Nimoy Theater
The Nimoy | |
UCLA | |
| Operator | Crest Theater Inc. |
|---|---|
| Type | Movie theater |
| Seating type | see website |
| Capacity | 460[1] |
| Scoreboard | yes |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1939 |
| Opened | 1941[1] |
| Renovated | 1987 |
| Architect | Arthur Hawes[2] |
| Project manager | see website |
| Tenants | |
| Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (1980s-2002) | |
| Website | |
| crestwestwood | |
The Nimoy Theater, formerly known as Crest, Majestic Crest and Bigfoot Crest Theatre, is a
In October 2018, with support from
History
Arthur Hawes designed the theater in an austere Moderne style for financer Frances Seymour Fonda, wife of Henry and mother of Jane and Peter, as a live performance theater.[2] The theatre was opened in 1941[1] as the UCLAN.[2]
The venue was changed over to being a movie theater which was exclusively devoted to newsreels during World War II. After the war ended, the theater featured foreign films.[2]
Crest Theater
After being renamed the Crest Theater, films began screening there including Dr. Strangelove, Rosemary's Baby, Goodbye, Columbus and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.[2]
Pacific Theatres purchased Crest in 1985.[6] Late in the 1980s, Disney purchased a controlling stake in one of Pacific's chain that held El Capitan Theatre and the Crest.[7]
Disney's Buena Vista Theaters and Pacific began renovated the Crest in 1987 with its motif changed to a Hollywood fantasy-land. Joseph Musil was engaged to overhaul the theater's interior.[2] The first part of the renovations was upgrading its film and sound systems which was done before the 1987 opening of Three Men and a Baby. The next phase was to re-theme the theater in an Art Deco motif while rehabbing the lobby, auditorium, restrooms and seats. This was finished by the 1988 premiere of Big Business. Disney ended their partnership in the Crest in 2002.[6]
Eventually Pacific sold the theater to independent operator Robert Bucksbaum in 2003 then renamed Majestic Crest Theater after the 2001 film
In September 2010, the theater was purchased by
In August 2013, after being closed about 19 months, the theatre had reopened under new management with a series of ballet and opera screenings as the Crest. The theatre announcing their intention to program more movies and events in the future. For example, the last Friday of the month the theatre has a surfing series showing surfing movies.[12]
In popular culture
- pilot episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm
References
- ^ a b c d Verrier, Richard (October 6, 2010). "Indie filmmaker Bigfoot has an inside track to theater". L.A. Times.
- ^ a b c d e f g Groves, Martha (May 6, 2008). "Landmark status sought for Westwood's Crest Theater". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ Wanamaker, pg. 43
- ^ Haring, Bruce (October 31, 2018). "UCLA Buys Crest Theater, Will Become The Nimoy Theater Honoring Leonard Nimoy". Deadline. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- KTLA-TV. The CW. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ a b "Crest Theatre". D23. The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ Aberdeen, J. A. (2005). Hollywood Renegades: The Movie Theater Chains of the Media Giants. Cobblestone Entertainment. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
- ISBN 0-7385-6910-0.
- ^ Verrier, Richard (September 23, 2011). "Crest theater to close for renovations, Bigfoot executive says". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ Kudler, Adrian Glick (December 9, 2011). "Majestic Crest For Sale, Bananas Bel Air Design Auction". Curbed LA. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ "Westwood: movies and Marilyn Monroe". Orange County Register. Southern California News Group. February 2, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
- ^ Nordine, Michael (August 27, 2013). "Westwood's Crest Theatre Rises Again". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
External links
- crestwestwood
.com - The Majestic Crest, Los Angeles at Flickriver.com
- Majestic Crest Theatre at Cinema Treasures
- The Crest Theatre[permanent dead link] on Cinema Sightlines