Silent Movie Theatre

I love this idea. Why don’t more people do it?

There’s a business in Los Angeles known as the Silent Movie Theatre. According to the website, it was built by husband-and-wife team John and Dorothy Hampton in 1942. It was (so the website claims) the only silent movie theatre in the country.
On January 17, 1997, then-owner Laurence Austin was shot and killed in what was purported to be an attempted robbery. The truth came out, though, that Austin’s partner paid a hit man to murder him (said partner hoped to inherit Austin’s estate).
In March of the following year, the Theatre closed and was put on sale. Fortunately for all lovers of silent film, the building was bought (on a whim) by Charles Lustig, who reopened it in November of 1999. The renovation, which cost almost a million dollars, included new paint, floors, Art Deco marquee, screen, projection booth, and a digital keyboard donated by Yamaha. A café was added, along with a movie gallery.

The sad thing is, showings of silent films became less frequent as the years went on. In June of 2006, Lustig sold the Theatre to brothers Sammy and Dan Harkman, and Hadrian Belove. The new owners still show silents, but not exclusively; one advantage is that they show silents that aren’t as well-known to modern audiences. A look at the website shows “Silent Wednesdays” on the bill. The program gives an enticing offer of “orphan films” – something I’d like to see!

The Theatre is also available to rent for private parties. The projection capacity includes 35mm, 16mm, and hi-def digital.

The Theatre is located at 611 N. Fairfax Avenue, north of the Farmers Market.