Los Angeles Movie Palaces

Los Angeles Theatre (1931) 615 S Broadway
Description: 2200 seating capacity on three levels. Restored neon signs and marquee.
Present Use: Filming location, screenings, opera, live stage, special events.
Future Plans: Continue present use. Full renovation planned.

Orpheum Theatre (1926) 842 S Broadway
Description:2190 seating capacity on two levels. Fully restored including neon roof sign and marquee.
Present Use: Screenings, special events, filming location, TV productions. Residential loft units on upper floors.

Palace Theatre (1911) 630 S Broadway
Description: 2200 seating capacity on three levels. World's oldest surviving Orpheum vaudeville theatre.
Present Use: Under renovation.
Future Plans: Concert Venue and screenings.

State Theatre (1921) 703 S Broadway
Description: 2380 seating capacity on two levels. Built by the Loew's corporation.
Present Use: Filming location.
Future Plans: None although there have been inquiries from developers.

Tower Theatre (1927) 802 S Broadway
Description: 1221 seating capacity on two levels. Was also called the Music Hall and the Newsreel Theatre.
Present Use: Filming location.
Future Plans: Unknown.

Million Dollar Theatre (1918) 307 S Broadway
Description: 2345 seating capacity on two levels. Built by Sid Grauman. Office building converted to residential.
Present Use: Stage shows and screenings.

Roxie Theatre (1932) 518 S Broadway
Description: 1637 seating capacity on two levels. Built by Fox West Coast.
Present Use: Closed. Used for filming location. Retail in lobby.
Future Plans: Unknown.

United Artists Theatre (1927) 933 S Broadway
Description: 2141 seating capacity on two levels. First downtown theatre equipped to run 70mm film prints. Restored.
Present Use: Church and special events.

Mayan Theatre (1927) S Hill Street
Description: Ran Mexican films late 50's, porno late 60's to late 70's, nightclub during 80's and 90's. Partially restored.
Present Use: Night club (main level) and filming location.
Future Plans: Fully restore as a live concert venue.

Lincoln Theatre (1927) 2300 S Central Avenue.
Description: Seating capacity 1960 on two levels.
Present Use: Church.
Future Plans: Unknown.

LOS ANGELES MOVIE PALACES THAT ARE ONLY FADED MEMORIES NOW

LOS ANGELES MOVIE PALACES THAT ARE STILL STANDING

This pictorial represents only a small portion of theatres still in existence. As I acquire more pictures and information I will add them here.

METROPOLITAN/PARAMOUNT THEATRE (1923-1962)

RKO HILL STREET THEATRE (1922-1968)

The RKO Hill Street Theatre occupied the northwest corner of 8th and Hill St. Seating capacity was 2219. The theatre was demolished in 1968.

The Mason Theatre (127 S Broadway) had a seating capacity of 1650 on three levels. Theatre and neighboring buildings were razed in 1955 so that a new state office building could be built on the site. Today that state office building which was heavily damaged by a 6.8 earthquake in 1994 is slated to be demolished and replaced with a federal courthouse building.

MASON THEATRE (early 1900's-1955)

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The Figueroa Theatre was at 4011 S Figueroa St. near Santa Barbara Avenue (later renamed Martin Luther King Boulevard) and across the street from the Los Angeles Sports Arena. The theatre's huge neon roof top sign could be seen from the Harbor Freeway. Seating capacity was 1470. Demolished in 1968. Today an AM/PM Mini Mart and strip mall occupy the site.

FIGUEROA THEATRE (1925-1968)

Thanks to the studios that built most of them, Los Angeles has been blessed with more pre-World War 2 movie palaces than any other city in the world even though more than half in the city have been demolished since the late 50's. The downtown City Center still has a good number of these theatres which architectural critics, preservationists and movie fans mostly agree are much grander and more lavish than their counterparts in Hollywood, Westwood Village and elsewhere and a must see for admirers of classic movie palaces.
The Los Angeles Conservancy has regulary scheduled guided tours of many of these movie palaces. Check their website for details.

Sid Grauman's Metropolitan Theatre opened in 1923 at 323 West Sixth Street. This was the same Sid Grauman who built the Million Dollar, Egyptian and Chinese theatres. The huge auditorium had a seating capacity of 3600. The Paramount-Publix theatre chain was interested in purchasing the Metropolitan to be used as their flagship theatre. The deal was made in 1929 and the Metropolitan was renamed the Paramount Theatre. In the mid 50's the exterior was remodeled to the modern style of the day. The Paramount was demolished in 1962 and replaced with a parking lot. Today the International Jewelry Center building occupies the site.

LOS ANGELES
MOVIE
PALACES

Belasco Theatre (1926) 1050 S Hill Street
Description: 1601 seating capacity on two levels. Was used as a church in the 70s and 80s. Currently being restored.
Present Use: Under renovation.
Future Plans: No information as of now.

Broadway Theatre (1931) 428 S Broadway
Description: 496 seating capacity on one level.
Present Use: Retail.
Future Plans: Unknown.

Warner Bros Theatre (1920) 401 W Seventh Street
Description: 2500 seating capacity on two levels. Drapes and balcony seats intact. Vertical signs now reads DIAMONDS.
Present Use: Retail.
Future Plans: Continue present use.

After closing down in 1987 the fate of the California Theatre was up in the air for three years but unfortunately at the time the California was located in a drug, transient, and prostitute infested area which influenced the owners decision to demolished the building and replace it with a more profitable parking lot. Today the area is in the process of being cleaned up as new housing and businesses are opening up. The beaux-arts California had a seating capacity of 1600.

CALIFORNIA THEATRE (1918-1990)

Cameo Theatre (1910) 528 S Broadway.
Description: Seating capacity 775 on one level. Except for removed seats everything else is pretty much intact.
Present Use: Retail.
Future Plans: Unknown.