4 Star Theatre
5112 Wilshire Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90036
5112 Wilshire Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90036
13 people
favorited this theater
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Louie Federici operated this theater in the 1980’s. At one time he operated The Gordon on La Brea as well as The Cinema on Western Ave and The Encore on Melrose.
I saw “The Poseidon Adventure” there in 1972 or 1973. They had a great double bill there in late June 1972: “My Fair Lady” and “Hello Dolly!”, both presented in 70mm. I missed that one, unfortunately.
Who operated the Four Star during the 1980s post UA and post Mitchell Brothers?
San Francisco’s Mitchell Brothers chain of adult theatres entered the Los Angeles area on September 11th, 1973 with the UA Inglewood and this theatre. The grand opening program was “Behind the Green Door” with Marilyn Chambers. Grand opening ad posted.
1932 photo link, credit Dick Whittington, courtesy the Huntington.
https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll2/id/3871/
1938 photo added courtesy Los Angeles Historic Facebook page.
“The Graduate” opened here fifty years ago today. The film went on to play one week shy of a full year. (Anyone know of a film that played here for a longer period of time?) And here’s a retrospective article to commemorate the film’s golden anniversary.
Hello-
what was the last 1st run engagement this
theater had?
This opened on November 29th, 1933. Its grand opening ad can be found in the photo section for this theatre.
“Gone With The Wind” was screened for the press at the Four Star on December 12, 1939 (three days before the huge Atlanta premiere). For more info see the book “The Art of Gone With the Wind: The Making of a Legend” by Judy Cameron, Paul J. Christman and Daniel Mayer Selznick.
The wrecking ball hit this cinema and the adjacent Burger King last month. Change status to demolished.
Demolition of the Four Star building is scheduled to begin soon. It’s a shame.
At the END it couldn’t function as a first-run house. It was a first-run house for decades.
When they installed those 70mm projectors in the 1980s, it was truly a first-class theater. Terrific! It was a shame that because of its location, it couldn’t function as a first-run house. Back then, you either opened in Westwood or Hollywood.
‘The Magic Christian’ held its Gale Premiere here, with Ringo Starr in person.
http://www.adsausage.com/ad.cfm?id=52937
Looks like a demo is in its future: http://losangelestheatres.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-teardown-for-four-staroasis-theatre.html?spref=fb
Looks like the tenants bought a historic church a few blocks away and will be leaving. “…Oasis will be moving in the near future from its present headquarters at Wilshire near Highland, a former movie theater.”
http://larchmontchronicle.com/oasis-christian-church-new-home/
I lived within walking distance of the Four Star for years and years. It was a great old palace, but, it got pretty run down by the end. And, having no parking lot in the middle of the Miracle mile district really hampered business. The first double feature I remember seeing there in the 80s was Hitchcock’s 39 STEPS with Tarkovsky’s SOLARIS. Bizarre double feature, but great great films. Lots of memories, but the the best was probably attending a screening of the 1986 restoration of 1937’s LOST HORIZON introduced by Jane Wyatt herself. As she introduced the screening Wyatt said that the film’s original premiere 50 years earlier was also held at the Four Star! Wow.
As of January 2012, the building is still a church (Oasis Church), but Oasis has just announced they are leaving the building for another venue, and will be (have already?) sold it. With the new BMW dealership next door, the ritzy apartment complex across the street, and a dying decrepit Burger King next door, I wouldn’t be surprised if the new owners knock it down and start from scratch. As a 500ish-seater theater with no parking, there are few uses left for it as is.
There’s some great night footage of the old neon marquee in the 1960s here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0lEosbR-Vg
Here is a 1984 night shot:
http://tinyurl.com/ybuuvqv
Here is a March 1977 ad from the LAT:
http://tinyurl.com/nvnhey
Great Behind The Great Wall ad – I was, of course, there and saw and smelled the film. And a few weeks later I was at the Ritz seeing and smelling Scent of Mystery.
I went by this place today. Did the church move out as stated above? There is a sign on the side with their web address — the Oasis Christian Center. That site lists “service” times. And there’s still a star (a la Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame) on the sidewalk out front that reads “Jesus Christ the Son of God.”
Here is a January 1960 ad from the LAT:
http://tinyurl.com/nxh6xo