Follies Theatre: exterior views

 337 S. Main St. Los Angeles, CA 90013 | map |

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c.1900 - A view north toward 4th St. The Van Nuys/Barclay Hotel on the left opened in 1897. Beyond, the site of the Belasco still has trees on it. On the right, the building on the northeast corner is the Westminster Hotel. The image is from a postcard in the California State Library collection.

 

1905 - A postcard using a C.C. Pierce photo. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for sharing this from his amazing collection. It's on Flickr. He's the author, with Tom Zimmerman, of the Angel City Press book "Spectacular Illumination: Neon Los Angeles 1925-1965." Also see Eric's "Signs of Life: Los Angeles is the City of Neon." This card also makes an appearance in the Main Street (Part 1) chapter of Brent Dickerson's great tour "A Visit to Old Los Angeles."

 

 

 

1905 - The C.C. Pierce photo used in the postcard above. It's from the California Historical Society collection and appears on the USC Digital Library website. It's also in the Los Angeles Public Library collection and the Huntington Library collection. That sign could be swung out perpendicular to the facade when in use at night. The 1905 date is the Huntington's.

 

 

 

1905 - A detail from the C.C. Pierce photo above. The show by the Belasco Stock Company was called "On and Off." The signage advises "Nothing but uproarious fun from beginning to end."

 

 

c.1905 - A postcard view looking north toward the Belasco. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for finding the card on eBay.  

c.1905 - Another postcard image looking north toward the Belasco. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for sharing the card from her collection. There's also a version of this image that Deanna Bayless found on the website of the Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society from the Jack Finn collection. 

c.1917 - The theatre as the Republic with "Vaudeville" on its vertical. It's a detail from a California Historical Society photo on the USC Digital Library website taken looking north from somewhere near 6th St.

1919 - The theatre, in the lower left, with its recently painted facade and a new "The Follies" vertical sign. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo. The Victorian roof turrets seen on the right are part of the Westminster Hotel.

c.1920 - A postcard view looking south toward 4th St. with the Follies the second building in on the right. The Hippodrome Theatre, 320 S. Main, is across the street. The card is in the California State Library collection.

c.1920 - A detail of the Follies from the postcard.  

1924 - "Peaches on the Beaches." Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for sharing this photo from his collection. It appears on Flickr. There's also a version of this one in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.  

 

 

1924 - A facade detail from Eric's photo. 

 

 

1924 - An entrance detail taken from Eric's "Peaches" photo. Note that the tile on the ticket lobby floor still said "Belasco Theatre."

1924 - Looking north from just below 4th St. with the Follies visible on the left up in the middle of the block. It's a C.C. Pierce photo from the California Historical Society appearing on the USC Digital Library website. There's also a version in the Huntington Library collection.

1924 - A detail from USC's version of the C.C. Pierce photo.

c.1932 - A look south on Main with the Follies on the far left. In the middle is the three-story Romanesque style Turnverein building formerly housing the Regal Theatre at 323 S. Main. The building this side of it has the Wonderland Theatre (later called the Jade) at 315 S. Main. It's a photo by Anton Wagner in the collection of the California Historical Society.

c.1932 - A detail from the Anton Wagner photo. Note "burlesque" on the vertical and signage below advertising their new lower prices. Wagner took hundreds of photos of the L.A. area in 1932 and 1933 for a thesis topic having to do with the way the area's topology influenced the character of its inhabitants. The CHS has collected over 400 of them for their album "Anton Wagner: Los Angeles 1932-33."

1933 - A great entrance view from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

 

early 1930s - A look past the boxoffice into the far end of the ticket lobby. Those doors at the end of the space didn't lead into any sort of grand lobby, just to a small standee area at the rear of the main floor. The photo is one that appeared in the 3rd quarter 2011 issue of Marquee, the publication of the Theatre Historical Society. Thanks to Bob Foreman for spotting it. One of the signs in the boxoffice says: "Feature pictures now showing - Stage show follows immediately."

 

early 1930s - A deeper view into the ticket lobby. Note that shot of the endless chorus line above the ticket taker. The photo is on Calisphere from the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers Collection. This is one in a set of photos that was probably acquired by Lee when he was working on a moderne remodel around 1937.

1936 - The ballyhoo at the entrance for "Harlem on Parade." It's a photo taken for Life by Alfred Eisenstaedt. The signage below the boxoffice window notes that the screen portion of the program is Joe E. Brown in "Bright Lights," a film that shot scenes at the theatre the year before. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post about "Bright Lights" for shots inside the Follies and the Grand Opera House.

Thanks to Scott Collette for locating this version of the photo as well as the two below. He included them in a post surveying Main St. burlesque theatres on his Forgotten Los Angeles Facebook page. He also has the album on Instagram. See the May 8, 1936 ad for "Harlem on Parade" that Scott located. 

1936 - An interested customer. Photo: Alfred Eisenstaedt for Life.

1936 - Checking out the display. Photo: Alfred Eisenstaedt for Life. Noirish Los Angeles contributor BifRayRock had located these three Life shots back in 2017 and shared them, with other views, in his Noirish post #40557. 

c.1937 - A look up at the theatre's new signage and moderne facade. It's a Herman Schultheis photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Yes, that cutout of a girl on the front of the marquee did rotate.

c.1938 - The display case on the south side of the entrance. Note S. Charles Lee's moderne "fins" at the top of the display case. It's a photo that's in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.

c.1938 - Checking out the display on the north side. It's an uncredited photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for sharing it on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group. 

1939 - A Dick Whittington Studio photo looking north from 4th. It's in the USC Digital Library collection. The signage on the side of the theatre says: "80 people - mostly girls - 4 stage shows daily."

1939 - Another view taken the same week as the previous photo. On the marquee in both photos: "Follies Burlesque - Ginger Britton & Flo London." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for adding this one as a comment to a post for the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. 

 
1940s - A photo by Cliff Wesselmann, longtime Los Angeles Daily News photographer. Betty Rowland, the "Red Headed Ball of Fire," was the feature attraction at the time. The photo from the Cliff Wesselmann Collection / Gregory P. Williams Partnership appears in Jim Heimann's 1999 book "Sins of the City - The Real Los Angeles Noir" from Chronicle Books. It's available on Amazon. The photo also makes appearances on Noirish Los Angeles in GS Jansen's Noirish post #970 and  Ethereal Reality's Noirish post #973.

Gregory P. Williams is the author of the award winning book "The Story of Hollywood." An article about Williams, the evolution of the book, and the purchase of the Cliff Wesselmann collection appeared in a 2011 story by Peter Larsen in the O.C. Register. "The Story of Hollywood" is available on Amazon. There's also a Google Books preview. 

 

 

c.1955 - A view by an unknown photographer that appears as one of a set of eight downtown street views on the website of the Daniel / Oliver Gallery. Thanks to esteemed L.A. historian Nathan Marsak for locating it. He's the author of the 2020 book "Bunker Hill Los Angeles: Essence of Sunshine and Noir." It's available at your local bookseller or from Amazon.  

c.1955 - A closer view by the same unknown photographer that did the previous image. This one is on the website of the Walther Collection. It was another find by Nathan Marsak. Thanks!

 

Here the house had gone to a film-only policy after the live shows had been moved down the street to the Burbank Theatre. Films on the program included "Nudes, Nudists, Nudism" and something called "Scarlet Sin." Also playing was the 1950 epic "Strip Strip Hooray" with Tempest Storm, Charlie Crafts, Leon DeVoe and Blaze Glory. It was directed by Lillian Hunt, who had managed the burlesque shows at the theatre before the operation moved to the Burbank Theatre in 1952. It was probably filmed onstage at the Follies. 

 

1956 - "80 People - Mostly Girls." We're looking through from Spring St. to the back of the Follies. The nearest parking lot was formerly the site of the Capitol Theatre. The building we see with the two towers is the Westminster Hotel on the northeast corner of 4th and Main. It would be demolished in 1960. The June photo by Palmer Connor is in the Huntington Library collection.

 

 

c.1958 - A lovely look south on Main. That's the Higgins Building, 2nd and Main, in the lower center. The first intersection we see is 3rd St. with the top of the Follies seen a half block beyond. The vertical sign and marquee of what was left of the Hippodrome can be seen across the street. The auditorium had been demolished in 1952. In the distance note the sign on the side of the Santa Fe Building at 6th and Main. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting this one when it was offered for sale online. 

 

 

c.1958 - A detail from the previous photo showing the Hippodrome signage in the center The portion of the structure fronting on Main is still there but it's a parking lot where the auditorium had been. The Follies is on the right. Thanks, Sean!

 

That's the Van Nuys / Barclay Hotel at 4th and Main just beyond the Follies. Ken McIntyre notes that the Westminster Hotel is visible across the street from the Barclay on the NE corner of 4th & Main. It was demolished in early 1960. That bus seen just beyond is turning onto 4th St. 

 

1967 - "All Star Cast." Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for sharing this photo he acquired. It's on Flickr as part of his immense collection there .

1968 - A view south on Spring. The stagehouse of the Follies is in the lower left. That's the Braly / Continental Building left of center in the image, at 4th & Spring. Thanks to whoever found the photo to post on Noirish Los Angeles.

c.1970 - Looking south toward the Barclay Hotel. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo. 

1973 - Nearing the end. "Live Nude Strips Are Legal Here." It's a Victor Plukas photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Also see another shot with different pedestrians.

1973 - The south side of the building. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo. 

 

 

1974 - A look north from 4th toward the theatre. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the photo on eBay. The image at the top of the page and many below this one are all from the same unknown photographer. 

 

 

1974 - A closer view looking north. Photo: Sean Ault - eBay

 

 

1974 - The view south from 3rd St. That's the Follies in the center of the image. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating the photo. 

 

 

1974 - A closer view from the north. It's a last look with the theatre still operating. Sean Ault located the photo on eBay.

 

1974 - Urban renewal in action. It's a view to the back of the theatre from Broadway. The building at the right at 340 S. Broadway still survives. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo.

 

1974 - A closer look at the back of the the theatre. The building seen to the left is what remained of the Hippodrome Theatre across the street at 320 S. Main. Many thanks to Sean Ault for the photo, one of a group of Main St. and Broadway shots appearing on eBay that were taken on several occasions during the first half of the year. 

 

 

1974 - The back wall signage. It was off center so it could be viewed through a Spring St. parking lot. The rest of the stagehouse was for decades hidden behind a building on Spring. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this photo he found on eBay.  

 

 

1974 - Another view from the same photographer. Here, looking along the south side of the building we see that demolition was already underway. 

 

 

1974 - Another view of the south wall the same day. Photo: Sean Ault - eBay 

 

 

1974 - A closer look at the south wall. Photo: Sean Ault - eBay

 

1974 - A view from the front as the building gets hollowed out. Sean Ault located the photo on eBay. 

 

 

1974 - A closer look at the facade. On the far right we get a peek at the proscenium plasterwork. Photo: Sean Ault - eBay

 

 

1974 - A look toward the stagehouse the same day with the north wall mostly gone. Sean Ault located the photo on eBay. 

 

 

1974 - A closer view of the stagehouse. Photo: Sean Ault - eBay 

 

 

1974 - A detail from the previous photo. The proscenium plasterwork is from S. Charles Lee's moderne renovation. 

 

 

1974 - A shot taken a bit closer to the stagehouse. Photo: Sean Ault - eBay

 

 

1974 - A detail from the previous photo. On the left we get a view of the house left proscenium column and the wall behind the upper level of the boxes. On the right it's the back of the wall forming the access corridor behind the upper level of the house right boxes. 

 

 

1974 - A last proscenium view. It's a photo that appeared with "From Dramas to Nude Movies - Wrecking Ball Closes Theater," a May 31, 1974 L.A. Times article by Bill McPhillips. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for adding this and several other photos from the article as comments to a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. 

 

 

1974 - Looking toward Main St. from beside the stagehouse. On the far left that's a bit of the remains of the Hippodrome across the street. Photo: Sean Ault - eBay

 

 

1974 - A closer look toward the booth, interestingly located in the office/apartment portion of the structure. Photo: Sean Ault - eBay

 

 

1974 - A look across to house left. On the left note the curved beige wall that was at the rear of the main floor. On the far wall one can see the trace of stairs to the balcony and, forward of the side exit, some of the balcony risers. Photo: Sean Ault - eBay 

 

Many thanks to Sean for tracking down all of these 1974 color views on eBay. They dribbled out a few at a time over a period of several months, all from a seller who identified himself as Banana Louie.

 

 

1978 - Looking north from 4th with the Follies site, on the left, as a parking lot. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the photo for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

 

2019 - The hole where the Follies once was. On the left that's the Barclay Hotel at 4th and Main. We're looking west toward Spring St. Down at that end of the parking lot was the location of the Capitol Theatre. On the right it's the south end of the Reagan State Office Building. Photo: Bill Counter

 

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