Funny how there can be so many theaters in one town and then they all just disappear. I suppose it had to do with the decline of Atlantic City’s population in the sixties and seventies.
The Burbank was long gone when I moved to LA in 1984. I think the Art and Optic were still around, though. I lived downtown the first two weeks I was here, but I never made it over to Main Street, so I don’t recall seeing any of those theaters.
Tihs is excerpted from the Los Angeles Times, 10/26/45:
Rubbing his knuckles across his forehead as if to banish what seemed like a nightmarish dream, Pfc. Curtis Legerton, 21-year-old soldier, yesterday in Central Jail groped for an explanation of how he shot and critically wounded Philip Plude, 37, stage doorman at the Burbank Theater, late Wednesday. Plude is in General Hospital with a German Mauser automatic pistol bullet wound in his abdomen. Surgeons fear he may die. Legerton is being held on suspicion of attempted murder.
According to police reports, Legerton, who returned home two months ago from duty in Europe with the 99th General Hospital unit, attempted to enter the theater stage door at 548 S. Main Street, and was blocked by Plude. Legerton drew a .635 mm pistol from a field boot and fired once. Legerton said he had taken several drinks of whisky during the evening, and passed the theater foyer a couple of times in his wanderings.
“I looked the billboards over in front” he said, “and laughed at the pictures of the Follies dancers because I had seen the Follies Bergere in Paris. These dames wear necklaces. In Paris they don’t even wear that”.
Legerton said he’d been drinking since he was 17, and frequently had to ask friends what happened when he was intoxicated. “When I’m stiff”, he said, “I don’t know anybody, not even my relatives or closest friends.”
Legerton said his 45-day furlough was up last night and he was supposed to report to Ft. MacArthur for transfer to Camp Siebert, Ala., where he was expected to receive a discharge.
ORANGE, CALIF.-Construction got underway in early August on American Multi Cinema’s first sixplex in California, the Mall of Orange, on Tustin Avenue at Heim in Orange. The fourth AMC multi-theater in California, the Mall of Orange will have three 300-seat auditoriums, two 196-seat auditoriums and one 293-seat auditorium. American Multi Cinemas has scheduled a December 22 opening date for the entertainment complex.
Looking at some old Inquirer articles, the closing was in December 1987. In March 1988, the Inquirer reported that the Cheltenham Twin and a PSFS bank had been demolished to make way for a new seven-screen theater.
That is funny.
It still looks vacant. I guess Quentin Tarantino let us down.
Function should be first run movies, since Coraline is showing as of today.
Here is a November 2008 article and photo:
http://tinyurl.com/6ejhkh
This church meets at the Blair on Sundays:
http://www.mylandmarkchurch.com/
Here is a photo circa 1941:
http://tinyurl.com/ao6gm6
Here is a myspace page dedicated to the Cine El Rey:
http://tinyurl.com/bkvwly
Here is a July 2008 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/b8xzvg
This clip from youtube shows more of the interior, plus there’s an interesting discussion of the renovation:
http://tinyurl.com/c6443n
Here is a video clip of a band playing at the Park last March. I would turn the sound down or off before playing the clip:
http://tinyurl.com/d9sk95
Besides performing arts, the Park is also rented out for wedding receptions.
http://tinyurl.com/anz8m3
Funny how there can be so many theaters in one town and then they all just disappear. I suppose it had to do with the decline of Atlantic City’s population in the sixties and seventies.
The Burbank was long gone when I moved to LA in 1984. I think the Art and Optic were still around, though. I lived downtown the first two weeks I was here, but I never made it over to Main Street, so I don’t recall seeing any of those theaters.
Did you see the theater in the Cosby/Poitier film? It looked to be already closed by the time the film was shot.
Tihs is excerpted from the Los Angeles Times, 10/26/45:
Rubbing his knuckles across his forehead as if to banish what seemed like a nightmarish dream, Pfc. Curtis Legerton, 21-year-old soldier, yesterday in Central Jail groped for an explanation of how he shot and critically wounded Philip Plude, 37, stage doorman at the Burbank Theater, late Wednesday. Plude is in General Hospital with a German Mauser automatic pistol bullet wound in his abdomen. Surgeons fear he may die. Legerton is being held on suspicion of attempted murder.
According to police reports, Legerton, who returned home two months ago from duty in Europe with the 99th General Hospital unit, attempted to enter the theater stage door at 548 S. Main Street, and was blocked by Plude. Legerton drew a .635 mm pistol from a field boot and fired once. Legerton said he had taken several drinks of whisky during the evening, and passed the theater foyer a couple of times in his wanderings.
“I looked the billboards over in front” he said, “and laughed at the pictures of the Follies dancers because I had seen the Follies Bergere in Paris. These dames wear necklaces. In Paris they don’t even wear that”.
Legerton said he’d been drinking since he was 17, and frequently had to ask friends what happened when he was intoxicated. “When I’m stiff”, he said, “I don’t know anybody, not even my relatives or closest friends.”
Legerton said his 45-day furlough was up last night and he was supposed to report to Ft. MacArthur for transfer to Camp Siebert, Ala., where he was expected to receive a discharge.
This is from Boxoffice magazine in August 1971:
ORANGE, CALIF.-Construction got underway in early August on American Multi Cinema’s first sixplex in California, the Mall of Orange, on Tustin Avenue at Heim in Orange. The fourth AMC multi-theater in California, the Mall of Orange will have three 300-seat auditoriums, two 196-seat auditoriums and one 293-seat auditorium. American Multi Cinemas has scheduled a December 22 opening date for the entertainment complex.
The correct address is Mechanic Street, without the s on the end. If you plug that in the address will map correctly.
There aren’t any references to this address on the Youth Musical Theater website:
http://www.ymtc.org/
Here is a December 2007 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ct8qpg
You did a nice job on the website. Too bad this theater is now a parking lot.
Looking at some old Inquirer articles, the closing was in December 1987. In March 1988, the Inquirer reported that the Cheltenham Twin and a PSFS bank had been demolished to make way for a new seven-screen theater.
Sorry, I was driving. This listing should be incorporated into the Lux per Joe’s info.
Faie enough.
Did it take seven days to build?
This is from Boxoffice magazine in May 1943:
LOS ANGELES-The Vinnicof Theater circuit has taken over the American Theater, 500-seat South Broadway showcase, from E.A. Thompson and K.C. Manny.