Fairfax Cinemas
7907 Beverly Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90048
7907 Beverly Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90048
28 people
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Showing 76 - 100 of 118 comments
Thanks for the additional photo links, Ken.
Here’s a photo link to LA City Councilman Jack Weiss' site, which features many historical photos:
View link
(I think the photo might be the grand opening of the Fairfax…)
Sadly, we do not have the records for 1932. I suspect most of the historical material was lost between Cineplex Odeon’s reign and Laemmle’s reign. However, we do have a comprehensive set of blueprints for the rennovations Cineplex Odeon conducted back in the 1980s. Here are links to the scenic artist/muralist who worked on the rennovations as well (the photos revealing Fairfax restoration in process):
http://www.pauldwillner.com/paul_image_fairfax.htm
http://www.pauldwillner.com/theater_fairfax.htm
Ken, did you ever visit the theatre before it was multiplexed? I’m particularly curious about any live theatre shows that may have used the stage, fly house, and dressing rooms (all of which still survive intact today)…
Here are three more CA Library photos:
http://tinyurl.com/38qc5r
http://tinyurl.com/38vrnl
http://tinyurl.com/2quqp4
Glad you enjoyed the photo. The “Sally” showing could have been a re-release. Do you still have the records for 1932 in your office?
BTW, my district manager noticed the show advertised in poster case is “Sally,” a film released in 1929. Could this mean the Fairfax was built before 1932?
I’m the general manager of the Fairfax for Regency Theatres and must thank you, ken, for posting the link for that fantastic photo. What really amazes me is the pre-developed nature of the neighborhood as visible in the distance at the extreme left of the photo. I think those are actually dirt roads leading off Beverly (and Beverly itself might be a dirt road as well). It’s also interesting to note what appears to be the original ticket booth, which suggests the surviving booth we have today is indeed a relic of Fox West’s one-time ownership.
Here is a photo from the CA state library:
View link
It’s great that LA now has a 2nd run arthouse theatre. Whenever I’d miss something great, I’d have to drive out to Pasadena to see it at the Academy 6. This theatre also seems to get some random programming too— when the Kingdom of Heaven directors cut came out, it only played at this theatre. Strange.
I guess my page expired. If you enter Fairfax on the search engine for the CA state library, you will see the theater pictures.
The theatre is still open and looks about the same as it did under Laemmle. Regency seems to be operating it as a second run art house.
I don’t have detailed memories of this place. But I do remember attending a couple shows when it was run by Cineplex. I caught the David Cronenberg flick “The Fly” and “Flght of The Navagator”.
There are four photos on this page from the CA State Library:
http://tinyurl.com/2wadap
Patsy, I was just by there the other day, but can’t remember if the ticket booth was still there. I went by fast, and never got around to going back again.
I wonder what will become of the theater, it appears to be in good condition.
ken mc: Better late than never as they say.
It was pretty hard to read. I must have walked up and down Fairfax for ten years before I noticed the writing on the wall.
And it’s a shame that the signage on the rear of the building has been painted over as that is an important piece of nostalgia and that theatre.
If it is closed, what happened to the unique ticket kios or is it still there?
ken mc;Thanks for the update. What a shame, and after 70+ years being there! I am so glad that I managed to capture it before it disappeared.
The signage has been painted over, unfortunately.
Two photographs I took in January 2005:
Facade & Entrance
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/370858198/
Signage on rear of stage house:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/370859150/
And the ticket kios is one of the most unusual I have ever viewed on CT.
I don’t know if this is the theater, but I recently read that Nicholas Cage once sold popcorn at a Fairfax Theater so wonder if this is the one.
The one and only time I visited this theater was to see a collection of old pornographic silent film loops entitled “The Good Old Dirty Days.” The film was forgettable. The interior of the theater was not anything specially, most likely due to its remodeling. As well the parking in the area was not great. In any case I do hope this theater survives under some ownership as it is still worth preserving something with so much history.
There’s a nice old photograph of the Esquire at the very back of Canter’s if you want to know what it looked like. Canter’s kept the structure of the marquee, and you can still see where the ticket booth use to be, even though it’s now bricked up completely.
It was the Esquire Theatre. Canter’s moved into the space around 1953.
jalex…do you know the name of the theater that is where Cantor’s is now? thanks