Our Local Theater Was Great For SciFi Movies
The Meralta Theater
The theater occupied the main floor, with the city offices above, where the early trustees met. When Harry Culver built his Hotel Hunt (now the Culver Hotel) in 1924, the city moved down the street to Van Buren Place. The theater moved into a new structure in the 9600 block of Culver Boulevard and was known as the Meralta.
"Meralta" was derived from owners' Pearl Merrill and Laura Peralta's surnames. They lived above the new plush theater.
The Culver Theatre began construction in 1945. It was built in the late Modern style, and like the Meralta, was a source of jobs for local youth. The theatre received Historic Landmark status from the city. As the need for single theaters and ushers with flashlights declined, the Principal Theater was sold and reconfigured into a triplex. The Culver underwent changes of ownership, as the Mann chain purchased the theater in the early 1970s, and later Great Western Theatres, Inc., and NCC Theatre Corp. In 1985, the Culver City Redevelopment Agency bought the theatre. The Culver ceased operations in 1989. Some might remember Ad Chamberlain's print shop located in the back of the theater as well.
The scariest movies in town came to this theater and Buster Crab rode rockets all over the galaxy right inside this building.
What We Saw
Terrifying movies...