In my diary from November 16, I told you that we were filming at the Los Angeles Theater downtown. Honestly, I was so amazed by this building that I wanted to find out more about it. When I had time, I found some more information and then I faxed it to my webmaster and told her to put it up on the website. I hope you find it as interesting as I did! Here's what I found out:

The Los Angeles Theater was built in 1931 by William Fox and H.L. Gumbiner. It was designed by the architect S. Charles Lee in a Baroque style. When they planned for this theater, they spared no expense and used crystal, marble, gold leaf, silk, and walnut to decorate the elaborate rooms. It was the most elaborate theater of its time and also the most technologically advanced. After only 6 months of construction, the theater opened in January, 1931 and the first movie to premiere there was Charlie Chaplin's City Lights. Audiences were amazed by the beauty of the theater and were treated to some very special features: a children's playroom, a refreshment room with soda fountain, two "crying rooms" where mothers and their infants could watch the film from behind a special glass booth, a cosmetics room with individual vanities, and even a shoeshine stand in the men's room!

Unfortunately, the Los Angeles Theater suffered because of the Great Depression and its owner, H.L. Gumbiner, was forced to declare bankruptcy after only three months. The theater closed in December, 1931, but was reopened later and continued to show films until 1994 when it was finally shut down. Since then, however, it has been rented out as a location for filming movies such as Batman Forever, Alien Nation, Man on the Moon, Houdini, Escape from LA, Chaplin, Charlie's Angels II, and The Prestige. 

Here is an old postcard from the theater:

Here are some photos from Los Angeles Theater's official website. [Jackie suggested that you go take a look at the website. There are many beautiful photos there - even a 3-D feature - and it is, he said, "really very interesting".]

This is the lobby.

The stage.

The outside of the theater.

Main staircase.

Wide angle of main staircase.

Photo from early 1990s. Look at the movie that's playing!

All photos ©The Los Angeles Theater

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