State Theatre

703 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles, CA 90014

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Showing 1 - 25 of 130 comments

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 29, 2021 at 8:22 pm

1956 enlargeable image on Flickr.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stockholmtransportmuseum_commons/8261596972/in/photostream

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on October 29, 2019 at 12:39 pm

1952 picture added to Photos.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on August 11, 2018 at 7:14 am

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

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on May 24, 2017 at 5:50 am

1942 photo added credit LIFE Magazine.

CStefanic
CStefanic on May 17, 2016 at 1:14 pm

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.

spectrum
spectrum on April 22, 2015 at 6:52 pm

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.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on April 10, 2015 at 11:10 am

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:

“The new Loew State Theatre which opened in Los Angeles Nov. 12 has a screen 24 by 44 feet. It is twice the size of any other screen in use in that city and pictures are furnished for it by what is said to be the largest projection booth in the world. It will be interesting to note how the public takes to this mammoth picture sheet.”

DonSolosan
DonSolosan on August 19, 2011 at 5:22 pm

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…

DonSolosan
DonSolosan on August 19, 2011 at 5:20 pm

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.

Ed Miller
Ed Miller on August 19, 2011 at 12:14 am

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.

DonSolosan
DonSolosan on August 15, 2011 at 4:48 pm

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.

Ed Miller
Ed Miller on July 20, 2011 at 7:06 pm

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.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on July 14, 2010 at 6:58 pm

Great photo ken mc I quess every city had a least 1 Woolworths also.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on May 6, 2010 at 5:04 pm

The marquee of the State can be seen in this 1952 photo from USC:
http://tinyurl.com/2vg92kx

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on December 8, 2009 at 6:33 pm

Great old pictures, and chill out larry2 at least it has not been torn down.

larry
larry on October 29, 2009 at 6:03 am

It is closed as a movie theater. Being open as a church is of no consequence for this web-site

MagicLantern
MagicLantern on October 29, 2009 at 1:43 am

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.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 24, 2009 at 6:05 pm

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 Rojo”, 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 Orpheus”.

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.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on July 14, 2009 at 10:11 pm

Here is a February 1937 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/my3hjb

William
William on July 1, 2009 at 6:43 am

ken mc your right that was the State’s marquee in your Mar. 28th. 2009 post.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on May 10, 2009 at 10:56 pm

Here is an April 1970 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/qk35dt

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on April 25, 2009 at 8:51 pm

Here is a late 1930s photo from the USC archive:
http://tinyurl.com/cm59wr