Hyman / Garrick Theatre

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

 

Opened: It opened in late 1910 as the Hyman Theatre, operated by theatrical producer Arthur S. Hyman. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for sharing the opening night photo from his collection. It appears on Flickr. Check out the Angel City Press book Eric wrote with Tom Zimmerman: "Spectacular Illumination: Neon Los Angeles 1925-1965." Also see Eric's 2016 book "Signs of Life: Los Angeles is the City of Neon." 

 

An entrance detail from the opening night photo. There's also a copy of the photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

See the page about the College Theatre on Hill St. for more information about the Hyman circuit, which in 1911 totaled six theatres. The location on the southeast corner of 8th and Broadway is now the site of the Tower Theatre.

Architects: Train and Williams, a firm that also designed Tally's Broadway and the Woodley/Mission Theatre, both also on the 800 block. Moving Picture World in 1911 noted that the architects were "aided by Mr. Hyman's suggestions." Cinema Treasures researcher Joe Vogel reports on a Southwest Contractor & Manufacturer item that noted Lawrence Valk was the architect for a 1913 renovation. George Edwin Bergstrom did a remodel in 1921.

Seating: Moving Picture World may have exaggerated a bit in 1911 when they reported the capacity as 1,000. Moving Picture News in 1914 reported the capacity as 900 noting that the seats were upholstered leather chairs on a carpeted floor. 650 was the capacity in the 20s. It was all on one level.

Construction had been announced in September, 1910. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Jeff Bridges for finding this September 11, 1910 L.A. Times article:

"Plans for notable and extensive building improvements at the vacant southeast corner of Broadway and Eighth street are in course of preparation in the offices of Architects Train & Williams, the builder being the Leasehold Company. In all, the structures planned will occupy a frontage of 272 feet on Eighth by 50 feet on Broadway. 

 

"Bids for the construction will be called for this week. The improvements at the corner will consist of an attractive one-story brick moving picture theater building, to be known as the Hyman Theater. This structure will have a frontage of 50 feet on Broadway by 150 feet on Eighth. The exterior will be cement plaster over brick, the front being elaborately treated in staff ornamentation. The show-house entrance will be in tile and marble."

The December 1, 1910 issue of the trade magazine Nickelodeon said the theatre had opened on Thanksgiving -- November 24, 1910. The Moving Picture World issue of April 22, 1911 profiled the theatre and described the opening as having happened "during the December holidays." Thanks to Brooklyn-based theatre historian Cezar Del Valle for finding the World article for a post on his Theatre Talks blog. An edited version:

"Los Angeles' newest and most elaborate picture palace is named after Mr. Arthur S. Hyman, president and general manager of the Hyman Circuit of Vaudeville and Moving Picture Theaters, the Western Amusement Company, Western Film Exchange and other theatrical and amusement enterprises. Mr. Hyman has the unique distinction of being the only man to ever open two pretentious theaters in the same city within a period of only seven days between opening dates. This occurred when the College, costing $35,000, and the Hyman, costing in excess of $45,000, were completed. The Hyman, seating a thousand, is the largest, as well as the most sumptuously equipped and luxurious of the city's moving picture theaters.

"It covers a ground space of 50 x 175. The exterior of the building is decorated with pure white plaster. The foyer has the usual tile floor and is wainscoted in select white Italian marble to a height of eight feet. The ceiling of the foyer is in plaster decorated with plaster brackets between which are gold-leafed 'H.T.' monograms of pleasing design. The box office, also in marble, is more commodious than the usual box office. The foyer doors leading into the lobby are of mahogany, with brass wearing plates.

"The lobby of the Hyman is a symphony of luxury. The wainscot paneling and other woodwork is constructed of Juana Costa mahogany of selected grain, which has been given the dull finish. The well-padded lobby carpet is of green velvet Brussels. The lobby is well equipped with mirrors, a feature that the women patrons appreciate. Opening off the lobby are retiring rooms for both men and women, and a stairway leading to the operating room and to Mr. Hyman's luxurious office in the front of the building. The draperies leading into the foyer and into the auditorium are of silk velour, the inner facing green, and the outer facing wine colored, with 'H.T.' monograms in white leather.

"The mahogany opera chairs are roomy and are upholstered in red leather. Two six-foot aisles permit the handling of capacity audiences without unnecessary crowding, The aisles are carpeted in green velvet Brussles matching the lobby carpet. The ceiling and side wall decorations in the popular Art Noveau effect, are very pleasing. Two large leaded art glass skylights adorn the ceiling, which is beamed, and from it are hung leaded art glass lanterns. The side lights of the auditorium are also lanterns, but of a smaller size.

"The stage is 24x30, and and is well equipped with scenery by the Ernest Flagg Scenic Company, and contains comfortable dressing rooms for the actors and actresses employed in vaudeville turns. The operating room is large, finely equipped, well ventilated and thoroughly fireproofed. Two Model B. Edison Projectoscopes are used, together with a dissolver and a spot light. Two competent operators, under the direction of L. M. Nelson, chief electrician and chief operator of the circuit, are always on duty. Projection is faultless.

"The policy of the theater is to run high class vaudeville specialties interspersed with first-run Licensed pictures. The seven-piece orchestra is under the direction of Miss Bessie B. Hardy. The orchestra play the specialties in a way that leaves little to be desired. Miss Hardy also shows careful discrimination in her choice of incidental music to accompany the pictures. The theatre opened during the the December holidays and has played to excellent business ever since. For the first month or so Independent pictures were run, then Mr. Hyman decided to run both vaudeville and pictures. On March 1st the house changed their service to Licensed."

A 1911 ad for the Hyman. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. 

On November 13, 1911 this venue had a second opening, this time as the Garrick Theatre, under the management of J. A. Quinn. The program for the re-opening included Orpheum star John P. Rogers, baritone; Esther Canfield, violinist; Edith Mothe, singer-songwriter; the Garrick orchestra and films from Lubin, Essanay, Biograph and Pathe.

 

 

Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding this 1912 ad for the "Q Shows" operated by Quinn: Tally's at 833 S. Broadway, the Banner at 4th and Main and the Garrick.  

A nice article about Quinn and his theatres is in the Moving Picture World issue of March 28, 1914. It's on Internet Archive. The article notes that Quinn first had the Bijou Theatre on Main St. and then discusses his second acquisition, the Garrick:

"This was his first big picture house, and with the aid of care for details he soon ingratiated himself with the public. The house was named Quinn's Garrick. Although at the time Mr. Quinn purchased this house it was out of the theater zone, he created a fine patronage by putting on a good entertainment of pictures from 10 A.M. until 6:30 P.M. for five cents. The large amount of newspaper mention and other kinds of advertising that was bestowed on the Garrick due to the immense crowds that the house was continually playing to, worked as an incentive for the evening trade, which soon became equally voluminous.

"The same number of reels that were given during the morning and afternoon shows constituted the evening's entertainment, but the prices were increased. Instead of five cents for the entire house, the admission charges were ten cents for the orchestra and balcony and fifteen cents for the loges. It is a well constructed theatre with nine hundred upholstered leather chairs. The floor is covered with Wilton velvet carpet, and the drapes of silk velour enclosing the loges are harmonious in color. An excellent orchestra gives suitable selections to a program of first run General Film Company service."

Quinn evidently got out of the Garrick in 1913. In 1914 he opened the Superba at 518 S. Broadway. In 1917 he opened the the Rialto Theatre, just down the block from the Garrick at 812 S. Broadway. Scroll down to the bottom of the Quinn's Superba page for a timeline of more of J.A. Quinn's exhibition adventures.

 

According to an item in Southwest Contractor & Manufacturer that was located by Joe Vogel the duo of Barman & Robinson, with an address of 5th and Los Angeles St., had the operation in 1913 and were doing a remodel. By 1915 the Los Angeles Investment Co. had the house. They had also been involved in the Woodley down the block, a venue later called the Mission Theatre. An item in the June 26, 1915 Motion Picture News noted that they had installed Seth D. Perkins as manager at the Garrick. He had earlier managed the Woodley and the Optic. Decades later he was running several drive-ins.  

 

A lovely 1916 ad for Chaplin in "1 A.M." The film was an August release. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. 

 

A September 1916 ad for "The Pawn Shop." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a post on Photos of Los Angeles.

A 1917 Times ad located by Ken McIntyre. H.P. Caulfeld was operating the theatre at the time. 

In the 1918 through 1923 city directories it's listed as the New Garrick. This ad for the January 1921 release "Prisoners of Love" appears on IMDb. 

The theatre was acquired by H. L. Gumbiner in 1921. He gave it a remodel that was detailed in a December 27 L.A. Times article located by Jeff Bridges:

"All decked-out in a new set of trimmings, which make its interior exceptionally inviting, the Garrick Theater reopened Sunday to a large attendance of holiday crowds. The house had been closed for some weeks previously while it was being remodeled, with a view to making it an abiding-place for first-run attractions. The decorations are quiet, in the prevailing mode of theater interiors, and the space seems to have been somewhat amplified by the new arrangement of chairs, so that a very attractive home for the cinema presentation has been provided."

Gumbiner evidently had plans at one point to put a 12 story office building on the site but that didn't happen. And it's unknown why the first-run policy didn't work out. Several photos taken during this period show the theatre running films that had played other houses months earlier.

 

Closing: The Garrick operated until late 1926 when plans were hatched for the Tower Theatre. At least one early drawing by S. Charles Lee for the Tower has the new building's signage saying "Garrick." At the time, Gumbiner was also involved in the operation of the Cameo Theatre.

Status: The Garrick was demolished in March 1927.

End of the line for the Garrick. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding the March 6, 1927 L.A. Times story for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. The Tower Theatre opened on the site October 12, 1927. Gumbiner went on to build the Los Angeles Theatre, opening in January 1931.

Interior views:

A look toward the stage from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

 

A view toward the rear of the auditorium on opening night that appeared in the April 22, 1911 issue of Moving Picture World. Thanks to Cezar Del Valle for finding it for a post on his Theatre Talks blog about the Hyman Theatre.

More exterior views: 
 

1912 - A photo taken in March showing the Los Angeles Investment Co. building going up on the northeast corner of 8th and Broadway. It's a design by Ernest McConnell that would be renamed the Chapman Building in 1920. It's now loft apartments. Beyond it is the vacant lot where the Garland Building would rise in 1913. It would be home to the Morosco Theatre, now called the Globe. A new building is also going up this side of the Garrick as well. Thanks to the Ronald W. Mahan Collection for sharing the photo. 

 

c.1912 -  The Garrick as seen behind a parade float. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for sharing this rare postcard from her collection.

1913 - The Garrick is on the right in this view from up in the Hamburger Department Store Building, later to become the May Co. The Los Angeles Investment Co. Building is seen on the corner across 8th. The Garland Building / Morosco Theatre is beyond. It's a C.C. Pierce photo from the California Historical Society in the USC Digital Archives collection where they date it June 1.

1913 - A detail from the previous photo. 

1913 - Another a C.C. Pierce photo taken from the Hamburger Bldg. It's from the California Historical Society collection and appears on the USC Digital Archives website.

1913 - A detail from the C.C. Pierce photo above. 

1913 - The Garrick Theatre, the Chapman Building, and the Morosco/Globe appear in this 1913 painting by John Robson titled "Looking Up Broadway." Thanks to Yasmin Elming for spotting it in the collection of the Hilbert Museum in Orange, part of a 2019/2020 exhibit titled "Los Angeles Area Scene Paintings" that was curated by California scene painting experts (and father-son team) of Gordon T. McClelland and Austin D. McClelland. The museum has published a 144 page catalog of the exhibit.

c.1913 - An early card looking north on Broadway with a bit of the Garrick Theatre in the lower center. It's from Brent Dickerson's "Later Around Broadway and 8th" chapter of his great "A Visit to Old Los Angeles" tour. He also has several other sections about Broadway, nicely illustrated with vintage postcards and photos. Details are on the site's index page. A version of the card, along with recent views, appears on Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality's Noirish post #16179.

1913 - A dazzling October view of the Garrick with the stud-lit Los Angeles Investment Co. Building and the Morosco Theatre beyond. It's a G. Haven Bishop photo for Southern California Edison Company that's in the Huntington Library collection.

1913 - A detail from the G. Haven Bishop photo. Note the "Q" signs on top of the poster cases, standing for J.A. Quinn, the proprietor at the time.

1914 - A photo that appeared with "Quinn's Picture Theaters," an article in the March 28 issue of Moving Picture World. It's on Internet Archive. The banner isn't advertising a specific feature but the fact that they're getting the pick of the product from eight different distributors. The version of the photo seen here is one that appears online from the AMPAS Tom B'hend - Preston Kaufmann Collection. 

1915 - Looking north toward 8th St. with a slice of the Garrick on the right down at the end of the block. In the foreground it's Tally's Broadway on the left. On the far right is the Woodley, a house that would get renamed the Mission Theatre in 1920. It's a photo from the William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection at the California State Archives.  

 

 

1918 - Jubilation over the World War I surrender of Germany prompted a November 11 parade through the downtown streets. Thanks to Scott Collette for locating this L.A. Times shot for a post on his Forgotten Los Angeles Facebook page. That's the Garrick on the right. Across 8th it's the Chapman Building and, beyond, one can make out a few letters of the Globe Theatre vertical sign at the top of the image. See Scott's post for more photos as well as views of pages from the Times.

c.1920 - A lovely shot looking north toward 8th. On the right toward the end of the block we get a slice of the Rialto Theatre (opened 1917) with its new Grauman's roof sign and beyond, at 8th and Broadway, the Garrick. On the extreme left of the photo we have a glimpse of Tally's Broadway with Hamburger's Department Store beyond. The photo is on Brent Dickerson's chapter "Later Around Broadway and 8th." A version of the photo also appears on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. 

1920 - The Garrick running "The Branded Woman," a September release with Norma Talmadge. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for finding the trade magazine photo for the Cinema Treasures page on the Garrick.

1921 - "Prisoners of Love," a January release with Betty Compson. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for finding the photo for the Cinema Treasures page about the theatre. 

 

c.1921 - Looking north toward Grauman's Rialto and the Garrick. The Garrick was using changeable channel letters on their roof sign, here advertising something with "Silent" in the title. On the other side of 8th, beyond the Chapman Building, is the vertical for the Morosco Theatre (now called the Globe). It's a detail from a postcard with a 1922 date written on the front that was located by Ken McIntyre for a post on the America in the 1920s Facebook group. See the full card, which also shows the west side of the street.

1922 - A drawing giving us a look at the Garrick Theatre, the new Southern California Music Company Building (a Meyer & Holler design, later renamed the Singer Building) and the Rialto. Thanks to Brent Dickerson for the image. It's included in his "Later Around Broadway and 8th" chapter.

1923 - The Garrick with a third-run engagement of "Behold My Wife!," an October 1920 release. The photo appeared with an article about the Southern California Music Co. building in the August 1925 issue of the magazine California Southland. The article also contains interior views of California Music. They had moved into the new building sometime around October 1923. That's the Rialto on the right edge of the image. Thanks to Mike Hume for finding the article on Internet Archive. Visit his Historic Theatre Photography site for thousands of terrific photos of theatres he's explored in L.A. and elsewhere.

1923 - A photo taken during the run of "Beyond the Rocks" at the Garrick, a sub-run engagement of a May 1922 release with Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino. It had played the Alhambra on Hill St. in June 1922. On the right the Rialto is running Harold Lloyd's "Why Worry?," a film that played there in December 1923. The photo is from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.  

1923 - A detail taken from the "Beyond The Rocks" image. This version is also from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

c.1924 - Looking north on Broadway. The Garrick, at the right, is running "Mighty Lak A Rose."  It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo. Across 8th St. beyond the Chapman Building it's the Garland Building and Morosco/Globe Theatre.

1924 - A view with the Garrick running "Flirting With Love," an August release with Colleen Moore and Conway Tearle. On the right the Rialto is playing Harold Lloyd's "Hot Water," an October release. Note the remodeled facade of the Rialto. It's a photo in the California State Library collection. 

 

2018 - The Tower Theatre has been on the site of the Garrick since 1927. It's now an Apple store. Photo: Bill Counter

 

The Garrick in the Movies:

A wild ride down the 800 block of Broadway is included in Harold Lloyd's "Girl Shy" (Harold Lloyd Co. / Pathé, 1924). He's using all available means of transportation to get into the city from his small town to prevent a marriage between the woman he loves and a cad who happens to be already secretly married. Here it's Hamburger's Department Store on the left with the Garrick on the right. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for more shots of the race down block. There are also earlier views of the Culver City Theatre and the Granada/Oriental on Sunset Blvd.

More information: The College Theatre page here on this site has more information about the Hyman circuit. The Quinn's Superba page has more data about J.A. Quinn. On the Cinema Treasures site see their page about the Garrick.

Surviving theatre buildings on the 800 block: Tower | Rialto | Orpheum | In addition to the Garrick, the vanished theatres on the block include: Arrow | Tally's Broadway | Majestic | Woodley/Mission Theatre |

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