Torrance Theater

Several mentions of the Torrance Theater appear in the L.A. library’s California Index. The earliest cites Southwest Builder & Contractor of February 20, 1920, with an announcement that architect Allan E. Sedgwick was preparing working drawings for the theatre. The project included two stores and would cost an estimated $40,000. The theatre was to have 800 seats, was designed for both motion pictures and stage productions. The owner was the Torrance Auditorium Company, Inc.

The magazine’s issue of March 12 announced that Huram E. Reeve of Torrance had secured the contract to build the project. The L.A. Times mentioned the project, and named Sedgwick’s firm as Sedgwick & Alpagh, in its issue of May 2, 1920.

Motion Picture Herald of February 27, 1932 mentioned that a J.F. Higgins had purchased the Torrance Theater from “Pacific National” (perhaps Pacific National Bank?)

Then the theatre must have undergone either a major remodeling or closure in 1937, when the Better Theatres section of Motion Picture Herald’s April 3rd issue announced that the Torrance Theater’s furnishings and equipment had been purchased by Harry Milstein and Albert Mellinkoff.

The theater building is still there, its now a bank you can see the rear exits all bricked up on google maps, it was damaged during an earthquake 60+ years ago but remains standing, as a kid i loved how at the back of the bank you would have to walk uphill to exit..the insides are obviously ex-theater :)