Strand Theatre

1035 S. Pacific Avenue,
San Pedro, CA 90731

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Showing 17 comments

Canterbury25
Canterbury25 on August 23, 2021 at 10:53 pm

I think I saw Star Wars here as a kid

rivest266
rivest266 on November 11, 2019 at 3:55 pm

Grand opening ads for the California and Strand posted. It became a twin cinema on November 23rd, 1973.

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on November 7, 2019 at 6:45 am

Harthorn and Walker launched the California with Bebe Daniels in “ Ducks and Drakes” on April 30, 1921. On October 1, 1924, it became the Mark Strand Theatre relaunching with the film, “Daughters of Pleasure.” Its name was shortened not long after to the Strand Theatre. Movies showed until August 20, 1978 with the final double feature of “Brothers and Sisters” and “Celebrating at Big Sur.” Live music was tried in 1979 before wrestling completed the theater’s lifecycle in 1980 through May of 1981.

It was run by Pacific Theatres at the end and operated as a single screen in its final days.

AndrewBarrett
AndrewBarrett on September 29, 2014 at 2:00 pm

Didn’t this theatre use to be called the “California Theatre” back in 1923?

Due to the following listing, I was searching for a “California Theatre” in San Pedro on this site for ages without finding one.

THEN I tried Google, and presto, Mr. Counter’s San Pedro Theatres page came up listing THIS theatre also as the “California”.

https://sites.google.com/site/losangelesmoviepalaces/san-pedro#TOC-Strand-Theatre

Could one of you admin folks please add “California Theatre” to the “Previous Names:” list in the “Additional Info” sidebar, so future CinemaTreasures users can find it on this site via a simple search? Thanks a lot!

According to “the Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Pipe Organ” by David Junchen, pg. 629, the “California Theatre” in San Pedro had a Smith theatre pipe organ, installed in 1923. Its blower serial # was 14187. No other details, such as size (# of manuals / # of ranks), or blower HP or static pressure, are given in the book (not known to the author in 1989).

Does anybody have more details on this organ, and/or where it (or its parts) is/are today? Thanks!

BillCounter
BillCounter on March 8, 2011 at 11:43 am

This is for Pamela, who posted in 2008:

If you have any research to share that didn’t get posted, I would like to hear from you. I’m also starting to dig into San Pedro theatre history.

My San Pedro Theatres page:
View link

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on May 14, 2009 at 5:42 am

Here is a December 1974 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/qrgpe4

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on March 21, 2009 at 6:12 pm

OK, Joe, I guess that’s a second opinion. I will add it to the San Pedro theaters. Thanks.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 21, 2009 at 6:10 pm

The California Index has a card for a book that mentions the Alhambra Theatre in San Pedro. Card.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on March 21, 2009 at 5:05 pm

The LAPL has posted a new photo of an Alhambra Theater which they claim is in San Pedro. I’m not adding this as they seem a little vague on the details.
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00079/00079035.jpg

pamelarosew
pamelarosew on June 20, 2008 at 1:16 pm

How do I contribute research to the top portion of the page? I am doing research on San Pedro movie theatres and have found some additional information.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 10, 2007 at 11:16 pm

Sloppy reporting in the LA Times, 1/3/33:

BANDITS ROB PLAYHOUSES AT HARBOR

Within fifteen minutes last night two San Pedro motion picture theaters were held up by bandits, apparently operating independently of each other, who escaped with about $2500 in cash.

The first robbery was at the Fox Grand Theater at Tenth Street and Pacific Avenue. The men escaped wih $850. Fifteen minutes later police were called to the Warner Brothers Theater at Sixth Street and Pacific Avenue, where a bandit forced the manager of the theater into a large safe after taking $1800.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on July 8, 2007 at 11:08 am

It’s a bank parking lot now.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on July 7, 2007 at 10:22 pm

The L.A. library’s California Index has a card referencing a Times article from 10/25/1925 with the headline “Theatres purchased at big sum”. The thing I found most interesting, though, is that the card names the theatre as the “Mark Strand”, which was the name of an east coast chain run by the brothers Mitchell and Moe Mark. See the comment by Barry Goodkin on this Cinema Treasures page. I wonder if the Mark Brothers did own this theatre or if there was just some sort of mistake by the person who typed up the library card? Index cards making references to the theatre at later dates just call it the Strand or (beginning in 1936) the Fox Strand.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on July 7, 2007 at 5:04 pm

Here is an article in the LA Times dated 12/13/31:

FIRE HITS STRAND THEATER

The Fox Strand Theater, 1035 South Pacific Avenue, San Pedro, suffered $5000 loss by fire yesterday morning when cleaning fluid knocked over by a stage hand ignited. The theater was empty.

The stage hand suffered burns about his hands and arms. The structure under the stage was charred and the sound machinery disabled, while smoke damage was heavy.

William
William on October 28, 2003 at 1:02 pm

The Strand Theatre was located at 1035 S. Pacific Ave.