Los Angeles Theatres: Palace Theatre: recent exterior views

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

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

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, 2020

The Palace Theatre had lines down the block for its shows during the January 2018 "Night on Broadway." Thanks to Mike Hume for his 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. 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.

The Palace, opened in 1911 as the Orpheum, was the first building in Los Angeles to have a polychrome terracotta facade. Photo: Mike Hume - 2017

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

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

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

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

Looking down the block the night of the "Carrie" opening at the Los Angeles in October 2015. 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.

The Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation 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

A view south by 4th & Spring that appeared on the Bringing Back Broadway Facebook page in 2015.

South on Broadway during the 1st "Night On Broadway." Thanks to Hunter Kerhart for his January 31, 2015 photo, taken from the roof of the Los Angeles Theatre. Keep up with Hunter's recent explorations: on Facebook | HunterKerhart.com | on Flickr

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.

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

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

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

The Palace facade from the 4th floor of the Bullock's Building (now a parking garage) at 7th & Broadway. Thanks to Stephen Russo for his 2012 photo appearing on the LAHTF Facebook page.

Another shot from the Bullock's building -- this time from the 6th floor. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012

The facade from across the street. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2012

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

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

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

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

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

A big show in 2007. Photo: Bill Counter

A wider facade view from 2007. Note the recently uncovered "Orpheum" lettering between the lamps above the 2nd floor. Photo: Bill Counter

A crowd waiting for a L.A. Conservancy film screening. Photo: Don Solosan - 2006

Thanks to Ed Fuentes for this January 2006 photo 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.

A street level view looking north on Broadway. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF - c.2005

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

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

Signage details:

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

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

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

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

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

The other side of the north vertical. Thanks to Broadway Theatre Group for the c.2008 Gary Leonard photo. It's in the Palace Theatres website's exterior photo album.

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

The south vertical before the two signs got their current blue and yellow paint job. The photo appears with "Los Angeles/Palace Theatres Marquee Re-lighting," a 2004 Cinema Treasures article about the project. The article also includes other photos of the two theatres taken after the sign work was done.

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

A detail of the Palace lettering on the front. Thanks to Gary Parks for his 2017 photo.

Thanks to Mike Hume for this January 2017 "Night on Broadway" photo.

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

A great look at the signage taken during the 2015 "Night on Broadway." It's a photo by Anders Hjemdahl appearing in his 72 photo Night on Broadway album on Facebook.

The Palace marquee once again came alive in the summer of 2013 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

A January 2013 signage view. Thanks to Ken McIntyre on Photos of Los Angeles for the photo.

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

A 2010 view looking south. Photo: Bill Counter

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

A neon detail. Thanks to Don Solosan for his 2006 photo taken at a Los Angeles Conservancy screening. The Conservancy offers walking tours of the theatre district and an annual film series, Last Remaining Seats, featuring classic movies exhibited in historic theatres. www.laconservancy.org | on Facebook

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

Looking out a 2nd floor office building window at the marquee. It's a c.2008 Gary Leonard photo. Thanks to Broadway Theatre Group. The photo is in the Palace Theatres website's exterior photo album.

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

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 2018 photo on the DTLA Town Square Facebook page.

Facade terracotta and fixture details:

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

The lettering above the marquee. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF - 2006

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

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

A closer look at one of the fixtures. Photo: Wendell Benedetti - LAHTF Facebook page - 2012

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

Another muse: song. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

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

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

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

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 in 2014 shooting downtown theatres and other historic buildings from a drone that resembled "a mutant chicken." The footage also appears with stories by Brigham Yen and L.A. Observed's Kevin Roderick.

A great look at the north end of the cornice. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for the 2012 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 400 great shots. Start with a view of the Palace facade and you can page through six more exterior photos.

A column capital as seen out a 5th floor window. Thanks to Broadway Theatre Group for the c.2008 Gary Leonard photo. It's in the Palace Theatres website's exterior photo album.

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. It's in the Palace Theatres website's exterior photo album.

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: on Facebook | HunterKerhart.com | on Flickr

On the roof:

Another view across Broadway. Thanks to Broadway Theatre Group for the c.2008 Gary Leonard photo. It's in the Palace Theatres website's exterior photo album. The Los Angeles Theatre is also owned by the Broadway Theatre Group.

A closer look at that lovely piece of terracotta seen on the left in the image above. Photo: Gary Leonard / Broadway Theatre Group - c.2008

The view northwest toward downtown's highrises. Photo: Gary Leonard / Broadway Theatre Group - c.2008

Los Angeles Theatres

Palace Theatre: recent exterior views

No comments:

Post a Comment