Fox Criterion Theatre

642 S. Grand Avenue,
Los Angeles, CA 90017

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kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on October 26, 2007 at 10:26 am

This is an October 1915 ad from the LA Times. The Brooks may have been demolished to make way for the Criterion, or it may hsve been a different theater. It was definitely showing films at that time:
http://tinyurl.com/ynlj45

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 12, 2007 at 2:12 am

Listed as the Criterion in the 1925 city directory:
http://tinyurl.com/3x5ltc

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on August 7, 2007 at 2:12 am

Guys: The Mozart Theatre at 730 S. Grand was the one with all the names (Including, per the photo, Clune’s Grand Avenue Theatre.) It outlasted the Criterion. Also, the state library got both direction and date wrong on its photo. The view is south from 7th and Grand, not north, and the year has to be 1908 or later, when the building was erected.

As for the Fox Criterion, it looks as though (per ken mc’s comment of May 29 this year) that this theatre’s last operating name must have been either Tally’s Theatre or Grand Wilshire Theatre, since the original entry at top of this page says that it was razed in 1941.

vokoban
vokoban on August 7, 2007 at 12:15 am

i’m pretty sure that the house in this photo is the same building as the picture that ken mc posted although it looks much nicer and there’s a horse and buggy:

View link

vokoban
vokoban on August 7, 2007 at 12:08 am

I think this is the correct theater, but i don’t know the name it is listed under on here but here are the dates and names of the theater at that spot…i think:

Walker Theater(1908-1910)
Nielsen Theater(1910)
Walker Theater(1910-1912)
Mozart Theater(1912-1916)
Grand Avenue Theater(1923-1924)
Fine Arts Theater(1924)
Orange Grove Theater(1924-1929)
Actors' Theater(1929-1935)
Grand International Theater(1935-1937)
Grand Theater(1937-1946)

vokoban
vokoban on August 7, 2007 at 12:04 am

ken mc…i can’t remember the name of that theater…maybe Joe will remember. One of us posted it on another page and then I found a picture of that building on the corner when it was just a pretty home.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 6, 2007 at 10:14 pm

This is supposed to be an 1899 photo from the CA state library. The view is Seventh & Grand, looking north. The sign appears to say Grand Avenue Theatre, as far as I can tell, so it could be a predecessor:
View link

tomdelay
tomdelay on July 19, 2007 at 11:34 pm

You can also see the roof of the Metropolitan/Paramount roof above Pershing Square to the right (South East?) in the 1924 photo.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on July 19, 2007 at 10:41 pm

August 8, 1928, from the LA Times:

CRITERION TO REOPEN DOORS

One of the most imposing lists of attractions any theater ever had the privilege of offering the public will come into the Criterion Theater, Grand near Seventh, on its reopening as West Coast’s banner long-run popular price house. The Criterion opens on the 18th with the William Fox special “Street Angel” as the attraction.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on July 17, 2007 at 11:14 pm

You can see the theater at the bottom right in this 1924 photo:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics38/00068728.jpg

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on July 14, 2007 at 6:24 pm

Opened on 12/2/17 with a showing of Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Woman God Forgot”, starring Geraldine Farrar.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on July 7, 2007 at 9:59 pm

I called him, no response. I guess he doesn’t want to sell. The theater was advertised as Tally’s Criterion on 10/22/33 per the LA Times.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on May 29, 2007 at 5:55 pm

T.L. Tally placed an ad in the LA Times on 3/14/41 for the sale of Tally’s Theater, Grand Wilshire formerly Criterion, 642 S. Grand. Cost $200,00 will sell for $275,000. Contact T.L. Tally 1544 W. Eighth, phone FE 9223 or call him at home at CR-60521.

vokoban
vokoban on January 7, 2006 at 1:22 pm

I believe this obituary had something to do with the Jazz Singer/Tower myth being started. They even talk about The Jazz Singer opening at the Tower on LA Conservancy tours. Sorry to keep harping on this, but I believe it is a myth unless there is some proof. There is plenty of proof to the contrary.

(March 14, 1952)
Funeral services for H.L. Gumbiner, 72, pioneer independent motion-picture exhibitor, will be conducted at 11 a.m. today at the Little Church of the Flowers, Forest Lawn Memorial-Park. Mr. Gumbiner built and operated the old Tower Theater, now the Newsreel Theater at 802 S Broadway, in 1927, where the first talking picture, “The Jazz Singer,” was introduced. In 1931 he opened the Los Angeles Theater, 615 S Broadway, with the world premiere of Chaplin’s “City Lights.”

vokoban
vokoban on January 7, 2006 at 1:13 pm

(Feb. 22, 1928)
Only seven more days remain for Al Jolson as “The Jazz Singer” at the Criterion Theater when the Vitaphone production gives way to Richard Barthelmess in “The Patent-Leather Kid.” The final showing of the black-face comedian’s picture will mark the 138th performance, establishing a new record for the Criterion.

Here is the clincher:

(April 29, 1928)
The Metropolitan Theater has booked “The Patent Leather Kid” with Richard Barthelmess in its first downtown showing at popular prices, “Sunrise” with George O'Brien and Janet Gaynor is at the Criterion, and Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer” comes to the Tower.

vokoban
vokoban on January 7, 2006 at 1:00 pm

(Jan. 3, 1928)
Al Jolson’s Vitaphone success, “The Jazz Singer,” is expected by theater officials to remain at the Criterion for five or six months. No successor is named.

vokoban
vokoban on January 7, 2006 at 12:56 pm

(Jan. 1, 1928)
CRITERION
“The Jazz Singer,” starring Al Jolson, is now in the first week of its showing at the Criterion Theater. The production is novel, not ony because it marks Jolson’s initial screen effort, but also because it is accompanied by what is hailed as an unusually fine Vitaphone score, May McAvoy appears opposite Jolson.

Society of Cinemaland
“Jazz-Singer Opens
An interesting premiere of Wednesday evening was that of "The Jazz-Singer,” taken from the stage play by Raphaelson, which opened at the Los Angeles Criterion Theater with Al Jolson in the leading role, and important feature being the Vitaphone accompaniment which will preserve for posterity the voice of the famous blues singer. Jolson, completing a 3000-mile journey in order to be present at the premiere, arrived in Los Angeles Tuesday on the California Limited, after stopping for a brief visit at Lake Arrowhead. A large number of Hollywood friends met him at the station, the reception there being followed by many affairs in his honor. Conrad Nagel, as master of ceremonies, introduced the blackface comedian in person to the Criterion Theater audiences Wednesday evening. Jolson left almost immediately after the premiere for New York.

vokoban
vokoban on January 7, 2006 at 12:42 pm

(Dec. 24, 1927)
That interest in the coming of Al Jolson to the Criterion Theater in “The Jazz Singer” is at an unusually high pitch is evidenced by the rapidity with which tickets are going for the opening night performance, Wednesday. One of the earliest applications for tickets was from Charlie Chaplin who will entertain a large party at “The Jazz Singer” premiere. The reservation of Cecil B. De Mille was also among the first received. Others whose attendance is assured by their purchase of tickets are Jetta Goudal, Dolores Costello, Laura La Plante, William Selter, Henry Walthall, May Robson, Monte ….(it goes on and on)

(Dec. 27, 1927)
More than just a peep into the restricted “backstage” is afforded in “The Jazz Singer,” which opens tomorrow evening at the Criterion Theater, with Al Jolson attending in person. In this picture the spectator is literally transplanted to a vantage point in the wings. Both the lobby entrance view and reverse angle inside the stage door panorama are screened…..

vokoban
vokoban on January 7, 2006 at 12:30 pm

Here is another connection between The Jazz Singer and the Criterion:

(Dec. 4, 1927)
“Old San Francisco,” the current attraction at the Criterion Theater, produced for Warner Brothers under the direction of Alan Crosland, is to be followed by another Crosland production, “The Jazz Singer,” with Al Jolson in the leading role. Crosland has an unusual record, one that has never been achieved by anyone in the picture industry, it is said. For the last two years his name has appeared before all productions that have been screened at the Warner Brothers' Theater, New York. With the “Jazz Singer” there now, it is reported that his record will no doubt stand for another year. With the report that the Criterion has been leased by Warners for a period of six months, and with the Jolson opus billed to follow “Old San Francisco,” Crosland will, without a doubt, do much to establish a record at that theater.

vokoban
vokoban on January 7, 2006 at 12:16 pm

Everyone talks about The Jazz Singer opening at The Tower, but I still haven’t seen any evidence. This article from the LA Times seems to place the opening at the Criterion with an unnamed theater in New York being the first. There are many articles about the arrival of this film, but the strange thing is that the Tower isn’t mentioned until much later.

(Dec. 25, 1927)
When “The Jazz Singer” opens at the Criterion Theater Wednesday night, Al Jolson, the star of the picture, will not only be heard in a short spoken sequence, but he will sing, too, his incomparable songs, “Blue Skies,” “Mammy” and others. This has been made possible through Vitaphone, controlled by Warner Brothers. The picture is regarded by far the most ambitious and significant step made in the field of talking pictures. The industry, as far as Hollywood generally is concerned, regards “The Jazz Singer” as doing much toward putting over films of this type. The picture attracted unusal interest when first shown in New York, and where it is still attracting crowded houses.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on November 28, 2005 at 6:38 pm

An expanded shot of the photo at the top of the page:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015282.jpg

UKuser
UKuser on November 2, 2005 at 3:43 am

CALLING ALL THEATRE / MOVIE ENTHUSIASTS!!!

T'he Los Angeles Theatre' on South Broadway, LA is playing host to the UK television show ‘Dead Famous LIVE’. We are currently looking for people who would like to come along as part of the studio audience.

‘Dead Famous LIVE’ is a studio entertainment show all about Hollywood History and the paranormal. We will be welcoming celebrity guests on to the show and investigating famous locations around Hollywood which are rumoured to be haunted including the Los Angeles Theatre itself.

This is an invaluable chance to get access to the Los Angeles Theatre, the place where Charlie Chaplin’s ‘City Lights’ premiered in 1931 and to have a thoroughly great day out! (And its free!!)

We’re transmitting ‘Live’ back to the United Kingdom so expect it to be exciting and fun!

We will be filming on three days from 11th – 13th November between 11.30am – 4pm. If you are interested in coming on one or all of these days then email me for tickets!

.uk

I look forward to your responses!

tomdelay
tomdelay on September 29, 2005 at 5:56 pm

Ken Roe is correct. The Criterion/Kinema Robert Morton was built up to around 30-ranks and had a 5-manual console. The organ was broken up for parts. The organ had been played by a famed theatre organist named Eddie Horton.

Morton built (3) 5-manual organs: LA Criterion/Kinema, the Fresno Kinema (also built up from a smaller 2 manual organ, but was only around 12-ranks and 5 manuals), and the Palms Theatre in Pennsylvania—sorry I do not remember whether it was in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. I think the organ was in Pittsburgh. Photos of all three consoles are in Vol. II of “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen.

ctwhite01
ctwhite01 on September 15, 2005 at 9:58 am

Sorry about the spelling errors in
the previous posting of 9/15/05 @ 9:48am.
I have a good photo of the theatre
from its original days as the Kinema.
Would be happy to post it or make
it available for posting if site manager
would contact me about it.
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