Clifford Balch

Clifford Allison Balch (June 23, 1880 – December 14, 1963) was an American architect specializing in movie theater design. Balch designed several theaters in the Southern California across four decades, including the National Register of Historic Places-listed Golden Gate Theater and Pomona Fox Theatre.

Clifford A. Balch
Born	Clifford Allison Balch (1880-06-23)June 23, 1880 Preston Lake, Minnesota, U.S.
Died	December 14, 1963(1963-12-14) (aged 83) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Architect

Early life

Clifford Allison Balch was born on June 23, 1880, in Preston Lake, Minnesota. His father, William C. Balch, was a carpenter and his mother, Anna S. Balch (née Houck) was a homemaker. Clifford was one of seven children born to the couple, three of whom died in infancy. In the early 1890s, the Balch family moved to Pasadena, California, where William found work in the carpentry business. The family lived on Colorado Boulevard and later in a house at 140 Broadway.^[1][2] Clifford served as first lieutenant in the 40th Division of the 160th Infantry Regiment of the United States Army during World War I.^[3][4]

Notable theaters

The Visalia Fox Theatre

• Golden Gate, East Los Angeles, 1927, NRHP-listed
• Fox Riverside, Riverside, 1929
• Fox California, Stockton, 1930, NRHP-listed
• Fox Visalia, Visalia, 1930
• Fox Pomona, Pomona, 1931, NRHP-listed
• El Rey, Los Angeles, 1936, LAHCM #520
• Miramar, San Clemente, 1938
• Lido, Newport Beach, 1939

With Walker & Eisen

• United Artists Pasadena, Pasadena, 1931^[5]
• United Artists Berkeley, Berkeley, 1932
• United Artists Long Beach, Long Beach, 1932
• United Artists El Centro, El Centro, 1932
• Four Star, Los Angeles, 1932^[6]

Personal life

Balch married Pearl Payne, with whom he had three children: Margaret, William, and Nina.^[7] He died on December 14, 1963, at the age of 83 in Los Angeles.^[1]