The El Centro Theatre History


	The Cast Theatre and The Circle Theatre have a vast history and were working on bringing you as much information as we can find.
	Check back for updates.

	The images and text below are from Remembering Charlie by Jerry Epstein.
	1946-1976

	In 1946, students from UCLA, including William Schallert, Jerry Epstein, Kathleen Freeman along with Sid Rushakoff, and Sydney
	Chaplin moved from there first location (a nice ladies large living room) after their successful production of Elmer Rice's "The Adding
	Machine" . Their new space, a converted corner grocery store at Waring and El Centro Ave., thus The Circle was created.


	The first play to be done in the new space was, "Ethan Frome". Having to clean the rubbish and convert the building into a theatre
	was a daunting task. Bob Burns, their lighting genius, coordinated the conversion. Jack Kelly came by to help out on the work.

	The Cast of the first show at 800 N El Centro
	Ethan Frome
		Harmon	Sydney Chaplin
		A Young Man	George Englund
		Ethan Frome	William Schallert
		Zenobia Frome	Kathleen Freeman
		Denis Eady	Sherridan Hall
		Mattie Silver	Irene Gordon
		Jonatham	Larry Salters
		Ed Varnum	Julian Ludwig
		Ethel	Jere Silvern
		George	Charles Chaplin, Jr.
		Ned Hale.	Jack Kelly
		Ruth Varnum	Gloria Grant
		Mrs. Hale	Ada Fremont

	Charlie Chaplin, allowed access to his vast amount of props for the production.

	Antic were a command place at The Circle, weekly cushion fights abound. After the audience left you might have seen Sydney
	Chaplin or Bill Schallert pursuing Kathleen Freeman down the streets, while the children across the street at Hollygrove,
	(Marilyn Monroe stayed there as an orphan.) watched the mayhem.

	The next play to grace The Circle's stage was, "The Time of Your Life" by William Saroyan. Sydney was in the show and at the
	time dating Marilyn Monroe, bringing her to watch rehearsals. This was the first production that Charlie Chaplin came to.

	Next up was "Love on the Dole". Then something amazing happened, William Saroyan, sent his new script "Sam's Ego House"
	and asked if The Circle would consider presenting it . Mr. Saroyan made it to the show, along with Mrs. Clifford Odets and
	Edward G. Robinson.

	The New Theatre (now the Chaplin Stage) was once one of the first silent picture movie theaters in Hollywood,
	then a mechanics garage with a dirt floor. It was then converted it into a small “experimental” theater,


	June 1961 Theatre Arts Magazine by Patterson Greene Los Angeles theatre critic wrote: "The entire theatre movement in Los
	Angeles started in a Hollywood living-room. Before that, there were only talent showcases and tired road shows. But it was The
	Circle Theatre that was the beginning of making Los Angeles a theatre town."

	In the early 50's and 60's, George Boroff ran the theatre, sending several plays to Broadway. The famous and infamous played
	Hollywood's first intimate professional theatre. The theatre changed hands in the mid 60's and housed many small companies
	until 1976.

	Click on any image to enlarge


	Laying the theatre floor. Left to right: Dee Tormey. Bill		The Players building the Circle Theatre, outside the garage
	Schallert, Kathleen Freeman, Bob Burns and Sydney		that eventually became the New Theatre.
	Chaplin.

	The first production at 800 N. El Centro, "Ethan Frome"		" The Time of Your Life"	"Love on the Dole"
				and Sam's Ego House


Outside the Circle Theatre. That's Sydney's new Cadillac.		One year anniversary, left to right: Charlie Chaplin, Lorraine
		and John Crawford, Sydney Chaplin, George Stern
		(foreground), Bill Schallert, Jerry Epstein, Joseph
		Schildkraut, Dee Tormey.


Top left, Shelley Winters, Constance Collier, Dorothy		Charlie Chaplin directing the first rehearsal of Rain.
Parker and Marie Wilson.		Left to right: Charlie, Leah Waggner, an unknown actor,
		Kathleen Freeman, Sydney Chaplin, John Peri.
		Back to Camera: June Havoc


During a performance of "Rain". Above the roof we		After a performance of Rain, The Great Fanny Brice,
had rain falling. Left to right: Leah Waggner, Alice Wellman,		Leah Waggner, Constance Collier and Julian Ludwig.
John Austin, June Havoc. Back to camera: Bill Schallert as
Rev. Davidson.

During the performance of "The Doctor in Spite		Ron Randell as Adolphus Cusins and Diana Douglas
of Himself".		(mother of Michael) as Barbara, in Shaw's "Major Barbara".
Kathleen Freeman addressing the audience.
Back row: Rhoda Fleming, Jeanne Cagney and Florence Marley.
Middle row: Leo Penn, Olive Deering, Larry Epstein, Charlie
Chaplin, Gene Tierney, Oona Chaplin, Constance Collier.
In front row Henry Wilcox, Katherine De Mille, Barbara Britton,
Roddy McDowall and Elizabeth Taylor.


A rehearsal shot of The Time Of Your Life.		Joe Mantell as Mr. Zero and Strother Martin as Shrdlu in
At the table on far left: Kathleen Freeman, (?), Virgina Morton		Elmer Rice's "The Adding Machine".
(the nurse). At the foreground table: Mary Davenport, Jack
Kelly, Jack Conrad. In the background, left to right Ray
Hyke, Bill Schallert,(?), Sydney Chaplin, Manny Robinson
(Edward G. Robinson's son),(?) George Englund, Earle
Herdan, Larry Salters and Julian Ludwig.


The card playing scene from "The School For Scandal".		David Niven and Robert Coote discussing The Circle
Standing behind Marie Wilson is Wheeler Dryden, Charlie's		Theatre with Terry Kilburn and me.
half brother. Seated on the left is Naomi Stevens as Lady
Sneerwell, and opposite her is Janet Brandt as Mrs. Candour.

		We are always about learning more of the vast history of this
		great theatre. If you have any information, and or any comments
		of your experiences at this theatre, please leave a message.

		As we discover the vast and amazing history of this great theatre,
		we are renovating the space to bring back the grandeur
		that this landmark of Hollywood theatre deserves.
Two of our regulars, Edward G. Robinson and Sam Jaffe.
		Here's what we have done so far.
		Pictures of the new lobby for the Circle and Chaplin Theatres.