The Warner Downtown pages: history | vintage exterior views | recent exterior views | interior views
An early view of the auditorium appearing in David Naylor's 1981 book "American Picture Palaces: The Architecture of Fantasy." This great book is a lush tour through the country's movie palaces with many photos that don't appear elsewhere. It's available on Amazon. Note the box arrangement at the front of the balcony. The curtain we're looking at is the asbestos.
An early view of the house right proscenium boxes from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.
This great photo of the auditorium from the Los Angeles Conservancy archives once appeared on their website as part of a theatre district photo gallery. It was a casualty of a website makeover.
An undated proscenium detail from the Los Angeles Public Library.
Another shot from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Note that we see a bit of the revised proscenium box area, part of the Warner Bros. remodel in 1929.
A look at some of the plasterwork above the proscenium and a bit of the ceiling cove mural. It's a photo from the Los Angeles Public Library.
A detail of plasterwork above the house right boxes from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.
This is what the rear of the main floor PROBABLY looked like. Note the arched area open to the mezzanine lounge, later enclosed. In the upper center note the stairs into the balcony. It's actually a photo of the Pantages in Salt Lake City, later known as the Utah Theatre. It opened
the same year, was also a design of B. Marcus Priteca, and much of the
decor was similar to the L.A. Pantages. See a nice set of photos and
blueprints as well as historical data about the circuit on the Pantages Theatre Archives site of the Marriott Library at the University of Utah.
A view of how the mezzanine lounge at the Los Angeles Pantages probably appeared in 1920. It's a photo of the Salt Lake City Pantages from the Pantages Theatre Archives site of the Marriott Library of the University of Utah.
The auditorium in 1968:
The best record of the interior of the theatre before its conversion to a jewelry mart comes from William Wyler's film "Funny Girl" (Rastar / Columbia, 1968). It's standing in for Florenz Ziegfeld's New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City. This view from the top of the balcony is used several times. The film stars Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice, Omar Sharif as Nicky Arnstein, and Walter Pidgeon as Ziegfeld.
The rear of the house as seen from the stage in "Funny Girl."
A sidewall detail with Flo Ziegfeld pacing the aisle.
A proscenium shot from the back of the main floor from "Funny Girl." See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for more shots of the Warner from the film.
A look in the front doors to what had been the fairly small lobby at the back of the main floor. Note the curve on the ceiling and position of the columns to visualize where the wall once was that separated this area from the auditorium. Photo: Bill Counter - 2020
Plasterwork at the rear of the main floor. The wall between the lobby and rear of the main floor has been removed to create an uninterrupted sales space. The stage is also a sales area. You can enter either from the front of the theatre or via the former stage door on 7th St. Many thanks to Michelle Gerdes for her 2008 photos. For more fine work by this intrepid theatre explorer, see her various theatre photo sets on Flickr.
One of the domes at the rear of the main floor. No, that chandelier isn't an original fixture. It came in with the jewelry. Photo: Ray Doan - Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page - 2016
Under the balcony looking toward the stage. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007
A main floor side exit view - note the WB crest over doors. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007
Pretending to be interested in the merchandise. That's Steve Gerdes there looking like he's a buyer. It's not that Steve is super tall: the exit looks squat because the main floor has been terraced. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008
A closeup of the exit door ornamentation. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016. Thanks for all the photos, Sandi! Thanks also to Stephen Russo for editing them and sending them our way.
Across the front of the main floor of the Warner. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007
A proscenium box view. Photo: Ray Doan - 2016. Thanks, Ray! He has two sets of Warner views on the Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles, each with four photos. | Warner set 1 | Warner set 2 |
The house right proscenium box as seen from onstage. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A detail of the box railing house right. Photo: Evan Antes - 2014
The house left proscenium box area. These box areas were greatly simplified during the Warner Bros. renovations of 1929. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008
An angle on the box railing giving us a clear view of the WB on the crest. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
House left under the proscenium box looking up the stairs to the balcony. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008. She says: "Maybe next time."
A vista up one of the proscenium columns. Photo: Evan Antes - 2014. Thanks for these, Evan! They were originally posted on the LAHTF Facebook page.
The area above the center of the proscenium. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A center proscenium and ceiling cove shot. Photo: Ray Doan - Photos of Los Angeles 2016
The torch at the center of the proscenium. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
A proscenium view. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008
The set for the jewelry show onstage. Photo: Ray Doan - Photos of Los Angeles - 2016
The back of the house from onstage. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
The ceiling from onstage. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A detail of the center of the ceiling. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A balcony view from onstage. Photo: Ray Doan - Photos of Los Angeles - 2016
The vista straight up to the dome. Photo: Ray Doan - Photos of Los Angeles - 2016
A detail of the mural along the house left side of the ceiling dome. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
The mural house right. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A detail of the mural across the front of the dome. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A detail of the coffered area at the front of the dome. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
The house left side of the balcony. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008
Another view back into the balcony. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008
The auditorium ceiling framed by the proscenium arch. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008
Another ceiling view along the proscenium. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008
The top of the proscenium as seen from the balcony. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2016
The proscenium and ceiling decoration. Above, it's all pretty much intact except for the non-period chandelier and some repainting. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007
The set for the jewelry show onstage. Photo: Ray Doan - Photos of Los Angeles - 2016
The ceiling of the Warner. Thanks to Hunter Kerhart for his 2016 photo. Keep up with his recent explorations: hunterkerhart.com | on Flickr
The back of the house from onstage. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
The ceiling from onstage. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A detail of the center of the ceiling. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A balcony view from onstage. Photo: Ray Doan - Photos of Los Angeles - 2016
The vista straight up to the dome. Photo: Ray Doan - Photos of Los Angeles - 2016
That center panel was typically back-lit art glass in Pantages houses of this vintage. The center has been opened up for our 70s "chandelier." On the ends of the panel we have what looks like the remnants of a deco mural, like the main mural around the cove, done when Warner Bros. renovated the house in 1929.
A closer look at the ceiling mural. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A detail of the mural along the house left side of the ceiling dome. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
The mural house right. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A detail of the mural across the front of the dome. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A detail of the coffered area at the front of the dome. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
The house left side of the balcony. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008
Another view back into the balcony. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008
The auditorium ceiling framed by the proscenium arch. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008
Another ceiling view along the proscenium. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008
An attempt to look to the rear of the main floor at Christmas time. If we could see back that far, we'd note that the wall dividing the auditorium from the lobby has been removed. Photo: Ray Doan - Photos of Los Angeles - 2016
A view of Christmas decorations in the balcony, taken on the occasion of the theatre's 100th birthday, August 17, 2020. Photo: Bill Counter
A view of Christmas decorations in the balcony, taken on the occasion of the theatre's 100th birthday, August 17, 2020. Photo: Bill Counter
Up in the balcony:
A peek up the house left stairs to the balcony. The house right stairs down to the balcony lobby have been drywalled off at the bottom. There's a bank of mailboxes on the house right landing. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
A 2008 photo by the French team of Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre.
The image appears on page 253 of their gigantic book "Movie Theaters"
(Prestel, 2021). It's available on Amazon or from your local bookseller. See the "Theaters (2005-2021)" portfolio on their website for more of their fine work.
The top of the proscenium as seen from the balcony. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2016
The view onto the main floor. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The house right proscenium box. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2016
Another view to house right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
Across from the front of the balcony. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2016
A detail of the peculiar single row loge section at the front of the
balcony. Originally it was partitioned off as separate boxes that were
furnished with loose chairs. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
Looking across to the house right wall from up near the booth. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The house left wall. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
A balcony left wall detail. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The exit door at the end of the crossaisle house left. The exits on this side of the balcony go to corridors in the office building. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2016
A bit of sidewall ornament. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
A mid-balcony view. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2016
A house left wall view with a peek into the stairway down to the boxes. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The stairs down to the boxes house left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
In the box area -- the stairs down to the main floor. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2016
Across the house from the left proscenium box. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2016
The rear of the house. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2016
The view from the house right end of the crossaisle. That upper exit at the crossaisle leads into the 2nd floor corridor of the office building. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The cove at the rear of the dome. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
A bit of the ceiling from house right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The ceiling from the house right side of the balcony. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The house right stairs from the crossaisle back down to the balcony lobby. Nope, no exit this way at the moment -- it's been drywalled over. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
Ornament house right above the stairway down to the boxes. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The house right stairs down to the box area. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
A stage view from the house right box. The box configuration was considerably more elaborate before the Warner Bros. remodel in 1929. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The balcony front ornament as seen from the house right box. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The back of the balcony as seen from in the house right box. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The back of the balcony as seen from in the house right box. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The stairs down to the main floor from the balcony box level. It was barricaded on this side -- not the case over on house left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The stairs back up from the house right box. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
A look across from the middle of the balcony. Note the strange red scalloped shapes -- they put their red shag carpet behind the back row but didn't want to pull the seats out for the installation. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The top of the balcony. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2016. Thanks again, Hunter! See what he's been exploring lately: on Facebook | hunterkerhart.com | on Flickr
The ceiling at the top of the balcony house left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
Across the front of the booth. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The projection booth. Note the ladder to the attic at the steps. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The back of the balcony from the house left end of the crossaisle. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The house left stairs from the crossaisle back down to the balcony lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The balcony level lobby:
The bottom of the stairs up to the balcony. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
A collage showing the stairs down to 7th & Hill and what had been the balcony lobby upstairs. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2012
Looking in to what had been the balcony lobby from the top of the stairs. The area has been converted into a warren of offices. Note the ceiling coves that remain. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2012
We're looking toward the stage. Take a left for the men's room and the house left stairs into the balcony. A right gets you to the ladies room and house right.
Looking across from house left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016
The stairs (and added door) up into the balcony house left. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2012
Mail boxes on the landing house right. Behind the boxes are the sealed off stairs up into the house right side of the balcony. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2012
Looking up to the ceiling dome on the house right stairs into the balcony. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2012
The balcony lobby from house right. LAHTF's Hillsman Wright notes that the curved area on the right was once open -- allowing a view from this lobby area down onto the seats at the rear of the main floor. Interestingly, the earlier Pantages (now the Arcade Theatre) had a similar feature although that building was designed by a different architect. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2012
The ladies room at the house right end of the balcony lobby. There's a men's room at the house left end of the space. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2012
On the stage:
A
perhaps c.1925 view looking off right at the Warner. That little
staircase went to a door to the alley as well as allowing clearance
above the stairs to the basement dressing rooms. The stage loading
doors, not seen here, are upstage center. It's a photo from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.
Proscenium width: Approximately 40'
Stage depth: Approximately 26'
Stage depth: Approximately 26'
Original rigging: It was a hemp house when it opened in 1920 with flyfloors stage left and stage right. By 1926 there was also a pinrail off right at stage level. The stage left flyfloor survives. The only thing surviving off right is the beam across the front. The assumption is that the rest was removed for the counterweight system installed during the 1929 Warner Bros. renovations.
Counterweight system: The T-wall is off right. Much of it is intact but the bottom 15' or so has been removed. The arbors and battens have also been removed. It was an Armstrong-Power system with, as was their style, arbors tracked on both front and back.
Counterweight system: The T-wall is off right. Much of it is intact but the bottom 15' or so has been removed. The arbors and battens have also been removed. It was an Armstrong-Power system with, as was their style, arbors tracked on both front and back.
# of sets: There were something like 29 sets on the T-wall plus what looks like 3 wire guide sets downstage, and the set for the asbestos. The sets used 3 lift lines.
Flyfloor and grid access: There's a now-hidden ladder stage right on the side wall upstage. An adjacent ladder continues to the grid from the flyfloor level. Upstage left there's a ladder on the backwall to flyfloor and grid.
Asbestos: Still in place, evidently dead hung from the grid. The lattice track arbor was on the proscenium wall off right. See the photo at the top of the page for a view of the painting on the asbestos.
Electrics: There were 4, with the junction boxes still present on the beam that used to be the front edge of the SR flyfloor.
Dimmerboard: Long gone, but it was off right. Several chopped-off conduits can be seen above that location.
Loading: The doors are upstage center, leading to the alley. The stage is about 6' below alley level.
Stage door: Off right, leading to 7th St. There's also an exit door upstage left, now blocked.
Dressing rooms: In the basement.
Basement access: Upstage right. Presumably there were stairs stage left as well.
Looking downstage right in 1926. "No Visitors Allowed On Stage At Any Time" says the sign on the wall behind the
pinrail. It's signed Alexander Pantages. The calendar page says it's Friday June
18. Note the decorative plaster frame for the painting above that live-front dimmerboard. The painting is gone but the plasterwork is still in place. It's not known who the performers are. Thanks to the Los Angeles Conservancy for sharing this photo from their archives.
A quick change room recessed into the proscenium off left. Note the door to get into the house on the far left. Thanks to the Los Angeles Conservancy for sharing the photo, presumably part of the same shoot as the view above.
Looking
into the house from off right. Off left that's a flyfloor just above
the level of the bottom of the red valance. On the far right is the
smoke pocket for the asbestos. Photo: Bill Counter - 2020
The view to stage right. It looks like a flyfloor up there but it's just the front edge remaining. The steps head out to 7th St. Photo: Bill Counter - 2020
A detail of the T-wall at the level of the former flyfloor. Note an arbor for a wireguide set, presumably the valance, on the left. On the right there's a ladder to the grid. Photo: Bill Counter - 2020
The down right corner. Note the fancy plasterwork positioned above where the dimmerboard had been located. Photo: Bill Counter - 2020
A closer look at the plaster. Photo: Bill Counter - 2020
A detail of the built-out area up right. There are stairs to the basement dressing room area through the always-locked door in the center of the image. The stairs at the left go out to 7th St. A bit of the T-wall is visible in the upper left of the image. Photo: Bill Counter - 2020
A look at a portion of the back wall upstage right. The columns and horizontal members are concrete with brick used to fill in the openings. On the left it's the beam at flyfloor level with junction boxes still remaining for the electrics. Photo: Bill Counter - 2020
Looking across to stage left at flyfloor level and above. Photo: Sandi Ando Lessert - 2016
A view of the downstage left corner. Note the trap door in the flyfloor. Photo: Bill Counter - 2020
The back of the asbestos and a bit of the dome from stage left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2020
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