State Theatre
703 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles,
CA
90014
703 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles,
CA
90014
24 people favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 130 comments
1956 enlargeable image on Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stockholmtransportmuseum_commons/8261596972/in/photostream
1952 picture added to Photos.
so far as I know, there is not a new theater tenant, but this is a wonderful new blogged article with photos https://www.avoidingregret.com/2018/08/photo-essay-catedral-de-la-fe-flips.html
1942 photo added credit LIFE Magazine.
I have been inside the state theatre. The Lobby is grand, and the auditorium is lush and big, beautiful and Hollywood worthy. Hopefully the Church will move out (a la the Ritz on Hollywood Blvd) and this precious gem may have another chance at movie-dome.
The theatre is owned by the Broadway Theatre Group which also owns the Los Angeles, Tower and Palace Theatres.
The webpage is: http://www.statetheatre.la/
The theatre is still rented by the Cathedral of Faith and is not currently available for other bookings or film shoots. But the webpage has a couple nice interior photos and it looks like it has recently been repainted in a nice, more colorful color scheme.
An article about the State Theatre in the December 3, 1921, issue of Exhibitor’s Trade Review had this interesting information about the movie screen in the new house:
By the way, my understanding is that the State has a drop-down ceiling over the stage which precludes lowering the screen or closing the curtains. So even if the church was receptive to the idea of allowing movie fans in, it wouldn’t be practical…
Yes. Mainly that’s the Los Angeles Conservancy’s big fundraising event, Last Remaining Seats. Starting on the last Wednesday in May, we show six classic movies, usually in the downtown theaters, but sometimes branch out to other parts of LA.
Thanks for your answer, Don. I keep seeing an interstitial on Turner Classics that several times a year the downtown L.A. movie palaces open their doors to the public and show vintage movies.
Rafaelstorm, in terms of these theaters ever operating solely as movie theaters again, maybe. In the near-term picture, no. There’s a larger, more diverse population living there now. They’re cleaning up the buildings, fixing the sidewalks, and talking about putting in a streetcar. For a certain type of person (single, interested in an urban lifestyle), downtown is very attractive. And businesses are moving in to support them. The Belasco and Palace have recently reopened as a multi-purpose entertainment venue and a theater, respectively. Of course, the Orpheum, Globe, Mayan and Million Dollar have been operating for a while now in various capacities. The UA may open a new chapter in its history, if the right buyer can be found.
I’m an East Coast guy, but I’m an enormous classic film fan and movie palace enthusiast, so I have a sad question. Is downtown L.A. really “doomed,” as I read above? I’ve never been there, but I know it like the back of my hand.
Great photo ken mc I quess every city had a least 1 Woolworths also.
The marquee of the State can be seen in this 1952 photo from USC:
http://tinyurl.com/2vg92kx
Here are some photos taken today:
http://tinyurl.com/yjk7g93
http://tinyurl.com/yhgp6y9
http://tinyurl.com/yh8u7ft
Great old pictures, and chill out larry2 at least it has not been torn down.
It is closed as a movie theater. Being open as a church is of no consequence for this web-site
So even if it’s still in use as a church, we’re qualifying it as “closed”? It’s on the L.A. Conservancy Walking Tour every Sunday! I’ve seen it open many many times.
Here is part of an August 1963 article in the LA Times:
With the U.S. premiere if “Cielo Rojo†as the piece de resistance and an appearance by Latin movie queen Sonia Furio, plus young Rodolfo de Anda, the State Theater splashes into the Spanish-language film field. “Cielo Rojoâ€, filmed in what must be the best Eastmancolor photography yet applied to movies shot in outdoor Mexico, deserves some comparison to another Latin epic of recent years, “Black Orpheusâ€.
With Patricia Conde, Miss Furio and young de Anda as the stars, “Cielo Rojo†explores the lives of Acapulco’s world-famed divers. It peeks into their social drawbacks, the main theme being illegitimacy and the ultimate righting of same. In young de Anda’s acting, one sees the promise of excellent things to come.
Here is another 1939 ad:
http://tinyurl.com/l2f7dr
Here is a February 1937 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/my3hjb
ken mc your right that was the State’s marquee in your Mar. 28th. 2009 post.
Here are photos from 1980 and 1982:
http://tinyurl.com/qxeku6
http://tinyurl.com/pecfr3
Here is an April 1970 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/qk35dt
Here is a late 1930s photo from the USC archive:
http://tinyurl.com/cm59wr