Los Angeles Theatres: Metropolitan/Paramount Theatre: lobby areas

The main lobby on 6th St. We're looking at Woollett's "snail deer" on the house left stairs. The photo appeared in the May 1923 issue of Architect and Engineer, available on Internet Archive. In the issue Mr. Woollett talked about the building in an article titled "Concrete and Creative Architecture." In the same issue see "Grauman Theater, a Work of Art" by E. Bingham and an article about the stage lift: "Notable Stage Elevator Installation..." The photo also appears in the September 1923 issue of The Building Review.

In addition to the 6th St. entrance, the theatre had a boxoffice and small lobby on Hill St. A third entrance, at 533 S. Broadway, was in use only until 1928.

The main floor lobby areas. Hill St. is at the bottom, the main entrance on 6th at the right. Also see the full main floor plan. The plans appeared in the September 1923 issue of The Building Review, available on Internet Archive. The plates section of the issue has twelve full page photos plus drawings and plans. The issue also has five small photos with the article "Pioneers." Also in the issue is "The Metropolitan Theater - A Digest From the Local Press." There's a continuation of the Press Digest on page 36.

A color version of the view across the main lobby. The image appeared in the publication "Concrete in Architecture" (Portland Cement Association, 1927). It features an article by Mr. Woollett along with eleven photos of the Metropolitan, four in color. It's on Internet Archive.

A clay model for the figure on the house left stairs. "Model of snail deer, 'Aspiration,' from a drawing by Mr. Woollett." Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923

The mural above the entrance vestibule doors from 6th St. "Center panel of tryptic mural main foyer. Designed by the architect and painted by Paul K. Mays." Note the cross in the middle -- the mural is honoring the nurses who served in World War One. At the top we see several ceiling beams. Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923. The photo can also be seen in the AMPAS Tom B'hend - Preston Kaufmann Collection.

A detail of one of the lobby's "owl" ceiling grilles. Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923

A section of the lobby ceiling. Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923

The house right end of the main lobby and its beast -- part lion, part reptile. Note the curious legend for those heading up to their balcony seats: "They shall not pass." That wall panel behind was designated the "Mr. God" panel by Woollett. The photo appears in the September 1923 issue of The Building Review and in the 1927 publication "Concrete in Architecture." It's also in the May 1923 issue of Architect and Engineer with this caption:

"Lion and reptile combined cast in solid concrete and finished in metal and color. On wall is seen Panne velvet hanging showing the sarcophagus of 'the unknown dead' and the sales where the good and evil are weighed."

A closer look at the wall hanging on the house right stairs. "'Mr. God' panel in Panne velvet designed by the architect, executed by E.J. MacKeever." Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923

A model for the "Mr. God" panel. The photo appeared in the June 1923 issue of Architect and Engineer with Bernard Maybeck's article "Reflections on the Grauman Metropolitan Theater, Los Angeles." In a postscript, Woollett commented on the design:

"The sarcophagus of the 'unknown dead' is shown at the bottom of the panel, with the wings of the cherubim on either side. The balance of the panel represents the thoughts of the unknown dead. In satirical fashion the good is balanced against the evil, as shown by great scales. On one side the two figures sitting in the scale have ass' heads, on the other side the good people are normal in form. The chain of human figures on the right is composed of healthy, normal, human bodies, representing gladness of physical effort of holding on. On the other side the figures are afraid that they will fall. In the center is a great complex figure with many different denominations of wings, rays, flames, pin feathers, jewels and rich clothing."

A detail from a sectional view showing the lobby areas. We're looking east toward the house right stairs. 6th St. is off to the right. Also see the full section. Plans for the theatre appear in the September 1923 issue of The Building Review. It's on Internet Archive.

A 1939 Dick Whittington Studio view toward the house right end of the lobby. The doors at the right go to the 6th St. entrance vestibule. Note that the decor has been modernized somewhat. Among other things, they've retired the "Mr. God" panel that was hanging on the stairs. The photo is in the USC Digital Library collection.

The lobby after the 1952 gutting by ABC Paramount. We're looking toward the revamped house right stairs. Among other things, they opened the space up by removing the wall separating the main lobby from the entrance vestibule. 6th St. is off to the right. The poster in the case is for "Lydia Bailey," a 1952 release with Anne Francis. They're also advertising a personal appearance by Xavier Cugat and Abbe Lane.

Thanks to Ken McIntyre for posting the photo on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. It appears in Annual #23, "Grauman's Metropolitan Theatre" (1996), a publication of the Theatre Historical Society. It's available in both printed format and as a pdf.

The foyer at the back of the main floor:

The house left end of the open standee area. The doors at the left led to the secondary entrance on Hill St. with its own small lobby. "Murals done on rough concrete. Ornaments on columns are of concrete cast in place." Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923. The photo also appears in the September 1923 issue of The Building Review and in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

A closer look at the entrance to the house left aisle. "Rough concrete, bronze crudely fashioned, Panne velvet hangings and murals on rough walls are elements of this composition." Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923. The image also appears in the 1927 publication "Concrete in Architecture."

The Promenade:

This space at balcony level was the theatre's largest lobby area. Here we're looking across toward house left. The large portals lead into the balcony's lower crossaisle. Photo: The Building Review - September 1923. It also appears in the May 1923 issue of Architect and Engineer.

The area behind the sofas is a well open to the main floor. The main lounge and toilet areas were off to the left of the house left end of the Promenade. On the end wall was the entrance to the "Drawing Room" as well as stairs down to the Hill St. lobby. The stairs to the upper balcony crossaisle were off to the right.

The "Promenade" balcony level lobby areas. Note up at the top we get a doorway marked "to Broadway entrance." This was the bridge across the alley. Also see the full plan at this mezzanine level. Source: The Building Review - September 1923

Paul K. Mays, Steffan Horbaczek and William Lee Woollett (in the suit) in 1922 working on "Princess of the Golden Kingdom," the Promenade's north wall mural. Thanks to Chris Nichols for locating this photo that appeared in the April 1923 issue of California Southland. Chris is a senior editor at Los Angeles Magazine and the author of the Taschen book "Walt Disney's Disneyland."

The theatre got the cover of California Southland that month as well as an article by Woollett beginning on page 11 titled "The Architect and the Crafts." It's on Internet Archive from the California State Library collection. A lower resolution version of the photo appears, uncredited, in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. The magazine referred to this work as a "great fresco" and commented: "The intricate design is full of meaning and as a decoration fulfills its destiny in beauty of color and balanced mass and line."

The finished mural, "Drawn by Paul K. Mays and Steffan Horbaczek, painters." The inscription at the top reads: "Since I am convinced that reality is not real. How shall I admit that dreams are dreams?" Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923.

A detail of the mural from the publication "Concrete in Architecture." There's also a copy in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

The house left end of the Promenade. The figure is "Procrastination, the spirit of the building." It's a 1923 Mott Studios photo, one of ten of the theatre in the California State Library collection cataloged as set #001407235.

At the left are stairs down to the Hill St. lobby. Up the steps a left gets you to the main lounge, the men's smoking lounge, and toilet rooms. Straight ahead is the "Drawing Room," overlooking Hill St. On the landing the stairs to the upper balcony crossaisle are out of the frame to the right.

"Procrastination" was a creation of William Lee Woollett. "This object has the body of a glorified variety of the garden slug, which cannot get you anywhere, and claws which may hold you." Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923. The photo also appears in "Concrete in Architecture."

The wall at the house left end of the Promenade with the entrance to the Drawing Room. The photo appears in the September 1923 issue of The Building Review where it's mistakenly identified as the entrance to the Museum.

The Museum was hidden above the ceiling of the balcony Promenade, two levels below the projection booth. If you look at the balcony level floor plan it's plainly visible. Evidently the access was via the house left stairs from the Promenade to the upper balcony level. Those stairs were just to the right of the wall we see in the photo.

A mystery doorway. It's a photo Chris Nichols spotted in the April 1923 California Southland article "The Architect and the Crafts." Thanks!

A perhaps 40s photo of the house left end of the balcony Promenade. The tiled doorway is to the Drawing Room. The great chairs once on either side have vanished. The stairs on the right go up to the upper balcony crossaisle.

You could at the time stash your belongings in a handy locker while you went to the movie. The photo is in the collection of the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum. It isn't identified as being at the Metropolitan on the LACNHM website. The theme must be "lockers" as it's cataloged with a lobby locker view at the Pantages.

Looking toward the house right end of the Promenade. Where the drapes and the two chairs are would soon be the bridge across the alley to the Broadway entrance. In this presumably 1923 Mott Studios photo from the California State Library collection it appears that they don't have it finished yet. Also at the house right end of the lobby (off to the right) were an elevator and the entrance to the theatre's offices as well as a screening room above the 6th St. entrance vestibule.

Another look house right with a better view of the larger of the three wells open to the main floor. Notice that the ceiling follows the contour of the balcony slope above it. Photo: Concrete in Architecture - May 1927

One of the portals leading in to the balcony. Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923

A color version of the view above. Photo: Concrete in Architecture - May 1927

A sentry guarding one of the portals into the balcony. Photo: The Building Review - September 1923

Our Grecian-robed usherettes posing in the house left portal. The inscription reads: "To women of the American Red Cross this portal is inscribed to be an enduring monument." The photo is in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

The south side of the Promenade. The left and right openings have stairs down to the main 6th St. lobby. The ceiling height in this lobby ranged from 20' to about 35.' It's a 1923 Mott Studios photo, one of ten of the theatre in the California State Library collection cataloged as set #001407235.

Another look along the south wall toward house right. Note the "snail deer" on the house left stairs with a bit of Woollett's mural beyond. Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923. Versions of the photo also appear in the September 1923 issue of The Building Review and in the collections of the Los Angeles Public Library and the New York Public Library.

A color version of the view above. Photo: Concrete in Architecture - May 1927

One of Woollett's chair designs. Note his snail motif on the top. It's another photo Chris Nichols spotted in the April 1923 California Southland article "The Architect and the Crafts."

A Promenade chandelier photo from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

A chair along the south wall. "These carved chairs show motifs used elsewhere in the building, executed by Leon Spinak & Co." Photo: Architect and Engineer - May 1923

A great 1939 Dick Whittington Studio view of the Promenade. At the far end of the lobby was once the bridge to Broadway, closed since 1928. Note out beyond the snail deer we get a glimpse of the mural above the 6th St. entrance that replaced William Lee Woollett's 1923 creation. The photo is in the USC Digital Library collection.

Upper levels: