Opened: The theatre opened in 1911 as the Butler Theatre, a remodel from what had been a retail space. Jeff Bridges noted on Cinema Treasures that a building permit had been issued for the remodel on April 9, 1911. This photo appeared with a May 1912 article in Moving Picture World. The article noted:
"The Butler Theater, located at 608 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, Cal., is one of the prettiest five-cent houses in that city. The seating capacity of the house is 250. The latest model Powers No. 6 machine is used, with a Mercury Arc Rectifier attachment. The throw is eighty feet and a picture 9x12 is projected.
"In the picture, Mr. A. L. Butler, proprietor of the house, and Mrs. Butler, are seen standing on each side of the box. The young men at the extreme right and left of the lobby are Messrs. C. C. Jonas and E. Apperson, operators. This house enjoys a very nice patronage and is one of the most prosperous theaters in Los Angeles."
Thanks to Brooklyn-based theatre historian Cezar Del Valle for finding the article for a post about the Butler on his Theatre Talks blog. The photo also appears in Charmaine Zoe's Vintage Cinemas California album on Flickr.
The 1914 city directory lists a Mr. "ML Butler" as the proprietor. In the 1915 directory it's listed as Butler's Theatre. In the 1916 through 1922 directories it's the Shamrock Theatre and was evidently called that until about 1924.
A 1918 ad for the Shamrock. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.
It became the Bandbox around 1924 and was then an operation of Fox Film Corp.
Seating: 250
Closing: Somewhere around 1929.
Status: The building was demolished to make way for the 1931 Wm. Fox Building, which is still on the site.
The Fox Building was constructed at the same time as the Los Angeles Theatre directly behind on Broadway. The architect of the Fox Building, S. Tilden Norton, was related to the developer, H.L. Gumbiner. Norton was also the associate architect of the Los Angeles. The land both buildings sat on was owned by William Fox.
c.1912 - A view probably taken not much after the Pantages/Arcade Theatre opened -- it's seen in the upper right. Down in the lower right we get a bit of the 600 block of Hill St. The arched entrance above the rear of the car parked on the street is the Butler Theatre. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality who found the photo on eBay and included it on his Noirish post #2388.
c.1912 - A detail from the Noirish photo above.
c.1913 - One panel of a panoramic photo taken from the Los Angeles Athletic Club building at 7th & Olive. We're looking north on Hill toward 6th. The Hollingsworth Building is nearing completion on the SE corner of 6th & Hill. Butler's is visible to the right. It's a California Historical Society photo in the USC Digital Library collection. The theatre also appears in the next panel of the panorama. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Chuckaluck for posting the second panel on his Noirish post #10272.
c. 1913 - A detail from the USC photo.
mid-1920s - Looking south on Hill Street toward the new AT&T building. The corner of the Bandbox marquee is on the far left of the image. Note that the building has acquired a couple of additional floors compared to the earlier two story version. The photo is in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.
mid-1920s - Looking north on Hill in a photo appearing on the Water & Power Associates Early LA Historical Buildings Page 3. The Hollingsworth Building is at the left, the Continental Hotel at the far right. The Bandbox marquee is at the far end of the squat building to the left.
Above the theatre, the page notes is "..the Palais de Dance, a dance studio for ballroom, completed in 1925 at a cost of $800,000. The site was formerly occupied by the Rendezvous Cafe."
2007 - The William Fox Building, on the site of the Bandbox, as seen from the south. We're looking toward 6th St. Photo: Bill Counter
2018 - The Fox building from the north. Photo: Bill Counter
2018 - An entrance detail. Photo: Bill Counter
2018 - Another view from the south. At the right it's the stage end of the Los Angeles Theatre. Photo: Bill Counter
More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Shamrock Theatre for some items of interest.
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