Warner Grand Theatre

Here are some photos from July 2007:
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I used to stay at the Sheraton down the road from the Grand and everytime i went up and down the street shopping i used to look over at this great looking palace. It looked kind of open but reading recent news on here from you guys it looks like a whole lot of grand things have happened to the Grand recently. Thats great news for the area im sure. What im not sure was good news about was the information that the hotel told me (this is 8 or 9 yrs ago now) that there was going to be built a new multiplex on a vacant plot just one or two blocks down from the Grand on the same side!?!? Did this happen? Any news?

Hey! I’m getting married here in about a month! It’s apparently the first wedding ever held at the Warner Grand.

It’s extra cool because my dad went to his first movie here in the 50’s….keeping it in the family.

I believe my great grandparents Luis (Louie) and Juana Rios ran and
operated this theatre in the 1950’s. They had a daughter Virginia Rios who had my father Max Goldberg. Anyone know who they were? I have birth dates and death dates for them but that’s it. I am interested in anyone who would have information expecially about Juana whose maiden name is Pacheco.

If I’m not mistaken, the Warner Grand was briefly owned by a Mr. Al Lee in the early ‘70’s. Lee was also the manager of the United Artists Theater in Torrance where I worked as an usher.

Article in a local alternative newspaper that has the Warner Grand’s 75th anniversary dated January 19, 1931: View link

I don’t know if this is referring to this theater, but it’s all I could find:

(Jan. 19, 1931)
(Reprinted from Saturday’s late edition)
By Phillip K. Scheuer

Fashioned for the Joe E. Brown trade-and quite a sizeable trade it is, they tell me-“Going Wild” cut twin swathes across the screens at both Warner Brothers de luxe theaters yesterday. Joe E. Brown, it is almost unneccessary to add, is the happy-go-lucky fellow who, at a moment’s notice, can make his face disappeared simply by opening his
mouth. This phenomenon, demonstrated with complete success when an examining physician attempts to pry into Mr. Brown’s throat, is sufficiently startling to make the physician instead of the patient say “Ah!”

The theatre opened on January 20th. 1931 with the film “Goin' Wild”.

Here’s an article about the groundbreaking. It seems like the construction costs were on a yo-yo.

(June 18, 1930)
Warner Brothers will break ground today for their new $500,000 theater on Sixth street, near Pacific avenue, San Pedro. Jack Warner, son of the vice-president in charge of production, will wield the shovel and Leslie Mott, president of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, will speak for the community. A number of film folk will be introduced by M.A. Silver, general manager of Warner Brothers' Theater chain, including Loretta Young, Grant Withers, Claudia Dell, Irene Delroy, Walter Pidgeon and Leon Janney. The site runs 150 feet along Sixth street and extends back 125 feet. The building will have an auditorium seating 2000 persons, and will contain six stores and twelve offices. Lange & Bergstrom, Inc. of Los Angeles, is general contractor.

Here is the first mention of this theater I could find in the LA Times:

(Feb. 5, 1930)
Warner Brothers' San Pedro Theater will seat 2000 and will be built on Sixth street just east of Pacific Boulevard, occupying a frontage of 150 feet. There will also be six stories and twelve offices in the building, which will cost $600,000….B. Marcus Priteca is the architect for both (Huntington Park Theater) theaters. These houses will be the first to be placed under construction under the Warner expansion plan.

From the LA Library:

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You can see part of the marquee in the current commercial for Dunkin Donuts. It is currently running in the Tri-State area of New York.

“Every Sunday evening, the interior and beautiful exterior of the Warner Grand can be seen in ESPN Classic’s sports movie show, called "Reel Classics”.“ Must check this out on Sunday evenings!