State Theatre (Closed)
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The old box office and Broadway marquee give State Theatre a fitting entrance at Seventh Street. Located at 703 S. Broadway, this corner movie palace recalls the days when choosing a show could begin with a walk past the ticket window. Look above the entrance and the theatre becomes part of a much larger building, with twelve stories rising over the sidewalk.
Opened as Loew’s State on November 12, 1921, the theatre was designed by Weeks & Day. Its roughly 2,450 seats made it one of Broadway’s biggest entertainment destinations. Originally, customers could enter beneath marquees on both Broadway and Seventh Street, though the Seventh Street entrance later closed.
State Theatre close-up of marquee
Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy Rod Holcomb
The State also has a connection to a young Judy Garland. In 1929, she performed here with the Gumm Sisters, years before Dorothy and the yellow brick road made her a household name. The theatre later became a downtown destination for MGM pictures and, eventually, Spanish-language movies.
UPDATE: The State’s regular movie operations ended in 1997, followed by a long period of church use. The original description of first-run movies is now part of its past, and the supplied account of a current nightlife conversion has not been confirmed. The surviving Broadway entrance still gives passersby a look at the showmanship that once brought crowds to this busy corner. 10-26
Tower Theatre (Closed)
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The tall blue-and-white sign for Tower Theatre makes this Broadway corner easy to recognize. An immense arched window above the marquee adds to the decoration, while the “for lease” sign in this older view hints at a theatre waiting for its next act.
Opened in 1927, the Tower was S. Charles Lee’s first theatre design and the first Los Angeles movie house wired for talking pictures.
UPDATE: The Tower reopened as an Apple store in June 2021 after an extensive restoration of its interiors, marquees, and clock tower. Phones have replaced the feature presentation, but the old theatre once again welcomes visitors beneath its familiar sign. 10-26
Rialto Theatre (Closed)
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The sweeping marquee of Rialto Theatre gives this former movie house plenty of sidewalk appeal. Its neon decoration recalls the days when a theatre could catch your attention before you checked what was playing.
Opened as Quinn’s Rialto in 1917, it later came under Sid Grauman’s management. The spectacular Art Deco marquee arrived during the 1930s.
UPDATE: Urban Outfitters now occupies the former theatre. Much of the original interior was lost to earlier alterations, but the marquee survived and received city landmark recognition in 1989. Shopping replaced moviegoing, while the old advertisement remains the star out front. 10-26
Orpheum Theatre
Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
The immense rooftop sign for Orpheum Theatre is hard to miss on a trip down Broadway. Below it, the colorful marquee and ornate box office offer a closer look at the showmanship that made this street an entertainment destination. This is one of those places where the entrance deserves a photograph before you head inside.
Opened on February 15, 1926, the theatre at 842 S. Broadway was the fourth and final Los Angeles home of the Orpheum vaudeville circuit. Designed by G. Albert Lansburgh, it welcomed performers ranging from Jack Benny and a young Judy Garland to Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.
This
is the 3rd and last theatre that still shows first run movies. It's multi-colored
marquee and gold-gilded box office make this one of L.A. proudest theatre
achievements. The Orpheum was built in 1926.
Orpheum Signage Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
UPDATE: Work is being done on the Orpheum rooftop and blade neon, which are nearing
completion and will look great. The grand reopening is currently scheduled
for September. Many thanks to Chris Nichols for info.
UPDATE: The Orpheum continues as a live entertainment and event venue rather than the regular first-run movie house described in the original entry. Concerts, special screenings, and filming have kept audiences and cameras returning to the building. A century after opening, the old Orpheum still has a show to put on beneath that familiar rooftop name. 10-26
United Artists
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The United Artists Theatre adds another grand entrance near the southern end of Broadway’s theatre district. Its elaborate Gothic-inspired interior recalls the days when a movie palace supplied a spectacle before the picture began.
Mary Pickford helped shape the project, selecting its site and architect. The theatre at 929 S. Broadway opened on December 26, 1927, with her film My Best Girl.
UPDATE: Its years as a church associated with Gene Scott were followed by restoration and a 2014 reopening as the Theatre at Ace Hotel. Today it operates as The United Theater on Broadway, bringing crowds back for concerts and live events. Another old picture palace has returned to show business. 10-26
State Theatre (Closed)
State Theatre close-up of marquee
Tower Theatre (Closed)
Rialto Theatre (Closed)
United Artists
