Escott Norton

Escott O. Norton grew up in the worlds of both theatre and architecture. His mother Sally co-founded the Occidental College Summer Drama Festival, and his father Oakley, a math teacher and pioneer in progressive education, designed and built all of Escott’s childhood homes.

Escott was drawn to historic theatres from an early age, and the Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena, CA was his first. He founded Friends of the Rialto in 1983 to advocate for its protection. He was a charter member of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation, a nationally recognized preservation advocacy organization, and served as its executive director for six years.

He continues to advocate for the preservation and revitalization of historic theatres and works as a design consultant for historic theatres, commercial buildings, and residences.

In an effort to share his passion and knowledge to a new audience, Escott has started creating a series of custom coloring books for all ages, each book sharing the history and unique details of a different historic movie palace.