Los Angeles Theatres: State Theatre: vintage auditorium views

Framing beginning. The L-shaped office building was started first, then the theatre rose more slowly in the middle. It's a February 4, 1921 photo by George F. Adair in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Beyond on the left we're looking at Bullock's on the northwest corner of 7th and Broadway. The Haas Building is in the center and the Lankershim Hotel to the right.

In the lower right it's the Woolworth Building, under construction at the same time. Just beyond Woolworth's there are four beams are sticking up, beginning what would be the back wall of the stagehouse. In the lower left there's a beam stubbed up for the beginnings of the proscenium wall. To the left of that is the angled wall that would be below the proscenium box and organ grille.

A March 4, 1921 view through the top of the stagehouse into the the area that would become the auditorium. The stage left dressing room wing is getting framed in the lower left. It's a George F. Adair photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

A March 16 view looking south toward the stagehouse. In the foreground it's scaffolding supporting an auditorium roof girder while it gets assembled. Beyond the stage house that's the Woolworth building. The alley west of the theatre is seen on the far right. It's another Adair photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

Also see: March 18 - stagehouse getting taller | April 6 - auditorium roof girders in place

Balcony framing going into place. The booth would be in the opening at the center, one floor above the top of the sloped girders. Beyond where the house right wall would later be, we get a view of the Pantages Theatre at 7th and Hill. It's an April 15 photo by George F. Adair in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

Also see: April 15 - street view with framing to the 7th floor

A view across on May 13. On the right it's the slightly-sloped roof across the back of the auditorium. It's another George F. Adair photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. That's the Washington Athletic Club building down 7th St. beyond the Pantages.

Also see: May 13 - street view | May 27 - alley wall of auditorium bricked in | September 21 - street view with exterior cladding nearly finished | The theatre opened November 12, 1921.

A 1921 look at the proscenium from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

A shot of the front of the auditorium in 1921 with the grand drape open. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo.

A proscenium view from the July 1923 issue of Architect and Engineer appearing as part of a portfolio of various work by the architects, Weeks & Day. The most prominent coverage was of the Fox Oakland (later called the Orpheum). It's on Internet Archive. Note they've added some chairs in the proscenium boxes.

The rear of the auditorium. The photo is from the July 1923 issue of Architect and Engineer. Note the open standee rail at the rear of the main floor. Also check out the balcony rail. There's no provision to light the stage from that position. The protruding boxes had uplights for the ceiling as there was no chandelier at the time. That black doorway we see at the top goes to the booth.

Another look at the rear of auditorium. This one, giving us a view of the footlights and pit, is from the 1922 Architectural Digest survey issue covering noteworthy southern California buildings. It's from the Stanford Library and appears on Google Books.

This view across the State's balcony appears in the Motion Picture News issue of December 28, 1929 on a page of photos of theatres operated by Fox West Coast that were decorated by Robert E. Power Studios.

Note that for some unknown reason it's been retouched. Much of the side wall decoration has been obliterated. Section Two of the MPN issue is the "Theatre Building and Equipment Buyers Guide" featuring photos of many different theatres. It's on Internet Archive.

Many of the Fanchon & Marco "Ideas" that accompanied the feature films in Fox West Coast Theatres got their first performances at Loew's State. This proscenium view at the State shows the stage set for an unidentified F&M Idea. It's a Harry Wenger photo on the Huntington Digital Library website.

The set for the Fanchon and Marco "Greco-Roman Idea," one of four views from that production on the Huntington Digital Library site. It's a Harry Wenger photo. For more on Fanchon & Marco head to the site curated by the family, www.fanchonandmarco.com. Also see their terrific Fanchon & Marco set on Flickr.

The Huntington Library Fanchon and Marco Collection includes several albums online with hundreds photos of various productions by the team. The photos are in the album four to a page. Most are cropped in so closely that one can't identify which theatre they were shot in. With others we get a bit of drapery or the proscenium.

More views in Album 1 recognizably shot at the State include: "O'Neill Kiddies Idea" - upper right | "Specialties Idea" - lower right | an unidentified Idea - upper right | "Fans Idea" - 2 left photos | "Harps Idea" - same page, 2 right photos | "Haunting Melody Idea" - lower left - or is it the "Violins Idea"? |

Fancifully redone draperies. It's a 1940 photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

A simpler look, drapery-wise, in this 1964 Los Angeles Public Library photo. Yes, that's the science fiction themed asbestos curtain. Note the repainting of the flat surfaces around the proscenium. We get a glimpse of the organ console off to the left. The pit has been covered by steps.

A look at the house traveler that was in use in 1964. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo.

The rear of the house. It's a 1964 Los Angeles Public Library photo.

A 1964 ceiling detail in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

A wonderful view across the balcony in 1964 with the added bonus of a peek backstage. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo.

A rare look across the stage. It's a photo from the Los Angeles Conservancy archives that once appeared on their website as part of a gallery of Broadway theatres. With a site makeover it disappeared. Sorry there's not a larger version available.

A main floor shot by Bill Gabel taken when Metropolitan Theatres was still running the State. It was a post on Cinema Treasures. Thanks, Bill!

A great look up toward the ceiling in the days when the State was running films. It's a photo from Bill Gabel that he posted on the Cinema Treasures page about the State.

Another grand view up toward the lattice ceiling. Thanks to Bill Gabel for posting his photo on the Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles.

A c.1992 detail of the theatre's chandelier by Berger Conser Architectural Photography. The photo appears on Robert Berger's website in a portfolio of sixteen views from "The Last Remaining Seats: Movie Palaces of Tinseltown," the lovely book he did with Anne Conser. It's available on Amazon.

A c.1992 detail of some ceiling plasterwork from Berger Conser Architectural Photography. It's a photo appearing in the Robert Berger / Anne Conser book "The Last Remaining Seats: Movie Palaces of Timseltown."

A c.1992 balcony view by Berger Conser Architectural Photography. The photo, formerly on a web page from the duo, can be seen in their book "The Last Remaining Seats: The Movie Palaces of Tinseltown." Note the very plain valance. More of Robert Berger's work can be found on his website: www.robertbergerphotography.com.

A c.1992 photo showing off the redone draperies both onstage and in the organ grille areas. That's the fanciful asbestos curtain we see onstage. The photo is one of sixteen views on Robert Berger's website in a portfolio of photos from "The Last Remaining Seats: Movie Palaces of Tinseltown," by Mr. Berger and Anne Conser. You can get a copy on Amazon. It originally came out in 1997 with a reprint in 2004.

The fire curtain on display prior to a June 28, 1995 screening of "Vertigo" as part of the L.A. Conservancy's "Last Remaining Seats" series. Thanks to John Moore for sharing the three interior shots seen here plus a marquee view as well as images of the program in a post for the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation Facebook page. The photos also appear on the Friends of Last Remaining Seats page.

A detail of the fire curtain. Photo: John Moore - June 1995

On the main floor view at the "Vertigo" screening. Photo: John Moore - June 1995. Thanks, John!

Los Angeles Theatres

State Theatre: vintage auditorium views

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