 | |
| Former names | Carter Theatre (1925–1934) Lee Theatre (1934–1947) |
|---|---|
| Address | 2025 E 4th Street Long Beach, California United States |
| Coordinates | 33°46′19″N118°10′01″W / 33.771915133127514°N 118.16700497453027°W /33.771915133127514; -118.16700497453027 |
| Screens | 1 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | January 22, 1925; 100 years ago (1925-01-22) |
| Renovated | 1934, 1947, 2008 |
| Architect | Robert C. Aldrich (1925) Schilling & Schilling (1934) Hugh Gibbs (1947) |
| Website | |
| arttheatrelongbeach | |
TheArt Theatre is a historic movie theater onRetro Row inLong Beach, California. Opened in 1925 as theCarter Theatre, it is the oldest operating cinema in the city. After sustaining damage from the1933 Long Beach earthquake, the venue was remodeled and reopened as theLee Theatre in 1934. The Art currently operatesindie andforeign film programming.
In 1924, J. W. and L. W. Carter commissioned the construction of a movie theater on 4th Street inLong Beach. After a year of construction overseen by general contractor Charles Bigelow, the Carter Theatre opened on January 22, 1925, with two evening showings of the silent filmThe Siren of Seville. E. C. Heard, a local film showman who operated various cinemas inGreater Los Angeles, served as the inaugural theater manager.[1]
On the evening of March 10, 1933,a severe earthquake struck Long Beach; the Carter Theatre was one of the many buildings damaged. Following an extensive renovation, the venue was reopened in 1934. Building owner E. H. Lee renamed it the Lee Theatre thereafter.[2]
In 1947, the theater was renovated to the plans of architect Hugh Gibbs, including a new lobby and bathrooms. In conjunction with the remodel, the venue was renamed the Art Theatre.[3] On March 9, 1969, the Art survived astructure fire and continued operation afterward.[2]
In 2007, a group of four investors purchased the Art. The theater was in disrepair and still showing movies onfilm stock. The group commissioned a renovation of the venue that included an architectural restoration to its 1934 state and the installation of adigital projector.[2]
The original building facade was designed in theSpanish Colonial Revival style. The front of the structure included two retail spaces flanking the central entrance. Atop the facade's central arch was acupola with a rotating light to serve as a "constant attraction" at night. The initial version of the venue featured an "artistically decorated"vestibule and lobby. The structure was fireproofed.[1]
The auditorium measures 50 feet (15 m) wide and 145 feet (44 m) long. In the original 1925 configuration, the theater seated 636 with a floorincline of 6 feet (1.8 m). The venue originally featured a Style DWurlitzer organ that was said to be the biggest in the city. Local artisan Charles T. Freelove Jr. designed several ornamentations, including theproscenium arch, organ grills, and poster frames.[1]
Schilling & Schilling designed the 1934 post-earthquakeStreamline Moderne iteration of the venue. New facets of the theater included abox office,terrazzo designs,fluting, and a sign tower on the roof. In 1947, Hugh Gibbs designed a set ofmid-century modern alterations to the building that includedglass brick walls, a new marquee, and a remodeled lobby. In 2008, the theater was restored to the specifications of the 1934 blueprints.[3]