Studio 1 Theatre
2139 W. Sunset Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90026
2139 W. Sunset Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90026
7 people
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Metropolitan Theatres
Architects: Alfred Grayson
Functions: Bar, Restaurant
Previous Names: Creation Theatre, Sunset Theatre, Mitchell's Theatre, Garden Theatre, Ramona Theatre, Estudio Theatre
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News About This Theater
- Jul 30, 2011 — Restaurant to takeover former Studio 1
A small neighborhood theatre located just west of Alvarado Boulevard on W. Sunset Boulevard. Built in 1914 to serve as a movie theatre. On the original building permit, the architect is listed as the Alfred Grayson Co. The builder was J. Louie Pancoast, who was located down the street at 2121 Sunset Bouevard, while the developer lived on nearby Reservoir Street. In 1915 and 1916 city directories it is listed as the Creation Theatre. In 1917 it is the Sunset Theatre. It’s called Mitchell’s Theatre in the 1919 directory and in 1925 to 1929 it’s listed as the Garden Theatre.
Then for a long period covering over half a century it was the Ramona Theatre, before going through a series of name changes and format changes. The theatre was modernised and reopened on November 10, 1965 under the name Studio 1 Theatre, with the mission of screening German-language movies (the debut feature was a screening of “Die Fledermaus!). By 1970 it was screening gay adult movies. From March 12, 1978 it was taken over by the Metropolitan Theatres chain and went over to screening Spanish language movies. The name had been Latinized into Estudio 1, a venue for double features (one photograph has it offering "Mad Max & "A Force of One” on the same program). It also showed Spanish films and some second run films with Spanish subtitles.
The theatre was closed in the mid-1990’s. Around 1998, a member of the Lotito family -which has owned the building and much of the block for at least 75 years - decided to gut the interior, rip out the theatre seats and level the floor as part of a renovation to seek new tenants, possibly retail, but the building has remained empty. Today, the old cinema is a popular pub/restaurant called Mohawk Bend.
Contributed by
William Gabel, Alvaro Guevara
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Recent comments (view all 28 comments)
Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/yzmfp46
Sad photo ken nc,poor old guy living there.
At least the weather’s nice.
Good thing its in CA.Warm there most of the time.
From a recent L.A. Times story on the new popularity of the Echo Park neighborhood:
View link
“The neighborhood’s most anticipated opening is a 10,000-square-foot bar and restaurant named Mohawk Bend that is slated to open in February and occupies the nearly 100-year-old movie theater across the street from Nicole Daddio’s cozy wine bar City Sip.”
So I guess that’s what’s happening with the Ramona now.
I GREW UP IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD (ATTENDED MAYBERRY ST. SCHOOL) IN LATE 50’S-60’S AND REMEMBER THIS THEATRE AS THE “RAMONA THEATRE"
THEN BEING CLOSED, REMODELED AND REOPENED AS "STUDIO ONE”, WITH A TICKET PRICE INCREASE TO AN OUTRAGEOUS .25 CENTS, CAUSING MY PAL PETER AN I TO CRINGE. SAW MANY A SAT. MATINEE, CLEOPATRA, WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT. THE BEATLES HARD DAYS NIGHT, HELP, THE EARLY BOND MOVIES, THE INCREDIBLE MR. LIMPET (WITH DON KNOTTS). WHAT MEMORIES.
CAUGHT MANY A DOUBLE FEATURE, AND AFTERWARDS WE WOULD GO OFF TO “OLE FOSTERS FREEZE” ACROSS THE STREET AND WEST 1 BLOCK, OR WE WOULD GO GET A PIZZA @ “PIZZA BOZZA’S” AROUND THE CORNER ON ALVARADO. THE BOZZA FAMILY OWNED THAT PLACE FOREVER, I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH THE LATE “RONNIE BOZZA”. THAT PIZZA PLACE IS STILL THERE, HOWEVER THE FAMILY SOLD IT SOME 10 YEARS AGO TO ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO WAS WITH THE ORIGINAL BOZZA FAMILY BACK IN THE LATE 50’S. STOPPED BY FOR A PIZZA ABOUT 1 YEAR AGO. STILL AUTHENTIC FOOD. MEMORY LANE.
I saw my first movies mid-1950s @ the Ramona: “Fantasia”, re-release, and “Hollywood Or Bust” with Martin and Lewis. Growing up on Delta Street/Echo Park Ave., it was nearby.
This became the Studio 1 theatre on November 10th, 1965. Grand opening ad posted.
1931 newspaper image added courtesy AL L Guevara.
Taken over by Metropolitan theatres on March 12th, 1978 and renamed Estudio 1 on a Mexican policy.