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United Artists Theatre: outer lobby

933 S. Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90015 | map |

The pages on the United Artists: history | vintage exterior views | recent exterior views | outer lobby | inner lobby | lounges | upper lobby areas | earlier auditorium views | recent auditorium views | projection | stage and stage basement | other basement areasattic | office building/hotel interior | roof


A Mott Studios look at the outer lobby from the California State Library collection. It's one of eight photos of the theatre in their set #001407480.



This alternate Mott Studios take but with more of  the ceiling visible appeared with "Theatrical Theatres," an article in the January 1929 issue of Pacific Coast Architect. They also discuss the Carthay Circle and the Dufwin in Oakland. Thanks to Mike Hume/Historic Theatre Photography for finding the article on Internet Archive.



A view up the stairs from "United Artists Theatre Los Angeles," an article in the July 1928 issue of Architect and Engineer. The article, on Internet Archive, also has views of the auditorium ceiling and proscenium. In addition to the the photos with the article, the plates section of the issue also has a facade view, floorplan and inner lobby view and an inner lobby ceiling detail.



Inside the main entrance. Note those nice plants above. The photo is from the article in the July 1928 issue of Architect and Engineer.



 
This outer lobby rendering was included with "The Film Capital's New Picture Theatre," a profile of the new theatre in the January 7, 1928 issue of Motion Picture News. It's on Internet Archive.
 

The new 1948 snackbar design, just inside the front doors. Thanks to the Ronald W. Mahan Collection for sharing the photo. One of the display cases outside has stills from "One Touch of Venus" with Ava Gardner and Robert Walker. It played the theatre for ten days beginning September 29 along with "Close-Up" with Alan Baxter and Virginia Gilmore as the co-feature.
 
The renovation project also included a new look for the boxoffice. See a pre-renovation boxoffice photo and a post-renovation view from Ron's collection. 
 

A busy moment at the bar as seen from the lobby bridge. In the outside display case to the right they were advertising "Close-Up." Photo: Ronald W. Mahan Collection
 
 
 
A look at the new bar from the left. In the display cases they have a poster and stills for "SOS Submarine," an Italian "documentary" directed by F. deRobertis. It played as the co feature beginning October 9, 1948 with "The Saxon Charm" starring Robert Montgomery. Photo: Ronald W. Mahan Collection
 

A wider view taken the same day as the previous shot. Photo: Ronald W. Mahan Collection. Thanks, Ron!



Looking out the window above the entrance doors in 1986 when the theatre was running as a Spanish language film house. Thanks to Chris Carlo/Bob Chaney for the photo.



Another 1986 view showing off the red wall treatment. Thanks to Chris Carlo/Bob Chaney for their photo.


Recent outer lobby views:


The view in from the entrance doors. Photo: John Hough - 2016. Thanks, John! See many more of his photos of the building on the United Artists page of OrnateTheatres.com, the website he and Mark Mulhall are doing for their theatre documentation project.



The bridge to the mezzanine. Photo: John Hough - 2016



Religious inscriptions from the church era remaining above the bridge. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014. Keep up with Hunter's explorations: on Facebook | hunterkerhart.com | on Flickr



A bridge railing closeup. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014



The south wall of the outer lobby. Photo: John Hough - 2016 



The ceiling and south wall. Photo: John Hough - 2016



The outer lobby chandelier. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014
 


The stairs to the mezzanine. Photo: John Hough - 2016



A south wall detail. Note Ace's darker wall treatment around the decorative plaster areas. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014



A stair railing detail. Photo: John Hough - 2016



Up the stairs to the bridge across the lobby. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014



A railing detail going up. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014



The west edge of the outer lobby ceiling as viewed from the mezzanine bridge. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014



The door at the north end of the bridge. Inside: mysteries. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014



A detail of the plasterwork around the door. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - Avoiding Regret - February 2014. Thanks, Sandi! The photo is part of her lovely Avoiding Regret photo essays about the renovation of the United Artists. See part one for a discussion of the lobby & lounges and part two for the auditorium.



Looking into the area under the bridge to the mezzanine lobby. Note the new dark wall treatment done during the Ace renovations. Inside the poster case we get a bit of the 1927 wall coloring. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2014



In through the arch under the north end of the bridge. At left, a doorway to the open-air exit passageway between the theatre and the office building/Ace Hotel. At right is the theatre's elevator to go the basement lounges or up to the balcony. Photo: Bill Counter - January 2014



A look at the controls inside the elevator. Photo: Chuck Weiss - 2014. Thanks, Chuck!



Looking up under the bridge to the mezzanine. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - Avoiding Regret - February 2014



Painted detail to admire. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - Avoiding Regret - February 2014
 


A north wall mirror detail. No, the orange vested folks aren't safety inspectors, they're LAHTF docents. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014 



Trim at the top of the mirrors. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014



An outer lobby ceiling detail. Photo: John Hough - 2016



The arch above the Broadway window. Photo: John Hough - 2016



Another look above the entrance. Photo: Jim Kohat - February 2014. The photo is part of Jim's fine UA Theater Ace Hotel set on Flickr with images taken during the LAHTF tour. Thanks, Jim!



The Broadway windows. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014



The north side of the entrance arch. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014



The south side of the entrance arch. No, that ladder wasn't there originally. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014



A detail of the south side of the arch. Photo: Jim Kohat - February 2014 



Another look out the windows. Note the not yet installed neon tubing on top of the marquee. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - February 2014. Thanks, Michelle!



The view toward Broadway on a bright Saturday morning. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014. Thanks, Hunter!

The event was the February 1st Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation "all-about" tour -- the first public tour of the building in decades. The LAHTF 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 | on Facebook |



Out toward Broadway from under the bridge. Photo: Sandi Hemmerlein - Avoiding Regret - February 2014



The inside of the boxoffice as construction was wrapping up. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - February 2014



Through the new boxoffice toward Broadway. Photo: Cap Equity Locations - August 2014. Thanks to Rebecca Reynoso for the photo. Cap Equity brokers deals between property owners and those looking for filming locations or other special uses. See their United Artists page for 82 photos.


Photos taken from 2009 to 2012:


A grand look into the outer lobby before the Ace renovations. The stairs get you up to the bridge across to the mezzanine lobby. Beyond is the inner lobby. Photo: Pat Lile - Coldwell Banker Pasadena - 2009. Ms. Lile notes that this floor was painted black and red during the time the theatre was running Spanish language films.

Like the stage floor, it was all stripped down and refinished by the church group that owned the building prior to 2011. Their main issue in getting the building clean was the accumulation of nicotine that was covering everything from years of allowing smoking by theatregoers. Thanks for all the fine photos, Pat! She brokered the sale of the building Greenfield Partners and their operating partner Ace Hotels. Her website: www.patlile.com



An outer lobby floor detail. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010. Ms. Pickford is the author of "Conversations with Rodolfo" and the adapter of "Rudolph Valentino: A Wife's Memories of an Icon" by Natacha Rambova. Both are available on Amazon. Thanks, Hala!



A view from the far north entrance door. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2012. See where his architectural photography practice has taken him lately: on Facebook | hunterkerhart.com | on Flickr



A detail of the metalwork on the railing of the stairs up to the bridge. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010



A closer look at the bridge and the wall treatment above. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010



A nice detail of the the railing across the bridge. Photo: Stephen Russo - LAHTF Facebook page - 2012. Thanks, Stephen!



The outer lobby bridge looking north. Note in the left main floor display case the backing material has been removed revealing the brownish original finish on the plaster wall -- unlike the green color added by the church during their tenure. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2012



A detail of the two figures seen in the corner of the arch at the far left edge of the photo above. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010



The area at the north end of the bridge. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2012



The north wall from up on the bridge. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010 



A look out the windows toward Broadway. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010



Another look out the windows. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010



A look in toward the dark inner lobby. The auditorium is off to the right. The theatre's elevator is off through the arch at the extreme right. It goes to the basement and upper lobby levels. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012



A mirror view -- we're tucked back underneath the bridge. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010



The south wall. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012



The upper part of the south wall. Photo: Pat Lile - Coldwell Banker Pasadena - 2009



A detail of the lower south wall mirrors. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010



The outer lobby chandelier. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2012. Thanks for all the fine photos, Hunter!



The outer lobby ceiling. Photo: Pat Lile - Coldwell Banker Pasadena - 2009



Another outer lobby ceiling detail. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010



The north wall of the outer lobby. The light at the right in the view above is from the windows facing onto Broadway. Photo: Pat Lile - Coldwell Banker Pasadena - 2009



A closer north wall look. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010 



A wall plaster and paint detail. The color scheme in the photo is not original -- it was done by the church group. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010



A wider look at the north wall. Photo: Pat Lile - Coldwell Banker Pasadena - 2009



A detail of the center of the ceiling as we look toward Broadway. Photo: Pat Lile - Coldwell Banker Pasadena - 2009



A look toward Broadway from under the bridge to the mezzanine lobby. Photo: Pat Lile - Coldwell Banker Pasadena - 2009



A closer look toward Broadway. Photo: Pat Lile - Coldwell Banker Pasadena - 2009. Thanks, Pat! 



The south exit doors. Photo: Hala Pickford - 2010. Thanks for all the photos, Hala!  

The pages on the United Artists: history | vintage exterior views | recent exterior views | back to top - outer lobby | inner lobby | lounges | upper lobby areas | earlier auditorium views | recent auditorium views | projection | stage and stage basement | other basement areasattic | office building/hotel interiors | roof |

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