'. It was flanked on each side by a private box. 

Stage: The Long Beach Telegram-News advised that the stage was "large enough for regular drama, although the house will be used for vaudeville and moving pictures at present." There were singer's boxes on either side of the proscenium. The pit was 6' x 18'. The advertising curtain featured "a beautiful picture of Lake Como, Italy."

 

Architect: J.W. Graves, who was also the contractor. The theatre was located in the Bartow Building. Of note for this era is that the auditorium was built in "the new bowl fashion, sloping not only from the back gently to the front but also from each side to the center..." 

 

There was a "candy and soda booth" in the lobby. The building's design was a melange of various influences: a Colonial style cornice on the building, "early Italian" at the entrance, Egyptian harps in the lobby and the auditorium was "finished in medieval design." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A December 1912 article and illustration that appeared in the Long Beach Telegram and Daily News.  Although the headline promised a Christmas Day opening, the article itself noted that it would be December 28. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this for a post on the Ken's Movie Page Facebook group. 

A December 1912 ad located by Ken in the same Telegram-News issue as the article. 

Long Beach historian Claudine Burnett is cited on the Cal State Long Beach page about the theatre as noting that at the time of its opening it was the most elaborate theatre in town. 

 

 

An April 18, 1913 ad that Ken McIntyre located. 

 

 

A 1913 ad in the Long Beach Telegram. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. 

 

 

The Fairyland is seen as "Moving Pictures" on the right side of this detail from image 29 of a 1914 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map in the Library of Congress collection. The auditorium was parallel to Seaside with the stage backing up to Collins Way. The theatre seen in the block to the left at 113-115 is the American. In the lower left that's a corner of the Municipal Auditorium.

The theatre is listed in the 1913-14 through 1924 city directories. By the time the 1913-1914 city directory was compiled the Frists still had the American but the Fairyland was being run by C.A. Raymond.

The Fairyland was included in a September 6, 1920 Daily Telegram ad for Paramount Week. They were also listed in a September 5, 1921 Daily Telegram ad for Paramount Week that year where it was announced "Long Beach joins in the national demonstration of the better motion pictures." The Fairyland also participated in the "First Annual Go To Theatre Week." See the February 11, 1922 Daily Telegram ad announcing that event that encouraged patrons to "Go At Least Three Times!" Thanks to the Ronald W. Mahan Collection for sharing these ads.  

Closed: 1924

Status: It was demolished for construction of the Ritz Theatre on the site, opening in 1925. That house, after soon being renamed the Capitol, became the Tracy Theatre in 1934.

 

 

1914 - The full G. Haven Bishop photo that the detail at the top of the page was taken from. It's in the Huntington Library collection. We're looking east on Seaside Ave. The Wigwam is on the left with the Fairyland down the block. The photo was taken in conjunction with the Long Beach Steam Station project.

 

 

1916 - A photo from the Ronald W. Mahan collection with the Wigwam on the left and the Fairyland Theatre on the far right.

 

 

1916 - The Fairyland is on the far right in this annotated view from the Ronald W. Mahan Collection. Note the theatre's neighbors on Seaside the Wigwam and the American. On the left, behind the Auditorium, the framing was going up for the Markwell Building that would house the State Theatre. Thanks, Ron.  

 

 

 

1924 - A remodel going on to turn the Wigwam into Scott's Theatre. We're looking east on Seaside with the Fairyland still down the block, but not for long. It's an image of a postcard from the California Historical Society appearing on the USC Digital Library website. The card also appears on the Cal State Long Beach page about the Fairyland Theatre, where it's credited to the Historical Society of Long Beach. 

 

 

 

1924 - A detail from the USC photo.  

1925 - A view west from Collins Way at the theatre that replaced the Fairyland. Here it's the Ritz. It would soon be the Capitol and end up as the Tracy. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library

 

 

2019 - At the corner of Seaside and Collins Way, looking west to the spot where the Fairyland and, later, the Tracy, once were. Photo: Google Maps.

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