California Theatre

341 N. Brand Boulevard,
Glendale, CA 91203

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Fox West Coast Theatres

Architects: Simeon Charles Lee

Nearby Theaters

California Theatre exterior

The California Theatre was opened on December 25, 1928. In February 1940 the California Theatre was taken over by Fox West Coast Theatres as a District 2 house. It was still open in 1956, but had closed by 1957.

Contributed by William Gabel

Recent comments (view all 10 comments)

William
William on October 8, 2002 at 10:00 am

The California theatre was located at 341 N. Brand Blvd.

DavidT
DavidT on April 30, 2005 at 8:52 pm

1937 Christmastime view of Brand Blvd, Glendale. The California Theater can be seen at the right. LAPL collection.
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics25/00047169.jpg

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on October 27, 2005 at 5:20 pm

From the Oviatt Library Digital Collection:

View link

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on September 23, 2007 at 8:13 pm

In the 1940s, the California was being operated by Fox-West Coast Theatres. Southwest Builder & Contractor of November 7, 1941, contained an item saying that architect S. Charles Lee had prepared plans for remodeling the California Theatre in Glendale. Alterations to the foyer, lobby, ticket booth and front were to cost $12,000.

The Oviatt Library 1936 photo to which ken mc linked on October 27, 2005, is no longer at that URL. For now, it is here.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 23, 2007 at 8:46 pm

This whole block is now office buildings, I think.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 21, 2008 at 10:29 pm

A search on “Theaters California Glendale” at the picture catalog of the California State Library will fetch seven early photos of the interior of this theatre, as well as a dozen of the Capitol Theatre down the street, and one William Reagh shot of the Alex to boot.

drb
drb on September 15, 2008 at 4:39 am

I think it was next to where the the Bank of America is now, just in from Lexington, next to JAX Bar and Grill jazz club.

drb
drb on October 24, 2008 at 2:22 pm

The Lexington Hotel and the Glendale News-Press building that are visible to the left of the California Theatre in the Oviatt and the LAPL photos are still standing, as shown in the exterior photo on the page for the Lexington Hotel, which is now called the Brandwood Hotel.

The California would have been behind the red convertible in that photo, where the B of A is now. So there’s still a good percentage of vintage buildings on that block, other than the missing theater. It’s the other side of the street, and a few blocks farther on this side, that’s primarily new offices.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on November 21, 2008 at 6:52 pm

Here is part of an article in the LA Times dated 2/7/31:

HOAX BANDIT SHOT TO DEATH

Gun-Like Cigarette Case used in Theater Hold-Up Spells Doom to Robber When officer Fires

GLENDALE-A bandit who put his faith in a cigarette case shaped like a pistol unthinkingly pointed the mock weapon tonight at the heart of a policeman who had detected him in a hold-up of the cashier at the California Theater here, and an instant later fell dead on the sidewalk with six bullets from the policeman’s service revolver in his body.

The bandit, with the futile contrivance of shining metal still in his hand, was taken first to Glendale Emergency Hospital and then to the morgue, where he was identified from papers in his pocket as L.J. Wright, apparently about 30 years of age, from Metzger, Oregon.

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