The Majestic Theatre — Here’s the word from George Ellison at the Glendale Public Library:
“The Majestic Theatre only appears in two Glendale City Directories. They are 1913-1914 and 1915-1916. The address was 1105 West Broadway. The 1917 Directory has two other businesses at that address. They did not move
to another Glendale address. After the 1918 renumbering it became 115 East Broadway.”
I live in Sacramento so I’m limited to what resources the State Library has. Which in city directories for Glendale means only back to 1930 — and nothing in that one for the Lincoln.
I did find a hit in the 1928 Los Angeles phone book (which has an alphabetical Glendale section at the rear). Lincoln is listed as at 129 N. Brand. I’m going to be reckless and say it’s a last fling AKA for the Palace Grand (usually listed as 131 N. Brand). Nothing in the 29 phone book for it.
State Library is missing the 1912 and 1913 LA phonebooks. Couldn’t find the Majestic in 1914. But perhaps either the theatre had vanished or listing was under the owner’s name. These LA phonebooks have a classified for LA but not for the Glendale or other out of town exchanges.
I sent an e-mail to Glendale research wizard George Ellison at the Glendale Library. He’s the one who came up with addresses for me for the 1910 Glendale Theatre.
See my Glendale Theatres page for info on that one — also not on CT yet I believe. I’ll let you know any news. Best Wishes!
It’s a vintage postcard view on Card Cow looking west along The Pike with the Bathhouse in the foreground (the columned building) and the steel framework of the Strand sign beyond.
The building is listed as the Tuesday Afternoon Theatre in the Glendale city directories for 1960, 1962, 1964, 1968, 1969 and 1970 with an address of 408 N. Central.
The 1972 directory lists it as the Villa Glen at 404 N. Central. There’s no listing in the 1977 directory.
If the Rivoli at 6258 Van Nuys Blvd opened in 1921, what is one to make of the listings in the 1922, 1923 and 1924 L.A. city directories for a Rivoli Theatre at 260 Sherman Way, Van Nuys?
The American Theatre mentioned in the post above is indeed a Pomona address. In the classified section for 1923/24 it’s listed as an Ontario business, but it’s a mistake. Looking at the alphabetical sections for both Pomona and Ontario makes this clear.
American Theatre — 470 W. 2nd
It’s in the 1919/20 and 1923/24 city directories. In the classified section for 1923/24 it’s listed as an Ontario address, but obviously a mistake. There’s no listing for 1926.
The address is 120 or 122 N. Euclid Ave.
It’s listed as the Euclid at 120 N. Euclid in the 1923/24 and 1926 directories. It’s listed at 122 N. in 1928, still as the Euclid.
It’s the Forum at 122 N. Euclid in the 1937/38, 1940 and 1945/46 directories. It’s the Park in the 1948 / 49 directory.
Other Ontario theatres that don’t yet seem to have listings:
Isis Theatre — 228 N. Euclid Ave.
“Warm in Winter, Airdome in Summer” — ad in the 1912/13 city directory.
Euclid Photoplay — 137 N. Euclid Ave.
“Everybody meets everybody here — High Class Refined Motion Pictures — Films Changes Three Times Weekly — We Lead Others Follow” — ad in the 1912/13 city directory
American Theatre — 470 W. 2nd
It’s in the 1919/20 and 1923/24 city directories as an Ontario address. I don’t see a W. 2nd currently existing in Ontario so either we had some relabeling or the directories are in error — perhaps it’s a Pomona address.
Thanks, Joe!
Thanks, Joe!
Hi, Joe!
It is in the 1923 city directory as the Meralta at 2035 E. 1st St. In the 1918, 1919 and 1922 city directories it was the Meralta at 2033 E. 1st St.
I don’t see how it was built in 1924 unless it was just a remodel of the New Lyceum building. Mysteries!
Great work on the Majestic, Joe! You’ve found another one!
The Majestic Theatre —
Here’s the word from George Ellison at the Glendale Public Library:
“The Majestic Theatre only appears in two Glendale City Directories. They are 1913-1914 and 1915-1916. The address was 1105 West Broadway. The 1917 Directory has two other businesses at that address. They did not move to another Glendale address. After the 1918 renumbering it became 115 East Broadway.”
Hi, Joe —
I live in Sacramento so I’m limited to what resources the State Library has. Which in city directories for Glendale means only back to 1930 — and nothing in that one for the Lincoln.
I did find a hit in the 1928 Los Angeles phone book (which has an alphabetical Glendale section at the rear). Lincoln is listed as at 129 N. Brand. I’m going to be reckless and say it’s a last fling AKA for the Palace Grand (usually listed as 131 N. Brand). Nothing in the 29 phone book for it.
State Library is missing the 1912 and 1913 LA phonebooks. Couldn’t find the Majestic in 1914. But perhaps either the theatre had vanished or listing was under the owner’s name. These LA phonebooks have a classified for LA but not for the Glendale or other out of town exchanges.
I sent an e-mail to Glendale research wizard George Ellison at the Glendale Library. He’s the one who came up with addresses for me for the 1910 Glendale Theatre.
See my Glendale Theatres page for info on that one — also not on CT yet I believe. I’ll let you know any news. Best Wishes!
Joe — Many thanks for the information on Sherman Way — and the link about Valley street names. Your research is much appreciated.
Thanks, Joe! Nice detective work.
A night postcard view looking north on Pine Ave. The Palace is on the right:
View link
It’s part of a post by Beaudry on the Skyscraperpage forum “Noirish Los Angeles:
View link
The site Card Cow has several nice vintage postcards featuring the State Theatre building:
From the beach:
View link
A closer view looking north on Pine:
View link
Looking east along Ocean Dr. — West Coast Theatre in the distance on the left:
View link
Looking east — closer view – 1936 postmark:
View link
From the water — 1932 Memorial Auditorium on the right:
View link
Well, it’s not a facade view – but you get the sign for the Strand:
View link
It’s a vintage postcard view on Card Cow looking west along The Pike with the Bathhouse in the foreground (the columned building) and the steel framework of the Strand sign beyond.
I found a couple of photos of the building in the Los Angeles Public Library collection:
An undated view of the front of the building:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics22/00060666.jpg
An undated view showing the stagehouse:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics22/00060665.jpg
The building is listed as the Tuesday Afternoon Theatre in the Glendale city directories for 1960, 1962, 1964, 1968, 1969 and 1970 with an address of 408 N. Central.
The 1972 directory lists it as the Villa Glen at 404 N. Central. There’s no listing in the 1977 directory.
If the Rivoli at 6258 Van Nuys Blvd opened in 1921, what is one to make of the listings in the 1922, 1923 and 1924 L.A. city directories for a Rivoli Theatre at 260 Sherman Way, Van Nuys?
The Avenue Theatre asked about by Lost Memory is not on Cinema Treasures. And it’s not in the San Fernando Valley but in Cebu City, Phillipines.
Scroll through this souvenir booklet & you’ll find it:
View link
That 1981 photo is a neat one. Nice research!
Two more data points for the Sherman Theatre:
It’s listed in the city directories for 1916 and 1918 as being at 518 S. Main.
for Ken McIntyre:
It was an interesting comment about a theatre to be called the Sherman mentioned in the 1915 LA Times article you quote in your 2007 post.
Did it give an address as 514 or 518?
Also: Henry’s Theatrical Guide for 1907-08 lists #514 as the location of the La Petite Theatre #5.
Zimas gives a 1905 date for the building that later housed the Galway at #514.
Another one in Whittier:
Strand Theatre, 122 W. Philadelphia St.
It’s in the 1924, 28 and 29 city directories. I haven’t come across any later listings.
It’s probably not the Claremont Theatre of the early 40s but there was another one in Claremont listed in the 1919/20 city directory:
College Arms Theatre, 249 W. 1st
Here are listings I’ve found for the Lyric /Colonial / Studio / Upland:
In the 1912/13 and 1914 city directories it’s listed as the Lyric at “cor 2nd Av & C.”
In 1919/20 it’s the Colonial, “2nd Av nr C.”
In the 1923/24, 26 and 28 directories it’s listed as the Colonial at 310 2nd.
In 1931 it’s the Upland at 318 2nd — it’s the Studio in 1934 at 318 2nd.
The Upland again in 37/38 and 45/46.
Listed as the Upland at 310 N. 2nd in 1948, 49 and 51.
oops—
The American Theatre mentioned in the post above is indeed a Pomona address. In the classified section for 1923/24 it’s listed as an Ontario business, but it’s a mistake. Looking at the alphabetical sections for both Pomona and Ontario makes this clear.
Also in Pomona:
American Theatre — 470 W. 2nd
It’s in the 1919/20 and 1923/24 city directories. In the classified section for 1923/24 it’s listed as an Ontario address, but obviously a mistake. There’s no listing for 1926.
It’s in the 1923, 24 and 25 city directories as the Colonial at 314 S. Myrtle. It’s at #316 in the 1927 directory.
It’s listed as the Monrovia at #316 in the 1937 through the 1948 directories.
How about another nearby theatre, the Elite? It’s in the 1911 city directory at 217 S. Myrtle Ave, Monrovia.
Regarding the Park Theatre:
The address is 120 or 122 N. Euclid Ave.
It’s listed as the Euclid at 120 N. Euclid in the 1923/24 and 1926 directories. It’s listed at 122 N. in 1928, still as the Euclid.
It’s the Forum at 122 N. Euclid in the 1937/38, 1940 and 1945/46 directories. It’s the Park in the 1948 / 49 directory.
Other Ontario theatres that don’t yet seem to have listings:
Isis Theatre — 228 N. Euclid Ave.
“Warm in Winter, Airdome in Summer” — ad in the 1912/13 city directory.
Euclid Photoplay — 137 N. Euclid Ave.
“Everybody meets everybody here — High Class Refined Motion Pictures — Films Changes Three Times Weekly — We Lead Others Follow” — ad in the 1912/13 city directory
American Theatre — 470 W. 2nd
It’s in the 1919/20 and 1923/24 city directories as an Ontario address. I don’t see a W. 2nd currently existing in Ontario so either we had some relabeling or the directories are in error — perhaps it’s a Pomona address.