Venice Theatre
1508 Ocean Front Walk,
Venice,
CA
90291
1508 Ocean Front Walk,
Venice,
CA
90291
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This opened on July 1st, 1920 with “Miss Hobbs”. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
My father kept a diary when he was a teenager in 1920s Los Angeles. Here’s part of his entry for November 1, 1924: “With Hancocks to Venice to California Theater and saw Edmund Lowe in “Honor Among Men” and 5 acts of vaudeville.” Five acts of vaudeville!
The first movie theater I remember is the old Venice/California theater. I recall seeing the movie “The Third Man” starring Joseph Cotton and Orson Wells around 1949. I also remember going to Saturday Matinees which included cartoons, Movietone News, a Flash Gordon Serial, plus a double feature. This had to be shortly before it was demolished. After that, it was the Dome and Rosemary theaters in Ocean Park.
Here is a closer view of the 1949 LAPL photo I posted a while ago:
http://tinyurl.com/2lboln
If you are using the Google map search above it will send in the wrong place. The current address to use the map search is 1508 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291.
The Venice Timeline to which I linked in my comment of June 30, 2006 has been moved. The section I mentioned is now here.
Here is the Venice Timeline Index, with links to five sections each detailing two decades of the area’s history.
A comment I made here a few days ago has either gone missing or didn’t post to begin with. Luckily, I saved a copy of it elsewhere:
The Regional History section of the California Index at the L.A. Public Library web site contains a card referencing an article in the July 1, 1920 issue of The Venice Vanguard which names a Mr. Melvin P. Ogden as the “Opening manager of the new California Theater at Venice.”
Additionally, the same index contains cards indicating that the California was designed by David D. Smith. A card referencing Southwest Builder & Contractor issue of 1/23/1920 says that “D.D. Smith, Venice, has a contract… for the erection of a brick theater building… corner of Ocean Front Walk at Zepher Avenue (sic)….” Zephyr Court appears on the oldest map I have of the area as running eastward from Ocean Front, just north of Windward. Owners of the theater are named as C.G. Parkhurst and George J. Cleveland.
Southwest Builder & Contractor issue of 2/27/1920 says “D.D. Smith has prepared plans and will superintend the construction of a theater and store building on the site of the scenic railway on Ocean Front Walk…the building will be 106 by 175 feet… and will seat 1500… cost about $50,000….” The exaggerated seating capacity was characteristic of construction announcements in the era, but the timing is good and the location accurate for the un-named theatre in question to be the California.
The Venice Theatre mentioned in the time-line to which I linked in my previous comment must have been a different building, though it was undoubtedly nearby.
I watched Quicksand last night. There are a few scenes where the theater is visible. If you’re interested in Venice or Santa Monica, circa 1950, this is the film for you as the entire production appears to have been filmed in that area.
The three story building with arched portico and Venetian detailing which appears in most of the linked pictures above is the St. Mark Hotel, which was on the northeast corner of Windward Avenue and Ocean Front Walk. So, the theatre was on the beach side of Ocean Front Walk a little way north of Windward. The entrance to the original Venice Pier (demolished in 1946) was at the end of Windward Avenue.
There is a reference to a Venice Theatre in the year 1908 on this time-line of Venice' history.
Here is an undated photo. It’s hard to make out, but you can see the theater on the right side of the frame:
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009138.jpg
Take a look at this photo from 1955. You can see that six years after the 1949 photo, the Venice as well as the rest of the structures on the beach side are gone. I suppose that answers my question:
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009152.jpg
I don’t have any outside info as to where the theater was situated, but the 1949 picture would appear to put it on the beach side. Perhaps it was near the Venice Pier and the surrounding amusement area.
the 1949 photo.
Are you referring to the 1949 photo or the 1938 photo? I had a question about the location of the later photo as it appears to be on the beach side of Ocean Front Walk.
Are you looking north from Windward Avenue? If so, the theatre is on the west (ocean) side of the Walk — where there are no longer any buildings.
This 1938 photo was taken at the same time as William Gabel’s photo at the top of the page:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater3/00015712.jpg
Here is a 1949 photo from the LA Library:
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009146.jpg
Venice’s CALIFORNIA Theatre can clearly be seen in the movie “Quicksand”. starring Micky Rooney and Peter Lorre.
Sorry here is the correct link to the 1925 map
View link
The California Theater opened pre-1922.
Here is a vintage view View link
On this 1925 map View link there is a Venice Theatre #33 located on the north boardwalk at the land end opposite the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster #43
I have a feeling this is the California Theater.
I’m intrigued that a movie theatre once existed on Ocean Front Walk. Was it on the city side, or the ocean side? What now stands on its site?
The California’s address was 1508 Ocean Front, Venice Boardwalk (not Broadwalk).