Laurel Theatre
8056 Beverly Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90048
8056 Beverly Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90048
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The synagogue and an adjacent building were torn down in recent months, and an elder care home is going to be built. For low income elderly, if I remember correctly.
It has served as the synagogue for Beth Isreal Congregation since at least 1958.
This opened on August 28th, 1941. Small grand opening ad posted.
This is from the LA Times in April 1950:
“Madness of Love” has its gala American premiere at the Laurel Theater on Friday night. With it Cifesa Films, Inc., Spain’s leading motion picture producer, is making a concerted effort for a portion of the foreign art film market in this country.
Here is a November 1946 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/4sm289
The function should be synagogue. Here are some March 2008 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/25npv9
http://tinyurl.com/2cbkzx
http://tinyurl.com/2yh68t
http://tinyurl.com/2f3qhw
Here is a September 1947 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/2roylu
Shoe Shine was playing over at the Sunset on 2/11/50. The Laurel was showing The Bicycle Thief (7th record-breaking week!). The LA Times ad gives the address as 8036 Beverly Boulevard.
A while after it had opened in New York in August of 1947, Vittorio De Sica’s film “Shoe Shine” played at the Laurel for eight weeks. That shattering neo-realist movie about the aftermath of World War II and life in a boys' prison was distributed at the time by Lopert Films, Inc.
The correct address for the Laurel Theater is 8056 Beverly Blvd. near the intersection of Beverly and Laurel Avenue — hence the Laurel name. And the building still stands. Although the facade has been modified, the auditorium has been in use for the better part of four decades as an active synagogue.
Ralgev