Music Hall 3

9036 Wilshire Boulevard,
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Unfavorite 12 people favorited this theater

Showing 1 - 25 of 40 comments

La_Connection
La_Connection on August 28, 2023 at 3:09 pm

The page should be updated. The Lumiere Cinema group beat back the hostile takeover attempt by Blue Fox. They run the theater outright.

ridethectrain
ridethectrain on April 6, 2021 at 9:04 am

Please update, currently open. Showing movies. Guess the renovations will be done soon. current website lumierecinemala.com

ridethectrain
ridethectrain on February 17, 2021 at 8:18 pm

Please update, rename Music Hall 3, Lumiere dosen’t own the theatre anymore as per variety.com article

ridethectrain
ridethectrain on February 17, 2021 at 8:18 pm

From Variety.com Music Hall Theater in Beverly Hills Acquired By Blue Fox Entertainment (EXCLUSIVE)

By Pat Saperstein

Music Hall AP The historic Music Hall Theater in Beverly Hills has been acquired by film distribution company Blue Fox Entertainment, which will renovate the three-screen complex for a planned October reopening.

Blue Fox, a 6-year old company based in Century City, sees taking over a long-term lease on the theater as a natural extension of its independent film distribution and sales business. Blue Fox owner James Huntsman says “People are going to be blown away” when they see the new design for the theater, which is the only multiplex operating in the city of Beverly Hills.

Built in 1936 and opened in 1937, the art deco landmark had been part of Laemmle Theaters until 2019, when a trio of Laemmle vets took over briefly to run it as the Lumiere until the COVID pandemic closed down theaters.

Huntsman says there’s a need in Los Angeles for space for premieres, special screenings and four-wall bookings. The Blue Fox Theater will also program foreign and arthouse films from Blue Fox and other distributors, and Huntsman hopes the remodeled theater will prove attractive to bookers from the most prominent specialty labels.

“The renovation is quite extensive,” Huntsman says, and will include an expanded lobby and totally reimagined concession stand with unique offerings of beer, wine and food. All three auditoriums will be retrofitted with new screens and fully reclining seats.

The centrally-located theater on Wilshire Boulevard at Doheny will be a natural fit for Q&As and panels and other special events, according to Huntsman, “We want to connect filmmakers with the community.”

The largest auditorium currently has a 35mm projection system which will be retained for use during special screenings.

Designed by architect Wilfred B. Verity, the theater had been in continuous use until the pandemic, and also served as a studio for KLAC in the 1950s, where Betty White’s first sitcom, “Life With Elizabeth,” and “The Liberace Show” were filmed. It was originally known as the Elite and became the Music Hall in 1945.

“We believe there is strong demand for ‘a night at the movies’ and are fully committed to invest in its future,” Huntsman says.

William Gruenberg, theatrical distribution advisor for Blue Fox, will oversee film buying. Theater designer Fred Dagdagan, whose credits include the Television Academy Theater in North Hollywood and the Steven J. Ross Theater on the Warner Bros lot, is handling the renovation.

Blue Fox has distributed films including “Young Hearts,” Julie Delpy’s “My Zoe,” “Sometimes Always Never,” “Abe,” “A Simple Wedding” and “Killerman.”

jordanernesto
jordanernesto on November 21, 2019 at 1:41 pm

Laemmle press release today:

This evening Laemmle Theatres will cease operation of the Music Hall Theatre in Beverly Hills.

Laemmle Theatres President Greg Laemmle said, “It has been my family’s privilege to operate the Music Hall for 45 years but it’s time to end our stewardship. For the sake of efficiency, we plan to use the other screens in our circuit to provide a platform for the types of films we’ve been showing in Beverly Hills.”

Laemmle began operating the Music Hall in 1974 and has shown literally thousands of movies from all over the world. Bergman’s SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE was one of the first films we played there. LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and MY LIFE AS A DOG were hits in the 70’s and 80’s.

According to CinemaTreasures.org, the Music Hall first opened in April 1937 as the Elite Theatre, with seating for 824.

There is a distinct possibility of a renaissance, and movies and moviegoers will return to 9036 Wilshire Boulevard, but if it happens it will be after a hiatus and with different operators.

rivest266
rivest266 on September 29, 2019 at 4:37 pm

This became the Music Hall (Beverly Hills) on August 8th, 1945. Grand opening ads posted.

JWH
JWH on August 26, 2018 at 1:41 pm

At its peak in the mid- to late-1960s, the Walter Reade Organization operated two flagship movie houses in Beverly Hills, California. The Beverly Hills Music Hall on Wilshire Boulevard hosted many first-run foreign films and prestige releases, including the world premiere of John Cassavetes' “Faces.” The Music Hall was the exclusive exhibitor in the region of the 1968 Russian production of “War and Peace.” (see photos) All the movie industry elite turned out for that long-running “hard ticket” engagement, including Katharine Hepburn, Warren Beatty with Julie Christie, Mike Nichols, Joanne Woodward, James Coburn and scores of others. Theater staffers were required to wear Russian tunics on duty, and the doormen wore full-length Cossack coats, fur hats and accessories. The second Walter Reade cinema in Beverly Hills was the Beverly Canon, which also exhibited the company’s licensed foreign films and was the site of world premiere screenings, including Peter Bogdonovich’s “Targets.”

CStefanic
CStefanic on August 8, 2018 at 10:42 am

I quite agree. Every time I have been by the Music Hall or even attended a rare screening there, the auditoriums are almost bare. I heard that Sharon Stone and Faye Dunaway have frequented the theater, but never see them there.

Alan Bell
Alan Bell on May 14, 2018 at 5:05 pm

I go often and have yet to see the theater full. They can’t be making any money. To save this theater, that sits on desirable Beverly Hills land, formulate a plan now before it becomes actively threatened. By that time, it’s often hard to turn things around.

moviebuff82
moviebuff82 on April 3, 2017 at 12:22 pm

I’m surprised this venue is still around.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on January 7, 2013 at 2:30 pm

Architect J. Arthur Drielsma designed the renovation of the Music Hall for Herbert Rosener that is featured in the 1960 Boxoffice article that Tinseltoes linked to earlier. The project involved completely rebuilding the gutted interior as well as redesigning the front.

So far, Laemmle has managed to keep this house open a year beyond its reported closing date. The slack real estate market probably has something to do with that.

frenchjr25
frenchjr25 on January 7, 2013 at 10:31 am

The Music Hall also has a place in TV history. Betty White’s very first sitcom, 1952’s “Life With Elizabeth”, was produced here.

Richie_T
Richie_T on January 8, 2012 at 7:31 pm

My bad… saw a piece on the news about the closing of the Music Hall due to lease issues… seemed like the theater was closing THIS weekend… drove past today and it looks like business as usual.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin on January 8, 2012 at 5:18 pm

Yeah, and they have showtimes extending past the weekend…

BRADE48
BRADE48 on January 7, 2012 at 2:10 pm

Really? The Laemmle site shows may bookings for the Music Hall in the Coming Soon portion on thier Website.

Richie_T
Richie_T on January 7, 2012 at 7:58 am

Sad news. Theater to close this weekend.

silver
silver on March 4, 2011 at 8:26 pm

In response to a suggestion on their Facebook page of having later screenings, Laemmle replied: “Unfortunately, Beverly Hills municipal code prohibits us from starting movies after 10pm.” That’s not a great help when trying to entice younger movie goers.
Plus BH’s parking rules and enforcement are Draconian.

It’s terrific Laemmle got a one year lease reprieve. But I’d bet the landlord is just buying time until the economy turns around to put retail/office space there.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on March 1, 2011 at 6:43 pm

Yes,great news,the pictures I saw show a beautiful Theatre.

BradE41
BradE41 on March 1, 2011 at 12:47 pm

This was posted on Facebook today:

Good news, everyone! We finalized a one-year (minimum) extension of operation for the Music Hall in Beverly Hills!
Now we need your advice. Only increased support by the community surrounding the Music Hall will keep it open. What would make you more likely to attend the theater? Extended hours? Changes in programming?… Leave your wish list in the comments below or on our website: http://laemmle.com/generalinfo.php

KJB2012
KJB2012 on January 26, 2011 at 2:53 pm

I suspect the rent rise is just a ploy to close the theatre. Beverly Hills hasn’t been theatre/cinema friendly for a long, long time. Of course I underestand the problem. The Bev Hills folks just don’t have the MONEY to spend $10-15 for a movie ticket. How sad! HA!

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on January 22, 2011 at 2:04 pm

This is reportedly likely to close in April, 2011:
View link

William
William on January 19, 2011 at 4:22 pm

The city of Beverly Hills lost the beautiful Art-Deco Warner Theatre back in 1989 and the local landmark Beverly Theatre in 2005.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on January 19, 2011 at 3:18 pm

Thanks vokoban.Sad.

vokoban
vokoban on December 29, 2010 at 8:53 pm

If anyone doesn’t believe me, take a look at this…the only thing that matters in Beverly Hills is money, money, money.

http://www.johnlautner.org/wp/?p=499
The city of Beverly Hills has no historic preservation laws (such as the Mills Act, which allows owners of historic and designated properties to receive tax credits for restoration expenses), or landmark ordinances which, in cases like this, would allow the necessary time to explore alternatives to demolition.