Los Angeles Theatres: Los Angeles Theatre: recent exterior views

The Los Angeles 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. Here copy was going up on the marquee and the crowd was beginning to gather for free tours offered early in the evening by the L.A. Conservancy. Photo: Bill Counter

There's a fine ride up and down Broadway toward the end of The Artery's 2023 "Dronescape: 7th and Broadway." Thanks to Jeff Hamblin for spotting the eighteen minute piece on YouTube.

A lovely look down from the Story Building that was featured on a 2022 Facebook post from the Museum of Neon Art.

A plea for kindness in a strange year. Thanks to Escott O. Norton for sharing his May 2021 photo.

Broadway views from 2002 to 2020:

2002 - A look south with "Pillow Talk," a Los Angeles Conservancy "Last Remaining Seats" screening, on the marquee. The photo once appeared, uncredited, as a post for the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.

2004 - Looking north along Broadway. Your ticket to "Alma," about the wife of Gustav Mahler, got you drinks and a gourmet meal in the lobby during intermission. Photo: Don Solosan

2004 - A view south during the run of "Alma." Thanks to transit historian Sean Ault for finding the photo.

2004 - "Theater and Dinner" A look upward while "Alma" was on the boards. Photo: Don Solosan

2007 - The marquee set for a L.A. Conservancy event in June. Photo: Bill Counter

2008 - The theatre screening "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" in June. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding the photo for a post on the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.

c.2009 - Checking out the fonts. The vertical is the one that was on the building when it opened in 1931. The current marquee dates from 1937. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF

c.2009 - A facade detail. Thanks to Don Solosan for this photo that he took for the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation.

c.2009 - A readerboard detail. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF

c.2009 - The south side of the vertical. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF

c.2009 - A look at the vertical from the north. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF. Thanks, Don!

2009 - A lovely photo from Mark Peacock Photography. Also see his Vintage Theatres & Drive-Ins album on Flickr for more of his fine work. Many of his theatre photos are available from Art Dimensions Online.

2009 - Lining up for a screening of "A Streetcar Named Desire" in June. Thanks to Don Solosan for the photo he took for the L.A. Conservancy.

2009 - A look north along a desolate Broadway after a Conservancy film screening. Photo: Don Solosan

2009 - Thanks to Floyd B. Bariscale for sharing this photo. Check out his Big Orange Landmarks blog, the Los Angeles Theatre article, and the 93 item photo set on Flickr.

2009 - The top of the facade. Photo: Floyd B. Bariscale

2010 - Another look at the vertical. Photo: Bill Counter

2010 - All lit up and happy about it. Photo: Bill Counter

c.2010 - The Conservancy's thanks on the marquee for a June "Last Remaining Seats" screening. And thanks to Ken McIntyre for sharing the shot in a post on the Facebook group Ken's Movie Page.

c.2010 - A late afternoon view in June. Photo: Don Solosan

2012 - "The Big Sleep" on the marquee in June for an L.A. Conservancy screening. It's a shot taken by James Clark of NomadicNotes.com that appeared with "In Pictures: Downtown Los Angeles," a September 20 post on his blog. Thanks to Arnold Darrow for spotting the photo.

2012 - Looking south toward 6th. Photo: Bill Counter

2012 - A late night look north. Photo: Hunter Kerhart

2013 - The crowd lined up for the sold out LAHTF / Cinespia showing of "Romeo + Juliet." Photo: Hunter Kerhart

2014 - A look up Broadway from Ian Wood's "Downtown Los Angeles" on Vimeo. He spent several months shooting downtown theatres and other historic buildings from a drone that resembled "a mutant chicken." It's four minutes and forty five seconds of wonder that's not to be missed.

2014 - A drone's eye view of the front of the marquee from Ian Wood's spectacular "Downtown Los Angeles" on Vimeo.

2015 - The Los Angeles Theatre as seen from the roof of the Palace during the January "Night on Broadway." Thanks to Hunter Kerhart for his photo. Keep up with his recent explorations: HunterKerhart.com | on Flickr

2015 - A gaze down into the canyon of Broadway toward the theatre. It's a photo by Calisouls79 that appeared on the Bringing Back Broadway Facebook page.

2015 - A look south from the Bringing Back Broadway Facebook page taken by a photographer identified as 4th & Spring.

2015 - A fine look across the street at the theatre by Jaeyyoo that appeared on the Bringing Back Broadway Facebook page in July. It was taken from inside a short-lived restaurant in the Schaber's Cafeteria building, now gutted and rebuilt as a shoe store.

2015 - A look down the block the night of the opening of the musical "Carrie" in October. Thanks to Escott O. Norton for his photo, one in a set of 21 views appearing on the LAHTF Facebook page.

2015 - A killer marquee view in October. Photo: Escott O. Norton - LAHTF Facebook page

2016 - A marquee change for the January "Night on Broadway." The photo by an uncredited photographer was a post on the LAHTF Facebook page.

2016 - A view south on Broadway toward the Palace and Los Angeles. The lack of traffic was due to the preparations for that evening's "Night On Broadway" event. Photo: Bill Counter - January 30

2016 - An afternoon shot taken from the roof of the Palace Theatre as preparations begin for that year's "Night on Broadway." The uncredited photo appeared as a post on the LAHTF Facebook page.

The Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation is active in promoting awareness of the historic theatres of Los Angeles and works toward their preservation. They frequently offer tours and sponsor other events related to historic preservation. www.lahtf.org | group Facebook page | official Facebook page

2018 - A facade detail. Photo: Bill Counter

2018 - Early in the day as things were getting started for the January "Night on Broadway." It was the 10th anniversary of the city's "Bringing Back Broadway" initiative. The 2019 edition of the festival was cancelled as its sponsor, councilman Jose Huizar, had been a bad boy and was distracted by legal troubles. Photo: Mike Hume

2018 - A busy street during the January 27 "Night on Broadway." Photo: Mike Hume

2019 - At the Los Angeles Conservancy screening of "It Happened One Night" in June. Thanks to Mike Hume for his fine photo. Visit his Historic Theatre Photography website for hundreds of great images of the theatres he's explored. Don't miss the page on the Los Angeles Theatre. The 2020 edition of the long-running series was cancelled due to Coronavirus restrictions.

2020 - The theatre taking a break due to the Coronavirus lockdown. Thanks to Jerry R. Fleury for sharing his photo. His work can be seen on the site imagesofthesoul.org. You can also find him on Facebook. This shot is from his 2024 book "Lonely LA: Echoes of Silence." Images from the book also appear in his "Lonely LA" video that's on YouTube.

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 5

On the roof:

Looking across the Palace toward the roof of the Los Angeles. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2014

On the "low roof" atop the south retail space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

Access is via the door on the south end of the booth. The door at the top of the stairs gets you into the fan room on top of the booth. See the booth page for several views. From the fan room there's a door facing Broadway to get onto the "high roof" atop the lobby. Also there's a door in the fan room's west wall to get into the attic space above the auditorium. See the auditorium page for views there.

On the south storefront roof. The lower door goes to the booth, the upper one to a fan room above the booth. Thanks to Will Campbell for his photo, one of 68 in his 2007 Inside the Los Angeles Theatre album on Flickr.

The Schaber's cafeteria building and a slice of the Palace. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

The view north from the roof of the south storefront during the 1st "Night on Broadway" on January 31, 2015. Thanks to Hunter Kerhart for his photo.

The south edge of the facade. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for her 2007 photo. It's one of 72 great views of the theatre in her Los Angeles Theatre album on Flickr.

Looking down onto the marquee from the roof of the south storefront. Photo: Will Campbell - Flickr - 2007

The vertical as seen from the roof. We're looking north toward 6th & Broadway. On the right it's the Story Building. Across the street on the northeast corner it's the Silverwood's Department Store building and the Arcade Building beyond. Photo: Will Campbell - Flickr - 2007

A detail of the sign. Photo: Will Campbell - Flickr - 2007

The view toward Hill St. from the roof atop the south retail space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

Looking east to the Desmond's Building. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

The view to the Palace from the roof above the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

Looking toward the parapet wall on Broadway. Photo: Hunter Kerhart - 2015

Behind the parapet with a peek to the top of the Desmond's building across Broadway. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2008. It's in her Theatres of Downtown LA album on Flickr.

A terrific look down the vertical by photographer 4th & Spring that appeared in 2015 on the Historic Core and Bringing Back Broadway Facebook pages.

Looking west back toward the fan room above the booth from the Broadway end of the roof above the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

Coming out of the fan room looking back down to the door into the projection booth. Photo: Will Campbell - Flickr - 2007. Thanks, Will!

The north exit passageway and 6th St. alley:

We're north of the building facing toward Broadway. The stage is behind us to the right. Through the gate we can exit into the alley that runs north to 6th St. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

The exit gate and, above, the signage facing the alley off 6th St. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

Looking toward the stage end of the building. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

In the exit passageway north of the building looking up at the William Fox Building on the right. Above us at the center is the upstage "bustle." Left of that is the full height stagehouse downstage. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

A look down the alley from 6th St. at the north wall of the auditorium. Thanks Floyd B. Bariscale for his 2009 photo.

The sign in the alley north of the theatre. The intent of the signage in this location was to catch the eye of moviegoers heading to the Metropolitan/Paramount Theatre just across 6th. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

The alley sign gets its closeup. Photo: Ȑoobik Boodaghians - 2013

Shooting in the alley in November 2024. Thanks to Clyde Catron for sharing his photo in a Facebook post for the DTLA Photo Group.

The south side of the building:

The south side of the building at the north end of St. Vincent Court. The William Fox Building, at the left, fronts on Hill St. Photo: Mike Hume - 2017

The balcony exits. Broadway is off to the right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

In the exit passageway south of the building outside the stage loading door. St. Vincent Court is off to the right. The stairs are coming down from the house left front 1st balcony exit with a main floor exit tucked underneath. Broadway is straight ahead down the canyon. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

The stage end of the building. The slight jut above the rest of the roofline is the proscenium wall. The bolts through the side wall up near the top are at grid height. Note that there is only about 15 feet of fly space. The rear of the stage is just a bustle as can be seen above the loading doors. Note that the bustle allows the lower floors of the William Fox Building to get light into the offices. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007

Los Angeles Theatres

Los Angeles Theatre: recent exterior views

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