La Brea Theatre
TheLa Brea Theatre,also known asChotiner's La Brea,Fox La Brea,Art La BreaandToho La Breawas a single-screenmovie theaterinLos Angeles,Californiaat 857 S. La Brea Avenue. The theatre was notable for being one of the few movie theatres showing Japanese films in theUnited StatesafterWorld War II.It was built in the 1920s and had 1,200 seats at opening, and 900 seats after a renovation.[1]
The theatre was built initially as part of the "Chotiner's" movie chain. It became part of the Fox theatre chain. It closed in 1954, and re-opened in 1960 as the Art La Brea after a US$70,000 renovation.[2]The 1960 renovation reduced the number of seats to 640. Later in the 1960s, the theatre was taken over by theTohocompany ofJapanand used to screen its films and other Japanese films directly, without a distributor. The Toho company also took over cinemas inSan FranciscoandNew York City.
The architecture of the building used numerous gothic arches over the doorways and second floor windows. The main lobby's exterior and second floor architecture was reminiscent of asteeple,however it did not have a spire. The building still stands today, and is used as a church.
References
[edit]- ^"Toho la Brea Theatre in Los Angeles, CA - Cinema Treasures".
- ^"The Modern Theatre".Box Office(May 9, 1960): 37–39.
External links
[edit]34°03′33″N118°20′44″W/ 34.059167°N 118.345556°W
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