The Earl Carroll Theatre pages: history + exterior views | lobby areas | auditorium | stage | stage basement | sceneshop | ephemera |
A boxoffice view by Maynard Parker. It's a photo in the Huntington Library collection where on its site you'll also find thumbnail views of the 21 other photos of the theatre they have by Mr. Parker. You can also find many more Earl Carroll views on Calisphere.
Another look at the Goddess of Neon. It's an August 1939 photo by Maynard Parker in the collection of the Huntington Library. Also see a wider version of this shot, presumably also by Mr. Parker, that's in the collection of Marc Wanamaker's Bison Archives. The door in the lower right goes up to the theatre offices and spot booth.
The neon installation was discussed in "Fluorescent Tubing Illuminates the New Earl Carroll Theatre," an article in the February 1939 issue of the trade magazine "Signs of the Times." They noted this about the Goddess:
"The 'theme of light' contains the largest unsupported single luminous tube in existence, 50 feet long in a single piece of 25-millimeter warm white tubing that spirals upward to mark the beginning of the pendant light fringe."
Thanks to Dydia DeLyser and Paul Greenstein for locating the article. The neon installation as well as the historic look of the facade were investigated by them as part of the exterior restoration project funded by Essex Properties. Dydia and Paul are the authors of the 2021 book "Neon: A Light History."
Paul notes that it is actually two pieces of tubing with a join at the left hand. The image is a detail from the Parker photo.
A closer look at the join in the left hand. And the return wire? Could be in a run of conduit down the side wall. Paul theorizes that it might have been lit by a radio frequency transformer in a little room behind the boxoffice.
Thanks to Paul for noting that each pair of the ceiling "fringe" tubes were fabricated as a sharp-cornered U. Here in another detail from the Parker photo we can see a section of smaller diameter blacked-out tubing just above the ends of the vertical pieces. The tubing is described in the "Signs of the Times" article as
"1,200 swinging luminous-tube pendants forming a fringe of fluorescent light. The ceiling is of black patent leather from which the pendants are suspended... A gentle rippling effect in the fringe is obtained by means of air currents from concealed sources..."
A wonderful photo from Marc Wanamaker's Bison Archives that not only gives a better sense of the height of the neon display but also affords a view of the deeply textured carpet. Note over on the left a view of the back tables. There was originally no wall separating the lobby area from the auditorium.
Thanks to Scott Collette for using the photo in a post about the theatre on his Forgotten Los Angeles Facebook page. He notes that it appeared in Mary Mallory's "Earl Carroll Puts Swank into Sunset Boulevard," a 2018 article for the Hollywood Partnership website.
A view across several of the rear tables toward the Goddess of Neon. Thanks to Scott Collette for locating this for his Forgotten Los Angeles post. He spotted it on Martin Turnbull's blog. The date and photographer are unknown.
Thanks to the Marc Wanamaker Bison Archives collection for this 1939 view of the bar area at the back of the auditorium. Yes, those vertical tubes at the top of the photo are neon. The McAvoy/Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection also has a copy of this one, their #RN-031-8. Head to their website to browse more Earl Carroll Theatre photos.
The lobby stairs up to the lounges. It's a 1939 photo by Maynard Parker in the Huntington Library collection.
The top of the stairs. It's a view from the Los Angeles Public Library. Their great collection includes about a hundred photos of the theatre with many concerning specific productions and performers.
Across the landing at the top of the stairs to the lounges. It's a 1939 Maynard Parker photo from the Huntington Library. The statues are by Wally Pogany.
The ladies cosmetics room. It's a Maynard Parker photo in the Huntington Library collection.
Another ladies cosmetics room photo by Maynard Parker from the Huntington Library collection. Note the stools on the far right -- the mirrors are just out of the frame.
Yet another angle on the ladies cosmetics area from the Huntington Digital Library collection. It's a 1939 Maynard Parker photo on the Huntington Library website.
The house right lobby bar. The 1939 photo is by Maynard Parker in the Huntington Library collection. The glass columns are internally lit with neon.
Mike Hume comments: "Something we noticed: one of the lobby's neon pillars is missing! In the photo above there’s a pillar directly to the left of the telephone kiosk, at the left side of the photo. Looking at modern photos, including the Chuck Weiss 2011 photo, it is gone! No-one we spoke to knows the story behind this."
Originally the lobby area wasn't walled off from the auditorium. You'd walk up the stairs and there would be the bars off to the left and the tables and chairs off to the right. It's another Maynard Parker photo from the Huntington Library collection. Note that here they had tables set up almost back to the bars.
There have been many remodel jobs in the theatre. Thanks to the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Hollywood Historic Photographs collection for this Moulin Rouge era photo, RN-106-7, one that they date as 1955. The neon is gone from the Goddess of Neon and there's a lovely dropped ceiling and added columns on the left to support it. This area, now a separate lobby, was open to the auditorium like this as late as 1965. It didn't get a solid dividing wall until perhaps 1968 with the run of "Hair."
Additional photos of the lobby area in the Bruce Torrence collection include: house left lobby bar - #RN-031-1 | lobby stairs to lounges - #RN-031-18 | statue and entrance - 1948 - #RN-031-21. Exterior views in the collection include: c.1938 - neon detail - #RN-031-7 | c.1938 night facade view - #RN-031-6 | 1939 - along the sidewalk - #RN-031-1 | 1979 - "Oliver" - #T-004-4 | another 1979 "Oliver" view - #T-004-3 | 1979 - "Ain't Misbehavin" - T-004-5 | 1987 - Aquarius - "For Sale or Lease" - #T-004-6 | And you can browse many more Earl Carroll photos and Aquarius photos on the Historic Hollywood Photographs website.
Recent lobby views:
The south wall. Photo: Bill Counter - February 2018
A view back to the entrance doors. Photo: Bill Counter - February 2018
The house right lobby bar. The 1939 photo is by Maynard Parker in the Huntington Library collection. The glass columns are internally lit with neon.
Mike Hume comments: "Something we noticed: one of the lobby's neon pillars is missing! In the photo above there’s a pillar directly to the left of the telephone kiosk, at the left side of the photo. Looking at modern photos, including the Chuck Weiss 2011 photo, it is gone! No-one we spoke to knows the story behind this."
Originally the lobby area wasn't walled off from the auditorium. You'd walk up the stairs and there would be the bars off to the left and the tables and chairs off to the right. It's another Maynard Parker photo from the Huntington Library collection. Note that here they had tables set up almost back to the bars.
There have been many remodel jobs in the theatre. Thanks to the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Hollywood Historic Photographs collection for this Moulin Rouge era photo, RN-106-7, one that they date as 1955. The neon is gone from the Goddess of Neon and there's a lovely dropped ceiling and added columns on the left to support it. This area, now a separate lobby, was open to the auditorium like this as late as 1965. It didn't get a solid dividing wall until perhaps 1968 with the run of "Hair."
Additional photos of the lobby area in the Bruce Torrence collection include: house left lobby bar - #RN-031-1 | lobby stairs to lounges - #RN-031-18 | statue and entrance - 1948 - #RN-031-21. Exterior views in the collection include: c.1938 - neon detail - #RN-031-7 | c.1938 night facade view - #RN-031-6 | 1939 - along the sidewalk - #RN-031-1 | 1979 - "Oliver" - #T-004-4 | another 1979 "Oliver" view - #T-004-3 | 1979 - "Ain't Misbehavin" - T-004-5 | 1987 - Aquarius - "For Sale or Lease" - #T-004-6 | And you can browse many more Earl Carroll photos and Aquarius photos on the Historic Hollywood Photographs website.
Recent lobby views:
The lower bar at street level with a peek up into the lobby. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017. Thanks to Mike for all his photos on these pages. Visit his Historic Theatre Photography site for tech information and hundreds of fine photos of the many theatres he's explored in Los Angeles and elsewhere. And don't miss his page about the Earl Carroll.
The reservation kiosk. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
A closer look at the kiosk. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
The south wall. Photo: Bill Counter - February 2018
A view back to the entrance doors. Photo: Bill Counter - February 2018
Looking up the stairs to the main lobby area. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
A closer look up at the Goddess of Neon. Sadly, she's lost her ribbon of neon tubing. It was gone with the early 50s Moulin Rouge remodel. Photo: Mike Hume - 2017
The Goddess from above. Photo: Brian Donnelly - 2018
Looking into the lobby over her shoulder. Photo: Brian Donnelly - 2018. Thanks, Brian!
The main lobby area. The stairs to the lounges upstairs are down there on the left, the auditorium is off to the right. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
A set of doors into the auditorium. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
A view deeper into the lobby from the house right bar. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
Behind the uplights below the bar. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
A lobby ceiling view. Photo: Wendell Benedetti - LAHTF Facebook page - October 2017
The Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation is actively involved in the
study and preservation of the many vintage theatres in the L.A. area.
The group frequently supports events and offers tours.
www.lahtf.org | group Facebook page | official Facebook page |
www.lahtf.org | group Facebook page | official Facebook page |
In preservation negotiations with Essex Property Trust, the building owners, the LAHTF was an integral part of a coalition also involving Hollywood Heritage, the L.A. Conservancy, the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles and councilman Mitch O'Farrell. Escott O. Norton, executive director of the LAHTF, comments:
"Our coalition spent two years working directly with the developer to find ways to preserve and protect the Earl Carroll Theatre. Because of our efforts, the developer filed the application and the Earl Carroll Theatre is now a LA City Historic Cultural Monument. The developer has also pledged to restore the original neon on the exterior, and will be working with LAHTF as we try to find the right tenant to reactivate this space as a performance venue once again. This is a preservation success story, one that came about because of the willingness of this developer to work with our preservation organizations."
"Our coalition spent two years working directly with the developer to find ways to preserve and protect the Earl Carroll Theatre. Because of our efforts, the developer filed the application and the Earl Carroll Theatre is now a LA City Historic Cultural Monument. The developer has also pledged to restore the original neon on the exterior, and will be working with LAHTF as we try to find the right tenant to reactivate this space as a performance venue once again. This is a preservation success story, one that came about because of the willingness of this developer to work with our preservation organizations."
The left side of the lobby in 2011. Around the corner at this end of the bar nearest us there's a phone booth. Photo: Chuck Weiss. Thanks, Chuck!
In 2011 the theatre was home to "Victorious," "iCarly" and other Nickelodeon shows. Chuck, who was working in the building on "iCarly," reported at the time that the owners were keeping the lobby in near mint condition. His Earl Carroll photos originally appeared on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles where you can see the many comments they garnered.
Several of the columns. These are made of glass rods with vertical strips of neon in the center of the structure to backlight it. At one point these had all been painted. Marc Wanamaker tells stories about cleaning the rods with Brillo pads when he was working with Gary Essert to reopen the theatre as the Kaleidoscope in 1967. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
From the stairs looking along the house right bar toward the phone booth. Photo: Brian Donnelly - 2018
In 2011 the theatre was home to "Victorious," "iCarly" and other Nickelodeon shows. Chuck, who was working in the building on "iCarly," reported at the time that the owners were keeping the lobby in near mint condition. His Earl Carroll photos originally appeared on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles where you can see the many comments they garnered.
Several of the columns. These are made of glass rods with vertical strips of neon in the center of the structure to backlight it. At one point these had all been painted. Marc Wanamaker tells stories about cleaning the rods with Brillo pads when he was working with Gary Essert to reopen the theatre as the Kaleidoscope in 1967. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018
From the stairs looking along the house right bar toward the phone booth. Photo: Brian Donnelly - 2018
A closer look at the mirrored lady at the end of the bar. Thanks to Gary Parks for sharing his 2005 photo on a Facebook post.
The lobby phone booth at the house right end of the bar. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
The display case on the south side of the lobby. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
A peek at the stairs up to the restrooms and lounge areas. Photo: Chuck Weiss - 2011
The restroom stairs. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
Another look up the stairs to the lounge areas. Sorry, it's not the original glass there on the landing. Photo: Wendell Benedetti - LAHTF Facebook page - October 2017
The landing on the staircase. Photo: Chuck Weiss - 2011
Part way up the stairs. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
Part way up the stairs. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
On the landing, looking back down to the lobby. The ladies room is on the right, gents on the left. Photo: Wendell Benedetti - LAHTF Facebook page - October 2017
Coming in to the ladies room from the stairs. That's a phone booth below the signage, not the entrance to the toilet area. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
Coming in to the ladies room from the stairs. That's a phone booth below the signage, not the entrance to the toilet area. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
Around the curve a bit farther, looking unto the toilet and sink area. Photo: Bill Counter - February 2018
Peering around a bit deeper and we're in the ladies cosmetics area. Photo: Bill Counter - February 2018
In the cosmetics room looking back toward the entrance. The stairs are around that column-like structure on the right. Photo: Bill Counter - February 2018
Heading back down to the main lobby from the ladies lounge side of the staircase. From the lounge areas there's no place else to go -- no access to the office areas or the spot booth. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
Looking into the men's room from the stairs. The toilet area is out of the frame to the left. Photo: Bill Counter - February 2018
Looking into the men's room from the stairs. The toilet area is out of the frame to the left. Photo: Bill Counter - February 2018
The men's toilet area. Photo: Bill Counter - February 2018
Looking back out to the sink area. The stair landing is out through the black doorway. Photo: Bill Counter - February 2018
The vista back down to the lobby on the gents side. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
A lobby view from house left. Visualize it without that added wall on the left. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
Looking back down toward the exit from the lobby level. The auditorium is off to the left. Photo: Chuck Weiss - 2011. He notes: "The original statuette is in excellent condition, and still greeting those who enter the doors of this amazing place." See the comments to his post of the photo on Vintage Los Angeles. Thanks, Chuck!
Another look at the lady at the top of the stairs. Note the office door over on the right. Photo: Wendell Benedetti - LAHTF Facebook page - October 2017
Office areas above the lobby:
The office door that leads to all sorts of interesting places. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
Mike comments: "Through the door is a landing, stairs down to right descend one level to the basement, We then turn right and get into the open plan area of the basement. If we instead turn left from the lobby level landing to ascend the stairs we go up one level and pass a 'Movie Star Homes' mural on our left which is located on the reverse side of the curved lobby wall above/behind the Goddess of Neon.
"There are a couple of offices to the right here, and further down this corridor we can either ascend a stair, or turn left to get into a small viewing room (seen just above the small red ladder in this photo). It's evidently not original. From the old pics I don’t see a space in the drapes to gain a view out the window. Ascending the stairs takes us to more offices and the corridor leading into the monitor rooms (two of them) and finally into the spot booth. Sadly the spot booth windows are entirely boarded-up."
Some views in the spot booth and monitor rooms as well as in the basement are included on the page about the auditorium.
The view west from an office above the theatre's entrance area. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
A mural on the curved wall in behind the Goddess of Neon sculpture. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017
On the way out, a last look at the Goddess of Neon, minus her tubing. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017. Visit Mike's Historic Theatre Photography site for tech information and hundreds of fine photos of the many theatres he's explored in Los Angeles and elsewhere.
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Manca qualche foto della cosa più IMPORTANTE di un CINEMA!!! LA SALA PROIEZIONE..... o per voi non è importante!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis was never really a cinema. Although it was temporarily set up as one for several Filmex festivals in the 80s. So it never really had a projection booth with permanently installed equipment. There are pictures of its small (and unexciting) spot booth down near the bottom of the page of auditorium photos. And, yes, it is important!
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