Mann Bruin (Closed)
Westwood, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Just west of Westwood Boulevard, at Broxton and Weyburn, the Mann Bruin Theatre offered a fine single-screen alternative to the multiplex. Its exterior was dwarfed by the Village Theatre across the street, but the clean architectural lines and curved marquee gave the Bruin plenty of character of its own. You didn’t need a towering spire to recognize this corner.

Opened in 1937 and designed by S. Charles Lee, the Bruin became a favorite first-run stop for generations of Westwood moviegoers. Pictures such as Chariots of Fire helped make its reputation, while later improvements to projection and seating kept the experience current inside the historic shell.

UPDATE: The Bruin closed in July 2024 when Regency’s lease ended. New operator Rui Pereira announced plans to bring back first-run and classic films, including film presentations, with an October 2026 reopening targeted. Preparations have given this familiar corner renewed hope, although an announced opening date isn’t quite the same as tickets on sale. Here’s hoping the next crowd won’t have much longer to wait beneath the marquee. 10-26

Mann Village
Westwood, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Step across the street from the Bruin and you’ll find the Mann Fox Village Theatre, one of Southern California’s best-known movie houses. Its soaring tower carries the distinctive Fox lettering high above Westwood, announcing the theatre to anyone within a few blocks. This is a landmark that hardly needs directions.

Opened in 1931, the Village offered a spacious auditorium and balcony that made a first-run picture feel like a proper evening out. Those who preferred their movies from higher ground could head upstairs and take in the view. The large screen and generous surroundings helped make the theatre a destination well beyond the UCLA neighborhood.

Premieres and major releases brought crowds to the corner for decades. Along with the Bruin, the Village helped give Westwood its reputation as a place where going to the movies included the street outside, the marquee, and the anticipation of getting through the doors.

UPDATE: A filmmaker-led group purchased the theatre in 2024, and it is now known as Directors Village. A temporary return to screenings in summer 2026 brought audiences back before a planned major renovation, with a fuller reopening targeted for 2027. The familiar Fox tower remains above the Village while work toward the next chapter continues. Thankfully, the plans still call for movies beneath it. 10-26

See more of the Fox Theatres from across the nation here at Roadside Peek's Fox Theatre.

Mann Regent (Closed)
Westwood, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

In the center of Westwood Village, the Mann Regent Theatre offered a smaller movie stop along Broxton Avenue, which became a one-way street in the 1990s. Its entrance lacked the architectural drama of the Village or Bruin, but a theatre didn’t always need a tower to earn a place on the evening’s route.

Opened as a Laemmle theatre in 1966, the Regent occupied part of an older commercial building at 1045 Broxton Avenue. Mann later operated the house before Landmark took over in 2002. Its intimate size provided a different experience from Westwood’s larger single-screen showplaces.

And, as remembered here, the nearby Falafel King supplied another good reason to stop. A movie and something to eat made the Regent a worthwhile part of the rounds through the Village, even without an elaborate facade to photograph.

UPDATE: The theatre survives as Landmark Westwood. A renovation unveiled in 2020 brought upgraded projection, seating, and Dolby Atmos sound to the single-screen house. The name outside has changed, but Broxton Avenue still has a place to settle in for a feature after exploring the neighborhood. 10-26

Mann National (Demolished)
Westwood, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Mann National Theatre was another Westwood single-screener built to make a big impression. Its huge blue sign with white lettering and curved glass around the upper facade gave the building an identity all its own. Across from the old Circuit City, crowds could wrap around the theatre while waiting to get inside—and get at the butter flavoring.

Opened in 1970, the National offered more than 1,000 seats and the sort of large-screen presentation that made a major release worth seeking out. This was a place where the wait outside could become part of the evening, especially when everyone seemed to have chosen the same movie.

For regular Westwood visitors, the National belonged alongside the Village, Bruin, and Avco as a destination rather than simply the nearest available screen. Its modern exterior also gave the neighborhood a striking contrast to the older movie houses.

UPDATE: Mann ended its operation in April 2007, followed by a brief independent run that finished that October. The National was demolished in January 2008, taking its curved glass facade and familiar blue sign with it. No more lines around this building, just photographs and memories of a Westwood theatre that knew how to present a picture on a grand scale. 10-26