Los Angeles Theatres: State Theatre: recent exterior views

The State turned 100 on November 12, 2021 with partygoers Steve Gerdes, Michelle Gerdes and Bill Counter celebrating. Thanks to Wendell Benedetti for this photo, appearing as a post on his Facebook page. For more views of the decidedly low-key event, see Michelle's "The State Theatre turns 100" album on Flickr.

Yes, it's a church again. And they weren't welcoming visitors, even on the theatre's 100th birthday. The same group that the building's owners kicked out in January 2018 are back again with a new lease. Except for a couple events, the theatre had been vacant since they left.

New letters on the readerboard. Photo: Bill Counter - June 11, 2021

Time for a church work party. They were cleaning the lower readerboard. Some of the neon was removed along the bottom of the marquee and the area given a coat of brown paint. As we see here, the soffit was getting patched and painted our favorite color: Church White. Photo: Bill Counter - June 4, 2021

The first sign of the return of the church: the banner was up for the church's "Gran Reinauguración" on June 27. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2, 2021

The National Guard was on duty to keep order on June 2, 2020 after the protests about about police brutality and racial inequality led to property damage, looting and fires. They had men on all four corners of the intersection. Photo: Bill Counter

The L.A. Conservancy kicked off the 32nd year of their "Last Remaining Seats" series with a June 2, 2018 screening of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Thanks to Wendell Benedetti for his photo of the capacity crowd waiting to get in. It was a post on the LAHTF Facebook page.

The LAHTF is active in promoting awareness of the historic theatres of Los Angeles and works toward their preservation. They frequently offer tours and sponsor other events related to historic preservation. www.lahtf.org | group Facebook page | official Facebook page

The few pieces of neon still working as seen the night of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Thanks to Mike Hume for his June 2, 2018 photo. See more of his fine work on his Historic Theatre Photography page about the State.

Copy on the marquee for the first film at the theatre in 20 years. Photo: Bill Counter - May 31, 2018

The marquee got turned on for perhaps the first time in 20 years. The expectation was that nothing would work. But some of the neon still does -- and even chased. Yesco will be doing the sign's rehab work. Photo: Bill Counter - May 7, 2018

End of an era -- the church's lettering is off the marquee. But they were back two and a half years later. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

A neon detail. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for her 2018 photo.

On the marquee looking south. Photo: Mike Hume - 2018

A view back at the terracotta on the facade. Through the window and you're in a corridor leading to the ladies room. Photo: Mike Hume - 2018

Another look at some of the neon. Thanks to Wendell Benedetti for his 2018 photo.

The entrance from the parking garage across the street. Photo: Wendell Benedetti - 2018

Closed up after the church left. This guy didn't get the message that they had moved up the street. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2018

The marquee at the end of the church era. Photo: Mike Hume - October 2017

The State from diagonally across the 7th and Broadway intersection. Photo: Mike Hume - 2017

South on Broadway from 7th St. Thanks to Hunter Kerhart for his 2013 photo. Keep up with his explorations: on Facebook | hunterkerhart.com | on Flickr

A marquee view from the glamorous parking garage across the street. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2013

Looking north on Broadway toward 7th St. The Woolworth building at the time of the photo was being remodeled into a store for Ross. See the postcard view of the Woolworth's lunch counter ("Longest in the World") from the Michelle Gerdes collection on Photos of Los Angeles. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012

West on 7th St. from Broadway. A block away at Hill St. one can glimpse the vertical sign of the Warner, now saying "Diamonds." Photo: Hunter Kerhart - October 7, 2012

The view down on the marquee from the 6th floor of the Bullock's Building. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012

The building from across Broadway. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012

A corner view of the building in 2007. Photo: Bill Counter

The entrance in 2007. Photo: Bill Counter

The State Theatre as seen from the roof of the Palace, 630 S. Broadway. It's a Gary Leonard photo appearing in the photo gallery on the Palace Theatre website.

Both theatres, along with the Tower and the Los Angeles, are owned by the Delijani family's Broadway Theatre Group. They commissioned Leonard to photograph their four theatres. Also visit the Broadway Theatre Group's site for The State.

On 7th Street:

The 7th street facade. Photo: Mike Hume - 2017

The center of the 7th St. side of the building. We're looking at the location of the 7th St. entrance -- in use until 1936. Looking up the building, the brackets for support of the 7th St. vertical are still visible. Photo: Bill Counter - 2010

A terracotta detail. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2018

A look skyward at the corner of the building near the alley. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2018

In the east exit passageway:

We're between the theatre and the office building on the first floor looking from the stage door toward the office building lobby. The open door on the left is an exit from the house left side of the auditorium. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

In the north end of the passage looking back toward the stage end of the building. Doors into the office building lobby are behind us. That bit of door on the left is an exit coming up from the basement cafeteria space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

Looking up from the north end of the passage. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

On the 2nd floor level of the fire escape outside the dressing rooms. The stairs get you up to the downstage end of the 3rd floor dressing room corridor. The ladder gets you down to the first floor. That is, if you open a hatch in the roof the church tenant added. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

A look north from the 2nd floor level at the roof installed over the passageway. The lighter area beyond didn't need a roof -- it's underneath stairs down to the office building lobby from the house left balcony exits. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

Looking down from the 3rd floor landing. We're outside the downstage exit from the stage right dressing room corridor. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

On the 3rd floor landing looking south. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

The view north from the 3rd floor landing. Behind the whitish wall ahead are stairs coming down into the office building lobby from the house left balcony exits. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

The passage roof from the 3rd floor. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

The ladder on the 3rd floor landing to get you up to the house left organ chamber. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

The door into the organ chamber. On the right is a bit of the top of the ladder up from the landing. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

From the top and around the back:

A stagehouse view as we look north. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2016. The photo was taken hanging off a fire escape on the back of a building fronting on Hill St. The low roof on the right is the Woolworth's / Ross Dress For Less building. Thanks, Hunter!

An aerial view. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2014. Yes, Hunter chartered a helicopter to take photos of the tops of theatres. Hunter goes everywhere for his architectural photography adventures. See what he's been up to lately: on Facebook | hunterkerhart.com | on Flickr

The vista down the alley from 7th St. toward the stage door. The grayish concrete structure past the ventilation duct isn't the stagehouse -- it's part of the Woolworth Building beyond, now a Ross dress For Less. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012

Looking north in the alley back toward 7th St. That open door with a dumpster behind it is the area once used as the stage loading door. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012

The loading door area in 2018. Photo: Bill Counter

Another view back toward 7th St. We're looking up the stairs toward one of the balcony exits. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012

In the alley looking toward the stagehouse. The fire escapes at the right are from the dressing rooms. The stage door is hidden behind the black fencing. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012

Los Angeles Theatres

State Theatre: recent exterior views

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