Los Angeles Theatres: Palace Theatre: recent exterior views

The Palace was one of three theatres open for free shows during "Broadway Night Lights" on October 12, 2024. City councilman Kevin de Leon resurrected the annual street festival that had been on hiatus since 2018. Thanks to Sandi Hemmerlein for sharing this shot, one of 44 photos and videos of the event she included in a Facebook post. Grand Performances was the organization doing the programming that evening.

Street views - 2001 to 2024:

2001 - The 1932 film "Santa" was the last event in the 15th annual L.A. Conservancy "Last Remaining Seats" film series. The Times noted the screening in their July 10 article "Milestone Mexican Film to Screen..." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the photo for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.

This theatre was the first building in Los Angeles to have a facade of polychrome terracotta. The theatre became the Palace in 1926 when the Orpheum circuit moved down the street to their new home between 8th and 9th. The Palace ceased regular film exhibition in 2000. It gets discussed during the L.A. Conservancy's weekly Broadway walking tours and has been used for Last Remaining Seats, their annual film series that features classic movies exhibited in historic theatres. www.laconservancy.org | on Facebook

2002 - Thanks to Tom Zimmerman for this photo. It's in the collection of the California State Library.

2004 - The south vertical before the two signs got their current blue and yellow paint job. The photo appeared with "Los Angeles/Palace Theatres Marquee Re-lighting," a Cinema Treasures article about the project.

c.2005 - Looking north on Broadway. Photo: Don Solosan - Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation

The LAHTF is actively involved in the study and preservation of the vintage theatres in the L.A. area. The group frequently supports events and offers tours of various historic theatres. www.lahtf.org | group Facebook page | official Facebook page

c.2005 - Looking south on Broadway. The red brick-colored building in the distance at the center of the photo is the State Theatre at 7th & Broadway. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF. Thanks, Don!

2006 - Thanks to the late Ed Fuentes for this January photo he shared on Flickr taken when the marquee was getting its Palace letters back after being redone to appear as the Detroit Theatre in "Dreamgirls." See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for more views from the shoot.

2006 - The crowd waiting for a Los Angeles Conservancy film screening. Photo: Don Solosan

2006 - A neon detail. Thanks to Don Solosan for sharing his photo taken at a Conservancy screening.

2006 - The south vertical. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF

2006 - The view up the north vertical. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing his photo.

2006 - The facade's center arch. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF

2006 - The lettering above the marquee. It had recently been uncovered. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF

2007 - The fixture on the south side of the entrance. Photo: Bill Counter

2007 - One of the muses of vaudeville: music. Photo: Bill Counter

2007 - Another muse: song. Photo: Bill Counter

2007 - Copy was on the marquee for a "Halloween Spook Show." Photo: Bill Counter

2007 - The big Halloween show. Photo: Bill Counter

2007 - A corner of the marquee. Thanks to Nick Bradshaw for the photo, one included in his Dead Cinemas, Downtown Los Angeles set on Flickr.

c.2008 - A column capital as seen out a 5th floor window. Thanks to Broadway Theatre Group for sharing the Gary Leonard photo.

c.2008 - The north side of the north vertical. Thanks to Broadway Theatre Group for sharing the Gary Leonard photo.

c.2008 - Looking out a 2nd floor office building window at the marquee. It's another Gary Leonard photo. Thanks to Broadway Theatre Group for sharing it.

c.2009 - The north vertical sign. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF

2009 - Gazing up along the south vertical sign toward the polychrome terracotta at the cornice. Thanks to Will Campbell for his photo, one of 65 great shots in his A Morning at the Palace Theater set on Flickr.

2010 - A view south. Photo: Bill Counter

2010 - The vertical signs of the Palace lighting a deserted Broadway. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for her December photo. See her Palace Theatre set on Flickr for more great views. And don't miss her other theatre sets.

2011 - A collage of the 4 muses appearing on the Palace Theatre facade. Photo: Wendell Benedetti - LAHTF Facebook page

David Saffer comments on the muses: "They are Comedy, Dance, Drama, and Music and were done by Domingo Mora who also did the the sculptures for the old Metropolitan Opera House in NYC. His son, Joseph, would later do the figures on the Million Dollar." The muses were identified similarly in a June 14, 1911 L.A. Times article. In a September 1911 Architecture and Engineering photo they're identified as Comedy, Dance, Song and Music.

2012 - A great look at the north end of the cornice. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for sharing this photo on Flickr. It's included in the LAHTF Ficker pool. For a real treat, browse through Eric's Los Angeles Theatres set on Flickr -- over 700 great shots. Start with a view of the Palace facade and you can page through six more exterior photos.

2012 - The top of the north vertical. Check out the bulb sockets in the terracotta cornice. Photo: Bill Counter

2012 - The south end of the cornice. Photo: Bill Counter

2012 - Some of the terracotta above the 5th floor windows. Photo: Bill Counter

2012 - One of the fixtures. Photo: Wendell Benedetti - LAHTF Facebook page

2012 - A view out toward Broadway along the north side of the marquee in July. Thanks to Albert Domasin for the photo, one of 63 shots included in his LAHTF Tour of the Palace set on Flickr.

2012 - A shot from the 6th floor of the Bullock's building at 7th and Broadway. The upper levels of the department store building are now repurposed as a parking garage. Photo: Bill Counter

2012 - The view from the 4th floor of the Bullock's Building. Thanks to Stephen Russo for his photo, one appearing on the LAHTF Facebook page.

2012 - The marquee from the 4th floor of the Bullock's Building. Photo: Stephen Russo - LAHTF Facebook page

2012 - The facade from across the street. Thanks to Hunter Kerhart for this shot as well as the many others on our pages. Keep up with his recent explorations: HunterKerhart.com | on Flickr

2012 - A view south on Broadway. Photo: Hunter Kerhart

2012 - A telephoto look down Broadway taken at dusk from up at the Million Dollar, 3rd & Broadway. Thanks to Wendell Benedetti for sharing his photo on the LAHTF Facebook page.

2012 - A "Bringing Back Broadway" photo. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for posting it on the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.

c.2012 - Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding this great Christmas Eve "Bringing Back Broadway" shot.

2013 - A January signage view. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for sharing this one with the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.

2013 - The Palace viewed from a window on the second floor of the south storefront space at the Los Angeles Theatre. Photo: Bill Counter

2013 - A late night look south on Broadway in July. Photo: Hunter Kerhart

2013 - The Palace marquee once again came alive during the summer after lots of repair work. All the neon got fixed and much of the animation that hadn't worked for years was put back in action. Photo: Hunter Kerhart

2013 - The vista north on Broadway in August. Here we see the fruits of the neon repairs done during the summer. Photo: Hunter Kerhart

2014 - The north end of the cornice and a peek into the windows of the Palace's 5th floor studio from Ian Wood's "Downtown Los Angeles" on Vimeo. It's four minutes and forty five seconds of wonder that's not to be missed. He spent several months shooting downtown theatres and other historic buildings from a drone that resembled "a mutant chicken." The footage also appears with a story by L.A. Observed's Kevin Roderick.

2015 - Not a vertical sign view that you get everyday. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - January 31

2015 - South on Broadway during the 1st "Night On Broadway." Thanks to Hunter Kerhart for his January 31 photo, taken from the roof of the Los Angeles Theatre.

The facade on the left is the Schaber's Cafeteria Building (1928), that had reopened as the restaurant Les Noces Du Figaro. It closed suddenly in 2015, a victim of the instability of Broadway. The facade has been preserved but the building behind was demolished in 2017 and replaced with a new structure.

2015 - A big crowd at the Palace for the 1st "Night on Broadway." Photo: Hunter Kerhart - January 31

2015 - A look into the ticket lobby during the 2015 "Night on Broadway." Thanks to Anders Hjemdahl for once sharing his photo on Facebook. Alas, his 72 photo Night on Broadway album has vanished.

2015 - "One Hell of a Night." It's a fine marquee view from August that appeared on the Palace Theatre Facebook page.

2015 - A view south by a photographer identified as "4th & Spring" that appeared on the Bringing Back Broadway Facebook page.

2015 - Looking down the block the night of the "Carrie" opening at the Los Angeles in October. It's an Escott O. Norton photo from his "Carrie Opening Night!" album on the LAHTF Facebook page where you'll find 19 more shots.

2015 - A fine look south toward the signage of the Roxie, Palace and Orpheum in October. Thanks to Eric Solis for his photo. And thanks to Bringing Back Broadway for posting it on the BBB Facebook page.

2015 - Thanks to the Palace for the greetings during the Christmas season. It was a post on the Palace Theatre Facebook page.

2015 - A lovely rainy night Christmas season view by Scott Reyes appearing in December on the Bringing Back Broadway Facebook page.

2016 - A no-traffic day for this stretch of Broadway. It was setup time for a "Night on Broadway." Photo: Bill Counter - January 30

2017 - Thanks to Mike Hume for this January "Night on Broadway" photo. Visit his Historic Theatre Photography site for hundreds of great photos of theatres he's explored. And, of course, there's a lovely page on the Palace.

2017 - A look up at the polychrome terracotta facade. Photo: Mike Hume

2017 - A detail of the Orpheum lettering. Photo: Mike Hume

2017 - Thanks to Gary Parks for this fine photo of the south end of the marquee.

2017 - The Palace lettering on the front. Thanks to Gary Parks for his 2017 photo.

2017 - A marquee view from Escott O. Norton that appeared on the LAHTF Facebook page.

2018 - The Palace Theatre had lines down the block for its shows during the January "Night on Broadway." Thanks to Mike Hume for his photo. This was the last of the "Night on Broadway" events. They had been sponsored by city councilman Jose Huizar who got distracted after becoming embroiled in bribery investigations.

2018 - Uncovering some vintage signage south of the marquee for May Diamonds, The House of Happiness. A newer sign had been on top at least since 1974. Thanks to Kirk A. Gaw for his October photo that appeared on the DTLA Town Square Facebook group.

2020 - All was tranquil on Broadway following demonstrations downtown and elsewhere protesting police violence and racial inequality. The theatre had not had any events since Coronavirus restrictions had been imposed in March. Photo: Bill Counter - June 6

2021 - Thanks to Ed Baney, then the Broadway Theatre Group's general manager, for sharing this photo on a Facebook post.

2024 - A busy night at the Palace for a music video shoot. Photo: Bill Counter - January 3

In the south exit passageway:

The view in through the office building lobby toward Broadway. Those are the elevators on the left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

The stairs up to the 2nd balcony. The doorway into the office building lobby is off to the left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

Looking out toward the alley. The exit door we see goes into the house right side of the lobby. Behind us is an exit from the office building lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

Looking west from the alley. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

A better view of the Stage Door sign. The photo was a 2016 post on the Palace Theatre Facebook page. The sign was painted for the 1993 TV movie version of "Gypsy" starring Bette Midler. See the Theatres in Movies post for shots from that film featuring the Palace.

Looking up in the south exit passage toward the windows on the upper floors of the office building. Thanks to Will Campbell for his 2009 photo, one of 65 great shots in his A Morning at the Palace Theater set on Flickr.

In the north exit passageway:

We're looking toward Broadway with the balcony exits from the theatre at the left. Thanks to Broadway Theatre Group for the c.2008 Gary Leonard photo.

A view toward the alley from up in the office building. Straight ahead we're looking at the top of the dressing room wing of the stagehouse. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016

Another look toward the alley in the north exit passageway but down a bit lower. The windows we see are in the stagehouse, offstage right. Photo: Gary Leonard / Broadway Theatre Group - c.2008

A view toward the alley outside a main floor exit. Behind us would have been access to the house left stairs to the 2nd balcony but it's been bricked over. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016

Around the back:

The stagehouse -- still with a "Newsreel Theatre" ad from the 40s. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

A view from Spring St. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2012

The rear of the theatre from above. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2014

Looking north in the alley. Photo: Mike Hume - 2017

The view south in the alley. Photo: Mike Hume - 2017

A closer look at the doors in the photo above. Photo: Mike Hume - 2017. Visit his Historic Theatre Photography site for hundreds of great photos of theatres he's explored. And, of course, there's a page about the Palace.

The south side of the stagehouse. Shall we climb that ladder? Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2014

Looking across the Palace roof toward the Los Angeles. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2014. Is this guy great, or what? Keep up with his recent explorations: HunterKerhart.com | on Flickr

On the roof:

Another view across Broadway. Thanks to Broadway Theatre Group for the c.2008 Gary Leonard photo. The Los Angeles Theatre is also owned by the Broadway Theatre Group.