I frequented the Majestic/Mayfair Theatre from the mid-60’s to early 70’s, the theatre would show a lot of the standard Hollywood fare when it hit neighborhood theatres after it’s initial first run engagement in Hollywood or Beverly Hills. I recall seeing a variety of films there, from the mainstream such as BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID and THE LOVE BUG to more exploitation type films like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and THE CORPSE GRINDERS. Don Knotts comedies always seemed to open here for some reason or other. The posting by rigoldst above is accurate, there did tend to be a seedier/rowdy crowd attending the Mayfair than the more upmarket crowd at the Criterion and El Miro. Occasionally the theatre would put on a special all night show that began at midnight and I remember going to see an all-nighter of 200 MOTELS, WATTSTAX, GIMME SHELTER and one other rock type of film of which title I can’t recall in 1972. The theatre was absolutely packed and they served some kind of breakfast at the end of the marathon. I guess I was too tired to recall what was on the menu but it must have been something quite minimal.
I worked briefly as an usher at the Mayfair just prior to it closing down as a movie theatre in 1973. I recall changing the marquee for double features like HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER and PLAY MISTY FOR ME, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and PERFORMANCE, to name a couple. The theatre was still in pretty good condition and there were kind of spooky corridors that would run along the outside of the auditorium to the back stage area that only staff had access to. The projection booth was a tiny room at the very top of the steeply inclined balcony that would be quite a chore to carry film cans up to. The balcony had little alcoves on either side of it with about 8 seats in each alcove, sort of like Royal Boxes. But no royalty ever used these seats to my knowledge, so they were open to the public. When the theatre closed in the summer of ‘73 I was transferred to the nearby Nuart Theatre in West Los Angeles to continue my usher duties (both theatres were then owned by the Sales (sp?) Brothers, who also had a side business in adult films.)
In the early 70’s the Pacific Beverly Hills booked some prestigious pictures such as David Lean’s RYAN’S DAUGHTER as a reserved seat attraction. Perhap’s Mr. Lean requested the film to play in this theatre, since LAWRENCE OF ARABIA had such a successful run here. RYAN’S DAUGHTER wasn’t his most successful picture and other upscale films like TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT also performed less than hoped for, so soon afterwards the theatre had to survive on discount double feature programs.
I remember by around 1967/68 when roadshow engagements began to slowly fade away, the Warner/Pacific Beverly Hills started showing more hipster and youth oriented first run Hollywood films. I remeber going to see first run engagements of THE PRESIDENT’S ANALYST, WILD IN THE STREETS, CANDY and LAST SUMMER at this theatre. They all had succesful runs at this theatre, but soon after Westwood Village pretty much grabbed all of these type of films for the college crowd. I remember the outer lobby displays for the current attraction were always quite elaborate and showy. I miss this theatre more than all the others that were closed down.
I frequented the Majestic/Mayfair Theatre from the mid-60’s to early 70’s, the theatre would show a lot of the standard Hollywood fare when it hit neighborhood theatres after it’s initial first run engagement in Hollywood or Beverly Hills. I recall seeing a variety of films there, from the mainstream such as BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID and THE LOVE BUG to more exploitation type films like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and THE CORPSE GRINDERS. Don Knotts comedies always seemed to open here for some reason or other. The posting by rigoldst above is accurate, there did tend to be a seedier/rowdy crowd attending the Mayfair than the more upmarket crowd at the Criterion and El Miro. Occasionally the theatre would put on a special all night show that began at midnight and I remember going to see an all-nighter of 200 MOTELS, WATTSTAX, GIMME SHELTER and one other rock type of film of which title I can’t recall in 1972. The theatre was absolutely packed and they served some kind of breakfast at the end of the marathon. I guess I was too tired to recall what was on the menu but it must have been something quite minimal.
I worked briefly as an usher at the Mayfair just prior to it closing down as a movie theatre in 1973. I recall changing the marquee for double features like HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER and PLAY MISTY FOR ME, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and PERFORMANCE, to name a couple. The theatre was still in pretty good condition and there were kind of spooky corridors that would run along the outside of the auditorium to the back stage area that only staff had access to. The projection booth was a tiny room at the very top of the steeply inclined balcony that would be quite a chore to carry film cans up to. The balcony had little alcoves on either side of it with about 8 seats in each alcove, sort of like Royal Boxes. But no royalty ever used these seats to my knowledge, so they were open to the public. When the theatre closed in the summer of ‘73 I was transferred to the nearby Nuart Theatre in West Los Angeles to continue my usher duties (both theatres were then owned by the Sales (sp?) Brothers, who also had a side business in adult films.)
In the early 70’s the Pacific Beverly Hills booked some prestigious pictures such as David Lean’s RYAN’S DAUGHTER as a reserved seat attraction. Perhap’s Mr. Lean requested the film to play in this theatre, since LAWRENCE OF ARABIA had such a successful run here. RYAN’S DAUGHTER wasn’t his most successful picture and other upscale films like TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT also performed less than hoped for, so soon afterwards the theatre had to survive on discount double feature programs.
I remember by around 1967/68 when roadshow engagements began to slowly fade away, the Warner/Pacific Beverly Hills started showing more hipster and youth oriented first run Hollywood films. I remeber going to see first run engagements of THE PRESIDENT’S ANALYST, WILD IN THE STREETS, CANDY and LAST SUMMER at this theatre. They all had succesful runs at this theatre, but soon after Westwood Village pretty much grabbed all of these type of films for the college crowd. I remember the outer lobby displays for the current attraction were always quite elaborate and showy. I miss this theatre more than all the others that were closed down.