California Story Fund
What's Playing at the Del Mar?
L.A. Commons
Los Angeles
Project Director: Karen Mack
Capturing memories of the Del Mar Theater and Pico Boulevard
The Mid-City section of Los Angeles is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Los Angeles, with a mixture of African-Americans, Latinos and an increasing number of Anglos. At the heart of Mid-City is Pico Boulevard, once a thriving shopping district, and the Del Mar Theater, once a popular movie palace. Today, the area is undergoing redevelopment, and the owner the Del Mar Theater is restoring the façade of the building to its original splendor. While redevelopment efforts represent a potential boon, they also may drastically change the character of the area.
This project collected the stories of the successive waves of Anglos, blacks, and Latinos who have lived in the area, with particular emphasis on people's experiences of the Del Mar Theater. Stories were gathered on videotape from people who have significant memories of the theater. The edited video, which also included archival material from newspapers and other sources, was screened for the general public.
"The aim of the project," said Project Director Karen Mack, "was to educate people about Mid-City's history. We wamted to give residents a sense of ownership of area, so that could become more involved in its future."