"Crime Wave"

The Glendale Theatre, 122 S. Brand Blvd., makes an appearance in Andre de Toth's "Crime Wave" (Warner Bros., 1954). The film stars Sterling Hayden, Gene Nelson and Phyllis Kirk in an adventure about a bank heist that ends up involving a young reformed parolee and his wife in the caper when one of the robbers seeks a place to hide. In this shot we've got Sterling Hayden coming out of the bank on the corner of Brand and Broadway after the heist. He's the cop on the case.

It's a screenshot from the fine Tropico Station blog post about the film. See the post for many more Glendale views from "Crime Wave," with nicely done modern versions as well.

 Another look at the Glendale from the scene.

Yet another look at the Glendale Theatre moments later. In the distance note the large bulk of the Temple Building, once home to the Temple Theatre, 234 S. Brand Blvd.

A closer view of the Temple Building as we continue driving south on Brand.

The film also has a scene over on Maryland Ave., one block east of Brand, and we get this shot looking north. Note the the south side of the Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., with the roof sign on the stagehouse -- "Alex - The Place To Go."

As the scene continues, we get a rare look at the Hide Away Theatre, 102 S. Maryland Ave. in this shot looking south. That's the signage just above the roof of the car in the foreground. This is another screenshot from Tropico Station. Thanks to Deanna Bayless for spotting the theatre in the shot.

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Glendale Theatre, the Alex Theatre, the Hide Away Theatre and the Temple Theatre for a history of these four Glendale showplaces.

At the end of the film after the robbers are captured we go downtown. On the right is the closed Roosevelt Theatre, 212 N. Main St.

A closer look at the Roosevelt. 

Parolee Steve Lacey (Gene Nelson) thinks Sterling Hayden is taking him to jail but good cop Detective Sims (Sterling Hayden) gives him a break and lets the young couple out on the street. Also in the shot is Lacey's wife (Phyllis Kirk).

See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Roosevelt Theatre. It had opened around 1911 and was demolished for an eastward extension of Temple St.

On IMDb:  "Crime Wave"