Laemmle Theatres
Company typePrivate
IndustryEntertainment
Founded1938; 86 years ago (1938)
FounderMax and Kurt Laemmle
Area served
Los Angeles, California
ServicesMovie theater, Academy Award qualification
OwnerRobert and Greg Laemmle
Websitewww.laemmle.com

Laemmle Theatres (/ˈlɛmli/ LEM-lee) is a group of family-run arthouse movie theaters in the Los Angeles area. It was established in 1938[1] and is owned and operated by Robert Laemmle and his son Greg Laemmle.

Robert Laemmle's father Max and uncle Kurt, cousins of Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle, bought their first movie theater in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles in 1938.

There are seven locations: Claremont 5 in Claremont, Glendale 5 in Glendale, Monica Film Center in Santa Monica, Royal Theatre in West Los Angeles, Town Center 5 in Encino, NoHo 7 in North Hollywood, and Newhall 7 in Newhall. The Laemmle Grande 4-Plex on South Figueroa Street closed October 25, 2009 as L.A. Live's Regal Cinema complex was set to open.[1] Construction of the Newhall theater was completed in 2020, but its opening was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] It opened on April 9, 2021.[3]

In December 2011, the Glendale City Council and Redevelopment Agency approved a $12.8 million[4] plan to develop a loft with 42 residential units, a 5-screen Laemmle Theaters, and a Panda Inn restaurant. Construction of the residential building complex began in mid-2015,[5] and it opened in August 2018.[6] With the Glendale location's reopening on May 21, 2021, Laemmle Theatres resumed operating all the locations that had been open in 2019 prior to the closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] The Playhouse 7 in Pasadena ceased operations as a Laemmle location at the end of June 2022.[8]

Oscar qualifying

During the 21st century, the Laemmle venues have come to be known as the "Secret Path to Oscar Qualifying" since they have been repeatedly used by independent films, short films, and documentaries for that purpose.[9] Laemmle provides services designed to enable a film to qualify for Academy Awards,[10] charging a flat rate for exhibition while giving the film's producers 100 percent of the box office receipts; they have someone meet every year with the Academy committees in all the categories to ensure their "qualifying run" bookings actually qualify.[9] They even help film-makers book their films outside of their own theaters if a committee requires that.[9]

Documentary

The Laemmle Theatres are the subject of the 2022 documentary Only in Theaters, directed by Raphael Sbarge.[11] Released in 2022 and now available On Demand.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b Richard Verrier A Hollywood opening for downton cinema October 24, 2009 Los Angeles Times
  2. ^ "A Sneak Preview Of The New Laemmle Theatre In Old Town Newhall". Hometown Station. 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  3. ^ "Laemmle Theaters Newhall Open for Business". San Fernando Valley Business Journal. 2021-04-09. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  4. ^ "Glendale's Laemmle Lofts Theater and Housing Finally Moving - Curbed LA". Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  5. ^ "Redevelopment's Dissolution Leads City of Glendale To Create Its Own Economic Development Corporation | The Planning Report". Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  6. ^ "The Grand Opening of the Laemmle Glendale is Set for Friday, August 3rd!". blog.laemmle.com. 2018-07-11. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  7. ^ "Back to the Movies: Laemmle Glendale Reopens May 21". blog.laemmle.com. 2021-05-12. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  8. ^ "Laemmle's Playhouse 7 Finishes Its Pasadena Run, Will Stay Open For Conclusion of Pasadena Film Festival Thursday – Pasadena Now". www.pasadenanow.com. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  9. ^ a b c "The Secret Path to Oscar Qualifying". The Wrap. November 5, 2009. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  10. ^ Qualification from the Laemmle Theatres website
  11. ^ "New film tells the story of LA institution Laemmle Theaters". Onlyintheaters.com. 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  12. ^ "Only In Theaters". Amazon.com. 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2023-05-02.

External links

Movie theaters in Los Angeles
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