Comments from kencmcintyre

There are some photos here:
http://www.michigandriveins.com/bluesky20.asp

Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/nuarcx

Here is an August 1965 LA Times ad for a swap meet at the Harbor:
http://tinyurl.com/ktqpzg

Here is a July 1970 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/my2uxf

This is where I found the photo. Flickr may have taken it from there, or vice versa.
http://tinyurl.com/nfo8ck

Here are some June 2009 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/mu9rc2
http://tinyurl.com/ngarrv

Here is a 1938 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/myefnr

Here is a photo circa 1970s:
http://tinyurl.com/mpm6yq

Here is an October 1952 ad from the LAT:
http://tinyurl.com/kj2mv8

Here is part of a December 21, 1956 article in the LA Times:

Another of those Japanese cinematic objets d'art in the superb tradition of “Rashomon” and “Gate of Hell” was previewed Wednesday night at the Linda Lea Theater. Entitled “47 Ronin”, the film-in that prize-winning Eastman color-is based upon Jiro Osaraga’s novel of feudal Japan in the 18th century.

The photography is as delicate as watercolor but there is nothing pastel about the performances. “47 Ronin” will begin its run at the Linda Lea on New Year’s Day.

Here is a July 1956 item from the Pasadena Independent:

The other night I drove down to the Linda Lea Theater on S. Main Street in Los Angeles, bent on seeing the movie “Seven Samurai”. Parking in the theater’s free lot, I was accosted by a grizzled ancient who wanted to charge me for parking because he wouldn’t believe that I was really going to see a Japanese film. Well, I didn’t believe he was employed there, so I muttered my entire Japanese vocabulary of twelve words to him and walked away.

The manager of the Linda Lea is a genial, red haired chap who used to manage the old Tower Theater in Pasadena. I used to work in a movie house myself, so while waiting for the break we chatted about the crazy business. In the meantime a large crowd was accumulating in the lobby and the foyer. The manager, cognizant of my early theatrical training, asked if I would help to control the people until the auditorium was cleared. I said sure.

The audience disgorged, I helped usher in the new mob. When they had all been seated, I got the best seat that was leftâ€"first row, next to the wall. Seeing a three-hour movie with English subtitles from this angle is somewhat of a strain, but I managed to move back to a good seat during the intermission, readjusted my eyeballs to their normal sunken position and began to really enjoy the picture.

Here is a June 2009 view of the theater building:
http://tinyurl.com/le92m2

I think it has been a church since the 80s. Never saw it used for taping, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Maybe the church rented out the space to make some money.