Editor’s note: This story was published in August 2016.

A waterfront Newport Beach house owned by the Edwards movie theater family for more than half a century is for sale at just under $8 million.

Built in 1954, the Newport Island home is set on three lots over a third of an acre, with 90 feet along the channel. The four-bedroom house has a private pier and slip that can fit a 50-foot boat.

A gated, courtyard entry with Arizon flagstone leads to the house, surrounded by mature palms, gardens, and a brick pathway.

The 3,937-square-foot home at 3900 Channel Place today appears empty and dated, likely to be a rehab or teardown. A buyer would have the option of building several separate homes on the property, according to the listing.

Inside, a large great room with glass walls and dual fireplaces looks out on the water. The kitchen was updated with stainless steel appliances and marble countertops. The upstairs master suite has a marble bathroom. A retreat includes built-in bookcases and stained glass.

Jason C. Bradshaw of First Team Estates/Christie’s International Real Estate and Steve High of Villa Real Estate are the listing agents.

Property records tie the home to Bernice “Bee” Evelyn and William James Edwards Jr. She died in 2014 at 101 years old, he in 1997 at age 90.

As founders of the Edwards Theaters chain, their careers mirrored Southern California’s “burgeoning love affair with ‘the talkies,’ ” according to Bernice Edwards’ obituary in The Orange County Register.

The couple opened their first theatre in Monterey Park during the Great Depression. He was one of the first theater operators to install sound and, in 1939, became the first in the nation to build a multi-screen theater.

The pair had planned to retire in Newport Beach in the 1950s, according to the obituary, but instead built a theatre in Costa Mesa in 1961. Their next project was at Newport Beach’s Fashion Island. Over the next 40 years, the business grew to more than 100 locations in California, Texas, and Idaho.

In 2000, the chain filed for bankruptcy protection after a costly expansion plan to build glitzy new theaters backfired, saddling the company with debt. The theaters eventually became a subsidiary of Regal Entertainment Group.

Contact the writer: mkalfus@ocregister.com