1922 The Sawtelle Crown silent picture Theater

In 1922, The Crown Silent Motion Picture Theater was also known as the Sawtelle Theater and was located at 11342 Santa Monica blvd in the Crown Theater Building also known as the Barker Block. In 1924, The Tivoli Movie Theater was built to replace the old Crown Sawtelle Theater.

Before movies could talk, there were endless opportunities for those who had talent to make a living performing in front of live audiences. Singers, dancers, actors, and comedians were the backbone of the traveling show called “vaudeville acts”. These Vaudeville acts were performed in the Movie Theater before or after the Movies were shown.

Click on this Link for additional information https://losangelestheatres.blogspot.com/2017/03/crown-theatre.html

The 1921 Sanborn Map of Sawtelle shown below depicts the Crown Sawtelle Silent Picture Movie Theater, colored Purple, before the Tivoli or Nuart existed. The purple colored box is also the Barker Block Building. Click on the image to zoom in. The Building address on the Sanborn shows 342-344 as the address. 11 was added later to avoid conflicting with Santa Monica addresses making the Sawtelle address 11342 Santa Monica Blvd.

The location of the Barker Building today would be generally where the Library and the Felicia Mahood Senior Center are located on Santa Monica Blvd. Corinth Avenue did not go all the way across Santa Monica Boulevard at that time.

The Barker building is the Large two story structure to the right. The Crown Sawtelle Silent Motion Picture Theater was located on the first floor of the Barker Building. Typically someone would play a manual Organ or Piano in the background to enhance the silent movie. There is a large arched entryway to the Theater that is visible and there appears to be Movie Posters on display in the entry way. To the right of the entryway would have been the Means Sweet shop. The Photo is assumed to have been taken in the early 1920s.

The first article below is from a Santa Monica Evening Outlook Newspaper Movie advertisement with Jackie Coogan in the silent motion picture “Oliver Twist” dated April 24, 1923 that identifies the Sawtelle Theater as also the Crown Theater. Source: Santa Monica Library

The second image is a Santa Monica Evening Outlook Newspaper article dated March 07, 1924 and discusses the grand opening of the The Tivoli Movie Theater and the Sawtelle Crown Theater. Source: Santa Monica Library

The image below is another Santa Monica Evening Outlook Newspaper Movie advertisement dated April 06, 1923 with Mary Pickford in the silent motion picture “Tess of the storm country”. 

The Nuart Theatre opened in 1930 with a ceremony that included the appearance of Silent Film Actor Douglas Fairbanks Sr, and his wife, America’s sweetheart Mary Pickford. See the Link  1930—August – The Nuart Theater Opens

The fourth image below is an advertisement dated Santa Monica Evening Outlook, February 06, 1923 on Ruben Ray’s Circus company.

The fifth image below is an advertisement from Santa Monica Evening Outlook Newspaper, Santa Monica Library dated April 1923. A silent motion picture movie starring Wesley Barry.

The sixth image below is an advertisement from Santa Monica Evening Outlook Newspaper, Santa Monica Library dated December 6, 1923. Means Sweet Shop located at 344 (11344) Santa Monica Blvd. in the (Barker) Crown Theater Building.