In 1938, 20th Century-Fox released “In Old Chicago” starring three of their biggest stars: Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, and Don Ameche, so naturally they gave it a big, splashy premiere. For this one, they chose the Four Star Theatre at 5112 Wilshire Blvd. Though not as well remembered as the Grauman’s Chinese, Fox Westwood, or Carthay Circle, the Four Star launched many a movie. As we can see under the huge lit sign advertising the movie, they also set up bleachers for fans to watch their favorites stars arrive in that river of automobiles.
The Four Star was demolished in 2014. Currently on that site is an apartment building. This image is from July 2022.
That architectural “nod” to the building tha was there is insulting at a minimum
I noticed that too, Stevie, and wondered if perhaps I was giving the architect of those apartments too much credit. I’d like to think that the feature is, indeed, a nod.
It might be a nod to The Oasis, which was there right before it.
I like the new building design; one of the better looking buildings designed nowadays. I seem to remember going to that theatre once, but thought it was on Beverly Blvd. — obviously it isn’t.
Martin, do you have a more exact date for the premiere of In Old Chicago? I ask because it was nominated for Oscars as a 1937 movie, and Alice Brady won Best Supporting Actress of 1937 at the ceremony in 1938. That means it has to have played at a theater in L.A. for a week in 1937. Movies have often been premiered for a “special qualifying engagement” in L.A. in December of a given year, sometimes even before the official release. Maybe this was one of the first times a studio did it.
According AFI
https://catalog.afi.com/Film/984-IN-OLDCHICAGO
the world premiere was in New York: 6 Jan 1938 and it went into release on 15 April 1938