Here is an excerpt from an LA Times article dated 8/13/61:
Sale of a parking lot, site of the old Hippodrome Theater on Main Street, for $400,000 has been announced. Harrison Memorial Trust acquired the site from Joseph Miller.
The Hippodrome Theater, built in the early 1900s, had the largest stage on the West Coast and provided circus-type entertainment with many large animal acts. The theater portion was demolished in 1952 because of the demand for automobile parking in that area.
The Washington Post reported on January 30, 1971 that RKO-Stanley Warner Theaters sold the Takoma Theater building to William Wolowitz for a price in excess of $100,000.
El Camino College is right down the street. They might attract some students if they try repertory/revival shows. The first run films aren’t drawing, obviously.
The frame store website now gives the location of 408 Center, so it looks like they moved across the street. A hospice is currently being advertised at the 413 location. I’m not sure what that function would be. Kind of a sad end for the theater, though. http://tinyurl.com/6ekdy7
The Long Beach Independent had a front page story on the demolition of the theater, but the date was 11/13/52, not September as I stated above. http://tinyurl.com/5z25xv
The street is actually North Broadway. It looks like the Grace Baptist Church that was seen in the previous post is still on N. Broadway, so the demolition hasn’t happened yet.
Here is an excerpt from an LA Times article dated 8/13/61:
Sale of a parking lot, site of the old Hippodrome Theater on Main Street, for $400,000 has been announced. Harrison Memorial Trust acquired the site from Joseph Miller.
The Hippodrome Theater, built in the early 1900s, had the largest stage on the West Coast and provided circus-type entertainment with many large animal acts. The theater portion was demolished in 1952 because of the demand for automobile parking in that area.
The Washington Post reported on January 30, 1971 that RKO-Stanley Warner Theaters sold the Takoma Theater building to William Wolowitz for a price in excess of $100,000.
El Camino College is right down the street. They might attract some students if they try repertory/revival shows. The first run films aren’t drawing, obviously.
Here is an updated link for the church site:
http://tinyurl.com/5vxy9l
Here is a 2003 report on the annoying teens at the Nile club:
http://tinyurl.com/55rca8
Here are two November 2008 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/5s62qw
http://tinyurl.com/5zud4t
Here is a November 2008 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/65wkx4
Here are two recent photos:
http://tinyurl.com/68unjd
http://tinyurl.com/5o4gku
Here are some November 2008 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/6bbpsz
http://tinyurl.com/6syh78
Here are some November 2008 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/5qp29w
http://tinyurl.com/5ezyhc
http://tinyurl.com/6rdlu2
http://tinyurl.com/55bdzf
http://tinyurl.com/5j3gcc
Here is the theater website:
www.skylinedrive-in.com
Good. I’m on the other end of town anyway.
The building at 116 E. Fifth is an indoor mall, newer construction. I don’t know if 116 Fifth SE is a different address. I will keep walking on Fifth.
If it’s open today, I will take a look inside.
I’ll take a look today, but if the bank is there my opinion would be that the theater was demolished long ago.
The frame store website now gives the location of 408 Center, so it looks like they moved across the street. A hospice is currently being advertised at the 413 location. I’m not sure what that function would be. Kind of a sad end for the theater, though.
http://tinyurl.com/6ekdy7
That’s what I saw on one of the Kilduff’s photos. I know they did some renovation, but these are two different buildings.
This building is for sale on loopnet, but it doesn’t look like the building in the Kilduff’s photos. Same address, though.
http://tinyurl.com/6j6duj
Here is another view:
http://tinyurl.com/6phmj4
There is a photo on this page:
http://tinyurl.com/6qdub7
The theater supply company website now is mostly related to theater photos:
http://www.nteequip.com/
The Long Beach Independent had a front page story on the demolition of the theater, but the date was 11/13/52, not September as I stated above.
http://tinyurl.com/5z25xv
Just one listed in the 1963 IMPA. No information as to number of screens.
I would think so, since the article mentioned that 2706 used to be the Belnord Theater.
The street is actually North Broadway. It looks like the Grace Baptist Church that was seen in the previous post is still on N. Broadway, so the demolition hasn’t happened yet.