Los Angeles Theatres: Mayan Theatre: vintage auditorium views

The rear of the auditorium. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927. There's also a version of the photo in the USC Digital Library collection that came from Pacific Coast Architect.

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.

Fifteen of the Mott Studios photos appear with Francisco Cornejo's 17 page article "Description of Architecture and Decorations of the Mayan Theatre" in the April 1928 issue of Pacific Coast Architect. Thanks to Mike Hume for finding it on Internet Archive.

Some of the balcony front and sidewall treatment. It's a detail from the much larger drawing #9295 in the Morgan, Walls & Clements Archive in the Huntington Library collection.

Thanks to Mike Hume for locating plans for the project in the Huntington's collection. What they have 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 treatment for the balcony soffit seen on drawing #9313 on the Huntington's site. We're looking at a reflected ceiling plan for the house right side. On the left note the indents for the two aisles on that side of the house. On the right side of the drawing it's the curve of the front of the balcony and a bit of the house right sidestage.

A balcony soffit detail from drawing #9314. Click on it for a larger view. This is dated May 6, 1927. For an earlier design for the soffit see drawing #9312.

A main floor plan. Note the deep stage and the two side stages. This appeared, along with a balcony plan, in the April 1928 issue of Pacific Coast Architect. The USC Digital Library has an image of the page on their site.

The plans can also be seen in volume two of "American Theatres of Today" by R.W. Sexton and B. F. Betts. It was issued in two volumes in 1927 and 1930 by the Architectural Book Publishing Co, New York. It got a one volume reprint in 1977 and 1985 by the Vestal Press, New York. Theatre Historical Society did another reprint in 2009. It's available on Amazon. Mike Hume has prepared a PDF of the book's four pages about the Mayan.

For a detailed floorplan covering the house right side of the auditorium toward the lobby see drawing #9289 on the Huntington Library site. The stage end of the building on this side is covered by drawing #9288.

Back in the rear of the main floor house left. Check out that door on the left. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927

A 1927 Mott Studios detail of an exit door at the head of a main floor aisle. It's a photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. The USC Digital Library also has a copy in their California Historical Society collection.

Workman are preparing a plaster cast for installation. It would end up as part of a sidestage column. It's a photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

The house left sidestage. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927. The Los Angeles Public Library also has a version of the photo.

The sidestage as seen on drawing #9294 from the Huntington Library site. The full sheet includes more of the proscenium as well as the wall treatment farther along to the left.

The orchestra pit railing. It's a detail from drawing #9323 on the Huntington site.

The house right sidestage. It's a photo credited to to the Padilla Co. that's in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. A version from the California Historical Society collection is on the USC Digital Library website. USC also has another version of the photo.

A view to the rear of the house in 1927 from the California Historical Society. It's in the USC Digital Library collection.

The ceiling and booth as seen from onstage. The photo from the Theatre Historical Society/Terry Helgesen Collection appears in "Great American Movie Theaters, A National Trust Guide" by David Naylor (Preservation Press, Washington, D.C., 1987).

A ceiling panel titled "The Offering" designed by Francisco Cornejo, who is also credited with sculptural work on the facade and interior. This image appears with his 17 page article "Description of Architecture and Decorations of the Mayan Theatre" in the April 1928 issue of Pacific Coast Architect. In addition to floorplans and Cornejo's discussion, the article includes fifteen photos from Mott Studios. Thanks to Mike Hume for finding it on Internet Archive.

Another ceiling panel image from the Pacific Coast Architect article. This one is titled "Music."

Looking in at the amazing ceiling from the house right entrance to the balcony. It's a Padilla Co. photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. There's also a version of the photo on the USC Digital Library website.

A balcony plan from Pacific Coast Architect..The booth is up another level above this.

For a detailed floorplan along the house right side of the auditorium at balcony level see drawing #9291 on the Huntington Library site. It includes the stairs down to the lobby as well as up to the booth and attic. The stage end of the building on this side at balcony level is covered by drawing #9290.

The house right exit at end of the crossaisle. Take a left and you're on the fire escape. Take a right and you're on the stairs down to the balcony lobby. The photo from the Padilla Co. is in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. There's also a version of it on the USC Digital Library website.

The treatment of the side aisle house right. On the right is the portal at the end of the crossaisle. Step out and stairs down to the mezzanine lobby are to the right. Look left and it's the exit doors onto the fire escape. Those are detailed in the upper left of this image from drawing #9298 on the Huntington Library site. For additional sidewall detailing in the balcony, including later revisions, see drawing #9296 and drawing #9297.

The view from the house right end of the crossaisle. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927

Looking across the balcony. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927

A section view and elevation of the proposed railing above the cross aisle. It's from drawing #9323 on the Huntington Library site.

The ceiling from house right. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927

A plan of the ceiling's treatment from drawing #9316 on the Huntington Library site. That's a section view at the top. The proscenium is over on the right.

The section view of the back half of the ceiling with the center ceiling "fixture" indicated in the lower right. Click on it for a larger image or head to drawing #9317 on the Huntington's site for the jumbo version. It's from the same sheet of Morgan, Walls & Clements plans as 2316. That one hits the right side of the sheet, 2317 gets the left side.

A closer look at the center of the ceiling, taken from drawing #9317. See drawing #9320 for an elevation of the rear of the ceiling.

An earlier version of the ceiling design, from December 1926 with some January 1927 revisions. It's from Huntington's drawing #9318. The proscenium is over on the right. Their drawing #9319 is from the same MW&C sheet, but hitting the left side.

A closer proscenium and fire curtain view. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927. There's also a version of the photo in the USC Digital Library collection.

A wider look at the proscenium and the side stages. It's a photo from a magazine article that ended up in the California Historical Society Collection. It appears on the USC Digital Library website. USC also has another version of the photo. The Los Angeles Public Library also has the photo.

Tired of looking at the asbestos? Here's a view of another curtain from the Padilla Co. that's in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. There's also a version of this in the USC Digital Library collection.

The house left sidestage from the balcony. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library - 1927

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Mayan Theatre: vintage auditorium views

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