Orpheum Theatre

Having trouble with the website, Los Angeles Conservancy — Last Remaining Seats.

For people that would like to see a little of the Orpheum Theatre. They are using it as a location for the American Idol show tonight (February 8th, 2005) on the Fox network.

I remember so anxiously waiting to see the premier of Superman and the only thing that calmed me down was the great architecture. I saw other great movies lie Starwars :)

The main auditorium is still used for private screenings , isnt it?

That “Collateral” premiere was supposed to have been at the Pacific 1-2-3 on Hollywood Boulevard, wasn’t it?

On another note, the Orpheum will be the site on the evening of August 2 for the world premiere of Collateral starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx. Then a few weeks later the Orpheum will host the prequel to The Exorcist. Another premiere at the Orpheum is likely in December.

In 1964 this theatre was hosting a stage production. I believe it was “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever”. I remember that that and “110 in the Dhade” were both “live” in Downtown L.A., one at the Orpheum, and one at the Philharmonic, which became a church, at Olive and 5th St. I may have mixed up which was at which theatre. After that I only remember Spanish language films at the Orpheum.

With regard to the one or two balcony controversy, the Boulevard Theater, at Washington and Vermont, was an Orpheum type theater, as my father who managed it from 1946-1957 often described it. As such, it was always referred to as having two balconies. One main staircase let you enter the balcony at mid-level. From there you went down aisle stairs to the lower balcony with its loge, leatherette seating. If you took the upper aisles from the mid-level entry point you reached the upper balcony with its regular folding type theater seats.Hence, two balconies.I worked there from 1953-57 as an usher and we always referred to the two balcony areas as separate and distinct balconies. The 2300 seat Boulevard had a bit larger seating capacity than the Orpheum.

Sweet theatre, its gonna be awesome restored!

The Mason theatre was another theatre on Broadway with two balconies. The seating capacity was 1650. It was demolished in 1955 to make way for the State Building on Broadway and 1st St.

In 1995 I saw the inside of this theater as part of the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Broadway Theaters walking tour. It was the last theater on the tour and I would have liked to have stayed to see a movie as it was a very beautiful theater. Unfortunately the movie they were showing was “Tank Girl.”

The Orpheum has reopened after a four million dollar restoration. The marquee and huge Orpheum roof neon sign has been restored, the roof sign relit after 40 years.