Bard's West Adams
 | |
| Address | 4409 W. Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles, California |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°01′57″N 118°18′22″W / 34.0326°N 118.3061°W |
| Owner | Louis L. Bard |
| Type | Movie theater |
| Capacity | 1,000+ |
| Screens | 1 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1924—1925 |
| Architect | Gable and Wyant Lewis Arthur Smith |
Bard's West Adams, later Fox Adams, Kabuki Theater, and Apollo West, also known as Bard's Adams and Bard's Adams Street, was a movie theater located at 4409 W. Adams Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. Upon opening it was considered "one of the finest residential theaters in the country."[1]
History
[edit]Bard's West Adams was built for Louis L. Bard's Far West Theatres by Bard's brother Arthur. Construction began in 1924, with Gable and Wyant list as architects as of March 1924. However, by January 1925, Lewis Arthur Smith had taken over the project, which finished construction later that year.[2] Construction of the building the theater was in, which also included stores and offices, was budgeted at $400,000 ($7.34 million in 2024) and financed by the American Mortgage Company.[3] The theater sat more than 1,000[4] and also featured a $35,000 ($642,165 in 2024) pipe organ.[3]
Bard's West Adams opened on August 4, 1926 with the world premiere of Shipwrecked,[5] starring Seena Owen, Joseph Schildkraut, Matthew Betz, Laska Winter, Lionel Belmore, and Clarence Burton, all of whom were in attendance, as was Ben Hur screenwriter Carey Wilson, who introduced the film. The Mack Sennett comedy Hubby's Quiet Little Game and several vaudeville acts were also shown at the opening.[1]
In 1927, after West Coast Theaters bought Far West Theatres, West Coast Theaters attempted to ignore a provision in the contract allowing Louis L. Bard to continue operating this theater. The company forcibly ousted Bard then obtained a temporary restraining order, after which Bard brought the matter to the courts, who ruled on his behalf.[6]
Bard's name was associated with the theater until at least October 1955,[7] although it was known as Fox Adams for a time as well.[5] By 1965, the theater had been renamed Kabuki Theater and was showing Japanese cinema,[8] and the theater went by Apollo West and housed Black cabaret sometime after that.[4]
The theater was eventually converted to a church.[5]
Architecture and design
[edit]Bard's West Adams featured an Egyptian motif[4] and a stage that could accommodate vaudeville.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Premiere for Bard's New House". Los Angeles Times. August 4, 1926.
- ^ Michelson, Alan. "Bard's West Adams Theatre, Los Angeles, CA (1924-1925)". University of Washington Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c "New Theater Under Way". Los Angeles Times. February 1, 1925.
- ^ a b c Owen, Tom. "Vista Theatre" (PDF). Retrieved June 27, 2025.
- ^ a b c Gabel, William. "Fox Adams Theatre". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ^ "Bard Wins in Theatre Suit". Unknown, possibly Los Angeles Times. 1927.
- ^ "Business Listing". Los Angeles Times. October 1955.
- ^ "Kabuki Theater advertisement". Los Angeles Times. 1965.