Mayan Theatre
1040 S. Hill Street,
Los Angeles,
CA
90015
1040 S. Hill Street,
Los Angeles,
CA
90015
34 people
favorited this theater
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In a 2016 interview former Carlos Tobalina associate, William Larraburre, recalled that Tobalina purchased the Mayan after returning from San Francisco with “a bag full of cash”; documentation from the time estimates the purchase price as $300,000. This transaction, along with a series of large all cash real estate acquisitions in the late 60’s/early 70’s drew the attention of the FBI. However, despite creating a 550 page file on Efrain “Carlos” Tobalina, the FBI was never able to establish any direct connection to criminal activity, beyond “unsubstantiated information” and suspicion.
Nice article about how the Mayan was saved in today (12/23) edition of the SF Chronicle.
https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/mayan-theatre-downtown-los-angeles-19954908.php
This reopened as a 3-screen adult cinema complex with the world’s biggest adult bookstore on March 14th, 1969. Grand opening ad posted.
August 15th, 1927 grand opening ad in photo section.
Was just at The Mayan for Masterbeat’s big NYE party on 12/31/15. Very well kept interior even though it gets a lot use as a nightclub. Wish they had some lighting in the auditorium ceiling like The Belasco does next door.
If anyone has any stories about going to/ working at this threatre, I would love to hear them. I am chronicling the histories of adult theatres in the US. Please contact me at Thanks!
3-plex opening ad on March 14th, 1969
A photograph my husband took recently of the blade sign (daytime) can be seen here:
View link
As a nightclub Dec 31, 2009. Amazing that the plaster decor hasn’t fallen off the walls. Still in good condition inside with most of the decor intact. The seats have been removed on lower level, the floor leveled, a bar added under the balcony and DJ booth in the balcony area. Virtually the same thing that was done to The Palace in Hollywooed on Vine (now Avalon nightclub)
View link
I finally got to tour the inside of the Mayan Theater last Thursday night and am thrilled to say it looks as great inside as it does outside. Although converted to a nightclub, the Mayan is in great shape and still looks like a theater inside (okay, minus 1,400 seats or so). The auditorium and chandelier in particular are definitely something to see. I was surprised at the small restrooms located on the mezzanine level. They seemed way too tiny to service 1,400+ audience members. The nightclub has more restrooms backstage and under the stage, but those would have been inaccessible when this operated as a theater. Are there some “lost” restrooms located behind a false wall somewhere in or underneath the Mayan lobby?
Here are some photos taken today:
http://tinyurl.com/pv6kxh
http://tinyurl.com/p4bahw
http://tinyurl.com/r4fouv
http://tinyurl.com/ozgx45
http://tinyurl.com/otaed9
http://tinyurl.com/ornz6y
Here is a January 1940 ad from the LAT:
http://tinyurl.com/ooqeml
Here is a January 1977 ad:
http://tinyurl.com/mb9m49
Here is a July 1943 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/lldyot
Here is a June 2009 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ms3q8f
“Contrary to the description, the Mayan hasn’t been used for the Last Remaining Seats series, at least not since I started attending in the late ‘80s or early '90s.”
I asked Connie Humberger about this tonight; she was there from the beginning. And yes, the Mayan was used for the LRS series, back when it was a porn house. They had to go in and clean the place up.
Also, the description as it appears now, refers to the book “Last Remaining Seats,” not the film program.
I posted this photo on the Belasco page a while ago, but it also shows the Mayan circa 1930s. Photo is from the USC archive:
http://tinyurl.com/ccg4xv
There’s something interesting in the basement of the Mayan that I haven’t seen mentioned here: in one of the mechanical spaces, someone kept a running tally of the shows in pencil on the wall. The top entry is “Grand Opening August 15, 1927.” Then:
1 – O-Kay – Elsie Janis – 8 weeks – musical – Aug 15, 1927
2 – Twinkle Twinkle – Joe E. Brown Nancy Welford – 6 “ – musical – Oct 10, 1927
and so on into the early 1930s. There’s a sheet of Plexiglas protecting it.
LAHTF’s “All About…” series returns this Saturday, May 16th, 10:30 (doors open at 10) to The Mayan. Also included will be the Belasco Theatre next door. See you there.
Here is a March 1969 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/quyrue
Here is a January 1944 ad from the LA Times. Dorothy Dandridge was one of the stars.
http://tinyurl.com/c29u3d
Some touchup work in 1965. Already showing adult films:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015389.jpg
Due to popular demand, the Belasco Theatre now has its own dedicated page on Cinema Treasures.
Ah, I didn’t see that. Well, even if they were just 1950s soft core porn movies, I think that should qualify the Belasco for a page. Lots of little store front porn houses from the 1970s are listed, and the Belasco is certainly more interesting as a theater than they are.
cnichols posted some info about films shown in 1950 back on Nov 18, 2008, with ad links.