Theatre Vanguard

Theatre Vanguard was one of Los Angeles' premiere exhibitors of experimental cinema during the 1970s. Dancer and philanthropist Judith Stark purchased the theater from the Stage Society Theatre in 1972 and after a refurbishment reopened it as Theatre Vanguard in 1973. Stark intended the nonprofit, privately funded venue to function as a center for Avant-Garde and noncommercial cinema, dance, music and performance art. Financial stress partially attributed to Proposition 13 and the loss of government grants caused the theater to close in 1978.