Tally's Broadway Theatre
833 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles,
CA
90014
833 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles,
CA
90014
5 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 58 of 58 comments
Here is a photograph of Tally’s Theatre at 833 S. Broadway. The name “Broadway” does not appear on any of its signage. Judging from the dress of the women on the sidewalk, the age of the autos parked on the street, and the general new look of the building, this picture must date from the theatre’s first few years. Whether it was called Tally’s Broadway Theatre at some later date, I don’t know.
Here is an earlier photograph of Tally’s New Broadway Theatre at 554 S. Broadway. The photograph dates from 1909, according to the L.A. Public Library. This theatre has the name New Broadway clearly displayed. The location on Broadway just north of 6th is unmistakable.
Though the newspaper report quoted above by vokoban refers to the theatre at 833 S. Broadway as the “New Broadway Theatre,” It’s possible that it never actually bore that name. It wouldn’t be the first time (nor the last) that a journalist made a mistake.
The theatre located at 642 S. Broadway was the Palace of Pictures Theatre listed here: /theaters/10573/
Does anyone know what theater would have been at 642 South Broadway and also owned by Tally?
(June 7, 1914)
BUILDING PERMITS.
Alterations for picture theater. No.
642 South Broadway; Tally Theater
Company, $4500.
I think the original Tally’s Broadway was at 6th & Broadway and then there were two subsequent theaters called Tally’s New Broadway. Does this sound correct? Here’s a few newspaper quotes:
(Nov. 28, 1909)abridged
…the property which now faces Broadway for sixty feet adjoining the Hamburger store immediately to the south….Yesterday Judge Hutton acted as attorney for the Lang Estate in the drawing of a lease to T.L. Tally for the term of fifty years for the same property….Through its terms T.L. Tally acquires for half a century the use of the valuable ground area specified, the depth of which is 165 feet. It is Mr. Tally’s intention to at once begin the erection of a theater building on the site. This structure will be of a height not yet determined, although both two-story and eight-story buildings are being considered. The ground floor of the building will be given over entirely to the Tally Broadway Theater, which is at present located on the east side of South Broadway, just off Sixth street.
I find this part pretty amazing:
(May 1, 1910)
TALLEY ERECTS $45,000 THEATER IN THIRTY DAYS-WILL OPEN TOMORROW NIGHT
The opening of Tally’s New Broadway Theater tomorrow night at No. 833 South Broadway will celebrate a record-breaking incident in the history of rapid building in Los Angeles. Mr. Tally has constructed in thirty days a two-story brick building, costing between $40,000 and $45,000. For a part of the last month he has had 150 men working night and day to complete the structure. The theater seats nearly 900 persons.
T.L. Tally was the first man to bring moving pictures to Los Angeles, and has been in the front rank of the business for fifteen years. He will make music a prominent feature of entertainment in his new theater. He has engaged several fine musicians for his orchestra, and will make a specialty of illustrated songs.
ken mc: It turns out that the Tally’s New Broadway Theatre in the picture you discovered is listed on Cinema Treasures, under its final name, the GarnettTheatre, at 554 S. Broadway.
I think it may have just been good marketing. Motion picture exhibition was in its beginning stages in 1909, so I think anything that suggested “new” or “modern” would appeal to the potential customer.
ken mc:
There is indeed some confusion. I’ve never seen this particular picture before, but there is no doubt that the New Broadway it pictures is not the Broadway Theatre near 4th Street. However, the theatre pictured is not between 6th and 7th Streets. It is north of 6th Street. In the background of this picture, you can see the Hotel Hayward, located on the southwest corner of 6th and Spring. Tally’s New Broadway must therefore have been located either on part the large lot where the Arcade Building was later built, or immediately south of it.
I guess this puts the early history of the Broadway Theatre at 428 Broadway back up in the air. Ken Roe’s information above about Tally’s Broadway Theatre at 833 S. Broadway is correct, however. But you are right about there being no Cinema Treasures entry for the New Broadway near 6th Street.
Also a bit odd: Tally’s Broadway was opened at the end of 1909, but this picture of the New Broadway is also dated 1909, which suggest that the New Broadway was at least as old as the Broadway. I wonder, then, why Tally called it New?
There is some confusion here, at least on my part. The link above takes you to a theater on Broadway between 4th and 5th. Tally’s New Broadway was between 6th and 7th. There is no entry for this theater as far as I can tell. Here is a 1909 picture from the LA Library:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015469.jpg