Mayfair Theatre
214 Santa Monica Boulevard,
Santa Monica,
CA
90401
214 Santa Monica Boulevard,
Santa Monica,
CA
90401
11 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Architects: Henry C. Hollwedel
Functions: Retail
Styles: Spanish Colonial
Previous Names: Santa Monica Opera House, Majestic Theatre, Mayfair Music Hall
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Jan 5, 2009 — Mayfair Theatre plans
This theatre opened as the Santa Monica Opera House on December 12, 1911. Presenting legitimate theatre and movies, it was soon renamed Majestic Theatre.
In 1967, it became the Mayfair Theatre and closed as a movie theatre in July 1973. It became the Mayfair Music Hall and can be viewed along the popular 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica.
Sadly, the theatre was damaged in the Northridge earthquake on January 17, 1994, and sat empty and unused until January 2011, when it was demolished, leaving only the façade standing.
At the time of closure, it was used for comedy and music acts.
It was one of four theatres in downtown Santa Monica, others being Fox Criterion Theatre, El Miro Theatre and the Hitching Post Theatre.
Contributed by
William Gabel
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Recent comments (view all 80 comments)
I just uploaded a flyer for a small Hitchcock festival in August 1972, my introduction to the Mayfair. I have Joseph Cotten’s signature on another part of it, which he graciously gave while chatting with people outside following “Shadow of a Doubt”.
The theater was indeed tiny. I enjoyed the films from the small balcony and the place felt ancient and almost rickety even then. But it had charm, too. The earthquake damage must have been inevitable, but I’m sorry to see it go.
Is the facade still standing, and if so, what is being built behind it?
Google Earth and Google Street View show the facade with the destruction behind it. (Bing Maps still shows the complete building!) Someone out there will have to update us on this.
I think it’s covered in the older comments, but this is yet another mixed retail/residential building that will keep the facade of the theater. The building is almost done. The last time I went by, the facade was in good shape, but all the signage, etc., had been stripped. I don’t know what, if anything, they are planning on putting back.
I went by the other day. The construction barriers are still up. There’s a marquee and blade sign (no name) on the front of the building now, but I’m not sure where they came from. Maybe they found the blade sign somewhere in the building; it wasn’t hanging up before this conversion. Also, the marquee is different (original 2-sided, now 3-sided), and the “Box Office” and “Alumni Bar” signs that were on either side have not returned.
There’s just a fence around the front of the building now. No retail yet; don’t know if the residential portion is available for rent…
I worked as an usherette in full uniform with flashlight at the Majestic Theater in Santa Monica in the summer of 1958. It was my first job and I was 15 yrs old. The place was impressive, smoothly running, and fun to work at. The only time I hated it was when they showed the film “Hot Rods from Hell” The sounds drove me crazy. I had to listen to those films over and over all day.
A shoe store has moved into the downstairs retail. The blade sign says “Shoe Palace” on it, with logos on the marquee.
The Mayfair Theatre auditorium was the location venue for the “Putting On The Ritz” scene in “Young Frankenstein”.
Photos in Santa Monica History Museum Facebook page links below.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=548595263938808&set=pb.100063650169166.-2207520000.&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=519594943505507&set=pb.100063650169166.-2207520000.&type=3