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Herman's Theatre

460 S. Spring St. Los Angeles, CA 90013 | map |

Opened: Herman's Theatre was running in 1908. The location was on the east side of the street just north of 5th. It would have been a couple storefronts south of where the Unique Theatre was a few years earlier. Herman's doesn't show up in the 1907 directory. 
 
 
 
"Where The Crowds Go." It's an ad for Herman's Fireproof Theater in the July 8, 1808 issue of the Los Angeles Herald. The issue is on the website for the California Digital Newspaper Collection.
 

A September 1908 ad appearing in the Herald with copy similar to the July ad. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a thread about various Globe theatres on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. 


 
Herman's Theatre appears on this 1909 "Red Coupons" list from the Los Angeles Express. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a thread about early theatres on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

It's in the 1910 city directory as the Herman Theatre with E.L. Kennedy listed as the proprietor.


This detail from plate 002 of the 1910 Baist Real Estate Survey from Historic Map Works shows the 460 S. Spring storefront in the Chester Block Hotel on the NE corner of Spring and 5th. Note that "Hall" behind the hotel. It's unknown whether the theatre was just a storefront or if that was used as the auditorium.

Closing: 1910 might have been the end of it. There's no listing for the theatre in the 1911 city directory.

Status: The building the Herman Theatre was in has been demolished. The Rowan Building currently at 450-452-460 S. Spring dates from 1912. It was originally called the Title Insurance Building.



The Herman Theatre entrance would have been where one of those two farthest bays of the Rowan Building now are. That's 5th St. off to the right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019

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