On December 5, 1934, Newhall-Saugus American Legion Post 507 received its official charter.

The date marks the beginning of a partnership between the community and silent-film legend William S. Hart, a relationship that would eventually lead to Newhall’s very own movie house: the American Theater.

By the late 1930s, Hart had become not just a celebrated actor but a dedicated Newhall resident known for his community spirit.

He entertained local schoolchildren at his mansion and was widely remembered for his assistance during the St. Francis Dam disaster. As a long-time supporter of patriotic causes, including fundraising for Liberty Bonds during World War I, Hart also maintained close ties with the local American Legion.

Those ties deepened in late August 1940 when Hart invited Post 507 members Tom Frew Jr. and Fred Trueblood to his hilltop home. There, he announced his desire to both support the Legion and bring a movie theater to Newhall, sparing residents the long trip “over the hill” to see the latest films.

Hart offered a remarkable gift: three lots at Spruce and Eleventh Streets valued at $17,000, along with $19,000 for construction and another $6,000 for furnishings. Post leadership created a nonprofit corporation to oversee the project, and on November 7, 1940, Hart formally signed over the deed.

Construction began the next month, with the building designed by acclaimed cinema architect S. Charles Lee. Less than a year later, on May 23, 1941, the American Theater opened to the public with a screening of “Tumbling Tumbleweeds.” Hart dedicated the building with a dramatic speech and requested that one Western film be shown each week in honor of the genre that made him famous.

For nearly 25 years, the American Theater served as Newhall’s local movie house until its closure in 1965. But while its time as a cinema ended, its life in the community continued. The building remains the home of American Legion Post 507, still standing as a testament to the organization’s early beginnings and to Hart’s enduring generosity.

To read yesterday’s Today in History, click here.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.