Niguel Theatre
32844 Crown Valley Parkway,
Dana Point,
CA
92629
32844 Crown Valley Parkway,
Dana Point,
CA
92629
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Architect Ricardo A. Nicol.
The Niguel Theater was located next door to a great burger stand called “Duke’s on the Pacific Coast Highway. Good burgers and fries as I recall. In 1978 I saw "Big Wednesday” at the Niguel. In one of the scenes the William Katt character talks about “surfing Laguna” and a big cry came from the audience in response.
This was a great little theater to go to since it wasn’t very busy. I lived in Laguna Beach and saw Swashbuckler and Zulu Dawn (3 times) there.
Boxoffice of April 12, 1965, reported that the Niguel Theatre, to be operated by South Coast Theatres, would have 478 seats. The project was designed by San Clemente architect Ricardo A. Nicol.
As for the flooding mentioned earlier, I believe you are thinking of another theatre (perhaps, the Laguna Beach South Coast). The Niguel was located well above sea level and not directly adjascent to the ocean (a large gated community has stood on the ocean side of PCH for quite some time). The Niguel’s flooding and water damage issues were the result of the theatre being built at the base of a hillside; i.e. drainage problems during heavy rains. While the theatre is long gone, Monarch Bay Plaza still stands, near the corner of Crown Valley and PCH.
When the theatre was operated by Pacific Theatre chain. The theatre would have problems when the pacific ocean would over run the Pacific Coast Highway and flood the front of the theatre.