Las Palmas Theatre
1642 Las Palmas Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
1642 Las Palmas Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6 people
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Showing 26 - 41 of 41 comments
Bway: If you’re still watching this page, the photos RobertR linked to back in 2005 depict the theatre on Vine Street north of Hollywood Boulevard which has been variously known as the Hollywood Playhouse, El Capitan Theater, Hollywood Palace, and the Avalon Hollywood, among other names. Built in 1926, it’s been a playhouse, a television studio (during which time it was the location where Richard Nixon made his famous “Checkers” speech), and a night club, but never a movie theatre. If somebody would lease it for a few months for showing films then we’d be able to give it a page here.
I watched a DVD of the Carlos Tobalina film Reflections in Love last night. The film was made in 1971. There is footage of a crowd in front of this theater watching some fire dancers perform. The marquee was advertising “I Am Curious Tahiti”, which was another Tobalina film. Apparently Tobalina operated this as an (heterosexual) adult film house for a period of time in the early 1970’s. (Tobalina also operated the Mayan & the X 1 & 2 at this time, shots of those theaters also appear in Reflections in Love.) Anybody know how long Carlos Tobalina operated this theater?
I think the play was called “Pumpboys and Dinettes”. My memory is not what it used to be.
I saw a few plays here when it was a theater. One was a play about the fifties called “Diners and Dinettes”, or something like that. The other was a play starring my former struggling actress girlfriend, who was in a showcase. Another of her plays was at a theater in Hollywood that used to be a morgue. Bela Lugosi was embalmed there.
So what are the photos of the El Capitan that Robert posted from? Thnat’s of course not the Paramount, aka Disney EL Capitan across from the Chinese Theater.
Here’s a copy of the Las Palmas from the air:
View link
At the recent memorial service for cinematographer Gary Graver, a photograph was shown, likely of ‘70’s or '80’s vintage, of him standing outside the theatre. It was credited to a recent TCM documentary EDGE OF OUTSIDE. It made me sad for losing both a talented guy and a classic theatre.
RobertR; unfortunately, the two links you posted above are not the Las Palmas Theatre. Here is a photograph of the Las Palmas that I took in January 2005:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/368927936/
another one
View link
a pic is here
View link
I saw “Normal Heart” here too with Martin Sheen. What a great location!
The Las Palmas Theatre sustained serious damage in a fire early in March 1977. It was obviously repaired and continued to operate. It originally opened in the late 1930’s.
The clubs that have made this theatre their home for the past four or five years have now moved to other venues. Not sure what this bodes for the future of the Las Palmas…
As you walk into this theatre, look up and you can see where they knocked out the projection booth – the door leading to it is still there!
In 1943, the Las Palmas was rechristened “Dante’s Troupers Theater” for a long run of the world-touring magic and illusion show, “Sim Sala Bim” starring Dante (Harry Jansen) who in 1941 appeared with Laurel & Hardy in the film “A Haunting We Will Go.” The Dante show was so big that much of the scenery and backdrops had to be cut down and folded to fit on the stage at the Las Palmas. The show ran about 6 months during 1943.
The Las Palmas Theatre is located at 1642 Las Palmas Ave.. The Las Palmas is a small legitimate theatre that seated 600. During the 50’s and 60’s it was home for the Billy Barnes Revue as well as the Lyric Repertory Company. Survivng a fire in the 70’s, the Las Palmas is still used as a club now.
On the comment below is for the Ivar theatre located on Ivar near Selma in Hollywood. That theatre is located near the Cinerama Dome. The Las Palmas theatre is on Las Palmas near Hollywood Blvd. It’s across the street from the Egyptian theatre.