Tujunga / Hilltop / Rainbow / Canyon Theatre

6721 Foothill Blvd. Tujunga (Los Angeles), CA 91042 | map |

Opened: 1938 as the Tujunga Theatre. The location is on the north side of the street just east of Haines Canyon Ave. The 1938 photo appeared in the 1949-1950 edition of Quigley Publications' Theatre Catalog. Thanks to Cinema Tour for including the photo on their page about the Canyon. 

It got renamed the Hilltop Theatre with a reopening on July 13, 1966 and ran under that name until 1979. In the 1980s it was the Rainbow Theatre and it ended its theatrical life as the Canyon Theatre. At one time it was operated by the Edwards circuit.

Architect: S. Charles Lee

Seating: 843

Closing: Sometime around 1990. 

 

One of many c.2000 shots of the Canyon from "Save Art Deco Theater." The one minute clip on YouTube was produced, directed and narrated by Jamie M. Elovitz. Thanks to Louis Elovitz for passing it along. 

Status: In 2002 it was turned into the Great Caesar's Banquet Hall with the original facade and interior obliterated. Caesar's is now using the address 6723 Foothill for the building.

 

 

Not looking much like S. Charles Lee's work anymore. It's a 2006 shot from Great Caesar's on Flickr. If you need more, there are over 60 photos of the banquet hall on Yelp.

More exterior views: 

 

1943 - A photo from the Tujunga Record-Ledger. Thanks to the Historical Society of Crescenta Valley for sharing this version of it in a Facebook post. It also appears on the website of the Cal State Northridge Oviatt Library.

1946 - A lovely shot showing the signage at night. Thanks to Mark Havlick for locating the photo. 

1982 - A colorful view as the Rainbow Theatre, operating as a bargain house. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding the photo on the now-vanished American Classic Images website.

1989 - As the Canyon Theatre running "The Abyss" and "Weekend at Bernie's." It's a photo taken by Gary Graver, a noted filmmaker and cinematographer who took many photos of dying single-screen theatres. A compilation can be seen on YouTube: "Second Run - part 1" and "Second Run - part 2." Thanks to Sean Graver for use of the photo.

2000 - A "Closed for Remodeling" message on the marquee. And quite a remodel it would get. Many thanks to Grant Taylor for his photo. 

c.2009 - Thanks to Don Solosan for this photo of the building after its transformation into a banquet hall. The short was taken as part of a survey of surviving Los Angeles theatre buildings undertaken by the now-dormant Historic Theatre Committee of the L.A. Conservancy. And thanks to Hillsman Wright, co-founder of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation, for making the photo available.  

 

The Rainbow Theatre in the Movies: 

 

We get a fuzzy look at the Rainbow in the background of this shot when two of Michael J. Fox's friends drive to the liquor store to buy a keg for a party in "Teen Wolf" (Atlantic Releasing, 1985). Rod Daniel directed. Also featured in the film are James Hampton, Susan Ursitti, Jerry Levine, Matt Adler, Lorie Griffin and Matt Arnold. The cinematography was by Tim Suhrstedt.

 

 

Another "Teen Wolf" view a moment later. These guys have no luck getting a keg as they're underage. Michael later tries and succeeds only because he becomes a bit wolf-like and scares the liquor store proprietor. Thanks to an anonymous tip on this page noting the theatre's appearance in the film. 

More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Canyon. Also see the Cinema Tour page where there is a 2001 photo from Bob Meza.

| back to top | San Fernando Valley theatres | San Fernando Valley: theatres by address | Downtown | Westside | Hollywood | Westwood and Brentwood | Along the Coast | [more] Los Angeles movie palaces | the main alphabetical list | theatre history resources | film and theatre tech resources | theatres in movies | LA Theatres on facebook | contact info | welcome and site navigation guide |