Warrens Theatre

Here is a 1942 photo from the Library of Congress:
http://tinyurl.com/5rvszy

But he’s obviously an international jewel thief casing the joint.

Two USC photos of the theatre’s late-Pantages years, including a better scan of the dog movie:

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Just received my DVDs of “Heroes” and have started going through the episodes (I missed a number of them when they were broadcast).

The Warner Downtown makes an appearance in the pilot as the building Peter Petrelli dives off in his dreams and at the end of the episode in his attempt to fly. You can clearly see the vertical “Diamonds” sign on the corner of the building in several shots.

Here is a 1925 photo from the CA state library:
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The Church of Compassion wasn’t a Moonie church. It did receive a scathing write-up in the LA Times on 9/1/74 for allegedly bilking its congregants. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Although the organization has held regular services at times in Dallas and in South Gate, those have been discontinued in favor of a Los Angeles “cathedral”, opening September 29 in what was once the Warren’s Theater building at 7th & Hill streets.

The Church of Compassion, which has a lease-option on the 10-story building, has refurbished the 765-seat theater and some offices with plush carpeting, mirrors and statuary to serve as its new headquarters.

On October 19, 1976, the church appears to be going under after several investigations:

Until recently, one Sunday afternoon a month services were held (admittance by ticket only) in the lavishly appointed 2,000 seat theater at 7th and Hill. The church sponsors no services there now however, “because we are holding crusades in other cities”, a spokesman explained.

The Church of Compassion filed for bankruptcy in May 1977. On 5/29/83, the LA Times reported the following:

The former Warner Theater, currently operating as the Theater Jewelry Center at the corner of 7th & Hill Streets, has been purchased by McDade & Shidler. The nine-story, 94,000 square foot building was converted into a commercial jewelry mart about
4 ½ years ago.

I guess if you were sitting in the cheap seats you might object to a stringy chandelier blocking your view of the screen.

I was inside the theater today. The security guards nixed any picture taking. The balcony is still intact. There is a beautiful chandelier, and a great mural on the ceiling. Where the stage would have been is now a tacky fake skyline, for unknown reasons. If you’re downtown during the week, this is well worth a look around, plus you can pick up a diamond ring for the missus.

You can see the RKO Hillstreet Theatre’s vertical sign also in the 1960 picture.

You win a free ticket to Die Hard 4 at the Soboba Theater.

I heard the Rin Tin Tin movie was a real dog:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics37/00068285.jpg

If anyone wants to see the Burger King in the lobby, here it is. The date is 1989:
http://tinyurl.com/2ls5gk