Colorado Theater
2588 E. Colorado Boulevard,
Pasadena,
CA
91107
2588 E. Colorado Boulevard,
Pasadena,
CA
91107
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There’s a story in my family about my uncle, Jay Clearwaters, working there as a teenager circa the early ‘50s. Even though he was a teenager, he became assistant manager. One night, shortly after he’d gone home, armed burglars got in. The manager and his wife were tied up and beaten with a cosh and the money taken. The wife had to be hospitalized. …… My uncle could get family members in for free. My mom remembers getting to see the original Howard Hawks version of The Thing there.
This opened on January 7th, 1949. Tiny LA Times grand opening ad posted.
Google Street View is totally screwed up at this location. Their camera truck apparently missed the entire block between Virginia Avenue and Vinedo Avenue. Looking east along the sidewalk from Virginia Avenue, you get a glimpse of the theater’s shadowy marquee.
Here is an October 1960 ad from the Pasadena Independent:
http://tinyurl.com/rc4bh9
Here is a 1984 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/d2dxp4
Not the Colorado, but the Laemmle leased (Former AMC OLD PASADENA) One Colorado has closed, or at least they did not renew thier lease.
Laemmle’s One Colorado
42 Miller Alley
Old Pasadena, 91103
626-744-1224
Map & Parking Information # of Screens : 8
Help with Online Ticketing?
Change Theatre
Royal, West LA
Sunset 5, W. Hollywood
Monica 4, Santa Monica
Music Hall 3, Beverly Hills
Claremont 5, Claremont
Playhouse 7, Pasadena
Town Center 5, Encino
Fallbrook 7, West Hills
One Colorado, Pasadena
Grande 4, Downtown
After five years and a thousand and one good foreign, independent and art movies (or thereabouts)
Laemmle Theatres reluctantly announces we are ending our tenancy at the One Colorado. Sincere thanks to all our One Colorado customers for their loyal patronage.
We continue the tradition of quality cinema at our other moviehouses around the Southland and hope you can continue to visit our Pasadena Playhouse.
Here is a photo taken today:
http://tinyurl.com/5ymuas
I saw “Yi Yi” here in November 2000, right before they were going to show “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon”. It was a nice big theater, but awful run down and quite a few seats were broken. I guess they knew for some time it was on it’s way out. What really broke my heart during this time was the closing of the State theater, located up further towards old town. They also showed art house fare.
I saw one of the last films to play here, Chabrol’s THE SWINDLE. It was so run down you could here crickets chirping throughout the movie
The Colorado was a rather plain theatre, especially when compared to its competitor a few blocks away, the Egyptian-styled Uptown. The Quonset hut style became popular for a while in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. I know of two other quonset hut theatres from that period within a few miles of Pasadena: the Garmar, in Montebello, and the Star in La Puente. I recall seeing quonset hut theatres in other parts of Los Angeles, but can’t remember their names offhand.
I’ve also seen quite a few such theatres in other places listed at Cinema Treasures. Not even counting theatres on military bases, many of which were in quonset huts, large or small, I think it’s likely that upward of a hundred quonset hut theatres were built in the U.S. during those years. It was about the cheapest form of construction available at the time.
The only film I ever saw at the Colordao Theater was “The Remains of Day.” Nothing really stood out about this theatre except for its Quonset hut style auditorium. That style was truly was unique among the theaters I have been to and the theater was memorable for that fact alone.
Since the Colorado Theater is listed in Pasadena I’m sure anyone posting on this theatre link is also aware of the Raymond Theatre in Pasadena. The Raymond is in it’s 11th hour so anyone who would like to show their support to save this historical theatre please come to a Final Design Review hearing on Monday, the 24th at 7 (All Saints Church, Sweetland Hall 132 N. Euclid). To learn more about the Raymond Theatre and its past/present history go to www.raymondtheatre.com Thank you.
posted by Patsy on Oct 23, 2005 at 8:36pm
In 1971, both the Colorado and the Crown (originally the Raymond) theatres were being operated by Loews. On February 10th of that year, the Colorado was one of four houses in the Los Angeles area showing the re-engagement of “Five Easy Pieces,” which had just won three Oscars. The Crown was showing two X-rated movies. I think that the Crown was very near to being closed by that time, and when it was finally closed, Loews pulled out of the Pasadena market altogether, selling the Colorado to Laemmle, which had made a considerable success with their Esquire Theatre, right down the block from the Colorado.
The Colorado went out on top with a highly successful engagement of ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ during the winter of 2000-2001, drawing some of the biggest crowds the theatre had hosted in years. (After the Colorado closed, ‘CTHD’ moved down Colorado Boulevard to the then-newly opened Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 which, while a great place to catch a flick, ultimately resulted in the closing of the Colorado and its fellow boulevard single-screen mate, the Esquire.)
Back in 87, before going to work for Universal, I used to be the relief projectionist. It was a shared job between the Colorado and the Esquire ( /theaters/1146/ ) just down the street. It was an attempt to save money and actually a fun job. Sorry to see these two theaters are history.
The Colorado Theatre in Pasadena, California was a first run art house catering to a middle class populace. The 748 seat Colorado Theatre opened January 1949 and the architect was Clarence J. Smale.
Situated in abusy neighborhood shopping district, its red brick construction and lamella roof are contributing ingredients to the erection of an attractive theatre within a modest price range. When the theatre opened the front of the theatre lacks the conventional overhanging marquee, is marked by a boxoffice recessed in a side wall, large walnut poster cases, a simple vertical attraction board, and a geometric pylon. An interior color scheme of sunset red and green is embellished by artistic designs stenciled on the walls. The flagstone candy counter in one corner of the lobby is strategically located opposite the entrance door. Natural finish doors open into lounges with green walls and built in sofas. The restrooms were handsomly tiled.
The Colorado Theatre is located at 2588 E. Colorado Blvd..