Optic Theatre
533 S. Main Street,
Los Angeles,
CA
90013
533 S. Main Street,
Los Angeles,
CA
90013
5 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 89 comments
Sorry, that article should have said ‘Rex Theater’, not ‘Res Theater’.
It’s the Estella, no R….I added the theater on CT, but I guess it takes a few days to show up. I’ve only found one other mention of it other than the 1923 advertisement. This was in 1926, so the theater must have been around for at least 3 years. Here’s the (abridged) article:
(March 26, 1926)
…..The film was produced, it was announced, to offset by a true picture some of the evil and mischief that Mexicans say is being done by certain newspaper interests that give Americans a sordid and distored idea of Lower California as a hotbed of vice, corruption and worthlessness.
The show’s premiere will take place at the Estella Theater, opposite the Plaza, next Sunday, and will continue there through the week. It is appearing here under the direction of the Pacific Coast Theaters, Inc., and was made in Mexico under direction of Rafael Corilla of Mexicali.
Mexican Consul Pesqueira, a number of newspaper men and prominent Latin Americans attended a preview of the film at the Res Theater, Third and Figueroa streets, yesterday and pronounced it a most instructive and educational film intended to show Lower California as it is.
vokoban: I am thinking now that the building in which the Estrella was located might still exist. The address of the Plaza Church is 535 N. Main, and I believe there are some very old buildings just south of the church, where the Estrella’s address of 515 N. Main would put it. It might have been a small, storefront theatre in one of those commercial buildings.
The Gem on Washington is already listed here under its later name, the Maynard Theatre.
I’m not sure about the Gayety on Central Avenue. It might be here under another name, but I haven’t had time to check.
I wonder if I should add the Gem Theater on Washington Blvd. and the Gayety Theater on Central Ave. There is plenty of evidence that both existed.
I’ve never added a theater on here….I’ll read the instructions and do it.
The “glass screen” may have referred to a screen covered in glass beads. Various types of movie screens are described on this page at “How Stuff Works”. Still, a ton and a half seems pretty heavy. Maybe there was a bit of publicity hype involved.
As you have found the address of Miller’s Theatre, you might as well go ahead and add it to the Cinema Treasures database, along with the other four Main Street theatres (Estrella, Lark, Novelty and Principal) you’ve discovered, as well. I’m sure that the last four have all been demolished, but there’s a possibility that the building in which Miller’s Theatre was located still exists. I’m pretty sure the building was still there in the 1980’s. I crossed Main on Ninth Street several times in that period, on my way to and from the garment district, and I have a vague memory of an old, three-story building on that part of the block, but at the time I had no idea that there had ever been a theatre in that location.
Of course, Mary Miles Minter’s career went down the tubes after she was involved or allegedly involved in the murder of William Desmond Taylor, a noted director, in 1922. It may have been Mary’s mother that actually pulled the trigger. Looks like we’ll never know.
I was confused because I didn’t realize that Miller also owned the California Theater.
(June 11, 1919)
California
Miller’s New Theater
Main at Eighth
Wm.S.Hart in “The Money Corral”
Miller’s Theater must have closed for a short time, but I don’t know why….
(Nov. 27, 1919)
Two more picture theaters are to be added to the Rialto’s houses of the cinema. One of these is, of course, Miller’s Theater, that is to have its reopening Saturday afternoon, with the first feature of the new Mary Miles Minter Realart series, “Anne of the Green Gables.”
(Dec. 8, 1919)
The appearance of stars under a new management and the reopening of theaters, are always occasions fraught with thrill, and when Mary Miles Minter and Roy Miller got away together in the picture race, last Saturday, with Miss Minter’s first Realart feature, “Anne of Green Gables,” serving to reopen Miller’s Theater, on Main street, that getaway was an exception to the rule of thrills. And that it was an auspicious opening for both was proven by the crowds which packed the house both afternoon and evening, and who evinced the greatest delight at the performance. Mr. Miller and his friends likewise did honor to the lovely little star, the former by the manner of the presentation of the picture, with the house redecorated a new organ installed and the latter with floral decorations, enught to smother the young lady, if handed out to her personally when she appeared in person to make her brilliant little speech.
(Jul 12, 1924)
Another theater passed into control of Loew’s Inc., and the Metro-Goldwyn Distributing corporation yesterday in Miller’s Theater, of which the controlling interest has been purchased by the new consolidation. Miller’s will be operated in connection with the California Theater, it is announched, which was taken over when the combination was formed.
I don’t know why Miller’s Theater isn’t listed, because there are over 400 articles about it in the LA Times. Here are a few that establish the address and also stir up some confusion, at least for me. This theater should definitely be on CT since it showed moving pictures very early.
(Nov. 13, 1913)
A change of policy brought a new show to Miller’s Theater yesterday instead of later in the week, and by way of introducing the change, a programme replete with thrills and laughter has been provided for today and tomorrow. The big sensational feature is called “The Raid of the Human Tigers.”……The second big feature is serio-comic and is entitled “Her Secretariew.” The big ton and a half glass screen continues to be town talk, and pretty Betty Stokes has already built up a regular clientele which is the envy of every other moving-picture house songbird in the city.
{What are they talking about a glass screen? Did they have a glass screen in the theater? vokoban}
(Apr. 5, 1914)
FREE 5000 Tickets to Miller’s Theater
We have purchased 5000 tickets for Miller’s Moving Picture Theater just a few doors from our store. These will be issued FREE OF CHARGE to those visiting our great Fire Sale.
Arnold Furniture Company
830-832 South Main Street
(Oct. 11, 1914)
Miller’s Theater-One Week Starting Tomorrow
“Hearts Of Oak” with Ralph Stuart and Violet Horner
842 South Main St.
Near Marsh-Strong Bldg.
The only evidence of the existence of Miller’s Theatre I’ve found is in photos at the USC digital archive. It appears in this 1917 bird’s eye view of the intersection of Main and Spring. The theatre’s marquee is at the lower right, and there is a rooftop sign above it. There is also a painted add for the theatre on the wall of the tall building at the far end of the triangular block on the left. It includes the words “WE SHOW WM. FOX PHOTOPLAYS.”
Thanks Joe, I’m going to try to find something on Miller’s Theater. The list I posted is not in any way comprehensive for the theaters on Main on that date. That is just from an advertisement listing theaters showing Paramount pictures for that week. I’m sure there are many others, but Paramount seems to have spent a lot of money on full page ads listing all of the theater showing their pictures with complete addresses and not just cross streets.
vokoban: If I’ve hunted down everything, and made no mistakes, then four of the theatres on your 1923 list are not yet listed at Cinema Treasures under any name. They would be the Estella, the Lark, the Novelty (though its address is listed, wrongly, as th location of the Liberty Theatre, which was actually in the next block south, near 3rd Street), and the Principal.
I’m pretty sure that the Moon is listed here (albeit with the wrong address) as the Gaiety. The Banner, Burbank, Grand, Optic (of course), Picture, Regent (though without the No.1) and Republic are listed here under those names. The Electric is listed under its later name, the Roosevelt.
Main Street Theatres listed at Cinema Treasures but not on your 1923 list are: the Art, the Bijou, the California, Clune’s, the Follies, the Galway, the Gem, the Hippodrome, the Jade, the Liberty (although, as I said, at the wrong address), the Linda Lea, the Main, the Muse, the Rosslyn, the Star, and the Union.
There was also, in the 1960’s and earlier, an Admiral Theatre, which I think might have been the one renamed the Main, but I’m not sure yet.
And, there is one theatre I know existed on Main Street in the 1920’s which is neither on your list, nor listed at Cinema Treasures. That is Miller’s Theatre, which was on the east side of the street between 8th and 9th, a few doors down from where the California (originally called Miller’s California, so probably owned by the same person) was later built.
But your list has uncovered four more theatres that we formerly know know about (and found the correct name of the theatre (the Novelty) at 136 South Main mistakenly given as the address of the Liberty. Good show.
Here’s a list of theaters on Main Street from a Paramount ad from September 2, 1923. They could have printed wrong addresses, but they match from week to week.
Banner Theater, 456 S. Main Street
Burbank Theater, 548 S. Main Street
Electric Theater, 212 N. Main Street
Estella Theater, 515 N. Main Street
Grand Theater, 110 S. Main Street
Lark Theater, 613 S. Main Street
Moon Theater, 523 S. Main Street
Novelty Theater, 136 S. Main Street
Optic Theater, 533 S. Main Street
Picture Theater, 545 S. Main Street
Principal Theater, 223 N. Main Street
Regent No. 1, 448 S. Main Street
Republic Theater, 629 ½ S. Main Street
Cinema Treasures lists the Gaiety Theatre as being at 533 South Main Street, but we now know that to be the address of the Optic Theatre. I think it’s unlikely that the Optic was ever called the Gaiety. It was still called the Optic in the 1960s, when I first recall seeing it. I think maybe when William posted the two theatres, he inadvertently transposed their addresses, and that the Gaiety was probably the same theatre as the Olympic/Alphin/Omar/Moon theatre at 523 South Main, under a later name.
It’s not flippant….I thought the same thing, but I’m glad you said it. I’m going to look for an ad for the Omar. I’ve found ads for the Moon Theater starting around 1924 that say it showed movies, but not the Omar yet.
Interesting revelations, vokoban. Now we know that the Omar was indeed at 523 S. Main Street. As for the Moon Theatre at the same location, I doubt that it would have been a new building, as the article says that the fire in the Omar did only $500 in damage. That amount went far in 1918, but it wouldn’t account for the total destruction of a 1000 seat theatre in a substantial, three-floor building probably valued at tens of thousands.
Also interesting is the final paragraph in the May 14, 1918 article, which mentions that the Omar arsonist was part of a group which may have been involved in “…the purchase of motion picture theaters for the alleged purpose of destroying them in order to secure the insurance money.” I wonder if that indicates that the Omar was operating as a movie theatre at the time? If it was, it would justify giving it an entry at Cinema Treasures.
I don’t know if movie theatres were doing any extensive newspaper advertising in 1918, but if they were then there might be an ad for the Omar which could confirm its status as a movie house. Whatever its status may have been in 1918, though, the 1937 article suggests that, by that time, it had returned to being a burlesque theatre. (And, though it may be flippant to mention it, maybe the 1930 article does the same. Perhaps Mr. Grayson suffered his fatal heart attack as a result of over-stimulation by the bumps and grinds of some very talented striptease artiste.)
Has anyone heard of the Moon Theater? It’s the same address as the Omar, but I don’t know if it was a new theater since the Omar had a fire in 1918. One advertisement from 1924 lists the Moon theater at 525 South Main, but later it is 523 South Main.
(Apr. 30, 1918)
Fire of unknown origin threatened the entire structure which houses the Omar Theater at No 523 South Main street, early yesterday morning. The blaze started in the back of the theater stage and had caused an estimated damage of $500 before it could be mastered by the fire department.
(May 14, 1918)
Earl McDonald, charged with arson in connection with a fire in the Omar Theater, No. 523 South Main street, on April 29, was arraigned in $2500 bail yesterday and his preliminary examination set for Thursday morning before Justice Summerfield.
John C. Gerlach similarly charged with McDonald, will appear for arraignment this afternoon before Justice Hanby. Gerlach has submitted a confession to the District Attorneys' office, according to Deputy District Attorney Heinecke.
The preliminary examinations of both men, it is declared, will reveal some startling facts concerning the purchase of motion picture theaters for the alleged purpose of destroying them in order to secure the insurance money.
(Dec. 26, 1930)
James H. Grayson, 53, of 1712 Harriman avenue, died at Moon Theater, 523 South Main street, of heart failure.
I don’t know if this theater was the Moon, but the address is correct:
(May 9, 1937)
Last night a collection of lithographs showing rotund young women in Gypsy Rose Lee postures but with less habiliments than La Lee customarily wears, lay scattered in a squad room of Central Police Station. The officers there were yawning or reading detective stories. And in the City Jail were three proprietors of Main street burlesque and honky-tonk shows, charged with suspicion of violation of the law governing lewd and indecent display of pictures in theater lobbies. The three are Harold Richards, 35 years of age, propietor of a theater at 431 South Main street; Robert Levy, 21, showman of 523 South Main street, and John Revis, 23, 613 South Main street. The showmen, according to Detective Lieutenant C.M. Buxton, in charge of the vice squad detail raiding the theaters, refused to heed a police warning against displaying the posters. The lithographs over which the officers at Central Station yawned were confiscated in the raid.
I did zoom and scroll, but I can’t tell what that building is. Thanks for the info.
ken, the Olympic/Alphin must show in the 1917 photo you linked to in your comment upthread. Given the address of 523 S., it must have been either the Omar Theatre itself under a different name, or it was in the building next door north of the Omar (the other buildings on the block lacked the right configurations to have large theatres in them.) Using the zoom and scroll features of the USC archive, a closer view of the building next to the Omar doesn’t reveal any features that could positively identify it as containing a theatre, though.
So the Olympic would have been slightly north of the Optic on the west side of the street?
Charles Alphin was my grandfather and he indeed did own and operate the Olympic Theater at 523 S. Main. It would seat 1000 people, was open 7 days a week with live music, mostly comoposed and played by my grandfather and his musicians. The venue was vaudeville. He gave several people their start, including Lon Chaney, whom he hired years earlier as a stage hand for a theater in Colorado Springs. I am not sure when he sold the Olympic, but I don’t believe he sold his interest until the early 30’s.
Here are three pictures which show the Optic south of Fifth, then the Art following, with a last shot of Main looking north from Sixth:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics09/00014123.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics09/00014167.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics09/00014117.jpg
I think I’ve figured out the confusion or created more. Maybe this should be on the Olympic page, but it seems that there were two Olympic theaters. The Olympic on Main has two people connected with it, R.W. Woodley and Charles Alphin, but I can’t figure out who was first. Here are a few quotes from the LA Times:
(Apr. 8, 1914)
It was some years ago that Charley Alphin made Main street famous, and kept his Olympic Theater as brilliant within as its signs were luminous without. Now, although it is the same theater, it is the Alphin, and with his name over the door, and “welcome” on the mat, Charley started in, Monday night, to live up the “rep” he made in them happy days.
(Sep. 25, 1913)
Speaking of Mr. Garratt calls to light a unique feature regarding the new Woodley Theater. Mr. R.W. Woodley, propietor of the new thater, and who also has the Olympic on Main street, put up the new house backwards. Before he knew where he was going to locate he engaged Mr. Garratt. Then, acting on suggestions made by Mr. Garratt, he ordered the organ. Then he had a theater designed to fit the organ, and after this was done he secured the site for his new theater.
(Apr. 14, 1936)
…Mrs. Woodley and her husband, Robert W. Woodley, 2231 Cambridge street, operated the original Optic Theater here on Broadway and then on Main street between Fifth and Sixth streets. Then on Broadway between Eighth and Ninth streets they once operated the Woodley Theater. She leaves her husband, two brothers and two sisters.
Here is a picture of the Omar Theater, which is about midway between Fifth and Sixth Streets:
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