 Metropolitan Theatres ownedArlington Theatre inSanta Barbara | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | 1923; 102 years ago (1923) |
| Founder | Joseph Corwin |
| Fate | Filed forChapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024 |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Southern California Loveland andSteamboat Springs,Colorado Park City, Utah |
Key people | David Corwin (CEO) |
| Services | Movie theater |
| Owner | Corwin family |
| Website | www |
Metropolitan Theatres isLos Angeles's oldestmovie theater chain.[1] Opened in 1923, they filed forChapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024, at which point they owned 15 theaters: ten insouthern California (including seven out of eight inSanta Barbara), three inColorado, and two inUtah.[2][3]
Metropolitan Theatres was founded by Joseph Corwin in 1923.[2] At the time, the Corwin family operated almost every movie theater indowntown Los Angeles'sBroadway Theater District, the city's premiere theater venue untilHollywood was built up in the 1920s and 30s.[1][4][5]
In the 1950s, Metropolitan Theatres expanded intoSanta Barbara.[3] In the 1970s, they shifted toblaxploitation films in their downtown Los Angeles theaters, and in the 1980s, those same theaters shifted again, toSpanish language cinema. The company at one point had more than 1000 employees.[1]
The company filed forChapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024.Chief Executive Officer David Corwin blamed the bankruptcy on theCOVID-19 pandemic, which he said was "devastating to the business," as well as theWGA andSAG-AFTRA strikes and increased labor, rent, and utilities expenses.[1]
Notable theaters that have been either owned or operated by Metropolitan Theatres include:
