UA Theatre neon sign
Although the phrase
“Broadway theater district” usually evokes NYC's “great white way,” L.A. also has its own once-famous theater district. In fact, downtown Los Angeles is actually home to
the largest concentration of "movie palaces” in the world and they’re all
located along South Broadway, between Third and Ninth Streets. Most are in
various stages of disrepair; but some are slowly being
renovated to reflect their magnificent past glory. The newly refurbished United Artists Theatre opened to the public for the first time on
Saturday and we were there to see it.
Built by the United Artists (UA) movie studio in the late 1920s, the theater showed films for many decades,
until it was abandoned by UA and eventually became a church. Today, it anchors
the tres hip—and high-end—Ace Hotel, which occupies the floors above the theater as
well as the former office building next door. Unlike the streamline-moderne
Ace, the restored UA theater is almost gaudy in its opulent “Spanish Gothic” architecture.
Still, we loved it and, as you can see below, went crazy taking pictures (click on images to enlarge).
New marquee, looking up from the sidewalk
Ornate spires at the top
Outer lobby ceiling
Outer lobby staircase bannister
Ceiling border and top of mezzanine opening
Reflection in outer lobby mirror
Border detail
Inner lobby
Inner lobby
Malibu tiles decorate the basement floor
outside the ladies room
Enormous oval ceiling fixture illuminating
the theater's interior
Balcony murals and ornamentation
Ace Hotel exterior
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