Orpheum Theatre
842 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles,
CA
90014
842 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles,
CA
90014
66 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 180 comments
Leland Sklar takes us inside the Orpheum for an indepth look-see.
From May of 2024
https://youtu.be/khtGtl9BXNI?si=lHQt_yvbFHGV9uS7
These circa 1990 promo pics of Jeff Lynne are possibly on the Orpheum stage. “Armchair Theatre' was his solo album.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=811797303637638&set=a.302164897934217
Kudos to Ken Roe for hugely expanding the Intro and for adding his beautiful 2002 photos!
Tom Hanks used this theatre as a substitute for the Orpheun Theatre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for his film “That thing you do”. Used in the music videos for November rain(Guns ‘N’ Roses) and You were meant for me(Jewel). Used for LA auditions in “So you think you can dance” and “American Idol”, and the early elimination rounds on “American Idol” too.
Feb 15th, 1926 grand opening ad in photo section
Does anyone know if this was the actual theater the Glee Nationals episode was filmed? They showed the outside and the inside was beautiful .
January, 2014. Check out downtown Los Angeles now. It’s on fire. Apartments going up everywhere. Whole Foods coming soon downtown. 7th St. at Grand is restaurant row. Hot downtown restaurants at 4th and Main (Baco Mercat, Bar Ama, Orsa & Winston)The Arts District is booming with construction and restaurants, huge One Santa Fe mixed use, coffee bars. Best of all, the Ace Hotel just opened on Broadway with the old adjacent United Artists Theatre restored, marquee lit and being booked for events and performances. The Rialto Theatre next to the Orpheum was taken over by Urban Outfitters but the marquee was restored to its neon glory. New Broad Museum opening soon. Upscale retail slowly opening around Broadway and 9th by the Orpheum, United Artists, Rialto axis. More new hotels, retail, housing, transit coming and the theatres slowly, steadily being restored or re-used. LA loves those 12 theatres on Broadway.
This theater looks great in the photos. Alas, I was only able to peer from the gate on the outside and couldn’t see anything. I was taking my first tour of downtown LA’s Historic Theatre District and I was both elated and greatly disappointed by what I saw. First the good. There is a tremendous amount of stunning architecture in downtown Los Angeles and it appears that a great number of the older office buildings have, in fact, been converted to residential. That said, I saw precious little effect of all of those new residents' effects on the area. Except for some cafes and restaurants on Spring Street the area’s retail is decidedly low brow. Sadly, large parts of the area smelled of urine. The theaters of Broadway (even the supposed restored ones) had a look of utter abandonment. I think there is a lot of potential, but I just don’t see the effort. I lived through the bad old days of Times Square in the 70’s and 80’s and witnessed it umprobabe transfomation into the Disneyland that it has become today. No one ever thought that could ever be accomplished, but it was because the city put its full force and resources behind it. Police presence was increased, the homeless were moved out, porn stores closed, office buildings built, tax incentives for residents put in place. The change happened pretty much within 10 years. I don’t see LA putting the same effort behind it and more importantly, local residents supporting it. Can some local Angelenos convince me otherwise? I hope so. I think downtown has the bones. It needs the flesh. The clothing will follow on its own.
SCORE INJURED IN EXPLOSION IN THEATER – (February 7, 1931 – AP) – Panic In Audience of 2000 At Los Angeles Averted By Actor; Screen Star’s Honor ………Thirty persons were injured, several seriously, and a panic in a theater audience of more than 2,000 was averted when an explosion in a power main in front of the Orpheum theater shook the building late last night. So terrific was the blast that several persons standing in front of the theater were lifted into the air and others were hurled against store windows. A portion of the street was torn up and windows smashed. A brilliant first night audience, augmented by the presence of more than 1,000 motion picture players, packed the theatre for the premiere of ‘Cimarron’. Many film stars were on the stage making personal appearances when the explosion shocked the theater. Robert McWade, veteran stage and screen actor, averted a panic. “Don’t get excited folks,” McWade cried. “That was just part of the celebration in my honor.” The audience laughed and grew calm. The show goers filed out in an orderly manner later, when squads of police and firemen took charge of the situation. The blast was due to an accumulation of gas in the power main, according to H. E. Walker, member of the fire prevention bureau, attending the performance.
The theater marquee is prominently featured in the movie “Hop” which opened this weekend.
I add to this album of vintage theaters and memorabilia from time to time:
View link
A photo of the rooftop neon sign from March 2010:
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A CHILD IS WAITING at the Orpheum, 1963:
View link
I agree nice video,very interesting and historical.
Great video about the vintage curtains. How sad that the multiplexes of today don’t value the showmanship that used to be standard theater procedure way back when.
GerryC, your post of Jun 25, 2010 is for the original Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. Which is listed here as the Grand Theatre. The Grand Theatre became the first Orpheum Theatre in 1894. This Orpheum Theatre (1926) is the fourth Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles.
I just finished a video profiling Steve Markham and his collection of vintage theater curtains, which are stored in the Orpheum’s dressing rooms on the fifth floor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlZFmKbpBCs
According to the Los Angeles Times of Monday, June 26, 1899 (111 years ago tomorrow) Harry Houdini, along with with his wife Beatrice, appeared at the Orpheum Theatre.
Here is a photo takan today, plus bonus photo of the fine dining establishment adjacent:
http://tinyurl.com/ykjda2a
http://tinyurl.com/yfo8dfv
The marquee looks like the Orpeum in Memphis,Tennessee.
Yes, that is the Orpheum Theater in all those AARP Medicare
Supplement Card commercials seen on TV nowadays.
Saw it on TV during the season premiere of “FlashForward”.
It’s such a classic marquee.
Here are some photos taken today:
http://tinyurl.com/pzptyy
http://tinyurl.com/osblno
http://tinyurl.com/qasqoh
http://tinyurl.com/qrtg5s
http://tinyurl.com/pu3nuk
http://tinyurl.com/owcpsa
http://tinyurl.com/oxenrb
http://tinyurl.com/q6goha
Wow, “Teatro Orpheum”…never knew it was a Spanish Theater for a while.