In 1986, I took a shot of the Four Star Theater on Wilshire Boulevard in L.A.  Then something strange happened. A year or so later, I was in a different part of the city…and there was the Four Star! Had someone moved it?

Long story short, the Four Star was originally one of five similarly designed United Artists theaters (“Unity and Artistry”).

Just two remain, and the Four Star isn’t one of them, having been converted to a church around 2007 and ultimately demolished last year. The remaining family members are in East L.A. and Pasadena. Things don’t look very promising for the East L.A. location, either.

Assembling this episode of Art Deco Separated at Birth, I noticed something unusual about the Four Star. Can you spot it?

Hint: being demolished is not the only thing that makes, or should I say, made the Four Star different.

United Artists Four Star Theater, Los Angeles, December 1986

United Artists Theater (now a discount store) East Los Angeles, CA

United Artists Theater (now Angel’s School Supply) Pasadena, CA

Now, what makes the Four Star different?

Artistry and Unity

Unity and Artistry

Unity and Artistry

I’m sure there’s a simple explanation. But you would think that United Artists would want to stick with Unity and Artistry…and not the other way around.

And if you’re wondering what was playing back in ’86, the one movie poster I can make out is for Incident at Channel Q.