Hippodrome Theater

I suspect that the large upstairs space which eventually became the Main Street Gym might have started out as a dance hall. See this 1928 photo (it’s the same one ken mc linked to on March 24.) The picture is a bit blurry, but it looks as though the small blade sign attached to the near end of the theatre building says “Dancing”. Maybe somebody with better eyesight than mine can make it out.

The “Auto Park” advertised on the theatre’s former main blade sign and marquee occupied the space where the auditorium (demolished in the late 1940s) had stood. The ground floor of the Adolphus Theatre Building, except for the long lobby which became the parking lot entrance, continued to be used as retail space for many years. I have no memory of a basement in the building, but almost every downtown building did have one and it seems unlikely that this building would be an exception to the rule.

The interior of the Hippodrome became the gym, I believe. It was upstairs from the parking garage, which was also converted from the Hippodrome.

I watched the film “Street with no Name” last night. Quite a bit of the movie was shot in the Main Street gym, so you get a good look at the interior of the Hippodrome.

The Hippodrome is at the far end of this 1957 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/2vf82e

Does anyone know what the Panorama building was used for before it became a skating rink in 1906? There are many references to ‘the Panorama Building’ in the LA Times going back to around 1888, but I can’t figure out if it was a theater or a convention center or what. Lots of history on this spot….too bad its asphalt now.

Here’s an advertisement for the opening as a skating rink:

View link

Here’s a detail from of the block from the 1906 Sanborn map. Joe was right about the Empire Theater, it became a parking garage. I can’t find anything about the theater to determine if it showed movies, however. I wonder what year the Panorama building was built and when it was demolished to build the Adolphus/Hippodrome.

View link

I have no idea if the Empire ever served as a movie theatre. It’s another of those mystery theatres. The birds-eye map is the only place I’ve ever seen any indication that it ever existed. If the garage was converted from the theatre, though, then it was a good-sized place and must have been important in its day- whenever that day was.

I’m wondering if the building on 3rd a bit west of Los Angeles Street, labeled “PRIV. GARAGE” on the Sanborn, might not be the building of the Empire Theatre that was just about in that location according to the 1909 Birds-eye map? The way the entrance is set up, and the area at the back of the building that looks as though it might have been a fly tower, suggest a conversion from theatre to garage.

Here is an overlay map that I made using a 1906-1923-1950 Sanborn Map. It’s confusing knowing what part of the map comes from what date, but it shows the Hippodrome smack in the middle of the block. This is sad since this whole block is now demolished other than three small buildings on Los Angeles street. If anyone knows of any other theaters that were on this large block, let me know so I can look for them on the full size map. Here’s the link:

View link

You can see the theater in this 1957 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/2vf82e

The building was demolished in November 1984, according to the LA Times.

There was an article in the newspaper last year concerning the purchase of the lot between 3rd and 4th on Main. Apparently some housing units are to be built there. Nothing has happened as of yet as I just parked on the lot today.

Here are some pictures, courtesy of the LA Library:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics09/00014094.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics09/00014006.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics09/00014114.jpg