Adults admired the epic Art Deco murals on the walls and craned their necks to look at the silver-leaf stars that twinkled from the ceiling like the sky outside. Screen legends from Charlie Chaplin to Louis B.

Mayer to Marilyn Monroe long used the Avalon for premieres and showcases. For Catalina longtimers like Benson and Hernandez, both 48, it was more than just a stage for the stars; it was the setting for first dates and high school graduations and nights out with the kids.

It was so big and special and magical. Other theaters were like nothing compared to it. At the end of this year, the Avalon will stop showing first-run films for good, ending a year tradition. The Catalina Island Co. Chief Executive Randy Herrel said not enough people attend the new flicks to make the Avalon financially viable.

Benson launched a Change. As a 5-year-old, local historian Chuck Liddell used to give out theater handbills to beachgoers back when the Avalon showed a new film every night.

Now 72, he sympathizes somewhat with the Catalina Island Co. But it has struggled to attract large crowds ever since the advent of television. As recently as the s, the Avalon opened only for weekends during the winter. In recent years, the Island Co. They introduced more classic movies and performances on the massive theater organ every Friday and Saturday evening.

But attendance, which averaged between and during summer nights as recently as , continued to crater. Herrel said that the Catalina Island Co. He has led backstage tours for everyone from William H.

Jon Favreau was like a kid in a candy store when he saw the projection room. The daily screenings are kind of what kept it breathing and made it a living organism.

The Avalon certainly buzzed with excitement on the night Benson and Hernandez attended. But melancholy set in once the lights went up.

She delivered the Change. org petition to the Catalina Island Co. Inside, year-old friends Alexa Moronez and Jocelyn Reyes lingered in the lobby, ringed with black-walnut panels and gold-leaf accents.

Pre-teens bounced on the vintage couches. Anonymous Not logged in Log in. Namespaces Page Discussion. More More. Page actions Read View source History.

The second Casino, under construction, Santa Catalina Island, The Casino Cupola drone shot, Santa Catalina Island, California. Casino , Santa Catalina Island postmarked September 12, Wilmington Transportation Company flag on verso [original in SCIF archives].

Navigation Navigation Main page West of the West Film Channel Islands Center. Wiki tools Wiki tools Special pages. Although the Big Bands have long faded away, the Catalina Casino Ballroom still attracts crowds for celebrations of all sorts.

The ballroom retains its original style—a lavish medley of rose-hued walls, black Art Deco reliefs, an arching fifty-foot ceiling with five Tiffany-like chandeliers, an elevated stage, raised seating areas around the dance floor, and a vintage full-service bar in back.

The outdoor promenade encircles the ballroom and overlooks the protected cove of Avalon Bay and Descanso Beach. The Catalina Casino Ballroom is available for private functions, and is a very popular spot for weddings and special events.

Visitors can also see the inside of the Catalina Casino building on one of several daily walking tours. The art-deco style Avalon Theatre is located on the lower level and boasts perfect acoustics. The original 16 rank pipe organ was built by the Page Organ Company of Lima, Ohio.

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Join Avalon78, the ultimate online casino! Enjoy slots, table games, live dealer & more. Claim exclusive bonuses worldwide! Dominating the Avalon landscape from its regal perch on the edge of Avalon Bay, the Casino exemplifies the style and romance of Catalina Island. It gets its Visiting the Catalina Island Casino while in Avalon is a must do at least once. It's an absolutely beautiful and interesting building from a long ago era and

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Avalon casino - The Catalina Casino is a large gathering facility located in Avalon on Santa Catalina Island, off the coast of Los Angeles in California Join Avalon78, the ultimate online casino! Enjoy slots, table games, live dealer & more. Claim exclusive bonuses worldwide! Dominating the Avalon landscape from its regal perch on the edge of Avalon Bay, the Casino exemplifies the style and romance of Catalina Island. It gets its Visiting the Catalina Island Casino while in Avalon is a must do at least once. It's an absolutely beautiful and interesting building from a long ago era and

Location: Casino Building Main Box Office. Available: General Admission is available daily, rain or shine excluding special event closures. Accessibility: The Catalina Casino is wheelchair accessible. Please review restrictions below. Restrictions: This experience is available for most guests.

Please see restrictions below. Contact us for details. Rates may vary on weekends and holidays. Take a Trip Down Memory Lane to the Catalina Island Casino View the magnificent foyer with original ceilings and gorgeous hardwoods.

Walk the ramps that have hosted millions of people for more than 90 years. View the Casino Ballroom floor that has hosted record-breaking crowds. Chevron down What to Bring Wear comfortable clothes for the season.

Related Activities. Clock 1 hour Users All ages Casino VIP Backstage Tour. Book Now. Relive the Golden Days and stand in the footprints of Big Band era stars on this exciting casino tour experience.

Take a trip down memory lane, when bands were big and movies were just beginning to talk. Discover the famous Catalina Casino!

Back to Blog 3 secrets about the Catalina Casino. The Catalina Casino is full of secrets. The murals in the Catalina Casino. Previous Post Next Post. Clock 1 hour Users All ages Casino VIP Backstage Tour.

Book Now. Learn More. The iconic Sugar Loaf rock was blasted away in March to improve the view of the magnificent new casino building. The casino was designed for William Wrigley, Jr.

by architects Sumner A. Spaulding and William Webber, who designed the building with a ballroom over a movie theatre in the Moorish Alhambra style, with Art Deco fixtures, furnishings and artwork. The construction of the building lasted 14 months with crews working around the clock.

Artist John Gabriel Beckman was commissioned to decorate the interior of the theatre and the main entrance foyer with extensive murals. The theatre was originally built to accommodate moviegoers and was one of the first theaters in America retrofitted for both silent and sound motion pictures.

The ballroom was designed and built with a cantilever construction that made possible an expansive circular dance floor without supporting pillars.

A soda fountain, known as the Marine Bar was built and a beautiful circular terrace surrounding the ballroom added a finishing touch. The Casino opened to the public on May 29, — a landmark building that remains an architectural wonder and has served as a place if entertainment for residents and visitors for 78 years.

The ballroom dance floor was carefully constructed of maple, white oak and rosewood that rest on a layer of felt and acoustical paper. The felt and paper are installed over a subfloor of pine that floats above support beams on strips of cork.

Such careful attention was given to the dance floor to ensure a smooth and comfortable dancing experience for the buildings many visitors. It attracted thousands of curiosity seekers as well as various Hollywood stars who trekked out to Avalon for the spectacle in the small town of Avalon.

The theater contains many secrets, including a fire hose which was hidden in the beautiful lobby as well as a secret door just behind the curtain at the back of the theater, which led to a large, hidden space containing dozens of barrels of food and water.

Avalon Theatre was the first cinema built for films with sound. Numerous Hollywood celebrities — from a pre-fame Marilyn Monroe, a onetime resident of Avalon, to Harry Houdini, Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, Jacques Cousteau, Errol Flynn, Charles Laughton and Louis B.

Mayer — worked and played on the island. The top floor of the Casino is home to the Catalina Ballroom. After 90 years of operations and entertainment, the theatre closed after New Year's eve, After 90 years as a haven for movie buffs on Catalina Island, the Avalon Theatre in the Catalina Casino is ending its run as a traditional film venue.

Sparse attendance is not for lack of investment. In the last five years, the Catalina Island Company gave the theater a makeover, installed a new sound system and screen, and repaired the foot high dome ceiling to enhance the moviegoing experience for its patrons.

Avalon also started offering a wider range of dining and beverage options like pizza, hot dogs, and a bar in addition to traditional movie snacks.