Tower Theatre
111 N. Long Beach Boulevard,
Compton,
CA
90221
111 N. Long Beach Boulevard,
Compton,
CA
90221
2 people
favorited this theater
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Our family went to many a .50C on Saturday afternoon double feature. Yes, it was pretty safe and a decent community then. We also used to go to the Compton Drive-In, the Arden Theatre in Lynwood as well as the State theatre either in South Gate or Huntington Park. We left in 1965 as we lived pretty close to Alameda and it was pretty dangerous.
My Aunt and Uncle lived in Compton, at 715 Mayo St, from 1924 until 1988. In that time it went from a nice little community to a war zone. That said, I have fond memories of weekends spent in Compton with Aunt Gertrude and Uncle Irving. They would come in to Hollywood, in their red and white Buick, on Friday night and whisk me off to their magic house surrounded by giant trees. She was a lawyer and he was a judge and the house was filled with books and mementos of their trips to exotic places. We’d pass the Tower, and the people lined up beneath the brightly lit marquee, and I would know we were almost there.
Compton in the early and mid 1960’s was a safe and wonderful place to live. The Tower Theater was the home of several top films, including BULLIT, OLD YELLER and HOW THE WEST WAS WON. There was a city bus that ran down Compton Blvd, and another bus that ran down Long Beach Blvd. I have many fond memories of Compton.
The new row of store fronts to the right side of the former marquee is where a small theatre parking lot once stood.
Interesting. Thanks.
neighborhood was great. Could walk anywhere in town at any time with no problem. I lived near Alondra and Atlantic, a pretty good hike from the theater, and before I got a car would walk to and from work. Most of the time it was 11 or 12 at night before I got off and never had any problem
Mike Harrell
How was the neighborhood back then?
I worked at the Tower Theater first as an usher and then as asst mgr from 1956 to 1961 when I joined the AF. Mr Rodriguez was the mgr and my boss. Kids used to call him “Porky” but he was really a first class guy.
Mike Harrell
Here are some photos taken today:
http://tinyurl.com/mvypfv
http://tinyurl.com/nhnwzc
http://tinyurl.com/lfd2xa
No, that was in January 1959 but on a different week. The Rivoli ad for Lianne was much larger.
“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” played at the Tower in January 1959. Click on the ad for a better view.
http://tinyurl.com/mjmdh4
Here is a 1958 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/dm3rfn
This had been changed to closed, but now it’s back to closed/demolished. Must be a gremlin in the system.
Here is a 1954 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/yp7tqp
Here are the photos. I added the UCLA picture to show the original pattern on the floor, then and now. I’m aware that I posted the same photo back on 10/24/05:
http://tinyurl.com/2j9q6o
http://tinyurl.com/36ktee
http://tinyurl.com/2sj5ez
http://tinyurl.com/2pvwuu
http://tinyurl.com/2skhjx
http://tinyurl.com/36m8zt
http://tinyurl.com/32u8bx
http://tinyurl.com/2t9do9
http://tinyurl.com/3yy872
Closed but not demolished. They built a strip of stores across the front. The theater itself is not being used for anything. Photos to follow.
I might able to drive by there tomorrow.
The 2004 Urban Areas photo fetched up by TerraServer shows a building with the unmistakable outlines of a large theatre still standing at the Tower’s location. User doug sarvis must have been correct that it was merely converted to retail use, not demolished.
Is this theater actually demolished? The comment of 2/18/04 implies that the theater still exists.
More photos from UCLA:
http://sclee.library.ucla.edu/006/27/i0062707.jpg
http://sclee.library.ucla.edu/006/27/i0062705.jpg
http://sclee.library.ucla.edu/006/27/i0062704.jpg
http://sclee.library.ucla.edu/006/27/i0062706.jpg
Two more from the same collection:
View link
View link
From the UCLA Digital Collection:
View link
We used to go to the Tower in Compton in the late 1940s and early 1950s, but after the fender skirts on our family’s 1941 Plymouth sedan were stolen in the parking lot, we were less frequent attendees.
The tower closed in 1960’s…it was a regular meeting place for everyone my brother and I knew growing up close to the place…recently I went by there when I was in the area on business…and although the original facade is gone…and occupied by stores….the original structure of the theater is still distinct and discernable
The Fox Tower Theatre was located at 111 N. Long Beach Blvd..