Opened: In 1930 with the rehab of Olvera St. as a tourist destination as the Leo Carillo Theatre, named after the film star. The photo is one on display on Olvera St. from the El Pueblo Historical Monument collection.
It originally featured live shows. By the mid-30s it had become the Olvera St. Theatre featuring puppet shows by Walton & O'Rourke. The space evidently ran as a theatre into the 50s.
The building dates from around 1910 and is known as the Machine Shop. Apparently the early tenants did metal work and related light industrial tasks.
A detail from a map on the website La Nopalera of the Plaza area showing current streets (as well as ones that have vanished) with many of the Olvera St. buildings shown. The "machine shop" building used as the Olvera St. Theatre is seen just south of the Supulveda House, once used as Teatro Torito. See the site's picture gallery page for more vintage maps.
Status: The building is now a retail store, Casa California.
A photo of the theatre's entrance appearing on page 60 of the Arcadia Publishing book "Los Angeles's Olvera Street." The page is on the Google Books preview. The photo is credited to El Pueblo Historical Monument.
A 1934 photo by William M. McCarthy in the collection of the California State Archives collection.
In this Bob Plunkett postcard photo looking north we see the two buildings that were used as theatres. The one nearest us with the "Theatre" signage visible was the Olvera St. Theatre. Beyond we see part of the back end of the Sepulveda House where the Teatro Torito entrance was. Thanks to both Sean Ault and Michelle Gerdes for spotting the card on eBay.
Looking north toward the theatre in 1937. It's a Dick Whittington Studio photo in the USC Digital Library collection.
An undated photo on display on Olvera St. from the El Pueblo Historical Monument collection.
Looking north in 1939. It's a Dick Whittington Studio photo in the USC Digital Library collection.
Looking north along part of the Main St. side of the 600 block. The Olvera St. Theatre is the last low building in the row. It's a c.1939 Dick Whittington Studio in the USC Digital Library collection.
A view into Olvera St. in September 1941. Thanks to Richard Wojcik for sharing the photo from his collection as a post on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. The two theatre buildings are down mid-block on the left.
A 40s view discovered by Sean Ault where we're looking north on Olvera toward the Olvera St. Theatre.
The Olvera St. side of the building in 2019. Photo: Bill Counter
The Main St. end of the Olvera St. Theatre building with signage for its retail tenant Casa California. To the left is the Sepulveda House, once home to the Teatro Torito. Photo: Bill Counter- 2019
More Information: The City's El Pueblo site has a history page with data on some of the buildings. Public Art in L.A. has a listing for the Machine Shop and its use as a theatre on their Commemorative Plaques page.
See the page for the Teatro Torito, just to the north at W-12 Olvera St. / 622 N. Main St.
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