R.W. Woodley owned the two Optic theaters and the Woodley Theater according to the newspaper articles at the time. I wonder if the other Woodley owned theaters also.
Here’s a little about this theater from an LA Times Article:
(June 25, 1910)
The pluck and coolness of F.A. Horton of No. 313 West Third street, a 19-year old boy, in a room filled with thousands of feet of blazing celluloid films, probably saved lives and certainly averted a disastrous fire yesterday afternoon, when a moving picture film burst into a blaze at the Art Theater, No. 508 South Broadway. The little theater which is owned by W.A. Kerr of No. 306 Clay street, was well filled when young Horton began preparations to show a stirring picture story of Sherlock Holmes and his marvelous work.
Maybe there are two Woodley’s. Every instance I find of him states his name as R.W. Woodley and owning the Woodley Theater, Woodley’s Optic, and also a different location for the Optic. In his wife’s obituary, it lists his name as Robert W. Woodley. Has anyone heard of Charles or Charley Alphin?
Is Cinema Treasures only for theaters that were built for motion pictures? The reason I ask is that there was another Olympic Theater in Los Angeles. I haven’t found proof that they showed movies yet, but the owners owned other theaters that did for sure. 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 theater, 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.
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.
KenRoe, if you send me your email, I’ll forward you a .pdf from the LA Times talking about Woodley’s Optic on Broadway. It’s a different theater from the Woodley theater. He also owned another theater called the Olympic. My email is
The address of this theater should be changed to 533 South Main. From the LA Times Dec. 25, 1910:
Negotiations have just been closed with R.W. Woodley, the former proprietor of the Optic Theater on South Broadway, for a motion-picture theater, to be erected at No. 533 South Main Street. The place will have a seating capacity of about 900.
Also, all of the further listings for this theater up to the early 1970’s list it at 533 S. Main. I wish more photos could be found of this theater. It was one of the first in Los Angeles to be built exclusively for motion pictures.
R.W. Woodley owned the two Optic theaters and the Woodley Theater according to the newspaper articles at the time. I wonder if the other Woodley owned theaters also.
Here’s a little about this theater from an LA Times Article:
(June 25, 1910)
The pluck and coolness of F.A. Horton of No. 313 West Third street, a 19-year old boy, in a room filled with thousands of feet of blazing celluloid films, probably saved lives and certainly averted a disastrous fire yesterday afternoon, when a moving picture film burst into a blaze at the Art Theater, No. 508 South Broadway. The little theater which is owned by W.A. Kerr of No. 306 Clay street, was well filled when young Horton began preparations to show a stirring picture story of Sherlock Holmes and his marvelous work.
Maybe there are two Woodley’s. Every instance I find of him states his name as R.W. Woodley and owning the Woodley Theater, Woodley’s Optic, and also a different location for the Optic. In his wife’s obituary, it lists his name as Robert W. Woodley. Has anyone heard of Charles or Charley Alphin?
Apparently the Empress closed in 1917 and then was the Capitol for a few years until it shows up as the Yiddish Theater by 1925.
To Manwithnoname,
There was an Empress Theater in Los Angeles. I don’t see it on this site anywhere, but it was at 338 South Spring Street.
Is Cinema Treasures only for theaters that were built for motion pictures? The reason I ask is that there was another Olympic Theater in Los Angeles. I haven’t found proof that they showed movies yet, but the owners owned other theaters that did for sure. 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 theater, 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.
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.
KenRoe, if you send me your email, I’ll forward you a .pdf from the LA Times talking about Woodley’s Optic on Broadway. It’s a different theater from the Woodley theater. He also owned another theater called the Olympic. My email is
The address of this theater should be changed to 533 South Main. From the LA Times Dec. 25, 1910:
Negotiations have just been closed with R.W. Woodley, the former proprietor of the Optic Theater on South Broadway, for a motion-picture theater, to be erected at No. 533 South Main Street. The place will have a seating capacity of about 900.
Also, all of the further listings for this theater up to the early 1970’s list it at 533 S. Main. I wish more photos could be found of this theater. It was one of the first in Los Angeles to be built exclusively for motion pictures.