Alex Theatre from “You”

The Grim Cheaper and I spent the days after Christmas in full vacation mode – sleeping in late, staying in our pajamas until all hours, and binging countless movies and TV shows, including the second season of Netflix’s You, which, I have to say, I enjoyed even more than the first.  Well, up until the abysmal finale that is.  The episode seemed to drag on forever and WTH was that ending, amirite?  The rest of the episodes, though, were nothing if not engrossing!  I especially loved that the production was relocated from New York to L.A. for Season 2.  I was thrilled to recognize several spots that I’ve already blogged about including Home restaurant, where Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) spied on Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti) lunching with her friends in “Just the Tip,” and the now-defunct Daily Dose Café, where Joe escaped from Candace Stone (Ambyr Childers) in “A Fresh Start.”  Another familiar spot featured was Alex Theatre, a historic Glendale venue that I stalked back in 2010 after it made an appearance on Glee, but somehow never blogged about.  So here goes!

Originally known as “Alexander Theatre,” the imposing arena was commissioned by West Coast Theatres chain owner C. L. Langley and named in honor of his son.

The Classic Revival-style property, which boasts Greek and Egyptian influences (and, in fact, with its large forecourt and columns reminds me quite a bit of Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre), was designed by Arthur G. Lindley and Charles R. Selkirk.  Opened in 1925, the site initially served as a vaudeville venue and movie house, but it wasn’t long before the nearby studios took notice and began utilizing the space for premieres and screenings.

The Alexander underwent an interesting facelift of sorts in 1940 thanks to architect S. Charles Lee, who was also responsible for the Los Angeles Theatre, Temple Israel of Hollywood, and the Max Factor Building.  Though the structure’s original façade and forecourt were left intact during the reno . . .

. . . a 100-foot tower, large marquee and ticket booth, all Moderne in style, were installed in front of them, essentially blocking the initial architecture from view.  The space was also redubbed the “Alex Theatre” at that time.   Thankfully, the venue’s grand interior was largely untouched and looks just as beautiful today as it did when the site originally opened.  Of its unique aesthetic, the Alex’s website states, “The auditorium was designed as an ‘atmospherium’ with an open-air illusion enhanced by the stage-set wall encircling the room, creating the feeling of being enclosed in an ancient garden.  The Alex is one of the few atmospheric theatres constructed in Southern California and one of only a handful that still remain.”  You can check out some photos of the interior here.

Unfortunately, the Alex suffered from a lack of patronage in the ‘80s and shut its doors.  It was finally rescued in 1992 by the Glendale Redevelopment Agency, who poured $6.2 million into a massive revitalization project.  It then re-opened to much fanfare on December 31st, 1993.  Today, the 1,413-seat venue serves as a live performance space and is one of the area’s most popular spots for comedy shows, theatre events, and, of course, filming.

In the Season 2 episode of You titled “Have a Good Wellkend, Joe!”, Delilah Alves (Carmela Zumbado) confronts her younger sister, Ellie (Jenna Ortega), over some stolen photographs outside of the Alex.

You is hardly the only production to make use of the venue.  Back in 1999, Mandy Moore shot her “Walk Me Home” music video at the site.

The pop star even sang a few vocals propped atop the Alex’s marquee, though I think those segments may have been lensed on a studio-built set replica.

Aaron Carter’s 2002 “Do You Remember” music video also took place at the venue.

In the Season 3 episode of Criminal Minds titled “3rd Life,” which aired in 2008, the Behavioral Analysis Unit investigated the case of two teens who went missing from the Alex.

The theatre popped up as the Buckeye Civic Auditorium, where the McKinley High glee club competed in the Western Ohio High School’s Show Choir Sectionals, in the Season 1 episode of Glee titled “Sectionals,” which aired in 2009.

Hugh Hefner (James Franco) hosted a screening of Deep Throat at the Alex in the 2013 biopic Lovelace.

Larry David (Larry David) and Jeff Greene’s (Jeff Garlin) Fatwa! musical is performed at the venue in the Season 9 finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm titled “Fatwa!”, which aired in 2017.

And Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) attended Dick Casablancas’ (Ryan Hansen) movie premiere at the Alex in the Season 4 episode of Veronica Mars titled “Chino and the Man,” which aired in 2019.

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Until next time, Happy Stalking!

Stalk It: Alex Theatre, from the “Have a Good Wellkend, Joe!” episode of You, is located at 216 North Brand Boulevard in Glendale.  You can visit the venue’s official website here.

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