Vogue Theatre

6675 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028 | map |

The news: It had yet another remodel beginning in June 2023 and and is a now a branch of the Victory Outreach church. Previously it had been in use as the Vogue Multicultural Museum.

Opened: July 9, 1935. This 1935 Mott Studios view is from the California State Library collection, one of three photos in their set #001387308. A photo of the nearly completed theatre was included with a page 29 L.A. Times article on June 30, 1935 headlined "Year's First Half Sees Huge Building Spurt Here"

A July 10, 1935 Times article.

A Times ad for the new theatre. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the Times items.

 

Architect: S. Charles Lee. The Vogue had a Skouras-style re-do in 1946. It got a major remodel in 1959 by J. Arthur Drielsma

 

 

A drawing by Mr. Lee for the theatre's facade. It's a detail from a larger drawing in the S. Charles Lee Papers at the Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA. 

 

An early version of the floorplan. Source: UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection

The Backroom: The room behind the storefront east of the theatre, seen in the upper center of the floorplan, was famous for decades as Musso & Frank's "Backroom," a favored workspace for writers such as Dashiell Hammett, Nathaniel West, William Faulkner, Raymond Chandler and Dorothy Parker. They cut two doorways in the west wall of their dining room and hired a doorman to keep the less exalted customers out. Musso's lease on the space expired in 1955. They took the room's furnishings and tried, as much as possible, to reconstitute it in their "New Room" east of the restaurant's entrance. It's in a space formerly used as a bookstore. Thanks to Hollywood historian April Clemmer for the research. Also see a 2015 Curbed L.A. article about the restaurant's history. 

 

A plan at mezzanine level showing the auditorium's ceiling domes. Source: UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection 

 

 

Lobby stair details from a later version of the plans. Source: UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection

 

Seating: 800 originally, 500 at the end. There is no balcony. Upstairs is just the booth, offices and restrooms.

 

A 1942 ad for a fine triple bill. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for spotting this one for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. 

 

"New 1st Run Policy." Thanks to Scott Pitzer for sharing this 1942 ad.

In the 40s the theatre was operated by Popkin & Ringer. This listing in the 1947 Film Daily Yearbook shows the extent of Harry Popkin's theatre holdings. His company at one time was also called Circle Theatres. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for spotting the listing. By 1946 Fox West Coast had the house and they gave it a bit of a Skouras-style remodel.

In 1959 there was a more complete remodel designed by J. Arthur Drielsma for Fox West Coast / National Theatres that included a revamp of the facade, a new marquee that extended across the width of the building's storefronts and a remodeled lobby and restrooms. It was mentioned in a page 7 story in the August 8, 1959 issue of the Times.

 

A rendering for the for the 1959 remodel designed by Arthur Drielsma. The drawing is in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. 

 

 

The remodeled theatre got a full page of ads and stories in the August 15, 1959 issue of the Hollywood Citizen-News. Thanks to Bruce Kimmel for locating this. 

 

 

A closer look at the main story in the Citizen-News. 

 

 

The Citizen-News photo. The caption: "NEW CONCEPT -- Fox West Coast Theatres' new jewel box, the Vogue Theatre, premiered Wesdnesday after $200,000 remodeling, with Rowland V. Lee's 'The Big Fisherman.' Policy calls for twice daily, reserved seat performances. Theatre brings to Hollywood new concept in design, operation." Thanks, Bruce!  

The 1959 work was featured in a three page story beginning on page 10 of the Modern Theatre section of the October 19, 1959 issue of Boxoffice. It's on the site Yumpu. The article noted that the screen was replaced with a new larger one measuring 24' x 57'. The booth got Simplex 35/70 projectors, new Strong Excelite lamps, and an Ampex 6-4-1 sound system. 
 
While it was operated by Fox West Coast and, later, Mann Theatres, the Vogue had lots of good runs including 70mm reserved seat engagements of "The Big Fisherman" (1959, reopening the house after the remodel) and "Can-Can" (1960, a moveover from the Carthay Circle). Later (through 1992) Mann frequently used the Vogue as a moveover house from the Chinese.

One 1967 booking for the Vogue was Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde" (Warner Bros.). Thanks to Ken McIntyre for posting the ad on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

Closing: Vogue closed as a regularly operating movie theatre in 2001.

The building reopened as a nightclub called Supperclub in the fall of 2010. Supperclub was an Amsterdam based company that was operating the venue as a music club, restaurant and performance space. The firm did a significant amount of remodel work including removal of the original floor to install terracing and a dance floor, gutting the proscenium area, and installing a kitchen at the screen end of the theatre. Projection capability included a roll down screen in front of the kitchen. Manager Jerry Garcia noted at the time of the 2010 opening that their new mostly white interior decor gave the performers a blank canvas for their events. The club closed in October 2015.

The theatre reopened in March 2018 as a free museum called Screenbid, an offshoot of the online auction house ScreenBid.com. The project, a venture of the building owner Freddy Braidi and his partner Elie Samaha featured artifacts from various film studios. On display were items about the history of film and other aspects of show business. Most of the items were available for purchase. 

 

The floorplan for the ScreenBid renovations. The project included a bar and was occasionally rented for private parties. Renovation work included putting a wall across the middle of the auditorium and converting the former Musso and Frank "Backroom" into a sales area. This and other 2017 planning documents are available as a PDF: http://www.hhwnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/6675-Hollywood-Vogue-Planning-Documents.pdf. The building owner was listed as Freddy Braidi, 812 La Cienega Partners, 323-654-4215. By early 2019 Screenbid had closed. The building was advertised as being available for lease beginning in early 2020.

Chris Nichols did a July 2021 item for Los Angeles magazine: "Hollywood's Vogue Theatre Gets a New Life at 86." It reopened September 3, 2021 as the Vogue Multicultural Museum, headed by Diego Gonzalez. "The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains" ran until January 30, 2022. Thanks to Stephen Russo for sharing the data. Next it was to be "HR Geiger: Alone With the Night." That didn't happen. As of mid-2023 the building was closed up. 

Status: It's now a Victory Outreach church. The remodel for this latest use began in June 2023.

The lobby:

Cinematour's Vogue Theatre page has this early lobby view from the publication "Theatre Catalog."  The page also features a some exterior photos from 2003-2008.
 

The lobby in 2010 during the Supperclub renovations. Photo: Bill Counter

The lobby in 2018 after the Screenbid renovations. Photo: Bill Counter

 
The house right side of the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

Upstairs:

The upstairs corridor to the restrooms in 2010. The railing beyond the exit is part of the staircase down to the lobby. The back wall of the booth is at right, new restroom construction to the left. Note S. Charles Lee's classical detailing on the pilasters at the exit.There was also a classical broken pediment over the doors from the lobby into the auditorium.  Photo: Bill Counter

The booth in February 2010. It's all wood frame construction upstairs and there had been a lot of water and pigeon problems. Plaster on the walls had been removed in 2010 as part of the Supperclub renovation. Under the tarp it's a Simplex XL, Simplex soundhead and LP Associates Xenon lamp. The 70mm gear had been removed some years ago. photo: Bill Counter


The auditorium:

The California State Library Mott-Merge collection includes this c.1935 view of the Vogue's auditorium. It's a Mott Studios photo in their set #001387308.

A look toward the screen after the Skouras renovation. It's a photo from the Ronald W. Mahan collection. It was taken December 5, 1946 by Western Photo Service and was in the Mann Theatres collection.  

Michael Moran comments: "Most of what you see in the picture had been ripped out by the time the Vogue stopped showing films. It was basically a box with a rake with no decoration. With that in mind, the Vogue could be returned to film exhibition. I loved the Vogue, and worked there as Assistant Manager for a couple of years. It was a nice, medium size house with good sight lines, a killer sound system and rats who were attracted to the trash from Musso Frank and stayed for the movie. 

"By the way. The theatre is NOT haunted. There is no ghost of a former projectionist who died in the booth. I knew Gus and he died long after he retired from the Vogue. There were no ghosts of children who died in a fire on that site because there was never a school there. That story came up when it was the base of operations for a Ghost Hunters tour or some sort of nonsense."

The sidewall with the new ornament. The theatre would get another remodel in 1959. Thanks to Ronald W. Mahan for the photo from his collection, also taken December 5, 1946.

The front of the auditorium in 1959 after installation of a new 24' x 57' screen for 70mm. Yes, that's a bit of a waterfall curtain we're seeing at the top. The image is from a story about the remodel beginning on page 10 of the Modern Theatre section of the October 19, 1959 issue of Boxoffice. It's on the site Yumpu.  

An auditorium view in February 2010 from the rear of the house toward house right. The doorway at extreme right leads into a storage room at one time used as the "Backroom" dining area by Musso and Frank's. Here we see that the floor slab has been removed at the rear and risers are being constructed. The wall finish appears to be acoustic plaster with remnants of decoration perhaps from the 1959 remodel. Later the walls had Soundfold drapes over the plaster. Photo: Bill Counter

Another view looking toward the front of the auditorium. Photo: Bill Counter - 2010

At the screen looking toward the house left wall and rear of the auditorium. Photo: Bill Counter - 2010
 

At the front looking along the former screen area toward the house left wall. The screen would have been in front of the white wall at right which was both an exit corridor and a structure to support the speakers. There was no stage area and whatever proscenium there was is long gone. Photo: Bill Counter

The auditorium of the Vogue shortly after remodeling and reopening as Supperclub Los Angeles. The photo appeared with a now-vanished BizBash story "Supperclub Los Angeles..." from November 2010.

A 2010 BizBash view along one of the sidewall banquettes.

 
A 2010 BizBash shot looking down from the booth. Note that the original ceiling cove still remains.

The vista toward the rear. The Daria Nagovitz photo had appeared on the club's Facebook page.  

A new wall installed by Screenbid that split the auditorium in half. The front half was warehouse space. Yes, that's part of S. Charles Lee's 1935 ceiling. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018 

Looking through the window at the front of the auditorium. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018 

 

The bar area at the rear of the auditorium. The bar and the rounded wall above it were leftovers from Supperclub. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018 

The view toward house right and a new doorway cut into the space once used as the Musso & Frank Backroom. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

 
The Back Room space, used by Screenbid as a retail area. We're looking toward Hollywood Blvd. A doorway connecting this space to the theatre lobby is on the right at the end of the space just before the wall.  Photo: Bill Counter - 2018 

 

 

Part of the Pink Floyd exhibit that opened September 3, 2021. Thanks to Brad Stubbs for the photo, one of four on a Facebook post about his visit.  


More exterior views:

1935 - A pre-opening look at the theatre from page 65 of the 2008 Arcadia Publishing book "Theatres in Los Angeles" by Suzanne Tarbell Cooper, Amy Ronnebeck Hall and Marc Wanamaker.  Most of the photos in the book come from Marc Wanamaker's Bison Archives.  There's a Google Books preview you can browse.  

The theatre's opening bill is on the marquee:  "The Lodger" (aka "The Phantom Fiend") and "Ladies Crave Excitement."   

1935 - Running "Champagne For Breakfast" with Mary Carlisle along with "The Awakening of Jim Burke" with Jack Holt. It's a Mott Studios view from the California State Library collection, one of three photos in their set #001387308.

 

 

1936 - The Vogue with the March release "These Three," starring Merle Oberon, Joel McCrea and Miriam Hopkins. Thanks to Torbjörn Eriksson for locating the Popperfoto shot for a post on the Los Angeles and Southern California Nostalgia Facebook group. The New York Times had used the shot back in 2009 for a review of Richard Rayner's book "A Bright and Guilty Place: Murder, Corruption and L.A.'s Scandalous coming of Age." They have the photo on an archive page. It can also be seen on the Getty Images site.

1937 - The Vogue is running "Jungle Princess" with Dorothy Lamour and Ray Milland, released in November 1936. Bruce Kimmel notes that the second feature was "Florentine Dagger." The crowd is there for the Christmas parade in this postcard view west on Hollywood Blvd. from the California State Library collection. There's a copy of the image from the negative of the Bob Plunkett photo in the Huntington Library collection. On their site you can enlarge it and look at details.
 

Note the vertical and banner at the Egyptian on the left. They were running "Ali Baba Goes To Town" with Eddie Cantor, a film that had played the Chinese for a week beginning November 3. Their co-feature was "Hold 'em Navy." The illuminated letters across the street in the distance are advertising "Navy Blue and Gold" with Robert Young and Jimmy Stewart. It played the Chinese for a week beginning November 24, 1937. Bruce notes that this week the Iris had "Wee Willie Winkie" and "Danger - Love at Work," the Hollywood was playing "Lost Horizon" and the Paramount had "That Certain Woman."

 

1939 - Looking east in December with the street all decorated for the holidays. The Vogue is on the left and the Egyptian is on the right.  Thanks to Ken McIntyre on Photos of Los Angeles for the photo. 

1942 - Time for the scary giant Santa Clauses. The Vogue is running "Secret Enemies," a September release. It's a photo from the Ronald W. Mahan collection. Thanks, Ron! 

 

 

1940s - An aerial view looking northwest with the tower of the Vogue seen toward the upper center and the Musso & Frank parking lot in the upper right. The four story Hollywood Center Building at Hollywood and Cherokee is in the center. Hidden just to the left of it is the roof of the News-View/Ritz/Pussycat Theatre. 

 

 

1940s - This time looking southeast with the back of the Vogue in the lower center. The News-View is across the street this side of the Shane Building. This shot and the previous one are from ten minutes of footage as "Hollywood, California Aerials" on Internet Archive. It's fascinating footage but messes with your brain as it's flipped. In later footage toward the end we go to the Hollywood Bowl and out the freeway to the Universal backlot. Hoss C shared these two unflipped screenshots on Noirish Los Angeles post #17854. Thanks to Alison Martino for posting an unflipped version of the footage on YouTube. 

 

 

1946 - A fine look at the display for David O. Selznick's "Duel in the Sun." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this photo for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. The film had its premiere on December 30 at the Egyptian. On December 31 it began two-a-day reserved seat runs at both the Egyptian and the Vogue. The Egyptian run was for two weeks, the one at the Vogue was announced as "unlimited." 

1947 - Another view of the Vogue during the run of "Duel." By the time of this March photo they had added some lettering above the right storefront. Thanks to Vicky Valentine for the photo, once posted on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page but now vanished from that site.

1947 - The end of the "Duel" marquee - plus a couple of fingers. Vicky Valentine had spotted this and the shot above on eBay. 

 

The film had been running nineteen weeks at the Vogue when a Times story announced it was going wide on May 7 to 25 theatres, "the greatest number of movie houses set to show a single film in Southern California history..." The article also noted that "there will be a new show beginning every 15 minutes somewhere in the Los Angeles area from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Over 200,000 seats to the film...will be available every day.  No residential district will be more than 10 minutes away from a theater showing 'Duel in the Sun.'"

1948 - The view east toward the Vogue Theatre in a Christmas season photo by Arnold Hylen. The photo comes to us courtesy of his grand- niece Greta Gustafsson. Thanks, Greta! Visit the Arnold Hylen Facebook page she curates: Arnold Hylen - Los Angeles Images of an Era 1850-1950.

The photo also appears on Noirish Los Angeles post #10750 where contributor kznyc2k has a number other Christmas views, all credited to the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles.

 

 

c.1950 - A Christmas season shot with students from the Don Martin School of Broadcasting sharpening their live interviewing skills on the sidewalk. Thanks to Robert Maslen for the info on that. He notes that the school occupied the 2nd and 3rd floors of the building the Hollywood Men's Shop was in at Hollywood and Cherokee. Thanks to Tom Anderson for locating this image for a post for the Lost Angeles Facebook group.

c.1950 - Thanks to Maurice Ideses for this noirish Christmas shot looking east toward the Vogue. The Egyptian, with its then-new curvy facade, is hiding just beyond the Pig & Whistle. It was a post on Vintage Los Angeles.

 

 

c.1950 - Weegee (Arthur Fellig) visits Hollywood and takes this shot toward the Vogue and the Egyptian. This version of the photo appears on an Early Views of Hollywood page of the Water and Power Associates Museum site where they credit it to a now-vanished Flickr account. The photo can be seen on the Getty Images site.

 

1950 - A Life photo looking east gives us the Vogue on the left with the towers of the Warner beyond. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Tourmaline for spotting the shot above in the Life collection -- it's in the Noirish post #35733 along with other Hollywood views.

1951 - A terrific Life magazine view west on Hollywood Blvd. We get a glimpse of the Vogue signage on the right and the Hollywood Theatre vertical and the green Egyptian neon on the left. The Hotel Drake you see here was earlier the Hotel Christie. Later it was the Hollywood Inn. The building is now part of the Scientology's many holdings in Hollywood. 

Thanks to Ken McIntyre for spotting the above in the Life collection and posting it on Photos of Los Angeles. On the same Facebook page Bill Gabel also has added another version. You can also find it on Tourmaline's Noirish Los Angeles post #35733. 

1953 - A classic Hollywood postcard from the Steven Otto collection posted on Photos of Los Angeles. Steven notes: "Hollywood Blvd. in 1953, judging from the double feature at the Hollywood Theater (‘Salome’ and ‘The Girl Next Door’). The radio towers atop Warner Bros. Theatre spell CINERAMA in yellow neon." A different version of the card appears in Eric Lynxwiler's Paper Ephemera set on Flickr.  

1953 - A colorful postcard using a larger version of one of the images seen on the previous card. Note the Vogue in the center of the image and, on the right, the signage for the Hollywood Theatre with the green neon of the Egyptian down the block. The copy on the back reads: "Hollywood Boulevard At Night. Film capital of the world in all of its glamour." The card is one that appeared as part of the collection of the now vanished website Yesterday LA. 

early 1950s - Thanks to Bill Gabel for sharing this Christmas season view, a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. Ken McIntyre had it on another post using a 1952 date. 

c.1955 - A lovely look west from the Richard Wojcik collection appearing on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page. In addition to the Vogue on the right, we get the New-View/Ritz on the left and, in the distance, the green tower of the Egyptian.  Richard notes: "No date, but streetcar service ended in 1954---because their tracks have been removed and the street looks recently paved, I think this is circa-1955."

1957 - It's March and the Vogue has "Anastasia" with Ingrid Bergman, Yul Brenner and Helen Hayes. It was initially at the Chinese where it had an eight week run from December 25 until February 19. Over on the right at the New-View it's "The Bad Seed," a September 1956 release with Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack and Henry Jones.

It's a screenshot from Getty Images footage that's included in Rick Prelinger's "Lost Landscapes of Los Angeles - 2016," an hour and twenty minutes of wonderful images from various sources that was originally presented in a program at the Los Angeles Public Library. Also see "Lost Landscapes of Los Angeles - 2019." This second installment was presented at the Library by the organization Photo Friends as part of the series L.A. in Focus. Both compilations are on Vimeo.

1957 - The Vogue is running "Omar Khayyam," an  August release. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding the photo for a post on Photos of Los Angeles.  

1957/58 - On the right the Vogue has "Peyton Place," a run that began December 13, 1957 at the Vogue and the Loyola after the world premiere the night before at the Beverly. "April Love" and "Three Faces of Eve" are playing at the New-View. It's a photo by Frank J. Thomas in the Frank J. Thomas Archives. It's on Flickr from the Manitoba Museum of Finds Art. Thanks to Martin Pal for finding the photo to include with other Hollywood Christmas views in his Noirish Los Angeles post #50025. 

 

 

1959 - A look west with a glimpse of the newly remodeled Vogue on the right. On the far left the New-View has "Some Like It Hot" and "The Devil's Disciple." Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality for finding the image on eBay for his Noirish post #55445.  "Some Like It Hot" had played first run at the Chinese, an eleven week engagement beginning April 8. It appears that "South Pacific" is down the street at the Egyptian. 

 

 

1963 - An August vista looking east on Hollywood Blvd. toward the Vogue. It's a photo taken by Paul Penna that he shared in a 2021 post on the Facebook page California History. He commented: "My brother at 6723 Hollywood Blvd. in summer 1963. That neat square package he's clutching shows we've been hitting the record stores. No, Phil Harris Records has no connection with the bandleader. I never saw streetlights like that anywhere else. My color slide." The photo also made a 2013 appearance on he Facebook page Immortal Beauties.

1964 - The Vogue was running Blake Edwards' "A Shot in the Dark." Across the street we get a look at the New-View Theatre. Thanks to Richard Wojcik for sharing the photo on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page.

Bruce Kimmel comments: "'A Shot in the Dark' opened at the Vogue on July 15 and played there all the way through November. Given the sunshine and attire, this is probably July/August. I could narrow it down further if anyone can make out what's at the New View... Got the New View! - so this is the week of July 15 - the New View is ironically playing 'The Pink Panther,' along with 'Seven Days in May.'"

 

1964 - Looking west during the run of "A Shot in the Dark" with a bit of the New-View marquee hiding in the shadows at the left. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for spotting this for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group where he credited it to Vintage Los Angeles and it was given a 1966 date. Kristine Farabi shared it on the Images and Memories of Los Angeles Facebook group. She had spotted it as a post on the Historic Los Angeles Facebook page where they gave it a 1968 date. 

 

 

1965 - A look west during the run of the June release "What's New Pussycat?" It's a photo by Mario Di Biasi that's in the Mondadori Portfolio from Getty Images. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this one to add as a comment on a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group.

 

 

1965 - The action for "What's New, Pussycat?" Thanks to Bruce Kimmel for sharing this one from his collection on a Facebook post. Take a look at that marquee that extends over the adjacent storefronts.

 

1965 - A detail from the "Pussycat" shot. Thanks to Lynn Thompson for sharing this one on the private Facebook group Southern California Nostalgia. 
 

1965 - A closer look at the entrance during the "Pussycat" run. It's another post of Ken McIntyre on Photos of Los Angeles. Thanks, Ken!

1968 - A lovely drive by with the Vogue running "The Thomas Crown Affair" with Faye Dunaway and Steve McQueen along with Peter Sellers in "The Party." The footage, also with views of the Academy Theatre and the Warner (running "2001"), appeared in Episode 4 of Leslie Chilcott's 2020 Epix series "Helter Skelter: An American Myth." 

Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting the theatres in the footage and getting the screenshot. Bruce Kimmel notes: "This double bill began on September 11 and played one week, replaced by 'Pretty Poison.'"  "Thomas Crown" had initially played at the Chinese for eight weeks from June 26 to August 20.

1968 - A photo of the Vogue added by Andrew Sandoval to the Mid Century Modern Facebook page. The theatre is swamped with fans for the run of "Head" with the Monkees. The film was a November release.

1968 - Another marquee view during the "Head" engagement.  Again thanks to Andrew Sandoval for the post on the Mid Century Modern page.

 

 

1971 - A re-release of "From Russia With Love." Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the photo when it was offered for sale online. The far readerboard announces that "The Reincarnate" was to open on August 18.  

 

1972 - Thanks to the superb McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection for this facade view taken while the Vogue was running "Rainbow Bridge." 

 

 

1973 - A shot by Roy Hankey of the theatre's west storefront taken during the run of "The Harrad Experiment," a May release.  It's a photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. 

1973 - Ed Ruscha, perhaps better known for "Twentysix Gasoline Stations" and "Every Building on the Sunset Strip," also had a fling with Hollywood Blvd. The video, part of the Getty 2013 initiative "Pacific Standard Time Presents: Modern Architecture in L.A.," has been posted by The Getty on YouTube as a five minute video, up one side of the street and then down the other. He also was back for another look in 2002, down lower on the page.

Many of his works reside at The Getty. This one, from the "Streets of Los Angeles" archive at the Getty Research Institute, was part of their exhibition "Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future 1940-1990." Mr. Ruscha lives and works in Culver City.

 

Bruce Kimmel comments: "I love the Hollywood Blvd. book - amazing. This would have been end of June 1973. Vogue had 'Scarecrow' and Hitchcock's 'Frenzy' as a double bill."

1974 - A car in the Gay Pride parade passing the Vogue. They were running the July release "My Name Is Nobody." It's a Roy Hankey photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Also see another shot in front of the Vogue.

 

1974 - "Flesh Gordon" running in November. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating the photo. 

 

 

1975 - The Vogue was running "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?," a documentary about the Depression by Australian filmmaker Philippe Mora. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for spotting the image when it was for sale online and posting it on Photos of Los Angeles. And thanks to Richard Stegman, Jr. for figuring out that title! 

 

 

1976 - The Vogue running "The Man Who Would Be King, a December 1975 release with Sean Connery and Michael Caine. Thanks to the Historic Hollywood Photographs collection for the image. It's their #HB-467, included as one of 226 photos in their gallery Hollywood Boulevard 1941-1990.   

 

1980 - A view west by Roy Hankey with the Vogue running "It's My Turn" starring Jill Clayburgh and Michael Douglas. Thanks to Richard Wojcik for spotting the photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Bruce Kimmel comments: "It opened October 24 and ran a few weeks."

 

1983 - Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for this view. 

 

2002 - Ed Ruscha was back for a sequel to his 1973 photos of the street. 

2007 - The facade of the closed theatre.  Photo: Bill Counter

c.2007 - Not sure who Norma was, but Ken McIntyre got this shot of the theatre's expression of concern.  The image appeared on Photos of Los Angeles.

2007 - Looking west along Hollywood Blvd. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for the photo, on that originally appeared on his Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles. It looks like the theatre got an occasional rental during this period.

2009 - A panoramic view west on Hollywood Blvd.  It's a shot from Google Maps. Head to Google for a current interactive version.

c.2009 - Thanks to Ken McIntyre on Photos of Los Angeles for this sad look at the theatre boarded up and awaiting its next act.  

c.2010 - A photo of the Vogue early in its Supperclub incarnation added by Doug Boethin to the Vintage Los Angeles collection. Thanks, Doug! 

2012 - The Vogue two years into its run as the Supperclub.  Photo: Bill Counter

2012 - A vertical sign detail. Ken McIntyre's photo was a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

c.2015 - A photo that once appeared on the now defunct Supperclub website. It's a Daria Nagovitz photo.

c.2015 - An entrance detail that had appeared on the Supperclub Facebook page. The club was running from 2010 to 2015. 

2017 - Marquee work underway in March. Thanks to Chris Willman for his photo, added as a comment to a post by Michael Moran on the LAHTF Facebook page.

2017 - A June photo of the new digital readerboards installed. Photo: Bill Counter

2017 - The unfinished soffit in June. Photo: Bill Counter

2017 - The new readerboard in action in September. Photo: Matt Spero

2017 - The entrance area as the theatre gets a bit of a remodel for reopening as Screenbid, a film and television museum/auction house. The gray hulk at center is the theatre's electrical service equipment. Thanks to Matt Spero for his September photo.  

2018 - The entrance after the Screenbid opening. Photo: Bill Counter

2018 - A view looking east. Photo: Bill Counter  

2020 - Vacant and available to lease. Photo: Bill Counter 

 

 

 

2021 - Getting ready for the "Pink Floyd Exhibition" in this January shot. Photo: Bill Counter  

 

 

2021 - A  look over the top of the Musso & Frank sign toward the Vogue. It's a shot from footage used used during the Cinecon Classic Film Festival, held online this year over Labor Day weekend. 

2023 - A look across the entrance in June as the theatre was getting remodeled into a church. Photo: Bill Counter

 

 

2023 - Neon lit during the remodel. Photo: Bill Counter

 

 

2023 - A look into the ticket lobby. Photo: Bill Counter

 

Around back:

 

2018 - The east side of the building.  We're in the Musso & Frank parking lot with their rear entrance at the left. The structure seen to the left of their sign is the portion of the theatre building once used as the restaurant's Back Room. Photo: Bill Counter

2018 - The rear of the former Back Room. An exit passageway and the side wall of the auditorium is on the right. Photo: Bill Counter  

2018 - The rear of the theatre as seen from Las Palmas Ave. At the time of the photo the lots behind the building were being prepared for construction of apartment buildings. Photo: Bill Counter 

 

 

The Vogue in the Movies: 

 

We see a bit of the Vogue in a sequence on Hollywood Blvd. with Anjanette Comer and Robert Morse beginning 1:41 into Tony Richardson's "The Loved One" (MGM, 1965). The film also features Jonathan Winters, Rod Steiger, Dana Andrews, Milton Berle, James Coburn, John Gielgud and Tab Hunter. Haskell Wexler was the cinematographer. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for more Hollywood  shots as well as views of the Los Angeles and Palace theatres. Thanks to Sean Ault for the screenshot.

 

 

 

We see lots of the Vogue in a dream/nightmare that film director Donald Sutherland is having in Paul Mazursky's "Alex in Wonderland" (MGM, 1970). The carnage on Hollywood Blvd. is part of Sutherland's ruminations about his next film project. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for twenty more shots from the film including views of the New-View/Ritz, Loew's/El Capitan and the Los Angeles Theatre. 

 

We get a look east toward the Vogue in "Trackdown" (United Artists, 1976). The glowing marquee and oval up on the facade seen on the far right is for the Pussycat/Ritz. Richard T. Heffron directed James Mitchum, Karen Lamm and Anne Archer in a tale of a girl who leaves a Montana cattle ranch to make it big in Hollywood. Of course, her brother follows to make sure she stays out of trouble. Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatres and getting the screenshot. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for views of the Fox and Holly theatres from the film. 

 

Charles Bronson is looking for certain lowlifes outside the Vogue in Michael Winner's "Death Wish II" (Filmways, 1982). It also stars Jill Ireland and Vincent Gardenia. Thomas Del Ruth and Richard H. Kline did the cinematography. At the time the theatre was running a Clint Eastwood double bill of "Any Which Way You Can" and "Every Which Way But Loose." See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for shots of the El Capitan, Pussycat and Chinese theatres from the film.  

 

 

Nicolas Cage takes Deborah Foreman across the hill to cruise the sights of Sunset Blvd. and Hollywood in Martha Coolidge's "Valley Girl" (Atlantic Releasing, 1983). Also featured are Cameron Dye, Heidi Holicker, Elizabeth Daily, Michael Bowen, Michelle Meyrink, Colleen Camp and Frederic Forrest. The cinematography was by Frederick Elmes. On the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post see views of the Chinese, the Chinese Twin, Paramount, Pussycat, Tiffany and the Sherman in Sherman Oaks.  

We see a lot of Hollywood Blvd. in Robert Vincent O'Neill's "Angel" (New World, 1984). Fifteen year old Molly is a high school student by day, a hooker by night. Here we're looking across at the Vogue with Molly's friend Dick Shawn on the right. The film also stars Donna Wilkes, Cliff Gorman, and Rory Calhoun. John Diehl is the killer preying on teenage hookers. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for a dozen shots from the film.  
 

We get a look at the Vogue as Mel Gibson goes after the bad guys on Hollywood Blvd. in Richard Donner's "Lethal Weapon" (Warner Bros., 1987). See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for more shots from the film including views of the Pussycat and the Wiltern. 

 

 

A look east from Las Palmas toward the Vogue in Garry Marshall's "Pretty Woman" (Touchstone, 1990). The film stars Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Jason Alexander, Laura San Giacomo, Hector Elizondo and Ralph Bellamy. The cinematography was by Charles Minsky. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for shots of the Chinese, Egyptian and Pantages theatres from the film. The apartment of Julia's character was just up Las Palmas and a view of it at the end of the film also shows the back of the Vogue.
 
 

We get some lovely c.1959 background footage as we drive down Hollywood Blvd. near the beginning of Warren Beatty's "Rules Don't Apply" (20th Century Fox, 2016). Sights include the Vogue on the left and the Egyptian facade with signage up for "Ben-Hur." There's also a 1961 shot of the Chinese. We also get another trip down the same stretch of the street later in the film. The movie features Alden Ehrenreich, Lily Collins and Annette Bening. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for more from the film.

We get a nice bit of vintage footage showing the Vogue in "The Dirt" (Netflix, 2019), a biopic about the band Mötley Crüe. Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for the screenshot. 

The Vogue was returned to a 1969 look for Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" (Sony, 2019). The film stars Leo DiCaprio and his friend Brad Pitt as an actor and stuntman trying to find work in a changing Hollywood. See the Historic L.A.Theatres in Movies pages about the film for several hundred photos related to filming on the block as well as shots of the Pantages, Vine, Cinerama Dome, Grauman's Chinese, Bruin and Fox Westwood Village theatres.  

 

The Vogue on TV:

 

The theatre is running the August 1979 release "Life of Brian" in this shot taken in front of a record store across the street. It appears in the documentary "Love To Love You, Donna Summer" (HBO Max, 2023). Roger Ross Williams directed. Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting the theatre and getting the screenshot.  

 
More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page for lots of discussion about the history of the Vogue Theatre. There's still a Supperclub Facebook page up that gets on occasional post from someone.

The 1959 remodel was featured in a three page story beginning on page 10 of the Modern Theatre section of the October 19, 1959 issue of Boxoffice. It's on the site Yumpu.   

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