Los Angeles Theatres: Belasco Theatre: early auditorium views

A section view of the auditorium from the drawings for the theatre that are in the Morgan, Walls & Clements Archive at the Huntington Library. This is from drawing #6790. Also see a 1st floor plan. On the Huntington's site that plan is drawing #6780.

You can start at drawing #6755 on their site and page forward through the full set of 65 sheets which include structural, electrical, HVAC and sprinkler drawings. The set ends with drawing #6819. Thanks to Mike Hume for locating these. Visit the Index to the MW&C Drawings that Mike has been compiling for his Historic Theatre Photography site. There's also a 22 page index by Mike Callahan on Internet Archive.

A 1926 look across the rear of the main floor. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415568

The California State Library has over 80 early views of the theatre indexed somewhat haphazardly (and with many repeats) in the following seven sets: set # 001415568 - 16 auditorium photos | set # 001415683 - 17 photos | set # 001415656 - 16 photos | set # 001415584 - 10 photos | set # 01411639 - 3 ticket lobby photos | set # 001378567 - 16 exterior construction photos | set # 001496390 - a rendering and 5 exterior construction views |

A plan of the balcony soffit, one of several details on drawing #6791 on the Huntington Library site.

A closer look at the back wall details. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415568 - 1926

The treatment above the doors going out to the lobby. This is one of several revisions on drawing #6815 on the Huntington Library site. It's dated August 17, 1926.

Another back wall view. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415568 - 1926

House right near the proscenium. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415656 - 1926. A version of the photo also appears in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

A detail from the previous Mott Studios photo.

Another house right view. No, it's not draperies on the wall. All the wiggly stuff is plaster. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415568 - 1926

Ornament at the top of the oak paneling, from drawing #6812 on the Huntington Library site.

A look at the proscenium and the village scene on the asbestos. Note the ferns in the orchestra pit. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415683 - 1926

A proscenium elevation taken from drawing #6791 on the Huntington site. On the far right we get a section view through the house right wall with levels shown for the lobby floor, the front of the balcony and the top of the balcony. In the upper right note the cove for dome illumination as well as the catwalk around the dome.

A detail from the previous drawing.

A proscenium soffit detail, also taken from drawing #6791.

The auditorium as seen from onstage in a 1926 Mott Studios photo. Note the illuminated sidewall arches. In the church era they were cut open to become functioning windows. The booth was originally designed as a spot booth with no provision for film equipment. The photo is one of 17 shots in the California State Library set # 001415683.

A look to the back wall from the Morgan, Walls & Clements drawing #6797 on the Huntington Library site. Here we have an early version of the front of the balcony with spots at the center but without the light boxes along the full width that became part of the revised design.

The later version of the front of the balcony with light boxes added. This is from drawing #6818 on the Huntington Library site. It's dated August 17, 1926. Click on it for a larger view.

A detail from the previous image.

The dome as seen from the front of the main floor. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415656 - 1926

A half view of an early decorative scheme for the dome, taken from drawing #6797 on the Huntington Library site. This was dated March 26, 1926. The spot booth is on the left, the proscenium is on the right.

The revised scheme for the dome. This is from drawing #6802, dated July 8, 1926. The proscenium is on the left.

A section of the dome, also from drawing #6802. That's the spotlight booth on the right. Dome lighting is detailed on drawing #6769.

A view from the front of the balcony. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415568 - 1926

Another proscenium view. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415568 - 1926

This photo appeared in the February 1927 Architect and Engineer as part of an ad for Calacoustic sound absorbing plaster. It was one of four photos of the theatre in the August 1927 issue of Architectural Record. It made another appearance, along with an exterior view, in the January 1928 Architect and Engineer. They're on Internet Archive. A version of the photo also shows up in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

The house left wall. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415568 - 1926. Yes, that's plaster and not drapes on the wall.

A closer look at the sidewall arches. They were lit by concealed lamps around the edges. When the building got churched, they were cut out to become functional windows. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415568. A version of the photo also appears in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

The sidewall decorative treatment, from drawing #6803 on the Huntington Library site. Also see a balcony floorplan plan. On the Library's site that plan is drawing #6778. For details of the balcony steps and risers see drawing #6794.

The area at the top of the balcony. Click on it for a larger view. Also see a full balcony level plan. On the Huntington site the plan is drawing #6778.

There's a little room with a ladder up to the dome catwalk near the stairs both house left and house right. The booth is above the crossaisle at the back of the seating. A steel stair was added to the booth at a later date for access from the auditorium without having to go through the attic. The area at the bottom is the ballroom, originally not connected to the theatre. There's now a large doorway at the center connecting the two spaces.

The rear corner of the balcony house right. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415568 - 1926. A version of the photo is also in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

All the conveniences: an exit onto the fire escape at the left, a drinking fountain and a single stall restroom on either side of the balcony. Around the corner to the right there's also a door to the room with a ladder for booth and attic catwalk access.

A closer look at the drinking fountain. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001415584 - 1926

Details of the house right drinking fountain from drawing #6812 on the Huntington Library site.

A half elevation of the the decorative treatment of the wall at the top of the balcony, from drawing #6803 on the Huntington Library site. This is the house left half. On the far right it's the opening leading to either the fire escape or the stairs down to the mezzanine level. You can click on this for a larger view.

A closer look at the wrought iron supply air grille seen in the center of the image above. This is from drawing #6816.

Original booth access was via a trap door in the floor as well as from the dome catwalk, both methods on the house right side of the booth. This revised scheme shown on drawing #6815, dated August 17, 1926, provided booth access from the catwalks on either side.

The stairs down from the catwalk on house left and house right each ended up in a little room at the back of the balcony. Also see a plan of the earlier design for the catwalk around the dome from drawing #6778. Dome lighting and the booth electrical layout are detailed on drawing #6769.

The booth was originally envisioned as only a spot booth with three sliding panels to close the openings. The front wall was modified in 1927 for a single projection port and observation port with steel shutters added. This is drawing #6811 on the Huntington's site, dated May 28, 1927. The front wall was redone again at a later date when the house started running feature films.

Later views:

c.1937 - A main floor view with a set onstage, probably for a WPA Federal Theatre Project production. Photo: Los Angeles Public Library

c.1937 - Another shot looking onto the stage. Photo: Los Angeles Public Library

2002 - A view across the rear of the main floor. It's unknown when it got leveled. Thanks to Bob Meza for his photo appearing on the Cinema Tour page about the Belasco.

2002 - The house left wall. Photo: Bob Meza - Cinema Tour

2002 - Seats still in the balcony. Photo: Bob Meza - Cinema Tour

2002 - A view back toward the booth. Note the added ladder for easier access. The front wall of the booth was reconfigured as we see it here when film equipment went in. Photo: Bob Meza - Cinema Tour. Thanks, Bob!

c. 2003 - A wide angle shot taken by an unknown photographer after the balcony seats were removed.

2007 - A bit of the proscenium plus a peek up to the grid. Thanks to Dave Bullock for this view and others appearing on these pages. Check out his terrific set of nineteen photos appearing on the Belasco Theatre page of his site Eecue.com.

2007 - A sidewall plaster detail. Photo: Dave Bullock - Eecue

2007 - A dome view as we look back toward the booth. Photo: Dave Bullock - Eecue

2007 - A look toward the stage. Photo: Dave Bullock - Eecue. Thanks, Dave!

2008 - The rear of the main floor as renovations got underway. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for the photo, appearing on Flickr. You can start at Eric's first Belasco photo and page through all 12 photos of the theatre in his set. For a real treat start at the beginning of his terrific Los Angeles Theaters set to look at over 500 photos of Los Angeles movie palaces and legit theatres.

2008 - A closer look at the replacement plaster pieces. Thanks to Jeff Bridges for his photos on Flickr. Visit his 33 photo Belasco Theatre set for many fine views.