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Mayan Theatre: mezzanine lobby

1038 S. Hill St. Los Angeles, CA 90015 | map |

The Mayan Theatre pages: history | vintage exterior views | recent exterior views | ticket lobby | main lobby | mezzanine lobby | vintage auditorium views | recent auditorium views | booth and attic | stage | basement |

The house left end of the lobby. The stairs go up to the landing at the end of the balcony crossaisle. The stairs down to the main lobby are out of the frame to the left. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927

The California State Library has 63 Mott Studios pictures of the Mayan in their Mott-Merge collection, including many alternate takes. Their set #001442998 has 17 photos, set #001412054 has 16 photos, set #001412080 has 14 photos and set #001386186 has 16 photos. 
 

An elevation of the house left end from the Morgan, Walls & Clements Archive at the Huntington Library. This is one of many details of this space on drawing #9308 on their website. Note the air handling plenum between the plaster ceiling and the balcony risers above.

Thanks to Mike Hume for locating plans for the project. What the Huntington has for the Mayan starts with drawing #9275 and runs through drawing #9329. Also see poster case details, drawing #9938 and marquee reinforcements, drawing #9968. Visit the Index to the MW&C Drawings that Mike has compiled for his Historic Theatre Photography site. There's also a 22 page index by Mike Callahan on Internet Archive.   
 
 

The other side of that entrance portal seen in the drawing above. This is the ornament you see looking into the lobby from the stair landing. It's also on drawing #9308 .
 
 
 
Looking toward the house right stairs. Hill St. is off to the right. Theatre historian Ed Kelsey notes that the mezzanine lobby was called the "Hall of the Emperors." Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927
 
The stairs on the right go up to the manager's office, located behind the stained glass windows in the center of the facade. Some details of the office's waiting room are on drawing #9321 on the Huntington Library site. The men's room is off to our right, just out of the frame. The ladies room is down beyond the manager's office stairs.
 

An elevation of the house right half of the east wall from drawing #9308 on the Huntington Library site. We're looking toward the stage. At the right are the house right stairs seen in the photo above. You can click on this for a larger view or go to the Huntington site for a jumbo version. 
 

An early design treatment for the house right stairs continuing from this level up to the balcony. This was greatly simplified during construction. House left was intended to be similar. It's on drawing #9308
 
 
 
A view from close to center. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927. The USC Digital Library also has a version that appeared in some publication they don't identify. Note the ceiling line, mirroring the steps of the balcony seating risers above.
 
 

On the left it's an elevation of the lobby's south wall with the portal leading to the house right stairs. The right 2/3 of the drawing is the house right half of the west wall, looking toward Hill St. The ornate door in the center is to the ladies room. The office stairs on the right side are on the building centerline. This is from drawing #9308. Click on the image for a larger view or follow the link for a jumbo version.



Another look at the stairs. It's a Mott Studios photo. This version from an architectural magazine is on the USC Digital Library website via the California Historical Society. There's a copy of the actual photo in the California State Library collection.
 
 

A section through the office stairs, another detail on drawing #9308 on the Huntington Library site.



The stairs viewed from the house right side. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927



Painted detail on the front of the stair landing. The nature of the corrugated surface it's painted on renders it invisible if you're too far off to the side. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927
 
 

Stenciled detail on a typical beam It's from drawing #9308 on the Huntington Library site.
 
 

The stenciled ceiling treatment on the stairs up to the balcony. This is one of several detail images appearing on drawing #9998 on the Huntington Library site.


Recent balcony lobby views:


The house left stairs down to the main lobby from the landing at the mezzanine level. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



Continuing on up to the balcony. Straight ahead and you're out onto the fire escape. A right turn gets you to the house left end of the crossaisle. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



The carving on the landing at mezzanine level house left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



The warrior above the entrance to the mezzanine lobby from the house left stairs. Thanks to Gary Simon for his photo. And thanks also to the man with the floodlight, Steve Simon. You can see Gary's full set of 32 photos on the LAHTF Facebook page. They were taken at the July 2016 Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation "all-about" tour of the theatre.

The LAHTF is actively involved in the study and preservation of the vintage theatres in the Los Angeles area. The group frequently supports events and offers tours of the buildings. www.lahtf.org | group Facebook page | official FB page



The lobby from the house left landing. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



The warrior on the lobby side of the beam at the entrance house left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



A view from closer to the center of the space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



The stairs to the manager's office. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



One of the warriors guarding the stairs. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



A lovely look at the end of the railing of one of the sets of stairs to the manager's office. Thanks to Berger Conser Architectural Photography for the photo. It's one from their great 1992 book "The Last Remaining Seats: Movie Palaces of Tinseltown," available on Amazon. The Robert Berger Photography website has a portfolio of 16 photos from "The Last Remaining Seats.



The painted work on the face of the stairs. Photo: Gary Simon - 2016



Looking toward house left from up on the stairs. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



A figure behind the bar, formerly supporting a drinking fountain, now with a cash register on his head. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



The view out from the men's room, on the house left side of the manager's office stairs. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



Another men's room view. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



The stair landing view to the house right end of the balcony lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



An east wall detail. Note the openings above the guy on the wall. The Mayan-style grille leads into the air plenum below the balcony seating risers above us. Thanks to James Cottle Photography for the 2016 photo. You can see the rest of his 12 photo Mayan set on the LAHTF Facebook page.



A closer look at one of the wall sconce warriors. Thanks to Don Solosan for the 2009 photo taken for the LAHTF.



Looking toward house left. The blue glow is emanating from the entrance to the manager's office. Thanks to Mike Hume for his 2016 photo. Head to his first Mayan view on Flickr and you can page ahead to see all 30 photos he took during the July 2016 Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation "all-about" tour. Visit Mike's Historic Theatre Photography site for tech data and hundreds of terrific photos of the theatres he's explored. And don't miss his page on the Mayan.



A decorative panel on the west lobby wall between balcony trusses. Photo: Gary Simon - 2016



Another west wall panel. Photo: Gary Simon - 2016



Yet another west wall mural. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



And another. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



A detail of the decorative treatment between the west wall mural panels. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



Another view looking toward house left. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF - 2009



A detail of the stencil work on the lobby ceiling beams. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



A side view of one of the beams. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



The lobby from the house right end. Photo: Mike Hume - 2016



Looking into the ladies room on the house right end of the lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



The toilet area in the ladies room. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



Looking back out toward the ladies room sink area. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



The drinking fountain at the house right end of the lobby. Thanks to Stephen Russo for his 2012 photo, one appearing on the LAHTF Facebook page.



A closer look at that drinking fountain guy. Photo: Gary Simon - 2016. Thanks, Gary!



The carving house right at the base of the stairs heading up to the balcony. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016 



Up a few steps from the mezzanine level. The lobby is off to the right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016  



The house right stairs down to the main lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016 

 The Mayan Theatre pages: history | vintage exterior views | recent exterior views | ticket lobby | main lobby | back to top - mezzanine lobby | vintage auditorium views | recent auditorium views | booth and attic | stage | basement |

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