Symphony Theatre

614 S. Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90014 | map |

Opened: August 29, 1914 with "The Lure," a Shubert production about the white slave traffic that starred James O'Neil. It was on the east side of Broadway just south of 6th St. The c.1915 photo is by Warren C. Dickerson. Thanks to Tony Pepper for finding it in the collection of the L. A. County Natural History Museum.

Seating: 750 was the initial capacity reported. In 1921 it was 645.

Architects: Costerisan & Kavanaugh, George F. Costerisan and John Francis Kavanaugh. The data for attributing this venue to them comes from Bruce LaLanne in the July 1992 issue of the Tom B'hend / Preston Kaufmann magazine Greater L.A. Metro Newsreel. He had George's last name as Costerman.  

An item in the L.A. Times on Thursday, August 27, 1914 had noted that the new Symphony Theatre would be opening that Saturday.

A drawing of the theatre that appeared in the L.A. Times in 1914. It was reproduced in the July 1992 issue of Greater L.A. Metro Newsreel. The issue is in the Ronald W. Mahan Collection. Thanks for sharing this, Ron!

The theatre was profiled in a July 10, 1915 Moving Picture World article with the heading "New House On the Coast That Is Making Good Records." Included were photos of Charles H. DuBois, the owner, and his manager R.B. Seebeck. They were open from 11 to 11 every day running a lot of Universal product with three changes a week and charging 5 and 10 cents (afternoons) and 10 and 15 cents (evenings) for their five reel shows. The issue is on Internet Archive. Also noted in the article:

"There are 750 seats, all on one well-pitched floor, making every chair a good one. The pictures are accompanied by a woman's orchestra of seven pieces. While the show is on the illumination is provided by sunken and dimmed lights which provide a faint greenish glow. The ushers are young women. There are rest rooms for women and for men. 

 

"The Symphony has its own light generator, and manager Seebeck called attention to the white pictures on the screen. In the projection room are two Power [sic] 6A machines, in charge of Thomas W. Armentrout and W.J. Maxson. There are also a Bausch & Lomb dissolver and a spotlight. The screen is 16 x 22 feet in dimensions. Out in front there is a $3,500 electric sign which contains 4,000 lamps. The Symphony is a most comfortable house."

In an article covering many L.A. theatres in the July 15, 1916 Moving Picture World it was remarked that the Symphony had "a very attractive front and an elaborate canopy." In 1916 it was still being operated by Mr. C.H. DuBois, with Mrs. C.H. also listed.

 A 1917 ad in the Times.

A 1919 ad for a Unit Programme that was "arranged by Mr. Rothapfel of the Rivoli Theater, New York." This was before he became better known as "Roxy." The ad was reproduced in the July 1992 issue of Greater L.A. Metro Newsreel that's in the Ronald W. Mahan Collection.

Bruce LaLanne commented in the issue that "Angelenos avoided attending the theatre that week. Business was so bad that the management returned to booking the popular films of the day." The idea was a flop nationwide and soon dropped. Toward the end of 1919 Rothapfel showed up in person to manage the stage shows at the California Theatre on Main St. for Samuel Goldwyn. He didn't last long.

The theatre started adding stage attractions to the bill beginning December 7, 1919 according to LaLanne. The first such attraction was "The Beach Girls Revue" with a cast of twenty beautiful ladies. 

A Symphony ad in the Times on August 31, 1920.

The theatre got a lavish remodel in 1920, prompting the name New Symphony. The lobby was expanded into an adjacent storefront and the house was redecorated. From a January 9, 1921 L.A. Times article cited by Jeff Bridges on Cinema Treasures:

"In order to enhance the presentation of pictures the Symphony Theater has been entirely redecorated. The new color scheme is a skillful blending of old rose, ivory, dull blue and henna, with old rose dominating. No trace remains of the original color scheme. On the stage a rich old-rose velvet curtain has replaced the blue one, and to serve as a shield to the screen when it is not being used, a gold curtain has been installed. 

 

"The entire wiring system of the Symphony has been changed and electrical engineers have designed more elaborate effects. The ladies lounge has been redecorated in pink tapestry, old rose rugs, and entirely new furnishings. The orchestra pit has been enlarged to allow the addition of more musicians, and the orchestra has been greatly improved."

A 1921 ad for "The Mysterious Rider." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding it for a post for the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.  

The October 17, 1921 Times ad for "Never Weaken." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for posting it on Photos of Los Angeles as a comment to a photo taken during the film's engagement.

A 1922 ad. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.

The Symphony was operated toward the end of its life by the Palace Amusement Co. with Dr. H.B. Breckwedel as secretary and treasurer and C. W. Nouls as president. That company also had the Palace of Pictures at 642 S. Broadway, an operation that, as the Palace Theatre, moved in 1916 to 7th St. west of Broadway. Breckwedel was also involved in the Forum Theatre on Pico when it opened in 1924.

Closing: The Symphony closed in 1923. 

Status: The building was sold in April 1923 and demolished for construction of Desmond's department store, a building designed by Albert C. Martin.

 

An interior view:

Perhaps the only surviving photo of the interior of the Symphony is this look to the rear of the auditorium that appeared in a July 10, 1915 article in Moving Picture World. It's on Internet Archive.


More exterior views:

c.1915 - A view north toward 6th St. The Palace of Pictures at 642 S. Broadway can be seen in the Forrester Building, the second in from the right. Beyond that are the Palace Theatre (then called the Orpheum), a building to its north that would be replaced in 1928 by the Schaber Cafeteria, the Symphony Theatre, and the Story Building. 

Down in the next block note the south side of the Pantages, now called the Arcade Theatre. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for sharing the postcard from her great collection.  Also see another version of the card with different coloring.

c.1915 - The photo taken by Brown Brothers of New York that the card above is based on. Thanks to L.A. Magazine senior editor Chris Nichols for spotting this on eBay when it was offered for sale by Evans Archive. Chris is the author of the books "Bowlarama: The Architecture of Mid-Century Bowling" (with Adriene Biondo) and the Taschen book "Walt Disney's Disneyland."

1916 - Looking south from 6th toward the Symphony, the second building in from the corner. The reddish building in the middle of the image is the Palace Theatre. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for sharing the card from her collection. The card also appears in the collection of the Metro Library and Archive on Flickr. Joe Vogel calls our attention to the 1916 copyright date in the lower left. Down at the end of the block it's the Haas Building, constructed in 1914.

c.1917 - A detail from a photo looking north from 7th St. The California Historical Society photo is in the USC Digital Library collection.

1919 - The Symphony is over there on the left in this photo that appeared in the California Railroad Commission's "Report on Service, Operating, and Financial Conditions of the Los Angeles Railway Corporation." 35 photos from the report are in an album from Metro Library and Archive on Flickr. There's also a similar view but with several streetcars in front of the theatre as an illustration of congestion due to double parking. The Symphony and its roof sign can also be seen in a view north from 7th. Thanks to theatre sleuth Michelle Gerdes for spotting the album.  

c.1921 - A card from the Michelle Gerdes collection with the Symphony's roof sign visible on the right, this side of the Story Building. Across 6th, the new Silverwood's building has risen, replacing the single story structure that once housed Tally's New Broadway Theatre. It opened in 1921.

Beyond, the Pantages vertical still has his name on it. Although he moved the vaudeville shows to his new theatre at 7th & Hill (later renamed the Warner) in August 1920, he continued to operate this house until March 1922 with stock company presentations, calling it Pantages Broadway. It's now called the Arcade Theatre.

1921 - The Symphony running the world premiere engagement of Harold Lloyd's "Never Weaken." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding the photo for a post for the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles. The photo had appeared in the December 17 Exhibitors Trade Review issue with an article discussing the great business the film had enjoyed during its 44 day run. It was reprinted in the February 11, 1922 Exhibitors Trade Review. Thanks to Mike Hume for finding the ETR issues on Internet Archive.

1922 - Looking south toward the Orpheum/Palace during the 7th week of the run of "A Sailor Made Man." Thanks to contributor Dallas Movie Theaters for finding the trade magazine photo to add to the Cinema Treasures page about the theatre.

c.1925 - Desmond's department store, a 1923 design by Albert C. Martin, on the site of the Symphony. To the left it's the Walter P. Story Building, opened in 1909. It's a photo in the California State Library collection.

2018 -  The Desmond's building before rehab into creative office space. The street level canopy dates from an early 30s deco re-do by Claud Beelman. DTLA News had a December 2018 story about the building's renovation. Roger Vincent of the L.A. Times also had a story. To the right of Desmond's is the facade of the Schaber Cafeteria from 1928. That's all that's left. Behind that it's a totally new building. They're selling shoes. Photo: Bill Counter

More information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Symphony for nice research by Jeff Bridges (aka Vokoban) and Joe Vogel documenting the short history of this theatre.

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