Movie Theaters of Los Angeles, Part 4 - West and North Hollywood

Now let's leave the Hollywood & Vine area and go a little further west down Sunset Boulevard to Fairfax.

SILENT MOVIE THEATRE

According to Cinema Treasures, this theater was built in 1942 as a venue for silent films.

Outside and inside are posters and memorabilia from the 1920s and 30s.

Below: I think this is how the exterior looked originally, circa 1940.

Today the theater is the official home of The Cinefamily, a classic film organization which shows independent, classic, and foriegns in addition to silents.    Last year they had a special screening event with "Baby Peggy" Diana Cary and one of her silent films. The last few times I've been to visit, I saw "Detour" here in 2008 and a series of Frank Tashlin cartoons in 2009.

There's me with Charlie Chaplin and Louise Brooks

Just a few blocks south on Fairfax is a famous Jewish deli that dates back almost to the same era, Canter Bros. There's alot of cool stores and pubs down Fairfax. I think the Auto Museum is a little further down too.

OK, now let's take the subway to North Hollywood, or NOHO.

This is one of the coolest train stations I've ever seen, inside and out.

EL PORTAL THEATER

According to Cinema Treasures, the theater opened as a cinema in 1926. Through the years it showed 2nd-run films until a 1994 earthquake damaged the ceiling and walls.

In 1996 the theater was purchased by a stage company and it is now a live performaning arts venue.