The Vision Theatre

TEXT FARIDA AMAR

Built by billionaire Howard Hughes (who’s known best for his passion for women, film, and aviation), The Vision Theater opened its doors to the South Los Angeles film community on April 21, 1932. It was originally named Leimert Theater to highlight the new and up-and-coming neighborhood of Leimert Park. The iconic Spanish-Colonial-violently-crashing-into-Beaux-Arts style building designed by architect Stiles O. Cements — who also did the Mayan Theater, Wiltern Theater, and others — ran films for three decades and quickly became a beloved landmark.

After screening the release of Bonnie and Clyde starring Warren Beatty, the theater briefly closed in 1968 and… well, it was renamed The Watchtower and reopened in the ‘70s as a Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall. This phase lasted roughly 20 years and was interrupted by actress Marla Gibbs (seven time NAACP Image Award winner) who purchased the theater in 1990 and renamed it the Vision Theater.

After the 1992 LA Race Riots, the Vision Theater fell because of the economic recession that followed. Marla lost the property through foreclosure in 1997. In 2012 the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs completed a $11 million renovation of the theater. Today, the Vision Theater hosts a variety of community events, theatrical productions, music classes, and city functions.