Featured image credit: Afpeach
It would be a passably snappy intro to drop a statement like, “There’s only one Broadway”, but it’s not exactly true, is it? Of course, there’s Broadway in Manhattan, a concrete river veritably flowing with theatre. That would be the Broadway that everyone knows. But what about the Broadway in Chennai, India, a thoroughfare regionally recognized for its wealth of commercial establishments? Or bustling Broadway Street in Sydney, Australia, offering universities, transportation, and even some scenery for David Bowie’s 1983 music video for “Let’s Dance.”
Los Angeles even has a Broadway and, while it may not be even close to as celebrated as Manhattan’s variety, we still think it’s pretty special. Our Broadway is known for its theaters. Okay, yes, we know what you’re thinking, but it’s not really the same thing. Manhattan’s Broadway is all about theatre; the craft of stage production and all that comes with it. LA’s Broadway is all about theaters, the brick-and-mortar (and, in this case, terracotta) structures where the public congregates to watch movies. Cue Nicole Kidman.
Watching Movies in a Historic Theater
The Broadway Theater District sprawls out over six blocks of Downtown Los Angeles, standing sentinel along portions of South Broadway. But if you visit it today, your chances of catching a film are much slimmer than they were in, say, 1930. Most of the iconic theaters are still there. They’re just not often used for screening motion pictures.
During the relatively brief window between 1910 and 1931, a dozen impressive theaters were erected, more resembling temples to the gods of cinema than any movie houses you’d find elsewhere in the country. At its zenith, it presented the most saturated concentration of movie houses in the world, offering a combined accommodation for around 15,000 guests. And, though many of their screens have gone dim and even more of their seats have folded for good, the Broadway Theater District is still the most concentrated spot for historic theater structures in the country.
The Steep Decline of the Broadway Theater District
With the housing boom following World War II and the rapid dispersion of the city’s population, the crowds that once concentrated on Broadway were now collecting in scattered movie houses across Hollywood and its surrounding suburbs. The burgeoning Latino population kept the historic theater palaces of Broadway in business as programming shifted to Spanish language films and even the occasional variety show.
By the 1979, a marked interest in preserving the historic theaters of Broadway led to the entire Broadway Theater District being added to the National Register of Historic Places. Since then, a slew of initiatives spearheaded by a number of organizations, including the Los Angeles Conservancy, have aimed to restore select theaters to their original glory. In 1987, the LA Conservancy kicked off their “Last Remaining Seats” series in which they once again opened the doors of these theaters for the express purpose of showing films. The program continues to run during the summer months.
But by 1988, there were only two of these Broadway theaters still showing movies: The Orpheum and the Palace. The closure of the State Theatre had significantly dimmed the promise of the Broadway Theater District. Yet, in 2008, the city launched its ambitious “Bringing Back Broadway” campaign, pumping $40 million into revitalizing the struggling historic district. In many cases, the efforts were enough to restore a historic theater to a fully operational venue, bringing screenings, live performances, and more to a culturally starved downtown area. In other cases, these grand and regal venues now serve as retail stores, markets, or even churches.
United Artists Theatre
- Address: 929 S Broadway
- Built: 1927
- Seating capacity: 1,600
- Architect/Designer: C. Howard Crane (in association with Walker & Eisen)
- Style: Spanish Gothic
Found at the southernmost reaches of the Broadway Theatre District, the illustrious United Artists Theatre was erected in 1927 to serve as the official cinema for the United Artists production studio. True to the name, United Artists was founded by massive silver screen talents: D.W. Griffith, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and Charlie Chaplin.
Looming a lucky 13 stories, three of those are devoted to the massive theater itself, with the rest initially being reserved for United Artists’ studios. Architect C. Howard Crane found inspiration in the baroque ornamentalism of Spain’s Segovia Cathedral, working with design firm Walker & Eisen to carve out his Spanish Gothic vision.
Interior design came from the mind of Anthony B. Heinsbergen, who worked in collaboration with Crane to create a cathedral for the new gods of the silver screen. Threads of the theatre and its evolution into motion pictures can be found carved directly into the vertigo-inducing columns, reflected in the mesmerizing ceiling dome, and flowing through the brush strokes of the murals.
During the decline of the historic theater, it was revived as a church, then as the Theatre at Ace Hotel, which further developed the theater into a venue capable of hosting live performances. These days, it’s known as the United Artists Theatre and is still very active in hosting screenings and live events in conjunction with numerous organizations, including the LA Conservancy.
Orpheum Theatre
- Address: 842 S Broadway
- Built: 1926
- Seating capacity: 1,976
- Architect/Designer: G. Albert Lansburgh
- Style: Beaux-Arts
One of just three Southern California venues outfitted with an authentic Wurlitzer pipe organ, the Orpheum Theatre continues to entertain its patrons to this day. The building we recognize as the Orpheum today is actually the fourth incarnation under the same name. Believe it or not, three other venues had either closed or passed on the name by the time this Orpheum opened its doors the day after Valentine’s Day in 1926. But the fourth time must be a charm, because you can still catch live shows and the occasional screening there today.
G. Albert Lansburgh was the vision behind the Orpheum’s majestic Beaux-Arts facade, frequently outshone by its neon marquee. But the interior of the Orpheum is equally regal with soaring archways, crystal chandeliers, and kaleidoscopic geometry that speaks to the decadence of its era of conception. The Orpheum stands on its own merit, but it’s worth noting that Lansburgh was an expert at designing considerably sized venues. His curriculum vitae boasts the Wiltern, Shrine Auditorium, the El Capitan, and even the Palace Theatre (which we’ll be discussing in a moment). These days, the lovingly restored Orpheum is still a popular historic theater for catching live shows, the occasional screening, or creating new movies. It’s a fairly popular filming location.
Rialto Theater
- Address: 812 S Broadway
- Built: 1917
- Seating capacity: 840
- Architect/Designer: Oliver P. Dennis
- Style: Greek Revival
_July_2022_(2).jpg){kind=link}
Getting its start as a nickelodeon (that’s a theater where you could see a motion picture for a nickel, consarnit!), the Rialto Theater opened as Quinn’s Rialto in 1917. Quinn must not have been cut out for the highs and lows of the nickelodeon business, because by 1919, he’d sold the Rialto to Sid Grauman (yes, the entrepreneur who brought us the El Capitan, Egyptian, and Chinese Theatres).
The Rialto benefited from the exacting eye of architect Oliver P. Dennis, who would much later go on to design Hollywood’s Magic Castle. But in 1917, he was using a more modest Greek Revival-style facade with a pioneering stadium-oriented interior layout. In those days, this historic theater could accommodate around 1,000 patrons.
However, reverence hasn’t always been on the Rialto’s side, and it’s endured a series of ambitious renovations that, at best, have distorted Dennis’s original concept. Sadly, the only new releases you’ll catch in its hallowed walls are the season’s fast fashions. When the Rialto shuttered in 1987, its lobby was converted to a retail shop and, today, it hosts an Urban Outfitters. But, hey, they did restore the marquee.
Tower Theatre
- Address: 802 S Broadway
- Built: 1927
- Seating capacity: 900
- Architect/Designer: S. Charles Lee
- Style: French Renaissance
In the 1920s, the clock was ticking for the talkies. And the Tower Theatre, welcoming guests in 1927, also sounded the death knell for silent cinema by offering the first theater in Los Angeles that boasted audio for its motion pictures. Fittingly, the Tower was the site of a pre-opening screening of The Jazz Singer, the first feature-length film to employ synchronized audio dialogue. But this wasn’t the only feat the historic theater boasted. It miraculously fit over 900 guests into a 50-foot-wide lot.
A lot of this magic boiled down to the design prowess of S. Charles Lee, who was in the midst of making a career out of architecture for theaters specifically. He’d go on to design over 70 theaters, including the Los Angeles Theatre (which we’ll discuss shortly), as well as the Bruin Theatre in Westwood and the Fox Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills. Relying on a liberal use of terracotta, Lee created a concept he described as “modified French Renaissance” with tips of the hat to Italian, Spanish, French, and even Moorish hallmarks.
While the Tower hosted the occasional film shoot or live performance, it eventually bowed out as a regular venue in June 2021. Today, it serves the public as the very first Apple store. We guess that’s one way you could use a historic theater.
Globe Theatre
- Address: 740 S Broadway
- Built: 1913
- Seating capacity: 2,000
- Architect/Designer: Morgan, Walls & Morgan
- Style: Beaux-Arts
The Globe Theatre was different from the outset in that, unlike most of this historic theater district, it started out as a space devoted to live theatrical productions as opposed to motion pictures. Every detail was made to satisfy the exacting demands of theatre legend Oliver Morosco and his patrons in the illustrious Belasco family. The Beaux-Arts colossus that would house the Globe, then known as the Morosco Theatre, was designed by the firm of Morgan, Walls & Morgan. While it opened its doors to an audience hungry for theatre in January 1913, changing tastes and financial strain resulted in the Globe transforming into a movie theater during the Great Depression.
Morosco was a bit of an eccentric, so, at his behest, the orchestra pit was strewn with verdant foliage to set the tone for more tranquil intermissions without booming musical accompaniment. The Globe was also innovative in providing seating for larger guests, reserving a specially-sized row for patrons who weighed in excess of 200 pounds.
But the Globe has arguably worn more masks over the years than its early talent. It found new life as a Spanish-language movie house, then a swap meet starting in 1987 (with the auditorium and stage converting to a nightclub in the evening), and a modern entertainment venue specializing in high-profile DJs. The Globe closed at the end of 2023 and has been more or less gathering dust ever since. But rumor has it the current owner is looking for someone to give it another spin.
State Theatre
- Address: 703 S Broadway
- Built: 1921
- Seating capacity: 2,450
- Architect/Designer: Charles Weeks, William Day, and Reid Brothers
- Style: Spanish Renaissance
_Auditorium.jpg){kind=link}
Part Vaudeville theater, part movie house, the State Theatre made quite a statement when it opened its doors in 1921 as the largest capacity historic theater on Broadway. While the number of seats has fluctuated over the decades, the State once boasted as many as 2,450 seats. Designed through a collaboration of San Francisco firms Weeks & Day and Reid Brothers, the 12-story structure is also regarded as the biggest brick building in the city. So, the State came out breaking records left and right.
The Spanish Renaissance styling is much more obvious from the interior of the historic theater, all the way up to its ornate rococo ceiling. It even had a Billiken statue housed in a niche to bring good fortune to the beautiful building. And we suppose it worked for several decades.
But after a lengthy stint as a launchpad for MGM films, the State showed its last movie in 1997. From there, a church took up the lease, and the State has been used as a lavish house of worship ever since. For a moment, the lease lapsed and the State seemed poised to return to its originally intended use, but the church managed to rene,w and its lease continues.
Palace Theater
- Address: 630 S Broadway
- Built: 1910
- Seating capacity: 2,200
- Architect/Designer: G. Albert Lansburgh and Robert Brown Young and Son
- Style: French and Italian Renaissance
Remember G. Albert Lansburgh, the architect who designed the Orpheum? Well, nearly two decades earlier, he was hard at work collaborating with associate architects Robert Brown Young and Son to bring the grandiose Palace Theater into reality. Of course, back then, the Palace was known as the Orpheum. Confusing? Well, we wish it would clear things up to say this was the third attempt at creating the Orpheum, but we have a feeling it doesn’t.
Yet would a historic theater by any other name be as sweet as the Palace? Its tasteful orchestration of pinks, blues, and golds, its terracotta flourishes and Domingo Mora sculptures, its consideration for the audience, ensuring no seat was more than 80 feet from the stage. And that was an important consideration since the Palace got its start as a vaudeville theater. This was the sort of venue that had a fireplace in the men’s room. Tres chic.
By 1926, it had dropped the Orpheum name, rechristening itself the Palace Theater and pivoting from vaudeville to silent films and then, eventually, full-blown talkies. In 2011, a million-dollar restoration was pumped into the historic theater in honor of its first century on the planet. Today, it continues onward as a live venue, though it also occasionally opens its doors for screenings and film shoots.
Los Angeles Theatre
- Address: 615 S Broadway
- Built: 1931
- Seating capacity: 2,000
- Architect/Designer: S. Charles Lee and S. Tilden Norton
- Style: French Baroque
We’re just in the middle of our rundown of the historic theater district of Broadway, but that’s because we’re moving geographically. The Los Angeles Theatre was actually the second-to-last of the lavish Broadway theaters to be constructed, but it’s safe to say it could be considered the grand finale. Architects S. Charles Lee and S. Tilden Norton sought inspiration in subjects as diverse as the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles and San Francisco’s Fox Theater, settling on a predominantly French Baroque style that perpetuated themes of opulence. Crystal, marble, gold leaf, silk, and walnut compete for attention in the decadence of this historic theater, giving the eye little place to rest.
But it was also a cutting-edge theater for its time, offering the latest sound systems and projection equipment, dimmer lights, and even an early example of neon floor lighting. Guest accommodations were at their pinnacle at the Los Angeles Theatre, presenting a:
- Concession area
- Children’s play area
- Crying room (soundproofed for fussy babies)
- Restaurant
- Secondary lounge (with the film viewable through a series of prisms)
- Smoking lounge
As if it weren’t a big enough deal already, the Los Angeles Theatre opened on January 30, 1931 with a premiere screening of Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights. The legendary actor was in attendance to view what would become regarded as his masterpiece, bringing along Albert Einstein and his wife, Elsa, as his personal guests. So, the Los Angeles Theatre knew how to do an opening just as artfully as a finale. The historic theater is still standing, though its only open for occasional tours, screenings, and film shoots.
Arcade Theatre
- Address: 534 S Broadway
- Built: 1910
- Seating capacity: 1,400
- Architect/Designer: Morgan & Walls
- Style: Beaux-Arts
Opening as a vaudeville theater in 1910, the Arcade Theatre was originally known as the Pantages. Yes, just like Palace was the original Orpheum. In its early years, the Arcade Theatre had a decidedly old-school English music-hall vibe, distinguishing it from the few existing theaters around it and the many that would follow it. Design firm Morgan & Walls employed the Beaux-Arts style so popular at the time, using it to divide the facade into three distinct sections.
The Arcade Theatre didn’t fare very well in the decline of the Broadway Theatre District. By 1992, it had pivoted to a retail location, relegating its auditorium to a mere storage area. Today, it sits vacant; a sad state for a once-proud historic theater.
Cameo Theatre
- Address: 528 S Broadway
- Built: 1910
- Seating capacity: 775
- Architect/Designer: Alfred Rosenheim
- Style: Renaissance Revival
A lesser-known historic theater on Broadway, the Cameo Theatre opened in 1910 and would earn the distinction of being the longest continuously operating movie theater in all of California until it shuttered in 1991. Stacked against most of the other theaters on this list, the gentle Renaissance Revival style and modest size of the 775-seat Cameo will likely not impress you. But it surely turned heads when it first opened (under the name Clune’s Broadway).
Architect Alfred Rosenheim’s designs for the auditorium remain almost identical to the way they did on opening night, which is an impressive feat in itself. But in the ‘90s, it ceased to be a theater, instead pivoting to use as a swap meet spot (much like the Globe Theatre). Look for the Cameo today, and you’ll find a jewelry store lodged in its lobby, unceremoniously using the auditorium for storage.
Roxie Theatre
- Address: 518 S Broadway
- Built: 1932
- Seating capacity: 1,600
- Architect/Designer: John M. Cooper
- Style: Art Deco
The final historic theater constructed on Broadway could be considered more of an epilogue than a climax. And it’s a pretty grim one.
Built in 1932, the Roxie Theatre is the only of the historic theater examples built along Broadway to employ an Art Deco aesthetic. Architect John M. Cooper used the chic design style to create a fascinating fortress of cinematic splendor, with looming towers of geometric beauty. Sadly, the Roxie had plenty of gloom to go with the glamor. A manager died of cardiac arrest while running the projector in 1943. In 1954, an unidentified woman committed suicide in the auditorium. And in 1958, an usher robbed a manager at gunpoint.
After a stint as a Spanish-language theater, the Roxie closed in 1989. Its original Streamline Moderne ticket booth was gutted, preparing the spot for use as a retail shop. In subsequent years, the auditorium is said to have been damaged by water and a lack of general maintenance, so it remains to be seen if the historic theater will make it to its 100th year.
Million Dollar Theater
- Address: 307 S Broadway
- Built: 1918
- Seating capacity: 2,345
- Architect/Designer: Albert C. Martin and William Lee Woollett
- Style: Churrigueresque
Finally, at the northern end of the Broadway Theater District, the Million Dollar Theater literally earned its name for its alleged million-dollar price tag. While you’d have trouble finding a home for that price tag in LA today, that was a considerable chunk of change in 1918. In fact, adjusted for inflation, it would equate to over $21 million in 2025.
But price is probably the least impressive aspect of the Million Dollar Theater. This was the very first movie palace commissioned by Sid Grauman (who we mentioned in the Rialto section as the originator of the El Capitan, Chinese, and Egyptian Theaters). While he was still searching for his creative pinnacle, the Million Dollar Theatre was a heck of a way to start a legacy with intricate churrigueresque flourishes and American iconography sculpted by Joseph Mora protruding from the facade of the historic theater.
Today, the Million Dollar Theater still stands in good company across from the Bradbury Building. In fact, it’s considered part of the Grand Central Square project, an intensive renovation initiative that includes the Bradbury Building and Grand Central Market. However, the legendary Million Dollar Theater remains under wraps these days… with the exception of the occasional special event.
Comments
Post a Comment