Warner Grand Theatre

478 W. 6th Street,
San Pedro, CA 90730

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Showing 26 - 50 of 67 comments

AdoraKiaOra
AdoraKiaOra on May 24, 2007 at 8:02 am

I think it was AMC who were doing this complex? Any news at all would be great as i cant find any listings or such for San Pedro. Thanks.

AdoraKiaOra
AdoraKiaOra on May 3, 2007 at 11:33 am

I used to stay at the Sheraton down the road from the Grand and everytime i went up and down the street shopping i used to look over at this great looking palace. It looked kind of open but reading recent news on here from you guys it looks like a whole lot of grand things have happened to the Grand recently. Thats great news for the area im sure. What im not sure was good news about was the information that the hotel told me (this is 8 or 9 yrs ago now) that there was going to be built a new multiplex on a vacant plot just one or two blocks down from the Grand on the same side!?!? Did this happen? Any news?

William
William on May 2, 2007 at 2:38 pm

Congrats on the event and Best Wishes.

JakeM
JakeM on May 2, 2007 at 2:20 pm

Hey! I’m getting married here in about a month! It’s apparently the first wedding ever held at the Warner Grand.

It’s extra cool because my dad went to his first movie here in the 50’s….keeping it in the family.

William
William on September 14, 2006 at 10:24 am

There is a nice marquee shot of the theatre in the new movie “Running with Scissors”.

mvharvey
mvharvey on September 6, 2006 at 11:25 am

I believe my great grandparents Luis (Louie) and Juana Rios ran and
operated this theatre in the 1950’s. They had a daughter Virginia Rios who had my father Max Goldberg. Anyone know who they were? I have birth dates and death dates for them but that’s it. I am interested in anyone who would have information expecially about Juana whose maiden name is Pacheco.

mvharvey
mvharvey on September 6, 2006 at 11:24 am

I believe my great grandparents Luis (Louie) and Juana Rios ran and
operated this theatre in the 1950’s. They had a daughter Virginia Rios who had my father Max Goldberg. Anyone know who they were? I have birth dates and death dates for them but that’s it. I am interested in anyone who would have information expecially about Juana whose maiden name is Pacheco.

Shookers
Shookers on May 27, 2006 at 10:51 pm

If I’m not mistaken, the Warner Grand was briefly owned by a Mr. Al Lee in the early ‘70’s. Lee was also the manager of the United Artists Theater in Torrance where I worked as an usher.

William
William on February 3, 2006 at 11:46 am

In the article it states “Today, San Pedro’s Warner Grand Theatre is the only Warner movie palace standing.” The writer failed to mention that the Warner Hollywood (aka Pacific 1,2,3), Warner Wiltern and Warner Forum Theatres and the Warner Huntington Park and Warner Downtown are all still standing. Only the Warner Beverly Hills has been razed.

MagicLantern
MagicLantern on February 1, 2006 at 12:14 am

Article in a local alternative newspaper that has the Warner Grand’s 75th anniversary dated January 19, 1931: View link

vokoban
vokoban on January 19, 2006 at 8:29 pm

After a little more research, I believe the previous article I quoted refers to the Warner downtown and the Warner Hollywood.

vokoban
vokoban on January 19, 2006 at 8:23 pm

I don’t know if this is referring to this theater, but it’s all I could find:

(Jan. 19, 1931)
(Reprinted from Saturday’s late edition)
By Phillip K. Scheuer

Fashioned for the Joe E. Brown trade-and quite a sizeable trade it is, they tell me-“Going Wild” cut twin swathes across the screens at both Warner Brothers de luxe theaters yesterday. Joe E. Brown, it is almost unneccessary to add, is the happy-go-lucky fellow who, at a moment’s notice, can make his face disappeared simply by opening his
mouth. This phenomenon, demonstrated with complete success when an examining physician attempts to pry into Mr. Brown’s throat, is sufficiently startling to make the physician instead of the patient say “Ah!”

vokoban
vokoban on January 19, 2006 at 10:33 am

Thanks William, at least I have a date and can narrow down my search.

William
William on January 19, 2006 at 9:57 am

The theatre opened on January 20th. 1931 with the film “Goin' Wild”.

vokoban
vokoban on January 19, 2006 at 8:37 am

I don’t understand why I can’t find anything about the actual opening of this theater. It must have been a big deal. Is there a local paper in San Pedro that would have been around in 1930?

vokoban
vokoban on January 18, 2006 at 9:37 pm

Here’s an article about the groundbreaking. It seems like the construction costs were on a yo-yo.

(June 18, 1930)
Warner Brothers will break ground today for their new $500,000 theater on Sixth street, near Pacific avenue, San Pedro. Jack Warner, son of the vice-president in charge of production, will wield the shovel and Leslie Mott, president of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, will speak for the community. A number of film folk will be introduced by M.A. Silver, general manager of Warner Brothers' Theater chain, including Loretta Young, Grant Withers, Claudia Dell, Irene Delroy, Walter Pidgeon and Leon Janney. The site runs 150 feet along Sixth street and extends back 125 feet. The building will have an auditorium seating 2000 persons, and will contain six stores and twelve offices. Lange & Bergstrom, Inc. of Los Angeles, is general contractor.

vokoban
vokoban on January 18, 2006 at 9:28 pm

(May 4, 1930)
San Pedro theater for Warner Brothers to cost $250,000. Plans are being prepared by Marcus Priteca and construction work will begin shortly.

vokoban
vokoban on January 18, 2006 at 9:24 pm

Here is the first mention of this theater I could find in the LA Times:

(Feb. 5, 1930)
Warner Brothers' San Pedro Theater will seat 2000 and will be built on Sixth street just east of Pacific Boulevard, occupying a frontage of 150 feet. There will also be six stories and twelve offices in the building, which will cost $600,000….B. Marcus Priteca is the architect for both (Huntington Park Theater) theaters. These houses will be the first to be placed under construction under the Warner expansion plan.

Patsy
Patsy on November 19, 2005 at 8:00 pm

Debbie Marr’s watercolor is beautiful!

teecee
teecee on September 27, 2005 at 11:35 am

Architect inoformation & photo:
View link

William
William on September 19, 2005 at 9:36 am

You can see part of the marquee in the current commercial for Dunkin Donuts. It is currently running in the Tri-State area of New York.

Patsy
Patsy on March 1, 2005 at 11:27 am

Don’t believe if I’ve ever seen the Warner name with the Grand name together except for this CT link.

Patsy
Patsy on February 14, 2005 at 9:41 am

“Every Sunday evening, the interior and beautiful exterior of the Warner Grand can be seen in ESPN Classic’s sports movie show, called "Reel Classics”.“ Must check this out on Sunday evenings!