UA Westwood
10889 Wellworth Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
10889 Wellworth Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90024
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I worked as a projectionist at the UA Coronet from Spring 1991-Summer 1994, when I was hired away by SDDS at Sony Pictures.
We did a lot of radio screenings and premieres there. I have fond memories of that time and the staff there.
The theater was briefly closed and remodeled in late 1992 (I think) until it was reopened in July of 1993. The four theaters were reconfigured to three.
Sadly, like many of the Westwood theaters, it’s long gone.
Reopened as United Artists Westwood on July 9th, 1993 with all 3 screens with 70mm projection. Two were THX certified. Grand opening ad posted.
It’s a trip getting your prescription filled in the exact spot you once saw The Doors.
Coate…The year was 87. The transition began the week of September 14. The reopening was 10/23.
July 26th, 1972 grand opening ad in photo section.
During what year was the (unusual) transition from four to three screens?
Opened with an X-rated film,“FRITZ THE CAT”.The rest R rated I think.
This building originally housed an automobile dealership. The conversion into a theater was designed by San Francisco architect Daniel T. Uesugi, Uesugi & Associates. It was one of a number of projects Uesugi designed for the United Artists circuit.
This UA opened with the films “The Burglars”, “Fritz the Cat”, “ Filmore” and “The New Centurions”.
I saw “The Doors” here. This is the one and only film I ever saw here. In the 1980’s when Westwood was very popular and contained many theaters, I did frequent Westwood a lot, but I – and most of the pedestrians – usually stayed north of Wilshire in what is known as Westwood Village. I don’t remember much about the theater so I doubt it could have been truly memorable.
Here are some photos taken this weekend:
http://tinyurl.com/lkqk97
http://tinyurl.com/n3pboh
Here is a January 1982 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/lym2sf
On the UA Egyptian Theatre it was never sold from UA, there lease ran out and a bidding war happened to get the screen. Because of the zoning issue in Westwood. With Cineplex Odeon winning the war and getting the screen. And remember in it’s final years it was converted into a tri-plex. To improve bookings for the theatre, since the two smallest houses none of the studios really wanted to open a picture in.
Disregard the above, Sorry.
Wasn’t there a single screen UA in Westwood? Because i remember ads for “Rocky Horror” saying that it was “moving”(complete with legs from the poster to make the point,lol)over to the Cinema Center 4 has RHPS was being replaced by the comedy “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother”,which opened on Christmas Day 1975.
Westwood was also the locale for the US premiere of “Rocky Horror,” September 1975.
Thanks LM.
I think the last movie I saw here was BIG DADDY in June 1999. The soundtrack defaulted into mono from Digital at some point.
I don’t miss this one the way I miss the NATIONAL.
I saw more films here than the Bruin and the rest on the other side of Wilshire. This theater had its own parking, which was a plus as in its heyday Westwood Village was a parking nightmare.
I was wondering when this one would show up.
Not a great theater… barely a good one… but I did see PULP FICTION on its opening night here!
Any one know when it closed?
This was not a memorable theater, though, as opposed to the Crest just down the street. This was more like a multiplex you would find in the suburbs, just four boxes in a bigger box.
Yes, it defintely had 4, albeit small screens. I recall seeing Tom Cuise and Nicole Kidman at a matinee screeing of “The Age of Innocence” there in 1993. They were at the snack bar buying stuff for a show. Yet another of the Westwood theaters to close or be converted to a new space.
I saw each new Woody Allen film at this theater for about a six year stretch in the 1980s. I remember “Purple Rose of Cairo”, “Radio Days” and a few others. The theater was not demolished but was remodeled and is now a drug store. I also saw “Terminator 2” here in 1991, after waiting in line for several hours.
This page says it had four screens when it closed.
http://tinyurl.com/9zuwcr