 The theater in 1926 | |
 Interactive map of Ritz Theatre | |
| Address | 5214Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°03′44″N118°20′37″W / 34.0622°N 118.3437°W /34.0622; -118.3437 |
| Type | Stage andmovie theater |
| Capacity | 1,750[1] or 1,660[2] originally, later lowered to 1,402[2] |
| Construction | |
| Opened | October 15, 1926 |
| Renovated | late 1940s, 1963 |
| Demolished | 1977 |
| Construction cost | $350,000 ($6.22 million in2024) |
| Architect | Lewis Arthur Smith |
Ritz Theatre, also known asFox Ritz Theatre andLindy Opera House, was astage andmovie theater located at 5214Wilshire Boulevard, on the corner of Wilshire andLa Brea Avenue, inLos Angeles,California.
Ritz Theatre was designed forWest Coast Theatres byLewis Arthur Smith, an architect known for many theaters insouthern California, most notably theVista,El Portal,Highland,Rialto, andVentura.[3] This theater, part of a block-long commercial development that included offices, stores, and apartments, was commissioned for $350,000 ($6.22 million in2024) in anticipation of what would becomeMiracle Mile, Los Angeles. Ritz Theatre, one of the first "talking" movie theaters in Los Angeles, opened with a screening ofThe Strong Man on October 15, 1926. Its capacity was either 1,660 or 1,750 at opening, and was later reduced to 1,402.[1][4][5]
In 1929, West Coast Theaters merged withFox Theaters, after which this theater was renamed Fox Ritz Theatre. In the 1950s, the theater was used for private screenings by producerMike Todd and on January 25, 1960,Scent of Mystery and its accompanyingsmell-o-vision had its west coastpremiere in the theater.[6] In December 1963,Sidney Linden reopened the theater as the Lindy Opera House.[7] The theater was later briefly converted back to a movie theater and then to aKorean church.[1][5]
Ritz Theatre and the building it was part of was razed in 1977 and replaced by a parking lot, the parking lot later replaced by another development.[1]
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Ritz Theatre originally featuredBeaux Arts architecture withSpanish andFrench Baroqueornamentation in its interior. The exterior also featured an ornate rooftop electric sign and the interior a 42-by-30-foot stage for live performances.[1]
AfterWorld War II, Ritz Theatre's exterior was sheathed inconcrete,glass, andsteel. The rooftop sign remained through and after the remodel.[1]