Grand Theater

Can anyone read the sign on the side of the building on the far right of this photo? All I can make out is Grand Ave. Theater. I dont put much faith in the dating of these photos, but if this is really 1912, it should be either Walker or Mozart if its even the correct theater.

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Yes, Sarah Bernhardt had her right leg chopped off following an accident in 1914: [quote]In 1915, during an unfortunate performance in the title role of Victorien Sardou’s drama La Tosca, Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) injured her right leg so badly that it had to be amputated. While she was recovering, the manager of the Pan-American Exposition (in San Francisco) asked for permission to exhibit her leg, offering $100,000 for the privilege. Bernhardt cabled this reply: “Which leg?”

She hummed the “Marseillaise” as she was wheeled down the hospital corridor and afterwards used a wheelchair, disdaining prostheses and crutches – bearers instead carried the divine Sarah around in a specially designed litter chair in Louis XV style with gilt carving, like a Byzantine princess. Immediately upon leaving the hospital, she filmed Jeanne Dore (1915), again directed by Louis Mercanton. She was shot either standing or sitting; this in fact pinned her down and forced her to use facial expression rather than movement and helped her performance. The five-reel film, distributed by Universal in the U.S., got rave reviews and reflected well upon both its game star and the industry as an art form. (From Richard Gordon’s “An Alarming History of Famous and Difficult Patients: Amusing Medical Anecdotes from Typhoid Mary to FDR.” St. Martin’s Press; 1997)[/quote]
A number of years ago, David Kirby published a book of poetry with the titel “Sarah Bernhardt’s Leg.” I’ve never read it, but I do like the title.

But back on the subject of the Mozart, I see that the May 8, 1908 article you quoted in your comment of March 1st gives the name of the original architects of the theatre as Eisen & Son. This must have been Theodore A. Eisen (1852-1924) and Percy A. Eisen (1885-1946.) T.A. was the Eisen in the firm of Curlet, Eisen and Cuthbertson which designed the old L.A. County Courthouse on New High Street in the 1880’s. Percy was later a partner in the firm of Walker and Eisen which designed many Los Angeles area theatres in the 1920’s and later. T.A. was also in partnership with Sumner P. Hunt for a while in the late 19th century. The partnership of Eisen & Son was disolved in 1917.

This theatre certainly endured a lot of changes in its less than 40 years. I suppose the instability was partly the result of its having been outside the main theatre district of Los Angeles. At least we now have the name of the architects, a firm opening date of the first Monday after December 18th, 1908, a closing date of the first Saturday after July 4th, 1946, and an opening night seating capacity of 900. Now, if someone can only find some pictures (of more than just its back wall) under one or another of its identities.

This article has a few inaccuracies (the address, building date, and lack of a mention of the Mozart) but at least it gives a fairly reliable demolition date. It’s interesting that this theater most likely started out as a movie house and then went to live performance and then back to movies.

(July 4, 1946)
FINAL CURTAIN TO FALL AT OLD GRAND THEATER
It was the entertainment center of Los Angeles 35 years ago, celebrated artists treading its boards before bejeweled audiences. Now, it’s showing old movies advertised for their spiciness. And on Saturday, the final curtain will be rung down at the old Grand Theater, 750 S. Grand Ave. It’s going to be a parking lot. Built in 1907 by the late George W. Walker, the theater was known for years as the Walker Auditorium and was the home of the stage hits of the day. Then, its name was changed to the Orange Grove Theater and musical hits were staged there. Before being renamed the Grand Theater and converted into a motion-picture house about 10 years ago, it was known briefly as the Actors Theater. Principal historian of the old theater is Joseph H. Jones, the elderly elevator operator. He went to work there 18 ½ years ago when some of its grandeur still remained. The theater building is a six-story structure housing offices and meeting rooms. All tenants except present operators of the theater have vacated as wreckers prepare to take over next week.

I guess they showed movies occasionally again here, although not blockbusters yet:

(May 22, 1927)
Orange Grove
“The Naked Truth,” a hygiene film indorsed by doctors and health promoters throughout the country, is showing for a limited engagement at the Orange Grove Theater for women only.

This is when the name changed to the Actors' Theater. This one would last until early 1935.

(Nov. 24, 1929)
It is dangerous to want things too much, for we so often get them. but no one could persuade Ruth Renick that it isn’t sumptuously enthralling to have one’s dreams come true. The first materialization of this dream will be seen when the new Actors' Theater produces “The Passing of the Third Floor Back,” starring Henry B. Walthall and Ruth herself at the old Orange Grove on December 2. Over a year ago, Ruth Renick began cogitating upon this dream. Her Actors' Theater was to mean so much, and combine a school of acting, voice music, elocution as well as the production of fine old plays and new ones alternately…with casts made up of well-known actors, and the audience composed of mostly actors, too.

This name for the theater only lasted a short time. It sounds as though they spent a lot of money to fizzle out. After 1910, the name returns to the Walker Theater until 1912 when it changes to the Mozart Theater.

(March 03, 1910)
A change is in prospect at the Walker Theater, on Grand avenue, just south of Seventh street. C.A. Quintard has taken the house on a lease for ten years, and will commence today to make extensive alterations, which will amount, practically, to tearing out and completely rebuilding the inside of the theater. It will be known in the future as the Nielsen Theater, and it will be opened on April 2 by a stock company headed by Miss Hortense Nielsen, a sister of Alice Nielsen. First-class stock performances are promised, and it is probable that a number of high-class plays, notable among which are several Ibsen, Jones and Pinero plays, will be done at the remodelled theater. The company, it is said, will number several well-known players in its list, and rank and file will be of good sort. The Walker Theater has had a varied history since its opening. It was utilized as a sort of musical comedy stock house, was devoted to vaudeville, and recently has been occupied by the LeMoyne stock company.

(April 13, 1910)
Hortense Nielsen, supported by Mace Greenleaf and a good sized company, is offering for her second week in the new Nielsen Theater, Seventh and Grand avenue, “Frou Frou,” Augustin Daly’s comedy. Especial attention has been paid to the mounting of the production. Mr. Greenleaf has the role of Sartoris, and the rest of the people are happily assigned. “Frou Frou” will hold the boards for the remainder of the week, with matinees tomorrow and Saturday.

Thanks Joe, as you probably noticed, the only empty gap from opening to closing is from 1916-1923, so I’ll try to find something on the Strand. Maybe it will close the gap or maybe it will turn up a few more names. The Grand International is definitely the same theater. The reason I know is that there are a few mentions of it as previously the Orange Grove and when it drops the International part and becomes the Grand the same thing is mentioned as well as the address. It never shows up with the ‘Internationale’ spelling and the name changes to just Grand only two years later. It seems unlikely that the Criterion would use almost the same name at the same time period, in such close proximity, but I’ll do some searching on it.

I’ve been doing some more searching on this location and I keep coming up with more names. I have articles that I will post tomorrow, but so far these are the different names I’ve found for this theater. This one might hold the record for name changes.
Walker Theater(1908-1910)
Nielsen Theater(1910)
Walker Theater(1910-1912)
Mozart Theater(1912-1916)
Grand Avenue Theater(1923-1924)
Fine Arts Theater(1924)
Orange Grove Theater(1924-1929)
Actors' Theater(1929-1935)
Grand International Theater(1935-1937)
Grand Theater(1937-1946)

vokoban: My date of August 14, 1913 for the opening of the Mozart Theatre is from a card in the L.A. Library’s California Index database. It quotes an L.A. Times article of that date (part III, p.2, column 2), which purportedly announces the grand opening of the theatre. It’s possible that the person who typed the card made a mistake (mistakes are not uncommon in that database, I’ve found.) It also seems quite possible that the article quoted on the card might have referred to an opening under the new management which took over after (as the 1913 article you posted above says) Mrs. Mozart “…disposed of the theater on Grand Avenue….”

I have now found another card in the database (by using the spelling “theater” rather than “theatre”) which says that the Mozart opened as the Walker Theater in 1908. The place certainly had a colorful history— though not so colorful, it appears, as that of Mr. Mozart (or Kuttner) himself.

Now I’m really confused…maybe Edward Kuttner(or Mozart) did build this theater. This article is very confusing to me. Maybe someone can explain…Joe? KenRoe?

(Sept. 13, 1913)
EDWARD MOZART IS CONVICTED
Declared to be the husband of one woman while for fifteen years he had been living with another, Edward K. Mozart, the local theatrical man, was convicted in the courts of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania yesterday on a statutory charge and sentenced to {illegible} months in prison.
Mozart was prosecuted by Georgia Kane, now living in Philadelphia. She traveled with the defendant. The case hinged on whether the couple had been legally married in Louisville. Mozart’s conviction raises numerous legal points. Georgia Kane is now established legally as Mrs. Mozart, according to eastern dispatches. Her son, born in Albany, N.Y., in 1895 is acknowledged as Mozart’s son, although the mother is said to have represented herself as the wife of one Robert Krouse at the time of the boy’s birth.
The verdict which established Mrs. Mozart and her son under the inheritance law in case of Mozart’s death is also expected to take away those priveledges from Anna May Kennedy, who for the past fourteen years has been known as Mrs. Mozart. Mozart married her in Washington State fourteen years ago.
Mozart is under sentence by the Philadelphia civil courts to contribute to the support of Mrs. Georgia Mozart, and an attachment is out for him. A detainer will probably be lodged in Lancaster to take him to Philadelphia when he finishes his sentence next February.
Since his arrest and extradition to Philadelphia last January Mozart has spent most of his time in Los Angeles assisting Anna M. Mozart conduct the theater bearing the family name at No. 730 South Grand avenue. Two weeks ago he informed his friends and business associates that he must return to the East on a matter of business. To those who recalled his apprehension on a charge brought by an alleged first wife in the Pennsylvania courts he declared his confidence of acquital.
At that time the Los Angeles Mrs. Mozart denominated the proceedings as the “effort of an adventuress, who was my husband’s partner in a vaudeville sketch thirty years ago, to get all she can out of him. Everybody in Lancaster, Pa., where I was brought up, knows that Mr. Mozart and I are legally married, and that the other woman has no claim. The action is brought under the common law procedure in force in Pennsylvania recognizing marriages if the woman can prove a certain number of years in residence with a man."
Mozart is well known in Los Angeles where he cut quite a dash as a moving picture impresario. Since his departure for Philadelphia a fortnight ago Mrs. Mozart has disposed of the theater on Grand avenue, and last evening could not be found at her home No. 1635 West Twenty-third street. At the theater employees who have been associated with her in the conduct of the house said they had not seen her during the day but were confident that she had not received any bad news from the scene of the trial. "Every letter since Mozart’s departure,” said Operator Reynolds, “either from himself or his lawyers has been optimistic and expressed confidence of a favorable outcome."
The Philadelphia claimant to the name was discovered at the time of the arrest to be living at No. 1628 Vine street in the Quaker metropolis, and is said to have displayed a marriage certificate to prove that she was legally wedded to the Los Angeles man in 1880 when she was but 15 years old.

Maybe it was called Lincoln Hall before Anna purchased it:

(June 11, 1909)
FRATERNAL AID PICNIC.
The Fraternal Aid Association will hold a basket picnic at Eastlake Park tomorrow. In the evening it will give a social at Lincoln Hall, No. 730 South Grand avenue. A fife and drum corps will supply music.

Joe, Edward Kuttner is mentioned in this obituary as the husband, but it sounds like Mrs. Anna Mozart Kuttner should get the credit for opening this theater.

(May 27, 1952)
Funeral services for Mrs. Anna Mozart Kuttner, 80, onetime vaudeville star and operator, who died Saturday, will be conducted at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Utter-McKinley Cresse Chapel, 5860 N Figueroa St. Internment will be in Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Mrs. Kuttner, who lived at 5345 Granada St., had been a resident of Los Angeles since 1912. In that year she founded the old Mozart Theater at 7th St. and Grand Ave., said to have been the first theater here where five and six-reel motion pictures were shown regularly. She and her husband, Edward, who died in 1937, also operated theaters in Elmira, N.Y., and in Lancaster, Pa. Earlier, she and her husband performed in vaudeville. Kuttner at one time was the driver for the noted midget, Tom Thumb. Mrs. Kuttner leaves a siter, Sarah Kennedy.

More wackos at the Mozart….

(July 25, 1915)
ECCENTRIC DRESS IN JAIL
The Owner, Well-known Music Teacher, is Held on Charges of Young Negress.
George Carr, a music teacher in the Mozart Theater Building, and a well-known character about the streets because of his eccentric dress, is in the County Jail in default of $1000 bail. The complaining witness is Beatrice Albritton, 14 years old, a colored girl who has been taking lessons of Carr. She also is a ward of the Juvenile Court. Mr. Carr, who wears a silk hat, Prince Albert coat and who passes considerable time on the street corners, was arraigned before Justice Summerfield.

I wonder what type of lessons he was giving that girl….

There are numerous movie advertisements for the Mozart in between the dates of these articles. I guess they had other performance halls or venues in the same building because there are many meetings and church services.

(May 8, 1914)
S.S. Hahn filed suit yesterday for $25,000 damages against J. Harvey McCarthy, William M. Swanson and Horace W. Bowman, for an alleged ejectment from Mozart Theater, March 23, last during a meeting of the Los Angeles Investment Company Stockholders' Protective Association. He alleges that as an interested stockholder, he was told by McCarthy that he must get out and that he was a disturber. He alleges personal injuries by reason of the ejectment.

This is funny to me since Harvey McCarthy is the man who built my neighborhood, including the Carthay Circle Theater. He made up the name Carthay from his last name.