Cities throughout Southern California are full of cool historic buildings. I love the character and detailed architecture of these structures, as well as the stories they hold. There seem to be only three eventualities for these striking properties – vacancy and decay, demolition, or restoration. In the case of one historic theater in Los Angeles, it is the latter, and its future looks bright.
The historic Crest Theater (also known as the Crest Westwood, Loew’s Crest, Metro Theatre, Pacific’s Crest, and Majestic Crest Theatre) has long been an architectural icon in Westwood.
The Crest first opened in 1940 as the UCLAN Theater. This Art Deco and Moderne style theater, with 500 seats and a stage, was designed for both live performances and film screenings.
Over the years, the theater changed hands many times, being used to screen newsreels during WWII, foreign films, and avant-garde movies by up-and-coming Hollywood directors. The famous 1964 movie, “Dr. Strangelove,” had its first Los Angeles showing here at the Crest.
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By 1987, the already iconic building was owned by Pacific Theaters and Disney, and the theatre underwent significant renovations to both the Art Deco facade, the interior, and the sound technology.
More changes of ownership followed - one of which had planned to turn the building into a nightclub - and in 2008, the theatre was designated as a historic-cultural monument by the City of Los Angeles. Sometime after 2013, the venue was closed and listed for sale, remaining vacant for years.
UCLA was able to purchase the theatre with the help of a huge financial gift from Susan Nimoy, the widow of Leonard Nimoy (best known for his role as Captain Spock in the Star Trek series), and has been renamed once again, this time in honor of the famous artist, actor, director, and philanthropist.
Once again, the Crest, or rather The Nimoy, has undergone major work to including careful restoration and preservation of the historic marquee and other Art Deco elements, as well as the amazing 230-foot interior mural depicting a 1930s Los Angeles cityscape, all of which were part of the Disney renovation.
The restored theatre has been transformed into a versatile performing arts space and officially celebrated its reopening on Sunday, September 17, 2023 with a Community Open House Celebration.
In deference to the Nimoys’ philanthropic endeavors and long history with the theater (Leonard directed the movie, “Three Men and a Baby,” the first film to be screened after the Disney renovations) Spock’s famous line, “Live Long and Prosper” is being proudly inscribed above the theatre’s entrance - a fitting description of the hopes for this legendary venue and the Los Angeles arts scene.
The opening of The Nimoy is a significant boost to the neighborhood of Westwood and will hopefully thrive as a center for creativity and the arts in Los Angeles. Have you heard of The Crest theatre before? Find out more about this legendary venue on the CAP UCLA website. If you love these kinds of cultural and historic places, check out this Epic Road Trip to 7 Iconic Landmarks In Southern California. Before hitting the road, make sure you have all of your road trip essentials, and don’t forget the road trip snacks!
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