Los Angeles Theatres

Visit the Los Angeles Theatres page on Facebook!

2011-08-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

Hi!

For news of events related to historic theatres in the Los Angeles area and posts about what I've recently added to the various theatre websites come visit Facebook:

www.facebook.com/losangelestheatres

What has been appearing here on Blogspot has just been mirroring the Facebook page and I've decided it's just a bit much to keep two parallel platforms going. I'd much rather spend that extra time working on the web pages for the various theatres.

Those web pages are divided into 4 sites that I link to frequently on the Facebook posts:

Downtown Los Angeles Theatres -- everything in the downtown core

Hollywood Theatres -- Hollywood and nearby

Wilshire Boulevard Theatres -- including McArthur Park, Beverly Hills, Westwood and Santa Monica

More L.A. Movie Palaces -- pages about a sampling of interesting theatres elsewhere in Los Angeles County -- including separate sections for Glendale, Pasadena, Long Beach, East os Angeles and San Pedro.

So there won't be any more posts here. Come visit on Facebook. You can look at the page even if you don't have a Facebook account. If you do have an account, click on the "LIKE" button at the top of the page and you can add your comments or photos.

See you at the movies!

-- Bill Counter

A Depression View -- The Banner Theatre on Main St.

2011-08-21T12:39:00.000-07:00

I just love this photo. There's so much stuff in front that you can hardly see the boxoffice. We're at the Banner Theatre, at 456 S. Main St. The Banner was in a building that's been demolished just down the block from the Regent.

It's 1937 and the Banner is running footage from the James Braddock / Joe Louis fight in its "First Main St. Showing." Also playing to give us our "3 big pictures" are a couple of very old items: Edward G Robinson in "Man With Two Faces" (1934) and Laurel and Hardy in "Dirty Work" (1933).

The photo is by Herman Schultheis and is from the collection of the Los Angeles Public Library. Click on the image to get a full size view on the Library's website.

And you can check out more views on the new Banner Theatre page.

Looking Down 7th St. Toward the Warner

2011-08-20T07:50:00.000-07:00

I seem to be running into a lot of views I haven't seen before of the Warner -- all at a distance. I've added three recently to the Warner Theatre Downtown page.

Here you see a card looking west on 7th St. from Brian McCray's wonderful Hollywood Postcard set on Picasa. It's mostly about the Bullock's store at 7th & Broadway, but on the left you can see the Warner a block away at 7th and Hill. You can click on the image for a larger view.

Kenneth McIntyre's interesting (and rapidly expanding) Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles also has recently added two views looking along 7th St. -- one from the 1932 Olympics.

You can check it all out on our Warner Theatre page.

"The Drunkard" at the Theatre Mart

2011-08-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

What, you haven't heard about the record shattering run of "The Drunkard" in Los Angeles?

Neither had I until I got a mysterious e-mail about a year ago. They knew about it. Where had I been?

"The Drunkard" was a temperance melodrama from 1844 that hadoriginally been produced by, of all people, P.T. Barnum.

In 1933 it got dusted off and opened in the Theatre Mart and ran for 36 years. The stars all came. Beer was served to temper the prohibition theme. Boris Karloff suggested adding an olio. Which they did. The program here is from 1939 and was recently on eBay.

The building is still there at N. Juanita & Clinton Streets. Amazing. See the new Theatre Mart page for more information. Yes, I'm still looking for interior photos.

The Culver Theatre / Kirk Douglas

2011-08-19T08:29:00.000-07:00

Well, you have to like the Fox West Coast / Skouras-syle interiors that the company was celebrated/reviled for in the late 40s and early 50s to appreciate the inside of the Culver.

But you've got to agree that the outside is wonderful. Still. The interior got remodeled to become a small legit house operated by the Center Theatre Group that opened in 2004.

The view here is a 2010 shot I took. You can click on it to enlarge.

Or even better, go to the page I just added to the website on the Kirk Douglas/ Culver Theatre.

I haven't been successful in locating much in the way of interior views. Do you have any in that shoebox?

The Hippodrome Going Down

2011-08-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Have you checked out Kenneth McIntyre's new Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles? He's been roaming through the archives and picking out many treasures I haven't seen before.

A good example is this 1952 view of the Hippodrome on Main St. as the proscenium arch was being demolished. Click on the photo to go to the full size view on Facebook.

Or check out the new Hippodrome Theatre page I just put together for more data and photos.

The Globe in the 40s

2011-08-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

This has to be the best vintage shot of the Globe Theatre entrance I've seen.

The Globe is at 740 Broadway with the auditorium now refurbished and being used as Club 740. In the photo we're in the 40s with the theatre being called the Newsreel.

The photo was discovered by Kenneth McIntryre who put it on his new Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles. Thanks, Kenneth!

More on the theatre is on the Globe Theatre page.

The Galway Theatre in the Movies - 1979

2011-08-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Don Solosan made me do it. Well, he at least suggested that I watch "The Clonus Horror" (1979) for a trip down Main Street.

I hate to tell you that the movie is not wonderful. But we did go to Main Street and get a walk by the Galway Theatre at 514 S. Main.

Our hero is trying to escape from a cult of evil scientists trying to clone politicians so they don't have any term limits.

Yup, that's the Galway in the photo here as is was in 1979. I've celebrated his great cinematic event by starting a separate page for the Galway Theatre. Check it out.

I wanted lots of room for photos of any other film roles the theatre has had that I haven't seen yet. Let's do a Galway film feastival. We could start with a double bill of "Clonus" and "Too Young To Love."

Checking Out The Belasco Again...

2011-08-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Have you been to an event at the Belasco since the reopening? Well, me neither. I didn't get an invite to the bash for the royal couple that was held there. I was so disappointed.

One thing I have done is check out the revamped version of their website, www.thebelasco.com. You'll find it now has quite an extensive gallery of photos taken since the theatre's multi-million dollar restoration. The one you see here is an example -- and there are 20 more that include lobby and ballroom area views.

Then check out our Belasco Theatre page for a selection of both vintage and recent photos, including some knockout work by Wendell Benedetti that appeared on the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation's Facebook page.

Michelle at the Palace - From Booth to Basement

2011-08-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

I just updated the page for the Palace Theatre downtown on Broadway. New on the page are 8 photos taken by Michelle Gerdes on the Palace's 100th birthday, June 26.

Plus I added a lot of links to other views in Michelle's new Palace Theatre set on Flickr. She was at the Palace working all day as head usher for the three "Sunset Boulevard" screenings but managed to sneak around a bit and get some nice photos for us to oogle.

She took a few in the booth and wandered a lot in the basement. The view here is a lovely detail of some plasterwork in the now stunning ticket lobby area.

Glendale Theatres : The Sands and the Temple

2011-08-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

I've been wallowing around in the archives looking for more photos to add to the Glendale Theatres section of the website and have about hit bottom. If there's anything in your attic, send it along.

I just put together a page on the Temple Theatre, a main floor venue in the Masonic Temple building on Brand Blvd.

The photo here is a wonderful Dick Whittington view from 1938. We're looking north on Brand Blvd. and the Temple Theatre (10 cents - any seat - any time) looks better than it ever would again. A click on the photo will take you to the full size view at the USC Archives.

There's also a new page up on the Sands Theatre, just down the block from the Temple. When Pacific Theatres was running both houses in the 80s, they were known as the Regency One and Regency Two.

The Glendale explorations get finished off with a couple of vintage views of a 1938 building, the Glendale Civic Auditorium.

The Strand Theatre and The Pike From The Water

2011-08-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

A great view of the Long Beach Pike popped up recently on Vintage Los Angeles. Click on it to get to a full size view on Facebook.

It's after 1929, because we see the Ocean Center Building (along with the State Theatre) on the right. Look at the oil well structures on the ridge line beyond downtown!

What I was mostly interested in was the Strand Theatre in the middle.

Behind the roller coaster you can see (from left to right) the big arched roof of the roller rink (later the Majestic Ballroom), then the Strand (a bit of the facade, the roof line and the stagehouse) and then the Roman columns of the Bathhouse.

This great photo (and lots more) are featured on the Strand Theatre page.

Pasadena: The Savoy, Colorado and the Esquire Theatres

2011-08-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm continuing to fill in the Pasadena Theatres section of the website.

I figured out a bit more about the Savoy/ Fair Oaks/ Oaks Theatre that was the first home (1916) of the Pasadena Playhouse Company before they built their 1925 home on El Molino. It turns out the place was open around 1912 as Fischer's Theatre. We also had a Fischer's in downtown L.A. as well at about the same period that ran stock productions.

Out in the Uptown end of Colorado Blvd. were two much later theatre buildings that survive with other uses -- both now have pages that I assembled last week.

The Colorado opened in 1949 as an art house and was later operated by both Loew's and Laemmle. I was delighted to find some interior views to link to on Cinema Tour. See the Colorado Theatre page for more information.

The photo here is a boxoffice detail ace theatre explorer Michelle Gerdes took in 2009. Click on it to get to a larger view on Flickr -- it's part of her Theatres-California set.

And please visit the Esquire Theatre page for information (and a few photos) on a much later theatre. Laemmle Theatres did this one out of a former restaurant in 1964.

More Pasadena goodies are coming soon!

The Follies Theatre in Living Color!

2011-08-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Did you catch this one that Kenneth McIntyre added last week on that hotspot Vintage Los Angeles?

You can click on the image to get to the full size version on Facebook. We're looking north on Main St. in 1973 or 1974 -- perhaps looking at a car going the wrong direction on a one way street.

I added it to my page on the Follies Theatre and it makes everything else on the page look drab. Except for a hand tinted postcard of the building's facade in its days as the Belasco, everything else is black and white.

Of course, the 1901 version of the building looked totally different. It got a moderne re-do -- perhaps by S. Charles Lee. At least there are some totally charming interior photos that I link to that are from the S. Charles Lee Archive.

So it's great to see a color view. It almost makes me want to watch the movie. "Uptown Saturday Night," that is.

Views of the Palace Theatre in Long Beach

2011-08-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Palace in Long Beach opened in 1916 under the management of William Fahey, who would have his hand in many other theatres in Long Beach, including his most well known, the State.

The photo here is from the Los Angeles Public Library. It's Fahey (on the left) out in front of his lovely new theatre with a sign vendor. A click on the photo will get you to a larger view on the Library's website.

The Palace went through lots of changes of ownership and finally closed in the 80s. There are more views, including some of its art deco makeover, in the page on the Palace Theatre that I just put together.

Another Mystery Theatre

2011-08-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

Well, we didn't get anywhere solving the last mystery theatre puzzle but I have high hopes for this one.

The photo is from the Los Angeles Public Library again. "Toast of New York" was released in 1937. I'm assuming the "Owl Show" that the theatre is advertising was a late night event.

The Library's caption tells us it's view by Herman Schultheis of a theatre in Hollywood but leaves it up to us to guess what theatre it is. You can click on it for the Library's full size view -- but it isn't very large.

Do you recognize the marquee? How about the terrazzo pattern? For this we we may have to call on the city's chief terrazzo connoisseur, Michelle Gerdes, for a final determination.

Let me know if you have any ideas.

A Plan for the Biltmore

2011-08-03T08:16:00.000-07:00

Well, we're not planning to rebuild the Biltmore Theatre. All I've come across is a nice floor plan for the Biltmore Hotel in a brochure published when the theatre was still part of the complex.

It's part of a post back in May by Ethereal Reality on the always interesting Noirish Los Angeles.

Head to the Biltmore Theatre page for views of this long vanished theatre that was once a major stop on national legit tours.

A Glorious Look Down Broadway

2011-08-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

This is a curious photo that seems striking for several reasons. The quality of the image looks more like the 1890s than anything else. But it's November, 1931. We've got Loew's State on the right as we look south on Broadway.

Here we are at the bottom of the depression and it's celebration time with the street lavishly decorated for Fiesta Week. It's a view from the USC Archives -- click on it to go to their full size view.

I'd come across it via a post by "Gaylord Wilshire" on the delirious discussion thread Noirish Los Angeles.

It's now on the Loew's State Theatre page, along with many other views of the theatre -- including some of my interior shots from 2007.

A Couple More Glimpses of the Regent

2011-08-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

I'd liked the mural that was on the top of the facade of the Regent Theatre on Main St. in 2008 but hadn't known until recently that it was the work of Ed Fuentes, of [ view ] from a loft blog and photo fame.

Prompted by a recent glimpse of the Regent in a shot from the 1974 film "Uptown Saturday Night," I recently added several new items to the page on the Regent Theatre.

Here you see one by Mr. Fuentes himself of the Regent from up high across the street. Yup, that's the mural were looking at. It was sad to see it go. You can click on the image to go to the full size view on Flickr.

Also new on the page is desolate (probably 90s) view posted by Kenneth McIntyre on Vintage Los Angeles.

Take the Train to the Tower!

2011-08-01T13:58:00.001-07:00

This shot instantly became my favorite Pasadena photo.
And I've been looking at hundreds this week.

We're looking east on Colorado Blvd. between Raymond and Arroyo Parkway. Yes, that's where the tracks were -- now underground at this point. A few blocks farther south, the right of way is still used (on the surface) for light rail.

Check out the Tower Theatre behind the locomotive. It's 1938 or so and we can go see Wallace Beery in "Slave Ship" -- I'm sure it's one of his all time greats.

This amazing photo is from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. A click on it will get you to a full size view on the Library's website.

In addition to the Tower, you'll find many other new listings on the Pasadena Theatres page. I've been working.

Looking Toward the Fox Westwood Village in 1949

2011-07-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

A lovely 1949 view of Westwood Village I hadn't seen before popped up as a post by Kenneth McIntyre on Vintage Los Angeles.

Click on the image to get to the full size view.

And there's lots more about the theatre on our Fox Westwood Village page.

Calling Theatre Mystery Lovers!

2011-07-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

I ran across this photo on a post on Noirish Los Angeles. It was posted as part of a set devoted to auto accidents.

But note the theatre behind the car. Any idea where we are? You can click on the image for a full view on the Library's website.

Let me know if you have any ideas. The Library's caption for the photo is not helpful.

"Cimarron" at the Orpheum

2011-07-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd seen all the great photos of Broadway in the USC Archives but I've come across several lately that were new to me. And delightful.

I was searching with the keywords "studio theatre" as I was working on a page about the Studio in Studio City. I didn't find what I was looking for but, among other strange finds, this Dick Whittington Studio view of the Orpheum came up.

It's 1931 and we're across the street for the Richard Dix and Irene Dunne picture "Cimarron." A click on the image will get you to the full view on the USC website. The "huge stage show" includes a "mighty male chorus" and augmented orchestra. Let's go!

Lots more views of the theatre are on the ever expanding Orpheum Theatre page.

Cinerama Dome

2011-07-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

Take a look at this great 1966 view of the Dome that Gs Jansen posted yesterday on Vintage Los Angeles. A click on it will take you to the full size view on Facebook.

Quite a contrast to the feel of this section of Sunset today with everything built up around the Dome. Here it looks like it has just landed from space on a vacant tract of desert.

Lots more on the theatre resides on our Cinerama Dome page.

The Shrine Auditorium

2011-07-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

You'd think I would have had a page up on the Shrine long ago. It's only the largest historic theatre in the country.

Its 6,308 seats makes the Radio City Music Hall look a bit small. The view here is one I took in 2010.

The Shrine Auditorium interior is by G. Albert Lansburgh, who had another opening in 1926 at the Orpheum. He also did the auditoriums (but not the buildings) for the El Capitan and the Wiltern.

Anyway, it's finally up. Check out the Shrine Auditorium page for some fine vintage photos.

The El Portal Theatre

2011-07-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

The page for the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood got an update this week with two nice 2002 Betty Sword photos added.

Betty is the partner of Brooklyn-based theatre historian Cezar Del Valle. The photo here is her boxoffice view. Click on it to go to the full size on Flickr.

You'll find lots more to look at on Cezar's Theatre Talks and Theatre Posts Flickr albums.

He has a great collection of Los Angeles Theatre photos and postcards as well as many from other parts of the country.

The Palace Grand in Glendale

2011-07-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Glendale Theatres section of the website continues to expand. I just got a page put together on the Palace Grand, which opened in 1914.

If you saw the new page on the Melrose Theatre recently you'll note that this was a project of the same man, Henry Jensen. Jensen was a brick maker who did well supplying his product to a rapidly expanding Los Angeles.

The photo here shows the Palace Grand on the right. It's from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Click on it to go to the full size view on their website.

Or check out the new Palace Grand Theatre page for more information.

1955 in Long Beach

2011-07-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I caught this Port of Long Beach photo yesterday on Vintage Los Angeles. It was posted by a Port employee jubilant about the Port's 100th birthday.

Click on it for a larger view. The Port has a website up for the 100 Centennial Celebration with lots of historic photos.

Oh, the theatre? That's the Miss Universe parade in front of the Fox West Coast on Ocean Blvd.

For more on the theatre, check out the West Coast Theatre page in the ever growing Long Beach Theatres section.

The El Capitan at Night

2011-07-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

I've recently added several new items to the page on the El Capitan Theatre for you to check out.

Here we're looking at a night postcard view from Brian McCray's wonderfully extensive Hollywood Postcards collection. You can click on it for a full size view on Picasa.

Another night view new on the page is a nice 2007 shot from Nigel Hailwood-Cooke that he posted on the Los Angeles Theatres Facebook page. It's taken from up the steps across the street and gives a great view of the signage.

The Pan Pacific Theatre and Pan Pacific Auditorium

2011-07-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

I'd been putting this off for quite a while but finally had to do it. Too many nice images kept popping up recently.

First it was seeing a batch of Maynard Parker photos of the 850 seat Pan Pacific Theatre on Beverly Blvd. from the Huntington Library. If Nile Hight hadn't posted these on Vintage Los Angeles, I might have never come across them. Here you see a view of the auditorium from 1940. Click on it for a larger view on UCLA's Calisphere.

The other item that got me into action on this was a set of three wonderful color shots of the Pan Pacific Theatre's more famous nearby cousin, the Pan Pacific Auditorium. These showed up on the always interesting discussion thread Noirish Los Angeles and Gs Jansen did some great work on them.

Check out what I've seen so far on the new page on the Pan Pacific Theatre & Pan Pacific Auditorium.

Another Visit To the Golden Gate Theatre

2011-07-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

Al Desmadre did a story this week about Whittier Boulevard's Golden Gate Theatre on the blog LA Eastside.

I came across it thanks to Nick Matonak who linked to it on the LAHTF Facebook page.

Check out the photos with the article -- I've added several to our page about the theatre. Here we're looking at one of the proscenium from balcony level. The building is slated to become a CVS store but with certain historic elements preserved.

See our page on the Golden Gate Theatre for more photos and information.

More on the Chinese...

2011-07-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

OK -- if the post on the late, lamented Chinese Twin didn't excite you, then this Chinese adventure surely will.

Christopher Crouch recently did a post on his Cinelog with several Chinese Theatre men's restroom photos, ending what he refers to as a "long standing decorum fueled omission." Here's one of them -- click on it to go to Mr. Crouch's post.

In addition to restroom views, other new items on the updated page for Grauman's Chinese Theatre include links to some delightful postcard views from the dazzling Brian McCray Hollywood Postcards collection.

Plus there's a photo discovered after a Google search by Nigel Hailwood-Cooke that shows Grauman's with the Hollywood and Highland Center rising around it.

That's all for now. Send in those ladies room photos, please!

The Chinese Theatre - 1981

2011-07-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

Well, it's the back of it anyway. This interesting pre-Hollywood and Highland view by Nigel Hailwood-Cook appeared recently on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles.

You can click on the photo for a larger view.

Nigel was up in what was then the Holiday Inn (now the Renaissance at Hollywood & Highland) for the photo. It gives a view of the now hidden east side of Grauman's.

And also, on the left of Grauman's, is a view of the Chinese Twin. There seem to be lots of pictures of the lot it's on when it was just parking but not many of the time when the theatre was there. If you're interested, I've got a page up on the Mann Chinese Twin.

And if you've never been to the replacement in the mall, there's also a recently updated page on the Chinese Six Theatres.

Broncho Billy For Sheriff at the Colonial in 1913

2011-07-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

The film "Broncho Billy For Sheriff" was released in 1912. The photo here of one of its Los Angeles engagements is, perhaps, at the Colonial Theatre on E. 1st St. in Boyle Heights.

You'll find the listing for it on the East L.A. Theatres page.

The photo is one that prolific Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality found on eBay.

I'm assuming that the theatre shown is the Colonial in East L.A. as the only other Colonial Theatre in Los Angeles I can find is at 5421 S. Vermont Ave. But the dates don't match up there -- it wasn't called the Colonial until the 30s.

The Melrose Theatre -- 2011 Restoration Work

2011-07-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

The Melrose Theatre has now been the Ukranian Culture Center longer than it ever was a theatre.

It opened in 1924 as part of a mini-empire that also included Jensen's Raymond in Pasadena and other ventures.

For most of its life since closing as a theatre in 1959 it has had a rather uninspiring beige and gold color scheme. Two months ago, it got a dazzling makeover as you can see by the photo here -- one of many on the Center's Facebook page.

Check it all out on the new page devoted to the Melrose Theatre.

Hollywood Postcards: The Warner Bros. Theatre

2011-07-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

I spent all day looking through Brian McCray's delightful Hollywood Postcards set -- all 408 of them.

Not all Hollywood, though. I was happy to see some I hadn't seen before featuring downtown theatres (and other buildings) as well.

Here we're looking at one of three views I just added to the Warner Bros. Hollywood page. This one here is a particular charmer with an image from 1928. Above the marquee we get "See and Hear Vitaphone" and playing is "My Man" with Fanny Brice. Brian's other two Warner cards are interesting because other collections have different versions of them -- one with changed signage across the street.

I also added links to some of Brian's cards to the pages on the Linwood Dunn and the Palladium. There's lots more to come soon on other pages -- just not enough hours in the day today.

Check out Brian's set: Hollywood Postcards.

Early Views of the Music Box

2011-07-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love this shot from Vintage Los Angeles that I recently added to the Music Box Theatre page.

These early views of the theatre have that delightful roof sign with the lines "Revue of Revues" & "Pick of the World in Girls." And note those readerboards on the 2nd floor above the open lounge area openings. The far right one here says "Fanny Brice." Yes, most of that facade is still there behind the current sheet metal cladding.

The image was posted on Vintage Los Angeles by Maurice Ideses. Click on it to go to a full size version.

Also new on the Music Box page is a 1931 view, this time from the site "Remapping Hollywould," which shows the theatre playing an extravaganza called "Women Go On Forever." Somehow I don't think it was an agitprop feminist drama.

Come visit the Music Box Theatre page for the full tour.

The Wilshire Ebell Theatre

2011-07-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

This interesting 1939 view of the Wilshire Ebell theatre as backdrop for a house moving project popped up recently on the forum Noirish Los Angeles.

It was added by Mr. Ethereal Reality, a prolific contributor to this always intriguing discussion thread.

Other new items on the Ebell page include some interior views from the site Biz Bash and a lovely 1954 color view from the Richard Wojcik collection on Vintage Los Angeles.

Take a look at the updated Ebell Theatre page for more.

Strolling By The Egyptian in 1951

2011-07-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

If you've been prowling the archives of the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles you've probably come to the conclusion that the crowd posting images is undeniably Hollywood oriented. Just one lovely view after another from various collections.

Here we're looking at a photo added by Alison Martino, the founder of Vintage Los Angeles. It's 1951 and the place is all lit up for "The Great Caruso." Click on the photo for a full view.

Many other items have been added to the page recently including a forecourt postcard from Cezar Del Valle, two other Vintage Los Angeles photos, and a look at the 1946 premiere of "Till The Clouds Roll By" from the site "Remapping Hollywould."

Come for the full tour on the page for the Egyptian Theatre! A bonus: I just added an early tinted postcard view of the usherettes in the forecourt at the Egyptian.

The Long Beach Municipal Auditoria

2011-07-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

The 1905 Long Beach Municipal Auditorium was a wood frame building seating 6000 that was built on the beach near The Pike amusement area.

It was eventually replaced in 1932 by a gargantuan art deco edifice that should have lasted for the ages but was demolished for the 1978 Terrace Theatre and other structures of the Long Beach Convention Center.

What you're seeing here is a view from the Los Angeles Public Library of the Symphony Hall space of the 1932 building. Click on the image to go to the full size view on the Library's website.

At long last, I got a page up on the two Long Beach Municipal Auditoria (or three, if you count the Terrace Theatre). Check it out and let me know what you think.

At The Chinese: Imprinting the Beard and Much More!

2011-07-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Not content with hands and feet, Monty Woolley is putting the impression of his beard in the cement at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in 1943.

It's a view from Cezar Del Valle -- click on it to check out a larger view.

It's down at the bottom of the right column of my Grauman's Chinese Theatre page in a new "hands and feet" department that has links to many other items in Cezar's collection.

Also there is a nice 1927 view of Gloria Swanson from Vintage Los Angeles. Note also a couple of links below it to other Vintage Los Angeles items that I've come across recently.

Other new items on the page in the last several weeks include a 1947 look east along the street from "Remapping Hollywould." Note that I've now got the street views in the right hand column arranged by date.

And have you seen the 1956 and 1957 views from Vintage Los Angeles? Also see some links added to additional interior views.

The Wilkes' Vine St./ Hartford / Studio / Doolittle

2011-07-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Well, the 1927 showplace on Vine St. just south of Hollywood Blvd. has also had a few other names as well.

I just updated the page on what is now the Ricardo Montalban with several photos that I've come across recently including this 1960 view looking north from the Richard Wojick collection on Vintage Los Angeles.

Also new on the page is a nice 1938 shot from the UCLA page "Remapping Hollywould."

"Safety Last" at the Orpheum

2011-07-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

Stephen Russo was at the Last Remaining Seats screening of Harold Lloyd's "Safety Last" on June 29 and took a great album of photos.

Here we're looking at an organ grille detail. The album is on the L.A. Conservancy Facebook page.

You can click on the image here to get you to a larger view and page through 9 more dazzling shots.

And for more on the building, visit our page on the Orpheum Theatre.

A New Page: The Pasadena Playhouse

2011-06-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

One of my projects this week has been getting a page put together about the Pasadena Playhouse.

Check it out.

A Look Up Into the Palace

2011-06-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of all the Palace hoopla yet?

I'm not when I see photos like this. Wendell Benedetti has the magic touch. Of course, it helps to have such a photogenic subject as the refurbished Palace Theatre on the eve of her 100th birthday.

Click on the image for a high resolution view on Flickr.

See the Palace Theatre page for more information about the old girl.

More new items on the page include links to 100th birthday celebration photos by Stephen Russo on the LA Conservancy Facebook page and a nice album on the Bringing Back Broadway Facebook page.

Looking Toward The El Capitan

2011-06-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

In this great postcard view we're looking east on Hollywood Blvd. The big tower on the right is for the Barker Bros. Bldg, home of the El Capitan Theatre -- then known as the Paramount.

The view is a postcard from a now vanished website Yesterday LA. It's new on the page for the El Capitan Theatre along with several other new items including two great exterior views from Alison Martino's Vintage Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Theatre in 1933

2011-06-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

What a shot! This photo is from the Tyler St. Mark collection and was posted by him several days ago on Vintage Los Angeles.

Click on the photo to go to a full size view. And don't miss Tyler's great boxoffice detail, also of the Los Angeles Theatre in 1933.

They just don't dress up the theatre facades like they used to, do they?

I just added these to the Los Angeles Theatre page where you'll also find lots of other wonderful views of the theatre.

Happy 100th Birthday to the Palace!

2011-06-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Conservancy is helping celebrate with showings of "Sunset Boulevard" (1950) on Sunday, June 26. There will be three screenings -- 10am, 2 pm and 8 pm.

Details about the screenings can be found on the LA Conservancy website.

And for more about the theatre itself, see our page on the Palace Theatre. The photo above is one I took of the theatre in 2007. Click on it to enlarge -- or head to the Palace Theatre page for links to many other great photos from different collections.

The Palace opened June 26, 1911. Happy 100th birthday, you old girl! You're still wonderful!

Noirish Views of the Globe

2011-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've been spending days going through the Skyscraperpage.com forum thread "Noirish Los Angeles." I don't think I'll ever get caught up -- it's just too fascinating to jump through rapidly and it's now up to 203 pages.

What you're looking at here is just a small chunk of a photo that is mostly about the Chapman Building, the big hulk on the corner just south of the Globe.

Last week I added this and another later view of the facade to the Globe page. They both appear way back on page 138 in the Noirish cycle. Check out post #2745 by Mdiederi for full views. Have lots of time? You can start at Noirish page one.

Visit my page on the Globe Theatre for lots more information and photos.

An Evocative View of Quinn's Superba

2011-06-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite downtown Los Angeles photos. It appears on Wikipedia with the image credited to the New York Times Archive. Click on the image to go to the full size view.

We're looking south on Broadway on a rainy night in 1920 at the luminous string of three theatres on the east side of the 500 block. Quinn's Superba, Clune's Broadway and the Pantages are featured. Quinn's was only open two more years after this photo. The building then became a restaurant and, years later, was demolished to make room for the Roxie Theatre.

Head to the Quinn's Superba listing on the Broadway Theatres page and, in addition to this great view, you'll find two other new items -- night postcard views from Cezar Del Valle's collection. More of Cezar's collection seems to pop up daily on his two Flickr sites, Theatre Talks and Theatre Posts.

Also visit our pages on Clune's (now the Cameo Theatre) and the Pantages (now the Arcade Theatre) for more views of the block.

Ed Kelsey Plays The Palace June 25: Broadway at 100

2011-06-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Noted theatre history raconteur (and Orpheum manager) Ed Kelsey will be moderating a free presentation "Broadway at 100" at the Palace Theatre on Saturday, June 25 from 11 to 1. Doors open at 10:45.

It'll be a presentation about the history of the Broadway theatres (and commercial life on Broadway) in conjunction with the Broadway Centennial. It's sponsored and funded by the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation and the Broadway Theatre Group.

See the Broadway Theatres page on our Downtown Theatres site for more information about these great buildings.

The view here is a an early postcard view of the Palace Theatre from the collection of Elizabeth Fuller. See more of her collection, a great one from Cesar Del Valle, and other treats on the Palace Theatre page.

Update: Hillsman Wright of the LAHTF notes that the event will feature the first public showing of phase one of the Palace restoration. You'll probably also want to check out the new LAHTF web page on the Palace Theatre.

Changeable Neon (and other Pantages Persuits)

2011-06-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've been spending a lot of time lately looking at exterior views of the Hollywood Pantages.

The page on the Hollywood Pantages has a number of new items on it including a lovely 1964 view from the Martin Alison collection.

But what got this marquee-viewing obsession going is this 1939 view of the premiere of "When Tomorrow Comes" that I recently saw on the site "Remapping Hollywould."

It also appears on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles and in other collections.

Click on the image to go to a larger view and, perhaps, you'll understand my excitement.

Of course I'm obsessively interested in changeable neon.

When most theatres were doing back lit milk glass letters with sedate white letters on a black background, the Pantages opted for this much more expensive, fragile, and difficult to store style of lettering. But what punch it had!

Note that these don't look like they're "channel letters" with neon surrounded by a sheet metal channel. A look at the end of the marquee in the 1939 view above makes it clear that the neon was on the surface with no sheet metal around it. Thus you had better visibility from wider angles.

The second photo is a 1930 one from the California State Library that also shows this neon font. A click on it gets you the big view on the Library's website.

Another view of the neon letter font is in the Los Angeles Public Library collection: 1937's 100 Men and a Girl."

But what gets really interesting is that the Pantages didn't use the neon letter look all the time. The marquee could also accommodate back lit milk glass letters.

And, unless my fading eyesight is deceiving me, they had both a "white on black" font as well as a very modern looking "black on white" version.

This latter is a look that most theatres didn't get into until the late 40s.

The view on the right is also from 1930 -- with no changeable neon. Note the dark letters on the light background.

It's from the Los Angeles Public Library -- click on it to get the full view on their website. And, also from the Library, another perhaps clearer view of this font: looking west in 1936.

One last example. Again it doesn't look like the changeable neon and here we get white letters on a black background.

It's from 1943 and on the UCLA Calisphere website.

What you see here is a detail. Click on it to go to Calisphere -- and then you can zoom in and move around the image.

Come visit the page on the Hollywood Pantages for more views from a variety of sources!

A First Look At The Shamrock

2011-06-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Did you check out the page on the Arcade Theatre recently?

If you did, perhaps you saw this recently added view from Ethereal Reality's post on Noirish Los Angeles that showed the 1910 Pantages (now the Arcade) sticking up as if it were a highrise on what was then a fairly low skyline on the 500 block of Broadway.

If you looked down at the bottom of this detail (which you can click on to enlarge) you find yourself looking at the east side of the 600 block of Hill St.

And look at the arched entryway right above the parked car. This is perhaps the only good view in existence of the Shamrock Theatre, 608 S. Hill. It opened around 1910 and was later called the Bandbox. The site is now the location of the William Fox building, right behind the Los Angeles Theatre.

See the listing for the Shamrock on the Theatres West of Broadway page under its later name, the Bandbox Theatre.

The Los Angeles Theatre Redux

2011-06-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven't looked at the page for the Los Angeles Theatre lately, you'll find a half dozen new items.

The card here is one of them, an electric view from Cezar Del Valle's collection. Also new on the page are some facade views by Betty Sword from 1988 and 2002.

And, from just a couple of days ago, two nice interior views appearing on the L.A. Conservancy Facebook page by Stephen Russo including a lovely proscenium view. The occasion was the Last Remaining Seats screening of "King Kong." And don't miss Dusti Cunningham's new 28 photo collection -- also on the Conservancy Facebook page.

Come for the tour: Los Angeles Theatre.

WPA At The Avalon, and more...

2011-06-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

The page for the Hollywood Avalon got another update recently.

I heard from Joel Huxtable, who used to be an archivist at the theatre. After retiring from that job he has continued collecting photos, programs and other memorabilia about the building, which opened as the Hollywood Playhouse in 1927.

The delightful program cover here, from a 1933 WPA production of "Androcles and the Lion" is one of many new items on the Avalon page that come from Joel's collection.

Check out the updated page for links to more of Joel's items. Or head directly to his Hollywood Playhouse blog for additional historical data and photos.

More Looks At The Arcade Theatre

2011-06-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Arcade Theatre, which opened as the Pantages in 1910, has been an irresistible subject for photographers. If you're on Broadway, that shot of three theatres in a row is the one to have. Originally it was a bit more glamorous with Quinn's Superba, Clune's Broadway, and the Pantages as the lineup as you looked south.

The Superba got torn down to be replaced by the Roxie Theatre in 1931. Clune's is now the Cameo Theatre. And while they're still there, the trio is very much in hibernation.

The view here is a card from Cezar Del Valle's collection that I recently added to the theatre's page. Also new on the page over the last several weeks is another version of the card shown here that appeared on a post by Beaudry on Noirish Los Angeles.

Also from Noirish Los Angeles is a great view of the south side of the building (as the Pantages) that I hadn't seen before. Plus a nice color view posted by Laura DeMarco that appears on the delightful Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles.

Take the whole tour on the recently updated to the Arcade Theatre page!

P.S. You'll find more of Cezar's wonderful collection scattered all over the pages I've done devoted to the downtown theatres. I've been adding them as fast as he can post them two his two Flickr accounts: Theatre Posts and Theatre Talks.

New Views of The Forum Theatre

2011-06-16T09:00:00.001-07:00

If you're a fan of Roman revival architecture, head out to 4050 W. Pico Blvd. to look at the facade of the Forum Theatre -- still there in all its glory.

But if you want the best interior tour, head to the Forum Theatre webpage that I updated yesterday. I added five wonderful views to the page from the collection of the unstoppable theatre maven Cezar Del Valle.

One is a 2002 Betty Sword photo of the facade. But the interior tour I promised you comes from 4 views Cezar is sharing that appeared in a 1924 Architectural Record article. Included is this proscenium view. You can click on it to go to a full size version on Flickr. Also recently added is a nice 1927 postcard from the site Penny Postcards From California.

Check out the Forum page. Doesn't it just want to make you go to church this Sunday and come back with some recent interior views to share with us? Please?

More Views of The United Artists

2011-06-15T12:35:00.001-07:00

There really isn't any news on the United Artists Theatre on S. Broadway except that, once again, I've added more photos and vintage postcard views to the page devoted to L.A.'s only Gothic style movie palace.

Last night I had to get busy and do an update to the page on the United Artists Theatre because Cezar Del Valle had also been busy again.

I added photos from 1998 and 2002 (taken by Betty Sword) that Cezar recently posted to his Flickr page. You can see more goodies from his collection in his Theatre Talks album.

And check out a postcard view from Cezar that I put on the page two weeks ago. Also new on the page is a second vintage card from Elizabeth Fuller's ever-expanding Old L.A. Postcards collection.

The non-news on the UA is that it's still for sale. And Hillsman Wright of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation is valiantly negotiating with the church/owners for a tour date. Stay tuned.

Los Angeles Plays Itself

2011-06-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this? I had a rare chance to view it about five years ago at a museum screening and have been looking for it to watch again ever since.

Well, Thom Anderson's great exploration of Los Angeles and how it's been portrayed in the movies is now on YouTube.

The film is broken down into twelve 15 minute segments.

Check it out: Los Angeles Plays Itself -- Part 1.

A New Page Up: The Glendale Theatre

2011-06-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

One of my projects this week has been getting a page started about the Glendale Theatre, a building from 1920 that was demolished in 1996.

The photo here is one by Gary Graver showing the entrance after the theatre closed in the 1980s.

More about the building is on the new Glendale Theatre page.

But while we're talking about buildings called "Glendale Theatre," perhaps a mention of the first one would be in order.

The Glendale Theatres survey page now has a listing for an earlier Glendale Theatre.

In the photo here the double feature advertised is "Saved By The Flag" and "Wilson's Wife's Countenance," both released in 1910.

Click on the image for a larger view on the Los Angeles Public Library website.

I'm assuming that's the charming staff we're seeing in the photo. Or maybe it's the stars there for the premiere of one of the films. Eventually, perhaps more will be known. Let me know if you run across anything.

Update: George Ellison of the Special Collections Room at the Glendale Public Library responded to a query about the 1910 photo with dates and addresses. See the updated listing for the 1st Glendale Theatre.

The Warner Hollywood in 1937

2011-06-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

Don't you love this view of the marquee of the Warner Bros. Hollywood in 1937?

I ran across it last week while, as usual, looking for something else. It's from a very interesting UCLA web page called "Remapping Hollywould." No, that's not a typo.

Check out the page I've linked to for a great selection of vintage Hollywood photos. A few theatre views along with all sorts of other scenes -- 109 total.

And do go to the Warner Bros. Hollywood page for many more views of the theatre.

Also new on the page is a terrific 1945 view up Hollywood Blvd. from the Richard Wojcik collection. I found it on Alison Martino's Vintage Los Angeles. It's hard to keep up with Alison and her many contributors.

New Looks at the Million Dollar

2011-06-10T09:55:00.000-07:00

Well, this one shown here isn't new, but it was new to me. Again it's a card from Cezar Del Valle's great collection.

You can click on it for a full size view.

Also newly added to the page on the Million Dollar Theatre are two views taken this week by Stephen Russo during an L.A. Conservancy "Last Remaining Seats" screening. Plus a 1988 facade view from (who else?) Cezar.

Postcards of the Metropolitan

2011-06-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

That's plural? Well, I don't know. I've only seen one postcard view of Grauman's Metropolitan, later known as the Paramount.

And that one card only recently surfaced because theatre postcard connoisseur Cezar Del Valle added it to his collection. Click on it to go to a full size version on his Flickr pages.

And do visit our Metropolitan Theatre page for other views of this lamentably lost treasure. Opened in 1923, it was gargantuan -- 3600 seats.

And send me a link if you've seen any other cards of the Met!

Dancing at the Palladium: 1946

2011-06-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

Check out this wonderful 1946 view of elegance at the Palladium.

I came across it recently on Alison Martino's Vintage Los Angeles page on Facebook. Click on it to go to her full size version.

It's one of several new items on the Hollywood Palladium page. In particular check out a superb 1958 postcard from the collection of Cezar Del Valle and several 40s exteriors from the UCLA site "Remapping Hollywould."

Prowling Along Pico

2011-06-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

Today I finally got a page up on the Delmar Theatre on Pico.

If you've driven Pico at night, you know it's a treat to come across the restored neon signage of this theatre that lights up an otherwise fairly dismal stretch of the boulevard. The theatre is now a post production studio, Puget Sound.

The Delmar Theatre page has more pictures and information for you including photos by Michelle Gerdes and Mark Peacock. The photo here is one I took in 2010.

If you're interested in continuing your Pico prowl to check in on the other interesting buildings on the boulevard, there was the Picwood Theatre. Sadly gone. But check out the page on it for some views of the S. Charles Lee 1948 interior. New on the page are a couple of items from Vintage Los Angeles and a colorful exterior view I spotted on Cinema Tour.

If you're into faux-Roman, check out the Forum Theatre page. There's a very nice postcard view I just added to the page from the site Penny Postcards From California.

And if you are more interested in art deco, check out the page on the Fox Stadium, a Boller Bros. confection that's now a synagogue. What a delightful stylistic array!

More Early Views of the Globe

2011-06-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Globe, which opened on Broadway as the Morosco in 1913, got its share of early postcard views.

New on the Globe Theatre page is this one from Cezar Del Valle's collection showing a look north along Broadway. Also on the page note a fine view with a similar angle from the site Penny Postcards From California. Other new items include several construction photos from the magazine "Architect and Engineer."

Check out lots more views of the building on the Globe Theatre page.

If you've been inside and have photos, send them along and I'll add them to the page!

Supperclub at the Vogue

2011-06-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this dazzling 1935 look at the Vogue in Hollywood?

It's a view indexed in the Online Archive of California -- click on it to see the deco glory in its full size. We're running "Champagne For Breakfast." How decadent.

In addition to this image, other new items on our page devoted to the theatre include a 1957 facade view from the Ken McIntyre collection, a 1936 night postcard view from the California State Library, and some views from the site BizBash showing the theatre since it reopened as Supperclub at the Vogue.

Take a look at these items and more on the Vogue Theatre page.

Yes, I'm still looking for vintage views of the auditorium! I've never seen one of the screen end.

Inside the Venice Auditorium

2011-06-04T16:42:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not talking about the Fox Venice, although I have put together a page on that one in case you're interested.

This is a bit earlier. Built 1905 and burned in 1920. It was way out on the Venice Pier, along with the Ship restaurant and hotel. There have been oodles of exterior views published (and many postcards) but interior shots have been scarce.

I've had one tinted postcard view from the Jeffrey Stanton collection on the Venice Theatres page but it shows the room set up with tables and chairs.

So I was happy when Cezar Del Valle recently added the view you see here. We're actually set up with theatre seats with a show on stage. The theatre was huge -- seating capacity was reported to be 3,000. And they occasionally ran movies, including "Birth of a Nation," which drew thousands.

Check out the listing for the Venice Auditorium on the Venice and Ocean Park Theatres page for other views. Not to mention information on other Venice area theatres.

Another Visit To The Strand In Long Beach

2011-06-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

I spent an afternoon last week trolling through old Long Beach City directories. I didn't answer some of my questions but did find all sorts of new data for the 1910 to 1915 period.

And one of those data points was about the Strand Theatre on The Pike. I had thought it opened as Hoyt's Vaudeville but evidently that name didn't surface until around 1919. At this point my guess is that it opened as the Columbia around 1913.

The page on the Strand Theatre continues to grow. New items include the photo you see here of Escott Norton. It's a view taken by his father in 1947. When you have a chance, take a look at Mr. Norton's Old Sign Art page on Facebook.

Also new on the page is a 60s view from Long Beach Heritage, and a 20s view (showing a marquee with milk glass letters) that was posted on that ever fascinating forum Noirish Los Angeles.

Check out the updated Strand Theatre page!

Downtown Broadway Historic Theatre District Walking Tour

2011-06-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

The date is Thursday, June 9 at either 6:30 or 7:00 pm. It begins upstairs at Clifton’s Cafeteria, 648 S. Broadway.

As part of the Downtown Art Walk, the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation leads a comprehensive FREE sidewalk tour of up to 16 grand movie palaces in the Broadway District -- the largest collection of movie palaces on the planet, built between 1910 and 1932.

LAHTF members will share vintage photos and fun facts about the storied screens and stages, making LA’s 1920s entertainment district come to life. No reservations required.

Come early and enjoy dinner and a slideshow at Clifton’s. More information is available at 213-999-5067 or head to the LAHTF website. For the latest news, visit LAHTF on Facebook.

The view here is a 2007 photo I took of the Los Angeles Theatre. See the home page of the Downtown Theatres website for more data and images of the great buildings still along the street.

Wondering About The Hollywood Theatre

2011-06-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been inside this one? I haven't -- either as a moviegoer or a Guinness Museum patron. And, sadly, I've never seen any interior views. And the venue has been around since 1913 -- it was Hollywood's second theatre.

But the sign is so iconic that it shows up in lots of vintage views. Here is a 50s postcard that I added to the page recently. It was part of the collection on the now-vanished website Yesterday LA. Also new on the page are a post-closing photo by Gary Graver and a sweet 1947 noirish view posted by Alison Martino on Vintage Los Angeles.

Check out the page on the Hollywood Theatre for these items and more. And if you have those interior shots in the attic, send them along.

More on the Warner Bros. Downtown

2011-06-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

It seems only yesterday that I did an update on the Warner page when the interior photos from Michelle Gerdes got added.

Yet more interesting things keep popping up. The card here is a new one in Elizabeth Fuller's Old Los Angeles Postcards collection. We're looking north on Hill St. in the early 30s.

Also new on the page are three cards from Cezar Del Valle's ever expanding collection plus a 1970 view from Vintage Los Angeles with the theatre, then called the Warrens, showing "M*A*S*H."

Check out the page on the Warner Bros. Downtown!

Miracle Mile: The Ritz Theatre

2011-06-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

The view here is the first thing I've added to the page for the Ritz Theatre in a long time. While it's a lovely shot looking east on Wilshire in 1954, it only shows a sliver of the Ritz's red vertical sign.

But the photo is here also to steer you to a Vintage Los Angeles 2009 post on the Neat Stuff Blog. It's a delightful show of 50s and 60s views -- I'm assuming culled from a variety of different sources. Please advise me if you know who the photos should be credited to.

Another one I like is this 1954 view looking east toward the Wiltern. And do look at the Wiltern Theatre page for more information and other views of that deco palace.

More Views of the United Artists in East LA

2011-06-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

Check out the United Artists East LA page for some photos I added last week by intrepid theatre explorer Michelle Gerdes.

She has some great facade views. They show the "Unity" and "Artistry" panels in a much nicer fashion than mine did. The view here is one of Michelle's.

And, while we're in the neighborhood, have you driven by the Golden Gate Theatre? Is it a CVS yet? Did you take a photo?

The Dome Theatre in Ocean Park - 1930

2011-06-01T09:01:00.000-07:00

I happened upon this lovely 1930 view that nicely shows the signage for the Dome Theatre and other businesses on the Ocean Front Promenade in Ocean Park.

It's a view from Alison Martino's Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. Click on it for a full view.

I also added another of Alison's views (from 1932) to the Dome Theatre page last week. It seems like half the week was spent going through the nearly 2000 photos on her site. So many treasures!

Also new on the page is a nice tinted postcard from Card Cow showing the entrance to the original dome theatre -- before it was a theatre.

And, of course, I'm still looking for interior views of either of the Dome Theatres.

Vintage Postcards: The Philharmonic Auditorium

2011-05-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

This postcard is a view I added to the Philharmonic Auditorium page last week. It's postmarked 1908. There has been a similar card on the page for some time but here we get a more vivid view.

It's in the collection of Cezar Del Valle, who also has a number of other rare Los Angeles postcards.

Also on the page: Cezar's 1915 program of "The Clansman" -- a little film that was later re-titled "Birth of a Nation." The Auditorium was then run by pioneer showman Billy Clune.

Another new item on the page is a crisp 1965 view looking across Pershing Square from the Neat Stuff Blog. Plus there are some sparkling cards from Elizabeth Fuller as well as photos from other archives. Check it out and tell me why this one was torn down.

A New View of the Ritz

2011-05-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

Well, that was a bad attempt at a pun. The Ritz in Hollywood was at one time known as the New-View. It was previously a newsreel theatre called the News-View and when they went to regular features, they just dropped the "S" and re-arranged the sign a bit to make it the New-View.

Check out the page on the Ritz Theatre for several views of the building including a 1990 shot by Gary Graver.

The photo here (as the News-View) is one of two I added last week after finding them deep in the photo archives of the glorious Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. This one is from the Brian McCray collection. Click on it to go to a somewhat larger view.

The problem with the Ritz is that I've never seen the interior.

Your mission (if you choose to accept): Go to a Sunday church service there with a camera and report back with some interior photos.

Your reward: Photos will posted on the Ritz Theatre web page. Fame and fortune will result. You'll receive accolades from near and far. Good luck.

Loew's State Gets An Update

2011-05-29T19:11:00.000-07:00

Last week I did an update on the Loew's State Theatre page as I keep seeing more interesting vintage views to add.

You'll find a couple of new 50s postcard views added to the page, plus a 20s view I just spotted in Elizabeth Fuller's delightful Old Los Angeles Postcards collection on Flickr.

The view here is from Cezar Del Valle's collection -- also from the 20s but so early that we don't have much of a marquee on either side of the building -- or even the vertical signs.

Check out the updated page for more views -- or head to either of these postcard collections for some fun browsing.

Lost Long Beach -- more investigations

2011-05-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the page I recently added on the State Theatre in Long Beach if you want some evocative views of a lost world. The photo here is a view from the California State Library.

On their website: a full size view. It's sad that we don't have more interior photos of this gem.

I love the idea of theatres right on the beach. The State fits the bill wonderfully. But also check out the new page on another one nearby: the Boller Bros. designed Tracy Theatre. With his one, we're more fortunate about surviving interior photos. Once again it's the great collection of the California State Library that gives us lots to look at.

Another nearby theatre that has survived only in photos is the United Artists. Built in the 30s only for films, it was nonetheless quite a showplace.

More to come on the vanished theatres of Long Beach over the next few months!

Elizabeth Fuller's Old Los Angeles Postcards

2011-05-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

This lovely view is looking south on Broadway from 1st St. perhaps around 1905. The card is one item I added recently to the Mason Theatre page.

The light colored building on the right is the theatre, at this point called the Mason Opera House, which opened in 1903. You can click on the image to go to the full size view on Flickr.

You could go to the page on the theatre and look at many other great views that I've stumbled across in different archives. But this post is really to salute Ms. Fuller and her wonderful Old Los Angeles Postcards collection on Flickr.

I've been adding links to her cards all over my web pages for several years now. You'll find many of the major theatres represented in her collection. She's on the pages for the Chinese, the Egyptian, the Warner Bros. Hollywood -- and the list just goes on and on.

The collection is now up to 659 cards and, since it had been awhile, I spent a day last week exploring it again. The last time I had looked the archive was about 200 cards smaller so I found all sorts of new treasures to add to the pages for Loew's State, the United Artists and others.

Check it out. It's fun to browse through whether you are looking for beaches, houses, hotels, parks or whatever. It's a gloriously vast swath of vintage Los Angeles. Bravo!

Main Street's Art Theatre

2011-05-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Art Theatre on Main Street had a long career. It opened in 1918 and saw lots of changes in the business between then and its demolition in the late 80s.

The photo here is a pre-demolition view from the 80s by Gary Graver. You can click on it to enlarge.

Have you checked out Gary Graver's collection of theatre photos? This noted cinematographer and filmmaker took many pictures of theatres in Los angeles and his hometown of Portland, Oregon over a period of several decades.

Many of them are on display in a video on YouTube as "Second Run - Part 1" and "Second Run - Part 2."

See the new page on the Art Theatre for more information. Or check out the Main Street Theatres page for an overview of the more than 45 theatres that once graced this now forlorn street.

Checking in on the Fox Inglewood

2011-05-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I updated the Fox Inglewood page with some new photos by Michelle Gerdes. The Fox is an interesting time capsule. It closed in the 80s and has been sitting virtually undisturbed ever since. And it's still sitting, waiting for a rescue.

It's a "Skouras-style" house. A genre that you probably either love or hate. At a time when much design was getting the modern look the head of Fox West Coast Theatres, Charles Skouras, had his architectural team in the late 40s and early 50s take a different tack towards a lush neo-baroque feel.

The program was an attempt to create a program so theatres could be remodeled (or constructed from scratch as the Fox Inglewood was) in an economical fashion while creating a new sumptuous feel for post-war audiences with new expectations of luxury.

While many of the buildings ended up quite different from each other, you could always spot certain prefabricated elements: lush red draperies, exotic gold plaster swirls encompassing the proscenium, etched aluminum surround panels at the snack bar and drinking fountains, etc. The basic program was applied to hundreds of theatres. While the components differed, the consistent style was unmistakable. Fox maintained its own huge assembly plant to produce many of the decorative elements.

In a remodel it might be just a shiny "padded-looking" gold and aluminum snack bar and a few Skouras swirls below the proscenium like the Palace downtown. Or it could mean gutting the building and ending up with a totally new creation in an old shell like the Crest in Sacramento.

The photo here is one of four wonderful views newly on the Fox page that were taken by adventurous theatre explorer Michelle Gerdes. And if you check out the page, you'll find links to more of her stellar work.

A Vintage Postcard Double Feature: The Fox and the Warner

2011-05-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Hollywood views is this postcard looking east on Hollywood Blvd. in 1956. On the right is the Iris (opened 1918 -- later renamed the Fox). We're running "Friendly Persuasion."

Check out the page on the Fox Theatre for lots of views of various exterior looks of the building -- including several added a couple of weeks ago. I took some interior shots in 2010 after its conversion into "Playhouse at the Fox" that are also on the page.

But there's nothing of historic interest left inside and I have never seen a photo of the interior when it was operating as a theatre. Let me know if there are any you've seen.

The Warner down in the next block is running "Cinerama Holiday." The page for the Warner Theatre continues to grow. Items added in the last several weeks include a nice postcard view from the site Card Cow and a lovely 1965 view from the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. Check it out!

The postcard above comes from Yestersday L.A., a now vanished web site.

Vintage Los Angeles: The Orpheum and the Newsreel Theatres

2011-05-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

This crisp 1956 view from the Richard Wojcik collection showed up on Vintage Los Angeles this morning. We're looking north at the Orpheum as it's playing the Man Who Knew Too Much."

I just added the view to the Orpheum Theatre page. Also in the center, note the reddish "Newsreel" vertical -- for what is now the Tower Theatre.

But I'm really here to ask if you have checked out Alison Martino's Vintage Los Angeles page on Facebook? It's a delightful stream of interesting photos and data from many contributors. You can click on the image here to go to the full size view on Facebook.

23 Theatres in Northeast Los Angeles

2011-05-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

If you missed the link to this that was recently added to the Highland Theatre page, here's another chance to catch it.

The 5 minute video "20 Theatres of Northeast Los Angeles" is an interesting slide show by Edward Rivera on Arroyo Seco Journal.

It was sent my way by Escott Norton of the Facebook page Old Sign Art.

LAHTF Is Again Offering An Art Walk Theatre Tours!

2011-05-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Thursday, June 9 is the date. Meet at Clifton's Cafeteria at either 6:30 or 7 pm.

Don Solosan notes that "this edition of our popular free theater walking tour is in association with Bringing Back Broadway 100. They are working to have several of the theaters open, so you can see the insides as well as the exteriors of these movie palaces."

More details are on the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation Facebook Event page.

The view here is a 2010 shot I took of the Roxie, Arcade and Cameo Theatres. Click on it to enlarge. More theatre info is on our Broadway Theatres page.

Vintage Postcards: The Liberty Theatre, 3rd & Main

2011-05-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

Have you checked out Cezar Del Valle's postcard collection on Flickr?

Cezar is based in Brooklyn and is the author of "The Brooklyn Theatre Index" but his sights are turning westward. His Theatre Posts collection on Flickr has nice views of the United Artists, the State and many more.

The view here is a wonderful card showing the Liberty Theatre, 266 S. Main St. See his full size view.

I'd seen smaller versions of the card but nothing this luminous. Thanks, Cezar. We'll be adding links to some of his other cards to the downtown theatre pages over the next few days.

More on the Liberty (and almost 50 other theatres) is on the Main Street Theatres page.

More on the Earl Carroll: New Lobby Photos

2011-05-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

If you haven't taken a peek at the page about the Earl Carroll Theatre page in a few days, perhaps it's time for another look.

Chuck Weiss, who works on a show produced in the building, took a series of photos that he posted on Vintage Los Angeles. He's graciously allowed us to add the set to the Earl Carroll page.

And Chuck has also been in the basement for photos of the turntable mechanism and a stage lift.

Also new on the page are links to two interviews by Philip Mershon of the Felix in Hollywood Tour Co. with a showgirl who worked the theatre.

If you haven't visited yet, check out the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles.

Glendale's Tuesday Afternoon Theatre

2011-05-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

This looks like it was a great building. I must confess an obsessive interest in theatres opened by women's social clubs. I've worked in several (in Seattle and Detroit) and find them an interesting sub-genre of theatre construction.

In L.A. the two best known are the Variety Arts (by the Friday Morning Club) and the Wilshire Ebell (Ebell of Los Angeles). There was also an Ebell Theatre in Long Beach about which I know nothing at this point.

The Tuesday Afternoon ladies started their club in 1898 and perhaps their best known work was the founding of the Glendale Public Library. In 1923 they built their clubhouse and theatre on N. Central Ave. in Glendale. The auditorium ran movies for much of its life as the Arcade Theatre, the Show Stop Theatre and the Villa Glen, a classics operation running in the 70s.

The photo here of architect Alfred Priest's building is an undated view from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. On the Library's website: full size view

You can see the listing for the Tuesday Afternoon Theatre on the ever-expanding Glendale Theatres page. Sadly, the building has been demolished.

Early Cinemascope at the Chinese

2011-05-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it on Vintage Los Angeles the other day, perhaps you'd like to take a look at Richard Wojcik's colorful view of the Chinese in 1957.

I've added it to the page on the Chinese Theatre. If you go down the right column, you'll find 6 other views of the glorious Cinemascope signage that was first installed for "The Robe" in 1953. It's interesting to see how it morphed over the few years of its existence.

Shortly after Richard's photo, it was all gone. Sometime in the Fall of 1957 it was removed and dragon-topped marquees were added on the two side towers instead.

For a full size view of the photo see the link on the Chinese Theatre page or head to Vintage Los Angeles.

The Highland Lights Up Again!

2011-05-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Last night was the night to flip the switch and re-light the roof sign at the Highland. The view here is part of an album on Escott Norton's Old Sign Art page on Facebook.

See our page about the Highland Theatre for more information about the building.

Happy Birthday, Grauman's Chinese!

2011-05-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

The Chinese is 84 today and still looking great! Grauman's opened May 18, 1927 with "King of Kings" on the screen and a gargantuan prologue themed to the picture.

My project this week has been doing an update of the Chinese Theatre page on the Hollywood Theatres website.

Take a peek. It's been reorganized and has a number of new items added. The photo here of the entrance is one I took during a 2007 visit.

Happy Birthday, Chinese!

The Ivar Theatre After Dark

2011-05-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

I'd never even wondered what the Ivar in Hollywood looks like at night and I know I'd never driven by in the evening when a show was on.

I figured the Ivar Theatre page deserved an update last week after I found this uncredited 2002 night view while searching, of course, for something completely different. You'll also a few more new Ivar-related items on the page.

I did learn that the photo was taken as a result of the 2002 facade upgrade designed by artist Kunio Ohashi.

So, the question is: what's happening now at the Ivar? Anyone care to drive by and make a report? I tried calling all the old phone numbers I had for the place and found them all re-assigned.

Just curious.

The Beverly Theatre: A Xanadu Update

2011-05-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, I finally had to sit down and watch Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton - John in the 1980 Universal epic "Xanadu."

Part of it was seeing what they had filmed at the Pan Pacific Auditorium -- which I'll eventually get around to doing a page about.

But my immediate interest was a scene that had been shot at the now-demolished Beverly Theatre in Beverly Hills. It turns out that we get a colorful production number with Mr. Kelly dancing around in front of the proscenium in what had, by this time, become a Fiorucci clothing boutique.

I had hoped to see more of the theatre but was happy for what there was. And since I did it for you, I can advise you that you needn't watch it. I did add one still from the film to the updated Beverly Theatre page in case you can't resist a peek. There are also a few other new items on the page as well -- more than I thought I'd find.

In case you're doing a survey to sort out all the Beverlys: nearby was the Warner Beverly Hills, known in its last days as a concert venue as "The Beverly." And also see our page on the New Beverly revival house, rescued by Quentin Tarantino.

The lovely 1964 postcard view here is from the collection that was displayed on the now-vanished website Yesterday LA. Click on it for an enlarged view.

No Burlesque at the Nickel Diner

2011-05-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Back in February, Los Angeles Magazine had a nice story by Lesley Bargar Suter about "Best Retro Diners" that mentioned the Nickel Diner at 524 S. Main as being in a building that was a former burlesque theatre.

The 500 block of S. Main was one of the busiest blocks in downtown Los Angeles, at least as far as the number of theatres were concerned. I looked at my Main Street Theatres list and counted 8. And, of course, 524 S. Main wasn't on the list.

I sent in a letter noting that there were only two theatres on the east side of the street (the Galway at 514 and the Burbank at 548) -- and the Nickel wasn't at one of those locations. Well, I missed one.

Observant theatre historian/Orpheum manager Ed Kelsey advised the magazine that there was also the Sherman at 518 S. Main. Another data point was on the Cinema Treasures page for the Galway where intrepid archivist Ken McIntyre had come across a newspaper story announcing the opening of the Sherman (named for the General) in 1915.

So I headed to the microfilm and did some unspooling. It turns out the Sherman probably didn't last long as I could only find listings in the 1916 and 1918 city directories. And based on a few other clues, it looks like the Sherman wasn't at the location of the later Galway.

The photo here is NOT the Sherman. It's a Google Maps view of a 1924 building currently on the site. If you're interested, head to an interactive view for a Main St. stroll. The east side of the 500 block of Main St. is one of the few block faces on the street with a full block of vintage buildings intact.

Of course, the search for data on the Sherman resulted in a several day long binge on the microfilm machines. So there's now also a listing on the Main Street page for the Spidora Theatre (how's that for a name?) at 224 E. 5th St. It turns out that 5th St. east of Main was an active little theatre district for a few years.

Also I added lots of dates and data points for other theatres to the Theatres Street by Street Directory. Nothing important. But did you know we had a theatre called the Community in 1918 on Ivar Ave. in Hollywood?

How about the Windsor Theatre at 221 S. Western Ave.? That makes 19 now on the list along Western Ave.

And did you know that in 1922 the Rivoli at 4521 S. Western Ave. was called the Western Avenue Wonder Theatre? I wish I could have gone to a show at that one!

So back to the topic: where was the burlesque on the east side of the 500 block of Main? The Burbank Theatre is the main answer. Also note that the Galway in the 50s was running "Girlesque" but it was all on the screen -- no stage show. And on the other side of the street up 2 blocks was the Follies Theatre, formerly the Belasco. What a street!

Hollywood and Vine 1946: The Admiral Theatre

2011-05-13T10:23:00.001-07:00

The photo here is from Tom Wetzel's wonderful Hollywood Blvd. Line Tour. It's part of a great set he did about the Pacific Electric Red Car lines. Here we get a view of the marquee of the Admiral Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. just west of Vine.

The Admiral later gets renamed the Vine. The Vine Theatre page just got an update with a couple of new items added. But still no interior views. Have you seen any anywhere?

This theatre shouldn't be confused with several that were actually on Vine St. such as the Montalban (Wilkes' Vine St., Vine St. Theatre) and the Linwood Dunn (ABC Vine St. Theatre).

Last time I looked, the Vine was for rent after a brief fling as the home of Laserium. Has anyone been by lately?

Vintage Los Angeles Postcards: Earl Carroll Theatre

2011-05-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been trolling various postcard collections looking for theatre photos. I recently came across Card Cow - a great site to lose a day on. It's easy to do searches for various areas of the city or specific building.

And if you haven't been there already, do check out Elizabeth Fuller's Old L.A. Postcards collection on Flickr.

Another one with some great treasures is Penny Postcards from California. The view here of the Earl Carroll Theatre is from that site.

You'll find other postcard views of this theatre along with lots lots more information on the Earl Carroll Theatre page that I've recently updated.

Another Look at the Avalon

2011-05-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

Have you checked out the Facebook page "Vintage Los Angeles"? Well, Alison Martino curates a delightful daily nostalgia fest with thousands of interested Angelenos looking at photos of their past. New adventures daily.

I'm a newcomer to the page so I had some serious catching up to do. About 1,600 photos to joyously look through. And two of those inspired me to take another look at my Avalon Hollywood page and give it an update.

You'll find the two views from Vintage Los Angeles at the bottom of the right column. One is a rare view looking south on Vine toward Hollywood Blvd. in the late 40s or early 50's -- before Capitol Records was built.

All the vintage views I've seen are going the other way -- looking north up Vine towards Hollywood Blvd. So take a peek. But it's not done -- I'm always looking for more photos. Are there any in your attic? The view here of the entrance is one I took last year.

Check it out: the updated Avalon Hollywood page | Alison's Vine Street photo |

Artwalk Theatre Tours Are Back!

2011-05-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation is again offering a theatre tour in conjunction with the Downtown Art Walk.

It's Thursday, May 12 with tours leaving at 6:30 and 7 pm. The tours depart from the second floor of Clifton's Cafeteria, 648 S. Broadway.

It'll be a fun romp along Broadway with docents discussing 16 of the grand Los Angeles movie palaces. It's free. No reservations are required. Come early and enjoy dinner and a slide show at Clifton's!

More information: LAHTF on Facebook | Downtown Art Walk | Clifton's Cafeteria | LAHTF event info on Facebook |

The postcard view looking south on Broadway is here as a tribute to a now vanished website, Yesterday LA. It was one of a number of wonderful views in their collection. Click on it to enlarge.

The Mason Theatre on Video: The 1947 Project

2011-05-08T14:07:00.001-07:00

Check out a wonderful video about downtown's Mason Theatre (aka Mason Opera House) produced by The 1947 Project.

It's been on the web for several years but I just yesterday came across a link to it. Truly delightful.

The video on Google: "Mason Opera House." Also visit the 1947 Project website if you're an L.A. noir fan.

And for more on this now demolished treasure, see the Mason Theatre page.