4 Star Theatre

5112 Wilshire Boulevard,
Los Angeles, CA 90036

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Showing 1 - 25 of 90 comments

sjs1234
sjs1234 on September 1, 2021 at 4:04 pm

Louie Federici operated this theater in the 1980’s. At one time he operated The Gordon on La Brea as well as The Cinema on Western Ave and The Encore on Melrose.

DinoW
DinoW on July 14, 2021 at 1:47 am

I saw “The Poseidon Adventure” there in 1972 or 1973. They had a great double bill there in late June 1972: “My Fair Lady” and “Hello Dolly!”, both presented in 70mm. I missed that one, unfortunately.

MSC77
MSC77 on November 11, 2019 at 7:14 pm

Who operated the Four Star during the 1980s post UA and post Mitchell Brothers?

rivest266
rivest266 on November 10, 2019 at 6:32 pm

San Francisco’s Mitchell Brothers chain of adult theatres entered the Los Angeles area on September 11th, 1973 with the UA Inglewood and this theatre. The grand opening program was “Behind the Green Door” with Marilyn Chambers. Grand opening ad posted.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on August 20, 2019 at 10:11 pm

1932 photo link, credit Dick Whittington, courtesy the Huntington.

https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll2/id/3871/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on August 20, 2019 at 8:44 pm

1938 photo added courtesy Los Angeles Historic Facebook page.

MSC77
MSC77 on December 21, 2017 at 12:52 pm

“The Graduate” opened here fifty years ago today. The film went on to play one week shy of a full year. (Anyone know of a film that played here for a longer period of time?) And here’s a retrospective article to commemorate the film’s golden anniversary.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 on September 16, 2016 at 6:01 pm

Hello-

what was the last 1st run engagement this
theater had?

rivest266
rivest266 on August 7, 2016 at 10:45 am

This opened on November 29th, 1933. Its grand opening ad can be found in the photo section for this theatre.

Logan5
Logan5 on January 15, 2015 at 7:18 pm

“Gone With The Wind” was screened for the press at the Four Star on December 12, 1939 (three days before the huge Atlanta premiere). For more info see the book “The Art of Gone With the Wind: The Making of a Legend” by Judy Cameron, Paul J. Christman and Daniel Mayer Selznick.

RJwestla
RJwestla on January 5, 2015 at 12:25 am

The wrecking ball hit this cinema and the adjacent Burger King last month. Change status to demolished.

monika
monika on November 22, 2014 at 1:50 pm

Demolition of the Four Star building is scheduled to begin soon. It’s a shame.

haineshisway
haineshisway on June 12, 2014 at 2:00 pm

At the END it couldn’t function as a first-run house. It was a first-run house for decades.

ScottyA
ScottyA on June 3, 2014 at 10:16 pm

When they installed those 70mm projectors in the 1980s, it was truly a first-class theater. Terrific! It was a shame that because of its location, it couldn’t function as a first-run house. Back then, you either opened in Westwood or Hollywood.

adsausage
adsausage on November 2, 2013 at 4:28 pm

‘The Magic Christian’ held its Gale Premiere here, with Ringo Starr in person.

http://www.adsausage.com/ad.cfm?id=52937

turnkey
turnkey on May 22, 2013 at 2:03 pm

Looks like a demo is in its future: http://losangelestheatres.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-teardown-for-four-staroasis-theatre.html?spref=fb

nixols
nixols on December 12, 2012 at 5:06 pm

Looks like the tenants bought a historic church a few blocks away and will be leaving. “…Oasis will be moving in the near future from its present headquarters at Wilshire near Highland, a former movie theater.”

http://larchmontchronicle.com/oasis-christian-church-new-home/

LAConnection
LAConnection on November 16, 2012 at 10:51 pm

I lived within walking distance of the Four Star for years and years. It was a great old palace, but, it got pretty run down by the end. And, having no parking lot in the middle of the Miracle mile district really hampered business. The first double feature I remember seeing there in the 80s was Hitchcock’s 39 STEPS with Tarkovsky’s SOLARIS. Bizarre double feature, but great great films. Lots of memories, but the the best was probably attending a screening of the 1986 restoration of 1937’s LOST HORIZON introduced by Jane Wyatt herself. As she introduced the screening Wyatt said that the film’s original premiere 50 years earlier was also held at the Four Star! Wow.

dibblabio
dibblabio on February 22, 2012 at 4:55 pm

As of January 2012, the building is still a church (Oasis Church), but Oasis has just announced they are leaving the building for another venue, and will be (have already?) sold it. With the new BMW dealership next door, the ritzy apartment complex across the street, and a dying decrepit Burger King next door, I wouldn’t be surprised if the new owners knock it down and start from scratch. As a 500ish-seater theater with no parking, there are few uses left for it as is.

drb
drb on June 20, 2011 at 3:50 am

There’s some great night footage of the old neon marquee in the 1960s here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0lEosbR-Vg

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 7, 2009 at 1:03 am

Here is a March 1977 ad from the LAT:
http://tinyurl.com/nvnhey

haineshisway
haineshisway on August 4, 2009 at 1:56 am

Great Behind The Great Wall ad – I was, of course, there and saw and smelled the film. And a few weeks later I was at the Ritz seeing and smelling Scent of Mystery.

DonSolosan
DonSolosan on July 23, 2009 at 12:14 am

I went by this place today. Did the church move out as stated above? There is a sign on the side with their web address — the Oasis Christian Center. That site lists “service” times. And there’s still a star (a la Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame) on the sidewalk out front that reads “Jesus Christ the Son of God.”

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on June 23, 2009 at 11:57 pm

Here is a January 1960 ad from the LAT:
http://tinyurl.com/nxh6xo