Alex Theatre
Glendale, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Alex Theatre makes itself easy to find along Brand Boulevard, thanks to a soaring neon spire topped with a starburst. Its angled marquee and open entrance court give downtown Glendale a little movie-house sparkle before customers even reach the doors. Among the newer storefronts, this is one landmark that still knows how to get your attention.
Opened in 1925 as the Alexander Theatre, the building originally welcomed audiences for motion pictures and vaudeville. Hollywood studios also used it for previews, bringing an occasional glimpse of the movie business to Glendale.
Alex Theatre
Glendale, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
S. Charles Lee gave the exterior its familiar transformation in 1940, adding the streamlined entrance and dramatic neon tower. That combination became the Alex’s calling card, making the approach to the theatre nearly as memorable as the entertainment inside.
UPDATE: The Alex continues hosting concerts, comedy, live performances, and film screenings at 216 N. Brand Boulevard. First-run movies returned in 2026, adding another attraction to its performing arts schedule. A century after its first audiences arrived, there are still reasons to stop beneath the marquee—and that starburst remains a fine way to point them out. 10-26
Montclair Theatre (Demolished)
Montclair, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Montclair Theatre advertised its name in flowing script, giving Holt Boulevard a movie-house sign with plenty of personality. Opened in 1967, the theatre began as a large single-screen house with roughly 1,250 seats—a substantial setting for an evening’s feature.
Additional screens followed as the business adapted to multiplex competition. The auditorium was divided into three in 1977, with further expansion bringing more choices under the Montclair name.
UPDATE: The theatre closed in December 1990 and was subsequently demolished. Its familiar script sign disappeared with the building, leaving photographs to recall another suburban movie stop from the days when the entrance deserved a look of its own. 10-26
Academy Theatre (Closed)
Inglewood, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Academy Theatre gives Manchester Boulevard a landmark visible from blocks away. Its tall spiral tower rises above the entrance like a streamlined lighthouse, announcing a movie house with considerably more flair than the ordinary neighborhood storefront. The building was serving as a church when photographed here. 01-06
Opened in 1939, the Academy was designed by S. Charles Lee, whose theatres often made the exterior part of the evening’s entertainment. The rounded forms and dramatic tower remain a striking example of his approach to getting motorists’ attention.
UPDATE: The former theatre survives as Academy Cathedral at 3141 W. Manchester Boulevard. Church use has kept the building occupied for decades, while its distinctive tower preserves a familiar piece of Inglewood’s moviegoing scenery. The feature presentation has changed, but the old Academy still knows how to stand out along the boulevard. 10-26
Fox Riverside
Riverside, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Fox Riverside Theatre brings a grand movie-house presence to the corner of Mission Inn Avenue and Market Street. Its tiled roof, decorative tower, and familiar Fox name fit comfortably into downtown Riverside’s historic scenery. Even when the theatre was closed, the exterior gave passing motorists a reason to slow down for another look.
Opened in 1929, the Fox served as both a cinema and a vaudeville house. Its Spanish Colonial Revival design supplied an elaborate setting for a neighborhood evening out, while Hollywood producers found Riverside a useful place to test their latest pictures.
The most famous preview came in September 1939, when an unsuspecting audience saw Gone with the Wind before its official release. Customers arriving for an ordinary movie program found themselves taking part in film history—a rather memorable surprise at the local Fox.
Fox Riverside
Riverside, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE: The Fox Theatre reopened as a 1,600 seat entertainment venue after closing for renovation in 2007. The theatre is now known as the Fox Performing Arts Center. 09-17
UPDATE: Following an extensive restoration, the theatre reopened in January 2010 as the Fox Performing Arts Center. Concerts, touring productions, and special events now bring crowds back to 3801 Mission Inn Avenue. The regular movie schedule has changed, but the restored entrance and auditorium give Riverside another chance to enjoy its old showplace. Catch it on an event night and the corner comes alive again. 10-26
Fox Theatre (Closed)
Fullerton, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Fox
Theatre in Fullerton still makes its movie-house heritage known with rooftop lettering and the familiar Fox script at the entrance. Along Harbor Boulevard, the building recalls the years when downtown shopping, dinner, and an evening at the pictures could all fit into the same trip. Its courtyard entrance offers a welcome change from the usual sidewalk storefront.
Opened in 1925, the theatre was designed by Meyer & Holler, the firm behind Hollywood’s Egyptian and Chinese theatres. It later joined the Fox circuit, adding that recognizable name to a building already established in the community.
Fox Theatre
Fullerton, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Movies ended in 1987, followed by years of deterioration and uncertainty. A proposal to replace the property with apartments brought the threat into focus, prompting a determined community effort to save it. The Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation purchased the theatre in 2004, keeping the wrecking equipment from getting the final booking.
UPDATE: Restoration remains an ongoing undertaking, with structural improvements and repairs preparing the Fox for a fuller return to public use. Saving the building was the first major victory; bringing the entire theatre back has taken considerably longer. Thankfully, the familiar name still overlooks Harbor Boulevard, and Fullerton has kept the possibility of another opening night alive. 10-26
Montclair Theatre (Demolished)
Academy Theatre (Closed)
Fox Riverside
