Opened: January 22, 1921 as the Elite Theatre. Thanks to Facebook contributor Lost San Francisco for sharing this c.1950 photo. The theatre was originally a film house that soon after opening was remodeled for use as a legit operation. By 1923 it went back to films along with vaudeville. Later in the 20s it had another period as a legit operation with the Charles King Players and the Major Players.
It was a half block north of Ocean Blvd. on the east side of the street, at the time called American Ave. It would get renamed in the 1950s. In the mid-1920s this theatre got some company around the corner on Ocean with the opening of two houses operated by West Coast Theatres that backed up to it: the Imperial Theatre and the West Coast.
Seating: The original capacity was 1,420. A later number of 1,156 is used by Cinema Treasures, presumably coming from a 40s or 50s Film Daily Yearbook.
The history: It's a long and convoluted story of how the theatre got open and went through four different operators, two remodelings, plus a name change during its first year. Thanks to Ron Mahan for researching all the stories that appeared in the Long Beach newspapers.
In this announcement of the project in the Long Beach Press on January 6, 1920 they sound uncertain as to whether a theatre would be included:
"TEN-YEAR LEASE ON THEATRE AT $213,000 IS CLOSED - Details of Plans for Proposed New City Building Are Revealed by Architects. Just who is the lessee was not stated. Among those mentioned in this connection are Sid Grauman, Thomas L. Tally, John A. Quinn, the Broadway Theater company, and Billy Clune. The theater will be a moving picture house and will be surpassed by few in Southern California. The site is regarded as one of the most valuable pieces of property in the city. The lease is understood to cover a period of 10 years and to involve $213,000."
In the Long Beach Press on March 18, 1920:
"Seats For 1,500 In Theatre - The ground has been broken for the building and actual construction work will start about July 1. The building and site will represent an investment of about $250,000, furnishings included. The general construction of the building will be brick and steel. The architecture will be a combination of Spanish and Italian Renaissance and the front will be finished in colored terra cotta. There will be special illumination on the front of the structure from powerful lights on buildings across the street. The theater will have a 26-foot stage. The present plan is to devote the house to moving pictures. Vaudeville or drama, however, can be readily presented."
The Daily Telegram June 29, 1920:
The Daily Telegram July 6, 1920:
"BIG THEATRE TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN 6 MOS., IS CONTRACT - Actual construction work was started this morning by the successful bidder for the general tract on the American Avenue. A permit was issued last week, $135,000 being the stated cost of the general construction, and the building will be completed within six months, according to terms of the contract. The site is on the east side of American, between Ocean and First Street. The structure will be three stories high, of brick and concrete construction, with a terra-cotta front in the Spanish Renaissance style. The first floor will seat 1000 persons while the balcony will have a seating capacity of 500.
"Two stores will flank the theatre entrance on either side. The two front stores will face American avenue, while the two others will face out on two private alleyways, which will be so arranged that all persons in the balcony of the theatre will pass them when leaving. One of the features of the equipment will be a $20,000 pipe organ. The stage is also so built that it can be quickly transposed into a legitimate theatre stage. One exclusive feature of the new theatre will be its stairway detail which will permit the entire balcony to be emptied in less than two minutes. The spectators, instead of walking down the main staircase and into the theatre lobby will make their exit direct into two private alleyways, which open on American avenue."
The Daily Telegram August 4, 1920:
"10-YEARS LEASE ON AMERICAN AVE. THEATRE; $225,000 RENT; LESSEE TO SPEND $50,000 MORE - Lenney Gets Theatre Lease Grauman Wanted - A 10-years’ lease on the theatre in the Lineberger-Hite-Lineberger building on American avenue which was obtained Tuesday afternoon by J. M. Lenney, longtime 'movie' theatre man from Harrisburg, PA., who will expend also $50,000 in equipment and decorating. Mr. Lenney today placed an order for a $20,000 Wurlitzer Hope-Jones pipe organ for the new theatre and is making arrangements for the installation of high-class chairs and for elaborate decoration of the theatre interior and its lobby. One of his daughters is an expert organist.
" 'The brick walls are up about six feet at present.' Major Lineberger, said today, 'and we expect to have the building completed and the theatre ready for occupancy by January 1st.' There will be between 1400 and 1500 seats in the theatre, depending upon the number of loges." The stage will be 26 feet deep and there will be a full curtain loft, making the theatre available for use for the spoken drama or another form of entertainment, but Mr. Lenney states he probably will adhere strictly to picture plays, except for musical numbers interspersed in the programs."
"DATE OF COMPLETION OF LENNEY’S ELITE THEATRE APPROACHES - The Elite will be one of the most modern in Southern California and will have several features of furnishing that will be of convenience. There will be a nursery for the kiddies, ladies' restroom, spacious lounge and reading rooms, a large outer lobby, foyer lobby, and mezzanine foyer. The chairs will be of a new design and will have an attractive upholstery. One of the most notable of the theatre features will be a scientifically developed lighting system that will be installed to correctly light an artistic theatre decoration that is being done by C. H. Clausen, a local artist. There will be installed one of the larges Wurlitzer Hope-Jones pipe organs in Southern California."
"NEW ELITE THEATRE OPENED; THO INTERIOR NOT ENTIRELY READY - Crowds See 'Dinty' in Latest Picture House - 'Dinty,' showing to a filled house this afternoon, featured the opening entertainment of the recently completed Elite theatre, one of the finest and largest in the city. A seven-piece orchestra. under the direction of Edwin Kirkpatrick, accompanied the screen productions. Mr. Kirkpatrick has in former years directed at the Palace and Rialto theatres, respectively, and was supervisor of music in the Long Beach city schools. In spite of Manager Lenney's assertion that everything was not in readiness for the opening as he would have liked to see it, the organ not being ready to install and draperies not hung for the first show, to the casual observer the interior presented a beautiful scene when the house opened shortly after the noon hour.
Lenny's Elite closed the first week in May. After less than four months of operation Lenny absconds and the house gets new operators who will call it the Empire Theatre. The Long Beach Press has the story on May 5, 1921:
"ELITE IS TO PLAY STOCK – Theatre Closed And Will Be Renamed the Empire Theatre. Building to be Remodeled To Accommodate Long Beach Producing Company. As a result of a conference with Fire Chief Clarence Craw certain alterations will be made in the show house as fire prevention measures. A firewall will be built, an asbestos curtain will be hung, and other changes will be affected. J.J. Lenny, manager of the Elite Theatre and holder of the lease, could not be located today to confirm the announcement. The theater is locked, and Congressman Lineberger's manager could not be found to confirm the reputed transfer of the lease to the syndicate."
The Long Beach Press May 9, 1921:
"REBUILDING THEATER TO STAGE STOCK COMPANY STARTS TODAY - The work of reconstructing the theater in the new Lineberger building on American avenue, formerly known as the Elite, to make it the home of Long Beach's producing stock company began today. Harry Corson Clarke, who is general manager and producing director for the syndicate which has taken over the theater and renamed it the Empire, returned today from Los Angeles. This morning he had a conference with the architect and the representative of the fire chief, and the changes necessary to comply with the law were discussed. The laws require, many safeguards for a theater in which the legitimate drama is presented, precautions not considered necessary for a cinema house. One of these is a firewall to guard the dressing rooms of the actors from a fire on the stage. Had such a precaution been a law at the time of the Iroquois fire, the loss of life would have been much smaller."
The Long Beach Daily Telegram May 16, 1921:
"ASBESTOS CURTAIN PLACED IN THEATRE - Installation of a $1500 asbestos curtain at the Elite theatre was begun today by the Flagg company, which also will install the scenery. The scenery for the first production will cost $3500. Alterations of the stage will make possible as large productions as can be accommodated at the Majestic or Morosco Theatres in Los Angeles. The theatre will be known as the New Empire. Rehearsals will begin this week."
The Long Beach Daily Telegram May 23, 1921:
"EMPIRE THEATRE PLANS - This morning the Empire was a veritable beehive of activity. In the final rush of preparation for May 30, the opening date, the force of electricians, carpenters, masons, and plumbers has been increased until the uninitiated bystander is bewildered to know how they work without impeding each other's progress. Out at Balboa studio much the same sort of action is taking place in the building of new sets of scenery for the opening show. Artists and carpenters in charge of the work report they will be finished in ample time for the early dress rehearsals which will begin this week."
The Long Beach Press May 27, 1921:
"OPENING DELAYED - 'Rome wasn't built in a day' and the Empire Theater, like the 'Lone Mother of Dead Empires' finds its completion slightly delayed. The opening date has been changed from May 30 to the evening of Monday, June 6. The firewall has been completed, the asbestos curtain is ready to hang, but the plaster won't dry. However, that is the fault of the usual May rains and cannot be laid at the door of either the management or the workmen."
The Empire opened on June 6, 1921. The Long Beach Press had a report on June 7:
After a little over one week of operation things weren't going well. The Daily Telegram June 14, 1921:
"Empire Players in 'Swan Song' - HARRY CORSON CLARKE, IN A CURTAIN TALK MONDAY NIGHT, SAYS HIS VENTURE A FAILURE - Owners of Building Say Today They Hope to Lease Theatre to Another Stock Company. By Nellie Strong Capron. Harry Corson Clarke announced last night, midway in the production of 'The Rotters' at the Empire Theatre that the stock company organized here some several weeks ago for the purpose of producing comedies regularly on the Empire stage would bring its operations to a close next Sunday night. 'We expect to lease the theatre to another stock company, and it is possible the house may not remain dark for a night,' said Mr. Hite, of the Empire theatre building. 'We have several deals on hand. Naturally, we regret the decision of Mr. Clarke to discontinue operations here. We shall have a definite statement to give out within a few days as to the disposition to be made of the theatre building.' "
The Empire closed on June 19. It was for the all over for the Harry Corson Clarke Players after two weeks of operation. But another operator was lined up and and, yes, the the new theatre needed another remodeling. The Long Beach Press August 29, 1921:
"EMPIRE TO OPEN AGAIN FOR STOCK - Stage To Be Remodeled and New Scenery Installed for Opening September 11. The Empire Theater is once more to become the home of the spoken drama. Linebergers & Hite today closed a deal by which the lease of the theater on American Avenue is taken by Frank L. Crampton and his associates. They have closed with the Murphy stock company, now playing in San Bernardino, to open the Empire on Sunday, September 11, with 'Pollyanna.' He will bring to the Empire, which has been closed since the failure of the Harry Corson Clarke venture in early June, a company selected in New York and which has been kept intact during the San Bernardino engagement. Brady Cline, formerly with Morosco in New York is the leading man. Tynan's ten-piece orchestra will play.
"Charles Elder, the stage director for Mr. Murphy, arrives tomorrow to superintend the changes on the stage. The dressing rooms now on the stage will be torn out to give more stage space and all members of the company will be provided for in dressing rooms under the stage. The Flagg studios of Los Angeles has the contract for the scenery. The scenic equipment built for the Clarke engagement will all be discarded, and new sets will be built for each of the Murphy productions. The setting for 'Pollyanna' requires four interiors settings, one of them quite elaborate. Frank E. Montgomery, a traveling representative for Flaggs was at the Empire today to make a survey of the stage and prepare for the building of four stage sets for the opening. He said that he believed Long Beach would take the new company to its heart. The Empire Theater was built in 1920 and opened as the Elite, as a cinema house. Later it was remodeled for the Clarke players. They presented two attractions and then closed. Failure to obtain new plays and an inferior cast is said to have caused the collapse of the venture."
The Daily Telegram August 29, 1921:
"SAN BERNARDINO MAN IS TO OPEN EMPIRE THEATRE WITH STOCK COMPANY - Date of First Production Set for Sept. 11 - The Empire theatre on American avenue, the newest in Long Beach, will reopen on September 11. It will play stock productions under the terms of a lease closed today whereby Frank L. Crampton will have control. The term of the lease and the consideration are not announced. Remodeling, particularly of the stage, is to be done by the Flagg Scenic company of Los Angeles. Representatives of the company made a survey this morning preparatory to designing new scenery and settings. The stage is to be widened."
The Long Beach Daily Telegram September 8, 1921:
The regime of Frank L. Crampton and Murphy's Comedians ended October 23 and the theatre was dark again. The Daily Telegram had the report on October 25, 1921:
"EMPIRE THEATRE GOES DARK; IT MAY REOPEN SUNDAY, IT IS DECLARED - Heavy initial expenses and overhead is responsible. Comedians Sever Their Connections. The Murphy Comedians, who have been playing at the Empire Theatre for a month have discontinued their connection here, the company has largely disbanded, Horace Murphy has returned to San Bernardino and joined one of his other three companies. Frank L. Crampton, manager, is ill at his home here and negotiations are underway for reopening the theatre within a week with either a new stock company or the remaining members of the Murphy organization. Financial difficulties are claimed to be the reason. The first indication of difficulties was given Sunday, when the theatre remained dark with the announcement that due to the illness of the leading woman, Miss Martha Gibbs, the play that was due to open that evening was postponed several days.
"Heavy initial expenses and a huge overhead expense brought the company’s liabilities to between $4,000 and $5,000, it was learned today. Mr. Crampton was legally responsible for the liabilities according to his agreement with Mr. Murphy, the latter assumed charge during the illness of his associate and attempted a settlement with the creditors. This attempt was unsuccessful as far as can be learned. Mr. Crampton still holds the lease and has negotiations underway with the remaining members of the Murphy comedians and also with Los Angeles theatrical interests, it was said today. Members of the former company have signified their willingness to finance the reopening. Though the name of the Los Angeles organization considering the local proposition is not announced, it is known to be one of the most influential in the western theatrical business. One of the men connected with the theatre said this morning that the playhouse may open by Sunday."
Another operator, another opening. The Long Beach Daily Telegram December 8, 1921:
It reopened as the Long Beach Theatre on February 27, 1931. Thanks to Mike Rivest for figuring out the date and locating the ad. Visit his site: Movie-Theatre.org
The theatre required some repairs after the 1933 earthquake. This item appeared in the April 14, 1933 issue of Southwest Builder and Contractor:
"Theater repairs -- Engineers H.C. Whittlesey and C.L.A. Bockenmoble...are taking bids for repairs to a theater building at 34 American Ave...for Maude Goff...Estimated cost $4,000."
In the 1933 and 1935 Long Beach city directories it's the Long Beach Theatre at 34 American Ave. In 1936 it began to be operated by Fox West Coast and advertised as the Fox Long Beach. The 1945 city directory lists it under that name.
A 1951 ad. Although the United Artists was still running mainstream product the Long Beach was booking more salacious films. Thanks to Scott Pitzer for locating the ad.
Closing: Sometime before 1952.
Status: The theatre was demolished in November 1952. Ken McIntyre notes that the Long Beach Independent had a front page story about the demolition on November 13. The block has been redeveloped with a project called Shoreline Square on the west end of the block.
More information: There was an earlier Long Beach Theatre running around 1908 on Locust Ave. just south of Ocean.
See the Cinema Treasures page on this later Long Beach Theatre for research by Ken McIntyre and Joe Vogel.
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Beautiful Update Bill!! Many Thanks!
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