Los Angeles Theatres: Centro Theatre

7764 S. Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA 91702 | map |

Opening: c.1935. The location was on the east side of the street seven blocks south of Florence Ave. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this c.1960 shot from his collection.

The former theatre is on the right, at the time of the photo turned into the Savoy Skate Palace. On the left it's Swingtime Cleaners at 7811 S. Central. Central Liquors across 78th St. is at 7727, White Front Stores is at 7651. They're all in the 1961 phone book. Sean notes that March 1963 was the end of rail service.

A detail from Sean's photo. Where did they get this marquee? Who knows? Maybe it came from the Savoy Theatre up the street at 5326 S. Central.

Joe Vogel did some research:

"The County Assessor’s office gives an original construction date of 1927, and an effectively-built date of 1935, for this building. Judging from the Google Maps satellite and street views, it looks like this might be a case of a theatre being built behind an earlier commercial building that was remodeled, or added to at one end, to provide an entrance to the auditorium. That would make 1935 the probable opening year.

"... the theatre entrance, now blocked up, was probably at the southern end of the building where the moderne tower is. I'm inclined to think this was an addition rather than a remodeled section of the earlier building. The photos show the cracks that reveal the shapes of the now-sealed shop windows on the old part of the building, with those angled corners at the tops, characteristic of many 1920s commercial buildings but seldom used by the 1930s."

In 2010 Don Solosan added:

"I walked around this building today and agree with Joe. It looked like the theater entrance was by the tower. There was even a circle design molded in the sidewalk there, with faint remnants of paint."

Seating: 804. A later number was 650. The auditorium ran parallel to Central Ave. with the entrance under the tower.

At various times it was operated by Southern California Amusement Company and Vinnicof Theatres.

A 1941 item about the theatre in the neighborhood paper the Souihwest Wave. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.

A 1941 Southwest Wave ad for the Centro and other Vinnicof Theatres, advertising as Southtown Theatres. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.

It was listed as the Centro in the 1942 city directory and was still running as late as 1950. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this 1950 L.A. Times listing.

Closing: The date's unknown. It was turned into the Savoy Ballroom in 1954.

Well, they get it almost right. This Southwest Wave news item from June 1954 says the new Savoy Ballroom was the site of the "Century theater." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this.

In the 1961 phone book it was listed as the Savoy Skating Palace. The storefront space fronting on S. Central later became a church.

A 2007 shot by Ken McIntyre.

Looking north across the former theatre entrance and the storefronts. It's a 2007 photo by Bob Meza. It's one of seven exterior views on the Cinema Tour page about the Centro.

The screen end of the building in 2007. It's another photo by Bob Meza. Thanks!

The complex in September 2014. The entrance for the church using the storefront space was behind the streetlight. That's E. 77th Place on the left, a view south on Central Ave. on the right. Image: Google Maps

The storefront portion of the building had been demolished by the time of this April 2015 image from Google Maps

Status: The auditorium portion of the building was demolished in 2016. There's now a mini strip mall on the site.

More information: See the Cinema Tour and Cinema Treasures pages about the Centro.

Los Angeles Theatres

Centro Theatre

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