Lido Theatre

8507 W. Pico Boulevard,
Los Angeles, CA 90035

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Fox West Coast Theatres, Mann Theatres, National General Theatres

Architects: Clifford A. Balch

Styles: Streamline Moderne

Nearby Theaters

Lido Theatre exterior

The Lido Theatre was opened on September 18, 1937 with Spencer Tracy in “Captains Couragous” & John ‘Dusty’ King in “The Road Back”. It was remodeled in the mid-1960’s while under the National General company, which was the outgrowth of the old Fox West Coast Theatres.

Mann Theatres was the last chain to operate the Lido Theatre. During it’s final years, the Lido Theatre was a budget house.

In 1979 Mann Theatres sold the property to Bank of America which in turn razed the theatre for a parking lot.

Contributed by William Gabel

Recent comments (view all 73 comments)

Mlipofsky1019
Mlipofsky1019 on February 12, 2009 at 11:23 pm

Unihikid, I also went to Uni(class of ‘85), and I’m probably around your age, since you said you were about 13 when the Picfair closed, and I think it closed around 1979-'80. Unfortunately, the Stadium on Pico closed right after I was born, and I don’t think I ever saw any movies, even as a little kid, at the Lido, or the Picfair Theatres. The Carthay Theatre also closed down when I was 1, so I never got to experience that theatre either. I sure miss the Picwood, and the Palms though. I also miss living over on the Westside. I’d be over there in a heartbeat, if it weren’t so damn expensive to live there. I’m really getting tired of Simi Valley!

unihikid
unihikid on February 13, 2009 at 12:26 am

hey mike
well when i said closed down i meant torn down im a uni grad c/o 01 lol but its good to see a fellow warrior!i went to the picfair once when it was a theatre it showed a indian cartoon from what i remember it wasnt that good,but that was around 86 or 87,around 88 the appliciance store opened up and we bought a stove from there.you mention the carthay..i went to that school and i use to hang out on the theater site and wondered why was that ugly building there.i miss la too you may be in simi valley but im in DALLAS!

Mlipofsky1019
Mlipofsky1019 on February 16, 2009 at 8:49 pm

Wow unihikid, you moved even further away from LA than I did! A lot of people miss the Carthay Theatre, and they also mention that the building that’s there now is not only just another office building, but of course, it lacks the history of nice architectual and historical buildings, such as the Carthay Theatre.

autoxcuda
autoxcuda on March 8, 2009 at 6:23 am

My parents moved one block from there in ‘71 just before I was born. They still live there. I only saw The Muppet Movie and Buck Rodgers there. I see those were mid/late '79 release dates, so that was near the very end. I always wanted to see movies there, but my mom wouldn’t let me. Reading about that riot for the FIRST time ever, I’m pretty sure I know why! Fustrated me because I would always walk/ride by there to get milk at Big Town or baseball cards in the tiny pathway BETWEEN Big Town and the 5 and dime.

BTW in the 90’s the Bank of America was robbed or robbery attempt from UNDERNEATH. The robbers tunneled under the vault from the huge underground storm drain under La Cienega & Pico blvd.

unihikid
unihikid on March 8, 2009 at 1:43 pm

hainsthisway,you mentioned leo deli.there was an appliance/thrift store in that area called leos,i forgot what cross street it was on but it was right on the corner and my dad knew the owner pretty well,its not there anymore but do you know if its the same owner who just got out of making sandwhiches and started selling stoves?

charlie

haineshisway
haineshisway on March 8, 2009 at 1:50 pm

Different Leo. BTW, in case it hasn’t been answered, the Lido was not on the corner of La Cienega and Pico. On the northwest corner was and is a Bank Of America. There were then a couple of storefronts heading west on Pico, and then the Lido – the storefronts AND the Lido became the BofA parking lot.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on May 10, 2009 at 11:48 pm

Here is a March 1969 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/plxhxy

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 24, 2009 at 9:12 pm

Here is a May 1960 item from the LA Times:

In view of the success of its current screening of Ingmar Bergman’s “Wild Strawberries” and “The Magician”, NT&T’s Lido Theater on Pico will present Bergman’s “A Lesson in Love” for an exclusive engagement starting Friday June 3.

A hastily ironic comedy of morals, “A Lesson in Love” catches Bergman in a mischievous mood, the style being reminiscent of “Smiles of a Summer Night”, the film that first won him the attention of American audiences. Starring Eva Dahlbeck and Gunnar Bjornstrand, this will be the first showing of this film in the greater Los Angeles area.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on November 7, 2009 at 5:42 pm

The LA Times noted overflow High Holiday services at the Lido from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. This item is from September 1979:

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, was ushered in Friday night with synagogue services penetrated by the sound of the shofar, the hollowed ram’s horn which issues a call to conscience. Two Pico Boulevard congregations, Temple Isaiah and B’Nai David-Judea, are holding additional services at the Century Plaza and Lido Theatre, respectively.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on February 6, 2010 at 5:49 pm

You can see the Lido next to the bank in this 1972 aerial photo. By 1980 the theater is gone.
http://tinyurl.com/ybqogp2

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