Los Angeles Theatre

615 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles, CA 90014

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Showing 226 - 250 of 295 comments

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on November 12, 2005 at 10:15 am

From the California State Library:

View link

William
William on October 27, 2005 at 4:48 am

That documentary was available in two versions. The long version was around 30 minutes and the short version was 8-9 minutes. The long version turns up sometimes on the PBS stations. I taped the long version from PBS and was able to get the short version in 35mm, which I show every so often at special screenings.

The book “The Show Starts on the Sidewalk” is a very good book about the works of Mr. Lee.

UKuser
UKuser on October 27, 2005 at 4:43 am

Calling all those interested in the Los Angeles Theatre. Our UK television programme “Dead Famous LIVE” will be filmed in the Los Angeles in a few weeks time in mid November.

We are looking for people who would like to be part of the studio audience for the show. This will be an invaluable opportunity to take a look inside one of LA’s most impressive movie palaces.

If you would like more information then contact me at .uk

Many thanks,

George Hughes

JimRankin
JimRankin on October 27, 2005 at 1:33 am

A post script to the previous: for those wanting a to see Mr. Lee shortly before his death, he can be seen speaking lucidly in the 1987 documentary “The Movie Palaces” by the Smithsonian Instution (a division of the federal government), not available for many years, but still to be found in some libraries. Feel free to copy the video tape, since title 17, section 205 of the US Code says that the government has no legal right to make copyright what it publishes, aside from legal or classified documents which this historical tape is not. Thus, the copyright warning at opening is bogus and designed to deceive those ignorant of law. I state this because the video tape is valuable to history, and should not be allowed to disappear from use as the copies in libraries deteriorate. IF repeatedly copied in multiple formats, it may survive for the generations to come. (yes, the Smithsonian has been approached repeatedly to reissue the title, but they have no interest, as befits bureaucrats already paid handsome salaries to do as little as they wish.)

JimRankin
JimRankin on October 27, 2005 at 1:20 am

If William cannot find his interview with S.Charles Lee, perhaps some will find the only book written about him of interest:
http://tinyurl.com/7vxdu

I have not seen the out-of-print book (though Amazon.com does list nine sources of it) so do not know if it reflects all the “300 theatres” that it claims he designed, but it would at least be a start, even if the woman who wrote it was apparently more a self-appointed architecture critic than a biographer. Click on the link I give here and you should be taken directly to the book’s page at Amazon.com. IF she furnished a list of his projects, it is not evident in Amazon’s write-up.

William
William on October 26, 2005 at 3:37 pm

We spent afew hours talking for the interview. I have to start looking for the video materials.

BhillH20
BhillH20 on October 26, 2005 at 3:13 pm

Cool! Perhaps I can get a copy of it.

William
William on October 26, 2005 at 2:02 pm

That’s all they have because a few years before his death. A lot of the original materials were stolen. A friend of mine interviewed him about his theatre designs. The interview took place at his home in Beverly Hills. I have a video transfer of the interview somewhere.

BhillH20
BhillH20 on October 26, 2005 at 9:23 am

I was wondering the same thing…

Hibi
Hibi on October 26, 2005 at 7:47 am

Thanks, but why isnt the Los Angeles theater listed there?

birdymaker
birdymaker on October 26, 2005 at 7:24 am

Hello!

It is great to see that my Granfather’s work is so enjoyed still today. S. Charles Lee designed over 400 theatres in the art deco period. If you are so inclined you canview many of his drawings and pictures at http://digital.library.ucla.edu/sclee/
All of his original drawings etc. etc. are kept at the UCLA Schol of Architecture.

Thanks,

Ken Keiter

ppops70s
ppops70s on October 25, 2005 at 11:08 am

Oops, I meant to say south of the Palace Theatre.

Paul

ppops70s
ppops70s on October 25, 2005 at 11:07 am

Jenni,

I could say this much – The Palace is across from the Los Angeles Theatre, the Orpheum is just a couple of blocks west of the Palace, located on Broadway as well.

jennilong
jennilong on October 25, 2005 at 10:02 am

Hello,

I work as researcher for a UK production company called Twofour Productions who produce a series called Dead Famous which is a biographical look into the lives of Hollywood’s most glittering stars we are in our third series and have covered the lives of John Lennon, Grace Kelly, Alfred Hitchcock, Buddy Holly and Howard Hughes to name a few. Our programme is aired on the Biography and A&E channels over in the US and is made for Living TV here in the UK. We are filming in Los Angeles in our next visit in the next few weeks and we are investigating Rita Hayworth and her performance with her family the Dancing Cansinos at the Downtown Palace Theatre (previously called the Orpheum I believe), it is 630 S Broadway and is opposite the Los Angeles Theatre.

Therefore I am emailing Cinema Treasures to see if anyone knows anymore about the history of the theatre in connection with Rita Hayworth, whether anyone worked there in the past and whether anyone experienced or has heard of any accounts of ghosts being at the theatre as we look at the paranormal side of the theatre as we also will be looking for the spirit of Rita Hayworth too.

If anyone would like to provide any information please contact me at my email .uk I would be happy to hear from you.

All the Best.

William
William on October 25, 2005 at 8:24 am

It was more general seating for the theatre. In the South Central area of Los Angeles, there were theatres that operated or were listed as Negro Theatres. They operated along Central Ave.

Bill Robinson (800 seats)
Florence Mills (700)
Largo (904)
Lincoln (1960)
Rosebud (800)
Savoy (700)

JimRankin
JimRankin on October 25, 2005 at 6:53 am

I wonder what the genesis of two balconies in these two movie palaces is? In most cases of such, it was in the Olde South where there was racial discrimination and the upper balcony therefore was the only place that Black people could sit. These were often referred to as “Jim Crowe” balconies, usually having their own entrances, box offices, and staircases separate from the others. This is in distinction, of course, from the many theatres that had a mezzanine below the balcony, and in distinction from the many legit theatres around the world having galleries as opposed to the model of the lone, vast balcony of the movie palace. Since there was no overt segregation in the Los Angeles area that I am aware of, perhaps the additional upper balcony was merely for more general seating?

William
William on October 24, 2005 at 10:49 am

The Los Angeles Theatre and the Palace Theatre. The Palace’s has been closed off for years.

Hibi
Hibi on October 24, 2005 at 10:13 am

I’m curious, what other theaters in downtown L.A. have 2 balconies?

William
William on October 24, 2005 at 7:04 am

Down in the lower lounge where the restrooms are, before the screening room was installed. It was originally a restaurant. The room or doorway to the left in the ladies lounge area near their rest room was used for child care when the theatre opened. The tunnel story about them connecting some of the theatres together might just be one of those urban legends. But there are tunnels that are used for major cables for power & phone systems down there.

ppops70s
ppops70s on October 24, 2005 at 6:13 am

Back in 1987, a friend of mine worked in the concession stand. Just about every week I would go watch a movie there. He showed me the entire movie theatre, including the crying room and both balconies. He told me that there was undergroung tunnels that connected some of the theatres together. I can’t confirm that being true, but I thought I’d share it since it sounds interesting. There use to be a private screening room on the basement level, where the bathrooms are. Last year I attended the LA conservancy “last remaning seats” movie viewing and noticed that the private screening room was empty. The room was just adjacent to the ladies restroom. Now the room is a standing lounge area.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on October 23, 2005 at 3:04 am

The Los Angeles is one of the few downtown theatres which has two balconies. I only saw the second balcony opened once, when the theatre was four-walled for an exploitation movie called “Poor White Trash” in about 1963.

Datalova
Datalova on October 22, 2005 at 6:52 pm

Anyone have any info on the old Matrix theater?
Pam

Hibi
Hibi on October 2, 2005 at 12:08 pm

On what network? On a local L.A. Station?

Hibi
Hibi on September 30, 2005 at 8:48 am

I hope the program will be picked up by some Cable network here. Let us know. I’d love to see the interior of this theater.

UKuser
UKuser on September 30, 2005 at 12:30 am

Dear all,

Further to my previous post, we will be basing our television show “Dead Famous… LIVE!” in the Los Angeles Theatre for 3 days in November.

This is going to be a very exciting programme and a unique look in to arguably one of the most glamourous of the downtown movie palaces. We are going to be investigating the life of Charlie Chaplin, who’s film “City Lights” premiered there and venturing in to many other areas of Hollywood history. As I mentioned before, an element of the show is that investigate reports of spirits living on in places. The Los Angeles will be the first of several places we investigate over the 3 days to find out if it is haunted.

We are very keen to talk to anyone who may have worked in, visited or has any ties to the theatre. This is both for research purposes and with a view to them coming on the show. If you saw a movie at the Los Angeles when you were a kid or worked as an usher there as a teenager, we’d love to hear from you. And if you’d just love to have to opportunity to come and be part of the studio audience for the show then please get in touch. We’re going to be dealing with some fascinating subjects and interviewing some amazing people.

If you feel you can help in any way then do not hesitate to contact me at:

.uk

Thanks again,

George